New to the site, but I'm a huge film nerd. My favorite meta-movie and one of the forebearers of the genre is Federico Fellini's 8 1/2. It follows Guido Anselmi, an Italian director who is struggling to make his next film. It's a great commentary on the difficulties of the creative process, a fantastic beginner's step into avant-garde work, a drama that does not take itself too seriously, and if you pay attention you'll notice exactly how meta the film is.
I will throw my hat in this ring, I've actually never seen a Fellini film.
I second this. Anything I should know before I watch my first Fellini?
Hmm, well with this specific movie I would pay close attention to how Guido and others (especially a critic character) describe his plans for his film. Keep those details in mind as the film goes on. I would also pay attention to the color of dress for Claudia Cardinale's character in certain scenes and what that could be saying symbolically. Keep this in mind at the ending as well. The film is a little avant-garde and gets surreal at times. If you don't initially get what's happening in a scene, don't think about it too hard. Just let it play out and wash over you. You'll put it together. Really, it's a pretty straightforward film. Stand outs for me are the film's blocking and cinematography. The actors often pop into frame in engaging ways or are positioned with aesthetically pleasing framing. There are a few long takes that are very fun. It's one of my all-time favorite movies. If you like it, La Dolce Vita is very good as well.