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8½ Review (1963) — 91% Celluloid Score

Directed by Federico Fellini · 1963 ·

Answer Summary: Is 8½ worth watching?

(1963) earns a 91% Celluloid Score — Celluloid Pick. Celluloid Pick — highly recommended.Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

Quick Verdict: What is the Celluloid Score for 8½?

Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.

91%
Celluloid Score Celluloid Pick

4-input transparent breakdown

98% Editorial Rating
92% Audience snapshot · excluded
98 Metascore
★★★★☆ Letterboxd 4.4
8 IMDb /10
Watch Trailer
Runtime
2h 18m
Streaming
HBO Max, The Criterion Channel
Country
Italy
Language
Italian

🏆 2 award wins — Won Best Foreign Language Film, Academy Awards 1964

Where to watch

  • HBO Max
  • The Criterion Channel

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home

Where to watch 8½ by country

Country Streaming on
Japan Prime Video, Hulu, U-NEXT
United Kingdom BFI Player
United States HBO Max, The Criterion Channel

Subscription availability, refreshed from TMDB. Rental and purchase options may differ.

Why this score?

  • Celluloid's editorial rating is exceptional (98/100).
  • Audiences widely enjoyed it (92%).
  • Metascore signals universal acclaim (98/100).
  • Letterboxd diarists rate it highly (4.4/5).
  • IMDb users score it 8/10.

Best for

  • Viewers who want a well-regarded drama pick

Not ideal for

    Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy

    Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

    Is 8½ worth watching?

    Yes — 8½ earns a 91% Celluloid Score. Celluloid Pick — highly recommended.

    Celluloid Verdict

    Fellini's most personal film turned creative paralysis into surrealist autobiography for the ages.

    Celluloid editorial verdict

    Critics and audiences are closely aligned on this one.

    What is 8½ about?

    A blocked film director retreats into memories, fantasies, and circus dreams while producers, lovers, and critics demand his next masterpiece.

    Watch the Trailer

    Critic Reviews

    critic

    8½ (1963) Review: An Italian Classic

    Federico Fellini's 8½ (1963) endures as a defining drama landmark from Italy, with scores that still shape how audiences discover cinema from the region.

    Essential viewing — a certified classic.

    8½ stills

    Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.

    8½ production still 1
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    8½ production still 6

    Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.

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