Movies
My preferred Fellini so far. I'm not a big fan of his work, especially his more dramatic efforts. In contrast, Juliet of the Spirits feels quite light and frivolous. There are more playful elements here that make the film a lot easier to digest, even when I didn't care so much for the main character and her challenges. Juliet of the Spirit is a pretty extravagant film. The colorful cinematography and the outrageous fashion give the film a clear identity. It kept me engaged despite the excessive runtime, the mediocre performances, and the tepid drama. I didn't think it was a great film, but still much better than I had anticipated.Read all
The film is way too long and fails to be consistently interesting, but there are some moments that stand out. My fourth Fellini and the first one that could at least capture my attention, if not for the entire running time. There's a certain joy and vibrancy that brings some life to the party, but overall it's too noisy, too talkative and too one-sided.
While the plot sounds quite heavy, this is actually one of Fellini's lighter dramas. It's sometimes referenced as comedy, but that's taking things one step too far. It's a story about five guys who prefer to remain adolescents rather than become true adults, goofing around their old hometown. The drama never got to me, thanks to the rough performances and the chirpy dialogue. The presentation isn't the greatest either, the music in particular stood out negatively, but at least it's black-and-white, so there's none of Fellini's gaudy color work. It's also nice the film clocks in under two hours, but list most Fellini's, it left me cold.Read all
This was vintage Fellini. I've seen quite a few of his films over the years and even though we haven't gotten along very well, I do have to compliment Fellini on crafting a very unique and recognizable style. Amarcord is everything I expected it to be, for better or for worse. In my case, that's very much for worse. On paper, I could've been a fan of his work. It's bustling, dynamic, lively and colorful. Fellini pays attention to the cinematography and cooks ups films that feel very deliberate, very cohesive (in tone at least) and complex. These are all things I appreciate, but the reality is that I find his films extremely ugly and I simply cannot stand the characters. It's like joining a family gathering you didn't want to attend in the first place. People are exuberant, loud and jolly, everyone seems to be having a good time, but the more fun they're having, the more irritated you get. And that lasts for about 2 hours, which is at least shorter than most family gatherings I have to attend. Not my cup of tea.Read all
Film that lives or dies by the audience's appreciation of Masina. I don't stomach the overacting and extreme volumes of classic Italian cinema all that well, so this really didn't do it for me. I'm afraid this goes for most Fellini films I've seen so far, Nights of Cabiria didn't do anything to change that.
