Marcello Mastroianni (La Dolce Vita) 5

Most movies about journalists are terrible-but La Dolce Vita is a rare exception. Mastroianni's portrays an intelligent writer turned tabloid journalist-mercenary.  He is gradually drawn into the decadent world of the jet-set millionaires and movie stars-finally corrupted into abandoning morals, values and loyalty for money, pleasure and fame. 

Marcello manages to portray ambition (both crassly materialist and towards more lofty goals) and eventually fatalistic resignation to the hedonistic/nihlistic world he is absorbed into. La Dolce Vita remains the most powerful movie about the soul-crushing powers of modern media and celebrity culture-and it was made over 40 years ago!