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Archer: Plaque Removal (2023)
Reality Check
The final season of Archer is here and it's already off to a bad start. After viewing the first three episodes we have a serious problem in the form of the new character, Zara Kahn. It appears Mark Ganek and the rest of the team that took over writing the show's material from Adam Reed haven't been paying attention to the negative reception for the past eight years. For those of us who have struggled to watch characters such as Rey Palpatine from the "Star Wars Sequel trilogy," or Helena Shaw from "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" would know that a character like Zara Kahn is unacceptable.
For those who have not watched the final season so far here is some background information. Archer, Lana, and the team are tasked with working with Kahn, who turns out to be a former Interpol agent who has gone rogue and joins their agency at the end of episode 2.
Now that we've established the story why is Zara Kahn such a problem, you ask? If you want people to get engaged with a new character or season, the first impression is important. When we're introduced to Kahn, she is already presented as this "perfect, highly skilled, flawless" fighter (Rey Palpatine). This would be fine, except Kahn immediately exhibits a series of very unlikable qualities. She has an arrogant, abrasive, and disrespectful attitude, specifically towards Archer who is THE reason we're watching the show. Not only do the writers have Kahn besting Archer in every category, but she manages to disrespect his age and years of experience (Helena Shaw). It's as if they tried to create a female version of Archer but forgot to give her his charm and humor.
Another problem is that the other characters seem just fine with her behavior, except for Archer of course. As an avid viewer of the show, characters such as Lana, Cyril, Cheryl, Pam, Ray, and Krieger would NOT just open their arms to someone like Zara Kahn. These are well rounded, deeply flawed characters who all share a long history together. Zara Kahn is just a guest on their show and should be treated as one.
What the writers have done is what anyone would call terrible writing. Not only is Zara Kahn a character that is not only unlikable, but she also has serious flaws in her character that need to be addressed on the show. Hopefully, in the future episodes the writers will fix this problem. Do not hold your breath though.
La meglio gioventù (2003)
One of the best films you will ever see!
It is difficult for me to write a review right now explaining why this is one of the best films I've ever seen while giving it the justice it has earned. The Best of Youth which was directed with perfection by Marco Tullio Giordana and stars Luigi Lo Cascio and Alessio Boni, is a grand epic that is unforgettable. Knowing little about the story and its characters I was unprepared by how the powerful soul of this beautiful film would affect me!
The narrative begins in Italy with Nicola (Cascio) and Matteo Carati (Boni) who are brothers growing into adulthood during the 1960s when the country is undergoing major political change. It is a heartfelt tale that elevates itself into something more than a traditional family drama with Nicola and Matteo serving as our guides through the development of their country and family as the two progress into the 2000s.
To start off, I loved the script for the film that was written by Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli. Every scene, shot, and character flowed with a genuine humanity that I wish most films had. The Best of Youth is also a bildungsroman that is in tradition with Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind," that it chronicles the lives and experiences of the characters coming of age during an important political era. For example, in the beginning the brothers are separated for a time and are reunited once again in Florence during the dreadful 1966 Arno River Flood. These characters become apart of you as their story becomes your story. A viewer can look at the Carati family and immediately find a familiarity in their lives that we recognize in our own identities.
As I said above, Giordana's direction is flawless as he invites us to feel the pleasures, nuances, and conflicts of the era he is depicting. With the extraordinary photography by Roberto Forza, Giordana captures the best parts of Italy without manipulating the look and feel of the country to the point that the film's images have a documentary style. Whether the film is shooting coverage of Palermo, the Coliseum in Rome, or the beautiful island of Stromboli, Giordana captures the beauty of Italy in it's simplicity. As a result I was almost convinced that the film was covering the lives of real people.
Focusing on the beautiful ensemble cast, every actor gives the best work of their career. In addition to the tender, powerful performances of Cascio and Boni, all of the women in The Best of Youth play some of the best female characters caught on screen. Jasmine Trinca is heartbreaking as the mentally vulnerable Giorgia who helps define the relationship of the two brothers. Sonia Bergamasco is enigmatic as Giulia who's twisted political views drive her away from becoming a mother to Nicola's child. A wonderful surprise is Maya Sansa as Mirella who exhibits such a genuine warmth and luminescence as the woman the two brothers eventually find love in. There was never a moment during my viewing of the film when these characters failed to hold my attention, or suspend my belief. I truly cared about them even after the last frame rolled.
I could talk about The Best of Youth for days which should be enough for you to go out and see the film for yourself. It is definitely one of the great masterpieces of Italian cinema that belongs with the work of other great directors such as Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves, Umberto D.). It is one of my favorite films, and should be watched by anyone who can spare the six hour running time. I guarantee you will love this film as the characters become apart of your life. An emotional, powerful epic that reminds the viewer why we go to the movies in the first place.