Cobpyth's Top 101 Favorite Feature Films

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36. La Dolce Vita (1960)




R.I.P. Anita Ekberg

Before seeing this film, you might think that this is simply a large film that shows a glorified and beautiful version of Rome's nightlife spiced with some drama between the elitist characters. Well, in a way you wouldn't be completely wrong, but on the other hand, this film is also completely the opposite of that.

The film does bring us to some wonderful places and most of the time shows wealthy and handsome people partying and getting it on with eachother, but instead of romanticizing this lifestyle that many people always fantasize about so much, Fellini reveals the dark truth about what's beneath all the magnificent clothes, stylish clubs, expensive cars, liters of booze and evenings of sex...



In this world of careless partying and enormous wealth, it seems like noone is actually truly happy. Something seems to be wrong, but what could it possibly be? Don't these people have everything they can wish for?

The sad tragedy that Fellini exposes, is the fact that these characters are all stuck in a superficial reality they can't escape from. They're the people who seem to have everything, but all of them are looking for something "more" in life. True love, true connection, a purpose, something that will distract them from the senselessness of their existence and their way of living.
That's not everything, though. What's truly the problem is the "can't escape" part. They are in a way addicted to the emptiness of their existence too. They know they're unhappy with their current status, but at the same time they're not strong, willing or capable enough to turn everything around anymore. They've lost all hope and simply keep going from one wild, but ultimately unfulfilling orgy to the next.



This film does a brilliant job at making the viewer understand the temptations that guide Marcello Mastroianni's character in the first place, but probably even more so the ultimate philosophical hangover he experpiences when he realizes he's wasting every bit of true potential within him. The title "La Dolce Vita" couldn't be more cynical...

AND YET this film is not really as depressing as I'm making it appear. Fellini knows that life is not black or white, that's it's not complete doom and gloom, nor moonlight and roses. There's a sadness and darkness present in this picture, but don't let that distract you from all the sheer beauty and sweetness it also has to offer.



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Just realised I've been really neglectful not being up to date in your top 101 Cob. Been through it now and decided you have great taste! Lots of rep from me tonight



Just realised I've been really neglectful not being up to date in your top 101 Cob. Been through it now and decided you have great taste! Lots of rep from me tonight
Thanks for all the rep, Christine! I'm glad you liked the list so far. I can already say that there are some others of your favorites that will be appearing later.



Thanks for all the rep, Christine! I'm glad you liked the list so far. I can already say that there are some others of your favorites that will be appearing later.
hmmm, intriguing!



Raging Bull, The Gofather, and La Dolce Vita

Spirited Away is beautifully animated, but I often cringed at the dialogue
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Yeah, there's no body mutilation in it



The Godfather and La Dolce Vita are two movies that I owe a re-watch. The only thing I remember about the latter is Anita Ekberg's bosom. I prefer The Godfather Part II to its predecessor, but I think that has more to do with already being familiar with the characters and their world. I didn't fall immediately in love with Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver and many other movies that I now consider all-time favorites, so hopefully the same thing happens when I re-visit The Godfather, otherwise I'll have my MoFo registration revoked.

By the way, thanks to your current avatar and your previous Bogart one, I've decided to take up smoking.
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Yes, pretty good list there; Sleeping Beauty was so great in childhood.we didn't realize at the time, how good.I have a fixation on early Disney,cuz they really were DIFFERENT ("Snow-white & the 7 Dwarves, " "Fantasia,")because of the art & the animation.Now animation is computerized, and the whole "feel" is different."Toy Story" is great,but it's harder to find the artists's hand in it.,whereas, Myasaki still felt like he got art,personality, in there.Not just mechanical accuracy.(You wanta know an animated film I DON'T like? The one about all the FISH in the ocean, with Ellen.ugh.)Must be a total kids' film I guess. (I have heard "small soldiers" (name?) toy-warriors is violent. Kids tend to like SOME mayhem.I can't judge, not having any kids. But Sponge-Bob was far better" animation-haha-under the sea." .(I used to do cartooning, so i'm biased.)

The only film on the list I don't like is "Kill Bill"; I tried to watch it, & couldn't get past the violence.I quit early on. I have trouble with a lot of Tarantino, cuz I often feel "over-violenced" in his films. If I wanted real violence, I'd watch Pekinpah.THAT'S violence.Plus, I often think Tarantino is too "cutesy-pie-chic." --except for The 5 dollar milkshake movie.His attitude is too hip,.too "cool."Once you think you're cool, yer not. Only thing we agree on, is "The El Rey Network"(tv) , which is fun. a great list. Fellini, te amo!. I love The Sweet Smell of Success!
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"We Want To Believe The Lies We Want To Be True, NOT The Real Truth."



(I agree about Buddha, that Cat is far above the best.)