8 1/2 (1963)

Country: Italy
Director: Federico Fellini
Screenwriters: Federico Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, Tullio Pinelli, and Brunello Rondi
Stars: Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Sandra Milo, Anouk Aimee

In terms of meta filmmaking, Federico Fellini's masterpiece 8 ½ is the genuine article. Largely autobiographical, the Italian trailblazer's best movie delves into the mind of a stressed-the-fuck-out director (Marcello Mastroianni) who escapes the annoyances of pesky producers and job-related woes by wafting through his subconscious. Truly ahead of its time, 8 ½ (streaming on Netflix right now) enraptures with its forward-thinking meshing of dream sequences and flashbacks, all staged with accessible elegance. —MB