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Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Antonius Block Fellini gives us a series of memories, fantasies, and dreams in the vignettes which make up his semi-autobiographical film 'Amarcord' ('I Remember'). The message which comes through is loving, and about the gaiety of life, embracing its madcap characters and moments - moments which will someday live in our memories, hazy though they grow, as little diamonds of light. I loved the scenes satirizing the Fascists and the Catholic Church, and they're all the more powerful in this context, where they are reduced in significance, and just another zany thing Italians dealt with (or deal with) in life. The film doesn't strike any major philosophical chords, briefly coming close as men peer up into the heavens, but the lines uttered as a poem by a construction worker are powerful ("My grandfather made bricks / My father made bricks / I make bricks, too / but where's my house?"). I may be in the minority here, but the film didn't strike me as particularly beautiful, though it was a pleasure to see Magali Noël (Rififi, La Dolce Vita, and many others). It held my interest, but lacked a big punch, even in its sentimentality, though I was always pulling for it, and loved the many references to Hollywood actors from the 1930's. Unfortunately, there is not enough depth here to consider it a great film, and Fellini too often indulged in caricatures and juvenile humor. Net, a mixed bag.

Jackson Booth-Millard This Italian film featured in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before you Die, and is rated five out of five stars, I will admit I may not have paid the fullest attention while watching, and even dozed off, this is the only reason for my rating, from Oscar nominated director Federico Fellini. Basically this is an autobiographical look at life in a small Italian coastal town during the 1930's, it is based on the town Rimini where Fellini grew up. There is no story as such, it just looks at young people and others who surround them as they live a year in the town, with amusing antics, both from a regular and grotesque cast of characters, all with peculiarities. While watching you could see this as mocking the people of the seaside town that the film is based on and in, a mock of the Roman Catholic religion, or just an excuse to see cinematography put to good use with colourful sets and likable people. I will confess, I didn't see much going on during the film that excited me, only regular everyday activities such as washing clothes and hanging them up to dry, stuff like that. Starring Pupella Maggio as Miranda Biondi, Magali Noël as Gradisca, Bruno Zanin as Titta Biondi, Armando Brancia as Aurelio Biondi, Ciccio Ingrassia as Uncle Teo, Nando Orfei as Patacca, Luigi Rossi as Lawyer, Gianfilippo Carcano as Don Baravelli, Josiane Tanzilli as Foxy Volpina, Maria Antonietta Beluzzi as Tobacconist, Giuseppe Ianigro as Titta's Grandfather and Ferruccio Brembilla as Fascist Leader. The best thing I can say about this film, having not really got it all, is that the characters are all good, the scenery of the town is really well made, and there are some amusing moments to make you giggle, I'm not sure I could recommend it unless I watched it closer again one day, but I know it is a worthwhile comedy drama. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and it was nominated for Best Writing, Original Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film. Good!

Terrell Howell (KnightsofNi11) Amarcord, Italian for "I Remember," is a colorful and artistic film from famed Italian director Federico Fellini. It tells the story of a small Italian coastal town under a fascist regime before World War II. The film paints a grand imaginative portrait of this town as recalled by its spry director who possesses a keen knack for creative and spirited storytelling. We grow to love the characters in the film and we watch their larger-than-life stories unfold before our eyes in a beautiful and enticing way. This film makes its own rules and paints itself up as an incredibly spirited tale of joy, love, and even bittersweet remorse for a town that only could have existed the way it did in the time period it did.It isn't difficult to see the personal level of this film that Fellini includes. It is apparent how much of the story was taken from his own childhood and then injected with a wistful and almost make-believe quality of storytelling. The town in the film is based on Rimini, the town where Fellini grew up, so it is a given that this is a personal film, but you don't even have to know that to see the personal connection coursing through this film's veins. Fellini has created a nostalgic story for himself that others can also enjoy to great extents. Amarcord isn't self indulgent and it doesn't lose track of its heart and soul which makes it such a pleasurable experience.Fellini takes some liberties with the narrative style of this film as it is told in a very free-form way. It is almost a collection of short stories thrown together in a playful and creative way. The town and its strong heritage, affecting each enjoyable character, is the thread which ties the scattered pieces of the narrative together and keeps it from being uncohesive or confusing. Amarcord is the study of a town, as well as the study of people and family. It weaves all of its stories and characters in and out of each other, never losing its loving and colorful mood. The film boasts a lot of fun style throughout with plenty of humor thrown in. The film is very funny at times, but it displays a smarter and more sophisticated humor without being pompous or self important. The film's humor is an excellent display of sarcasm, irony, and cleverness all rolled into a bundle of entertainment.For everything Amarcord does, it does right and it does well. It is simplistic in its motives and care free in its narrative. It isn't anything complex or serious. It only seeks to entertain, while also provide a glorious, imaginative, and often times nostalgic look at the simpler times of life and what joys they bring us. While Amarcord isn't a film I would watch over and over again, there is absolutely no denying that it is an excellent film well worth the watch.

mokono I write this for mainly two reasons: 1. As I clicked through a few pages of reviews, most of them were raving madly about Fellini, not many gave below 10, and then again, not much lower. 2. When I stopped to read a few of them, they contained obvious misinterpretations of the movie (which was funny) and none of them came up with a significant argument as to why the movie was good but just not for my taste.With the disclaimer done, here's my feelings about the piece: Fireworks. Loud, full of cracks, constantly surprising and distracting you with big flashes and quick satisfaction.This movie represents the life in this seaside little city, but does so via caricatures. Very loud, very energetic, very... "Italian" caricatures, you could say. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing, except that it probably needs to be funny most of the time. Which it isn't. It consists mainly of slapstick humor, slight sexual references, kids being cheeky, the works. Sure, it is entertaining at times, but 2 hours of it?I did not feel much connection to the characters, some, indeed, I did not really recognize in the middle of the constant mess of the screen (admittedly, the woman who dies left me a bit confused). As there is no plot, you don't really see anyone grow, just really pass the time, but I may be a sucker for plots, so enough about that.There are several special events that go on to show how the people at the time lived them. I interpreted them mostly as a mockery of the masses, especially for the fascist parade. Entertaining, in fact, but they're so fast and superficial that.. one's left with a feeling of "..that's what you wanted to show?"One thing I did enjoy from the constant mess was how some scenes were composed of irrelevant people who were bluntly being so. Comes to mind especially the construction scene, where, out of 20 workers, none was doing absolutely anything that could be valued in an actual construction site.So, to wrap-up, outside of a few good jokes, interesting moments (e.g.: poetry) and nice recreations, this film is simply too much for too little. I would consider watching it again, were it shortened to 30 minutes.