Two Line Reviews - #214

Movie: 8½ (Italian,1963)

Plot: A popular director prepares for a new film. The director unknown for showing love in his films attempts to bring in characters from his past, stories from his childhood and is highly confused on what he is looking to make. Troubles get compounded when his wife reveals to him his lack of love or feelings for others and of his selfish ways. This, in a way ruins his movie plans.

Highlights:

• The actor who plays the confused and nostalgia-affected director Guido does his role pretty realistically. He's well aided by some of the other prominent roles - that of his wife etc.
• Some scenes in the middle and the conversations are pretty intense and sensible.
• The climax monologue of the critic to the director is surprisingly good in this otherwise nonsensical film.

Lowlights:

• Among confusing films, there are abstract films, there are open-for-discussion films and then there are absurd films. To me, this falls in the last category. To finish off watching it was an ordeal.
• It is understandable that the film is on a confused director making a ridiculous mistake; To show it to the audience exactly that way is ridiculous too.

Absurd to the core; This critically praised Fellini film disappoints.