Intervista

Rating:
Summary: A mess of a movie...but with moments of genius
Review: "Intervista" is one of Fellini's final jumbles. It lacks any real coherence, yet it's chock full of stunning images and poignant scenes. Many of the scenes at Cinecitta (Rome's famed movie studios) are priceless--like those within the backside of a huge elephant set-piece! And the scene of "present day" obese and wrinkled Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni watching their former youthful selves in the Trevi Fountain scene from "La Dolce Vita" being projected on an old bed sheet is among the most moving and poignant scenes in any film. It speaks volumes about aging and regret and how short our lives really are. The long conclusion on a rainy outdoor movie location is simply a waste of time. Fellini fans should see this movie; others may simply be perplexed.

Rating:
Summary: A mess of a movie...but with moments of genius
Review: "Intervista" is one of Fellini's final jumbles. It lacks any real coherence, yet it's chock full of stunning images and poignant scenes. Many of the scenes at Cinecitta (Rome's famed movie studios) are priceless--like those within the backside of a huge elephant set-piece! And the scene of "present day" obese and wrinkled Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni watching their former youthful selves in the Trevi Fountain scene from "La Dolce Vita" being projected on an old bed sheet is among the most moving and poignant scenes in any film. It speaks volumes about aging and regret and how short our lives really are. The long conclusion on a rainy outdoor movie location is simply a waste of time. Fellini fans should see this movie; others may simply be perplexed.

Rating:
Summary: A mess of a movie...but with moments of genius
Review: "Intervista" is one of Fellini's final jumbles. It lacks any real coherence, yet it's chock full of stunning images and poignant scenes. Many of the scenes at Cinecitta (Rome's famed movie studios) are priceless--like those within the backside of a huge elephant set-piece! And the scene of "present day" obese and wrinkled Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni watching their former youthful selves in the Trevi Fountain scene from "La Dolce Vita" being projected on an old bed sheet is among the most moving and poignant scenes in any film. It speaks volumes about aging and regret and how short our lives really are. The long conclusion on a rainy outdoor movie location is simply a waste of time. Fellini fans should see this movie; others may simply be perplexed.

Rating:
Summary: the good life
Review: for fans of "la dolce vita" this is a must -- a wonderful look forward -- its a reminder to live life to its fullest

Rating:
Summary: the good life
Review: for fans of "la dolce vita" this is a must -- a wonderful look forward -- its a reminder to live life to its fullest

Rating:
Summary: Fellini interviews himself....
Review: If there's ever been a Fellini film that screams, "Retire!", this is it. There are few redeeming qualities here, but the flaws are innumerable. The characters are flat and unsympathetic, the acting is the worst kind of improvisation, the metaphors pointless where they aren't obvious. And the movie-within-a-movie shtick has been done before, and done better. The world was surprised by Italian cinema after WWII and through the sixties; it was fresh, harsh, profound, and expanded the known boundaries of movie-making. Fellini's blend of colorful characters, real and surreal situations, and almost stream-of-consciousness plotlines elevated movie-making from mere storytelling to an artform. But he seems to keep pushing the envelope in the same direction as always, and here he is attempting to dazzle us with images and confusing activity rather than saying anything meaningful. In this self-absorbed semi-autobiographical quagmire, Fellini appears to believe his reputation alone is enough to sustain a film, but just in case, he brings back Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg, and he embarrasses them both, as far as I'm concerned. This film will leave everyone but Fellini's hero-worshippers feeling just as flat as the characters. As I watched, I kept thinking about how "silly" everything was. That shouldn't be the last word a director hears at the end of his career.

Rating:
Summary: Fellini interviews himself....
Review: If there's ever been a Fellini film that screams, "Retire!", this is it. There are few redeeming qualities here, but the flaws are innumerable. The characters are flat and unsympathetic, the acting is the worst kind of improvisation, the metaphors pointless where they aren't obvious. And the movie-within-a-movie shtick has been done before, and done better. The world was surprised by Italian cinema after WWII and through the sixties; it was fresh, harsh, profound, and expanded the known boundaries of movie-making. Fellini's blend of colorful characters, real and surreal situations, and almost stream-of-consciousness plotlines elevated movie-making from mere storytelling to an artform. But he seems to keep pushing the envelope in the same direction as always, and here he is attempting to dazzle us with images and confusing activity rather than saying anything meaningful. In this self-absorbed semi-autobiographical quagmire, Fellini appears to believe his reputation alone is enough to sustain a film, but just in case, he brings back Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg, and he embarrasses them both, as far as I'm concerned. This film will leave everyone but Fellini's hero-worshippers feeling just as flat as the characters. As I watched, I kept thinking about how "silly" everything was. That shouldn't be the last word a director hears at the end of his career.