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vojinvidanovic
Reviews
Water (1985)
Never cease to be actual
Great cast, storyline, twists and even reggae music, set to fictional island of Cascara, last bastion of once great
British Empire, first show disinterest in development of colonies since only Ganja grows there, but later shifts
towards more paced capitalist greed, poli-tricks and self mockery.
Includes all relevat sides like Rock n Roll artists, local reggae DeeJay, local sinful priest, local goodwilled colonial gouverner
and far distant Texas style oil US magnats and British gouverment, French and Cubans.
Singing rebel and gouvernor deserve most attention, blending many decades later to Ali G in UK
In indicating capitalist greed over resources, but here in 1985 it mocks nature preservation activism as well as Cubans too
but first and most US Yankees and Brits, mocking the Falklands invasion.
Komunisticki raj (2022)
High Art set in Bloody Times
Story is set in backdrop of rural Serbia of 1941, where in local, partisan-communist, local collaborators, German occupiers and mostly important, ordinary Serbs mix.
There is high art style with crisp picture and great camera direction, never seen in Serbian/Yugoslav cinema before. Audio mastering is also superb, so tech side is best aspect.
Next best part is script itself, acting and dialogue. Even it looks like bordering Phytons Satire, bleding Serbian style of easy divisions and harsh passionate dialogues with real life situation, it bridges black comedy and surrealism into new form.
There is lot of innovative to be seen and felt and its a shame movie had extreme short theatrical run, at least in Belgrade and almost no commercial campaign and was set versus new Hollywood influx of December 2022 to January 2023 leaving it to be little known and seen by few.
A gem of both independent production and satire on early days of Communist uprising in 1941, inspired by Stalins directive to aid slowing down Barbarossa at any human cost. In reality of rural Serbia, that opens new hell, dubbed as communist paradise.
Za kralja i otadzbinu (2015)
Bad Spin-off of Bajic TV series "Ravna Gora"
With all respect to good intentions of showing the life of ordinary Serbian peasant and WWII guerrilla soldier, movie fails miserably.
Its plot and characters are not well build, beside using newer generation of fairly good actors.
Biggest disappointment is that movie is more mix up ("mish mash") of some used and some unused materials of Bajics TV Series "Ravna gora" (that ended with just one 10 episode series) then a standalone creation.
Thus its possible to fit some new characters and developments to TV Series and events story-line, but as standalone movie people not well informed of Chetniks movement, will simply fail to catch up.
There are no new historical moments, nothing specially shoot to see.
Just nostalgia factor towards more Chetniks driven movies might be a factor to see it.
Ozaloscena porodica (1990)
May your closest ones be your greatest foe
Foreign audience might not be acknowledged what is Nusics work. Its a greatest drama with a lot of comedy elements (so called tragedy-comedy) that takes both "sign of the time" when it was created (Kingdom of Serbia about 18th/19th century) and eternal elements of human nature.
"Family in grief" is one of his best stage plays, hereby in modern adaptation for TV. Even its not the first one, this one features relatively modern actors.
Story begins as quite simple one: a wealthy family member is deceased and by his last will 40 days have to be waited for his will to be read and all earnings split. A lot of vanity, interests, mutual plans and interactions shorten it to just two days - showing worse and most tragic in human nature. Family members faking grief, courtesy, finding mutual interests.
Hitler iz naseg sokaka (1975)
One of the rare stories of Banat in 41-44
In its core, this is story of small man seizing too much power, of ancient corruption. This time is solely given by German citizenship.
Main character is kind of incompetent low-life that exploits new appointed Aryan race sticker, and prominent role given to "German people" in Banat, present day Vojvodina region, Serbia.
Movie exploits well ups and downs of World War Two and in brief and swift documentary out takes presents the world outside a small village. Rest of movie is focused on changing roles and characters of local villagers, giving perfect local blend.
Interesting is how main character plots to avoid Eastern front as war progresses, as well as his plans to get rich. And how the rest of village tries to avoid it, since any of his wounds would mean disaster.
There is a Holocaust and Racial laws well represented and implemented, only omission is 100:1 ratio for one dead German citizen (in movie is 50:1).
There is certain degree of healthy humor, especially by an old man (30:00-40:00 part of movie). Movie features some of best Yugoslav (both Serbian and Croatian) actors and is a rare opportunity of famous comedian Simic, in negative Nazi role.
In short: not so good neighbor gone wild in pitoresque multinational village. Good view and nice insight in how it was to be civilian in war time.
Stado (2016)
Hunt for a new time Serbian comedy is over!
There has been significant gap in good comedies since demise of Yugoslavia. Even most of good actors remained in Serbia, there were funds, ideas etc. missing and culture was at back of the new transition society.
What can be seen more of a "black comedy" then a comedy of a life of mid-aged famous actors nowadays? Main leads play themselves - yet popular, but not with new generation that knows not of culture ("can I have selfie with you? My mother adores you!"), playing roles in theater for 300e a month, eager of new challenges but without state, media and production houses?
And there it is - story of hope, ideas and creativity that ends bad in capitalism. Forcing actors to self-finance a pilot episode leads to bad faith of most working people - a house mortgage.
Thus on many levels, its black comedy of state-of-the-art of culture in Serbia today, but also about life of every one of us. That gives 10 as is a follow up to a Yugoslavian and Serbian school of black comedy, more then good one liners or scenes.
Compared to its competition (e.g. "Mali budo") shines on many levels.
IT (2017)
Bad modern "reboot"
Please mind that this comparison is made based on seeing 1990 twice as long classing AND reading the book.
While special effects have advanced since 1990, obviously the idea of horror based on fear, psychological fear, more the visuals, has faded.
