Amarcord

Federico Fellini is easily one of those directors that has a very distinct style to his storytelling. Many other directors have been influenced by the Italian visionary but there can be only one Fellini. Only he could have made the films accredited to his name.

His most personal film was a remembrance of the small town he grew up in. That film was Amarcord, a work with as much surreal whimsy as many of his earlier titles. But this particular film has a charm to it that can't be found in Fellini's other work.

Amarcord revolves around the townspeople of a village in fascist Italy (meant to represent Rimini, the village Fellini grew up in), the many quirks and charms held within this old town. Many films in the years to come would focus on the quaintness of small town life but only a few would match up to Fellini.

As stated earlier, Fellini is one of those directors with an almost overwhelming sense of creativity. With Amarcord, he adds a more personal touch to his imagination. It's a film about nostalgia, an aspect only a select few of creators can capture well. But Fellini does so with complete ease.

Amarcord is a generous film, a trait often seen in Fellini's work. It's the kind that wants the viewer to watch the story presented before them, nothing more. It's a concept only the true storytellers impose and again, Fellini was such a person.

My Rating: *****

Nights of Cabiria

If you compare a movie with another movie from the same director's filmography, you'd be surprised at the similarities between them.

Take an example like Fellini's La Strada and Nights of Cabiria. Both star Fellini's wife Giulietta Masina as a woman who is never fully appreciated by her peers. In La Strada, she is abused by a circus strongman. In Nights of Cabiria, she tries to find love among her clients. The similarity? For both women, they always keep their spirits up no matter how bad the situation they're in is.

As Cabiria, Masina has us sympathizing for her at the very beginning. (After all, the first scene shows her getting robbed and pushed into a river by her "lover".) Throughout her hardships, we develop a bond with her. We also hope that maybe, just maybe, Cabiria will find love.

Although not my favorite Fellini (that goes to either 8 1/2 or La Strada), I did like Nights of Cabiria. The highlight of the movie is definitely Masina. And you have to love that final shot of her.

My Rating: *****

La Strada

Foreign movies are an acquired taste. It's mainly for those who don't mind reading subtitles when they watch a movie.

As for me, I'm half and half. I do like foreign movies, but only those done by certain directors (Kurosawa, Visconti). And if you're wondering, yes, Fellini is one of them. His sense of imagery makes him stand out from the rest.

The two leads of La Strada, Giulietta Masina and Anthony Quinn, give excellent performances. Masina represents one's innocence where as Quinn is presented as the brutality of man. There is also a certain charm to Masina that makes us like her immediately, while there is a certain aloofness to Quinn that makes us dislike him.

There are so many things of La Strada that I like outside of the performances and Fellini's imagery. The main thing is Nino Rota's haunting score. Just a few notes and I get chills. The other thing is those final two shots of Quinn. If this isn't good filmmaking, I don't know what is.

My Rating: *****

La Dolce Vita

Ah, Fellini. One of the most prolific foreign directors that lived. An unique storyteller and a visionary genius, his works always make must-see lists.

Journalist and man-about-town Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) struggles to find his place in the world, torn between the allure of Rome's elite social scene and the stifling domesticity offered by his girlfriend, all while searching for a way to become a serious writer.

I very much liked La Dolce Vita. I consider it one of Fellini's best, though I believe that his absolute best is 8 1/2. The lifestyle of 1960s Italy is best represented in La Dolce Vita. Mastroianni gives his character a self-loathing nature to make us feel more sympathetic towards him. La Dolce Vita is one of the best foreign movies ever made.

My Rating: ****1/2

8 1/2

Although I've only seen one of his movies, I know that Federico Fellini is one eccentric film director. He definitely has an unique method of directing. Anyway, back to the review.

When famed Italian director Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) can't focus on his latest project, he retreats to a spa and his imagination. Even there he is unable to escape the crushing pressures that surround him as he is bombarded by actors, a producer and a difficult writer. As he floats in and out of the conscious world, his real-life problems manifest themselves in his dreams and his fantasies invade his real life.

The visual aspect of 8 1/2 is stunning. It's one of those movies you really need to pay attention to otherwise you might lose focus. Mastroianni gives an impressive performance as the troubled Guido. This has to be Fellini's best work. Not one to miss.

My Rating: *****