8½

8 1/2 is the sort of film defining yourself to you. Ages and fears and a large project and many women and, in the end, the decision changing everything. A film about the way to discover the near reality as embroidery of details, meets, memorable scenes, temptations and crumbs of childhood. Seductive, clear, strange. As message or, more, as definition. Nothing eccentric . Only expression of profound honesty. A film about a director in the middle of his world. And the so familiar Mastroianni. Enough for the exploration of world.

Federico Fellini gets Marcello Mastroianni to play him. Yes. Right? Of course. The artistic block is something that Fellini dealt with all his life - Orson Welles once said that Fellini was a great artist with very little to say - that's part of Mastroianni/Fellini's block - He knows where he wants to go but he doesn't know if he has what it takes to get there - then of course the the distractions or excuses whatever you prefer, they are muses, mothers, loves, wives. I was overwhelmed by the access Fellini provides to his own heart and mind and by the audacity and poetry of the film. 8 1/2 stands alone in the virtual mausoleum of world cinema.

The best 'Emperors New Clothes' of a film you will ever be brainwashed by. So far up itself it defies belief. If you want to be bored to tears for over two hours listening to hollow, tedious and meaningless conversations about people you have absolutely nothing in common with, then stay tuned - you're in for a treat!