Movie misses the grownup part, trying to make this kid only horror. Its forcefully modernized with sexual references, WTF lines by kids, unneeded zombies etc. swapping characters and parts of the story, taking away the ITs strongest weapon - knowing our fears and masking beneath them.
Much of content and context is lost, and I highly recommend to anyone attracted by this budget filler to go for original and 200 pages book. Its actually Lovecraftian monster and not just evil Ronald McDonald. Does not need to rip hands off and produce fake missing posters.
Yup, better done and played IT killed Ronald McDonald,and I like it. No unhealthy advertising to kids :-)
Bad Friday: Rastafari After Coral Gardens (2011)
Rastas in war with police
While earliest examples of Rastafarian discrimination goes back to days when British where in rule, even in days of Bob Marley it wasn't fully accepted. Garden incident, like Back-O-Wall destruction, is part of movements history.
Documentary explains the background and events of "Bad Friday" beyond newspaper titles, with real approach to Rasta elders.
Its nice representation of real Rasta elders, not just artists that you see on reggae scene.
Big Up the makers and respect to the viewers.
Josef (2011)
Nice artistic ways of propaganda ...
Very nice recreation of WWI settings, quite nice movie for Croatian cinema. Should be nice war drama, if it didn't have the "secret cause".
It would held way higher rank if its plot driver wasn't so predictable and Myth based. For those not knowing, "Jozef" Josif Broz Tito was fighting on WWI front as Austrohungarian soldier, was shot, was captured and from war camp became member of Communists in Russia during revolution. Therese are the facts. Movie diverts from them using a subtle practice of uniform-identity change in survival, with no prior knowledge such practices were highly forbidden during WWI and were able to check documents. Its kind of anticommunist "Holocaust denial" what was done in the movie, because it should profaund effect history and generations of people as fake, based on fake premises.
What is the goal? That we had a spy for a president? That he wasn't a Croat so Croatia doesn't have the most successful leader, because shunned Ustasha nationalism? Sad things. Croatia had most of independence until those days under Tito and has most developed of all of its time. I believe it also doesn't have a 1989 GDP in 2017. History isn't what one cherry picks.
Marked for Death (1990)
Its not just Steven, its the plot and dialogs itself
I find the movie acting and action scenes over-toned, but I am not a fan of Steven anyway. What does come at deeper level is the "choice of enemy".
Well, its no secret Jamaican gangs (posse) exist. Whether they rule US streets, that is pretensions. However, Stevens movies were never realistic, but about action and "defense of US pride and justice" but this one kicks it over the edge with a lot of stereotypes.
Dreadlocks are criminal stereotype, instead of Rastafarians who are peaceful and certainly not a violent international drug dealers (even when it comes to herb).
While Screwface does display some Rastafarian features such as Patois language, and observing US as "Babylon system" he does practice belief in Voodoo and magic (which isn't prominent in Jamaica at all). Gang members call each other Rasta - while real faith opposes crime and violence and is often victim of it (e,g. Robert Nesta aka Bob Marley was a a wound victim of a paid assassins of such a posse)
Such elements have ruined something that could have been a good action movie with a message, and depicts overall Jamaicans as primitive and drug dealing people.
That this isn't alone voice is indicated by real Jamaicans / Rastafarian protest at time of movie release, being put on a list of most racist movies ever and overall today perception "of how not to do movie and play with other cultures".
What is even strangest is that movie featured some nice reggae and rap music, such as Jimmy Cliff. I suppose buying music for soundtrack goes before movie is presented to the musicians. They do also appear live in clubs of Jamaica.
Branio sam Mladu Bosnu (2015)
Played documentary - very realistic
What is very strong point of the movie is full immersion to the point of history - costumes,locations, sepia effects (visual side) but also ability to realistically and without much bias represent one of the turning points of history.
And by that I mean - not only representation of cause and slide to First world war story, but in individual sacrifices and human stories of many people involved, their duties, emotions and roles.
Even its high duration, over 2 hours, and kind of slow pace, movie never looses the interest and dramatic effect and reminds me of the "played documentary" genre.
High regards for the movie, and honest recommendation. Exactly what today's cinema needs - realism, not only effects or action.
Mali Budo (2014)
New generation of Serbian movies ruins the quality of good name
Its rarely that such small and kind of tragic countries such as ex- Yugoslavia have kind of good cinema and theater. Overall very good dramas and comedies were kind of trademark of small but promising cinematography.
Well, this one was supposed to be a stereotype joking on Montenegrians (especially young) coming to Belgrade, kind of their second capital where they are well connected. It was supposed to present night life and thrills - or better to say temptations of Belgrade. But plot is neither dramatic or comedian enough to carry such a premise. Even it features good role of Serbian actors, and photography and camera as well as sound deserve well enough credit to say its a 2014 Serbian movie, where it fails is either good dramatization and storyline or good comedy - as said in the beginning a trademark of Serbian movies.
It was supposed to be funny - but jokes aren't fun enough, humor is weak and too stereotypical on both way Montenegrians function in Belgrade or on characters themselves. Characters even main one are not well developed, and quickly thrown in. Just as an example, main role, "little Budo" has no life goals, esteem or idea, he is just being thrown in situations. Second to him, police inspector that does dirty jobs, played by excellent Sergej Trifunovic has as sudden guilt and characterization just because of one call from a girl, even he is presented as half criminal. Risks his own head for almost no reason. So majority of things happen for no real reason and major impression is that simply they had no idea what to do with the movie.
What is worse, both Montenegrians are overall bad represented - their traditional valors, traditions or humor aren't utilized enough and things like blood vengeance are presented to be present even in 21st century (main reason why Budo is in danger and in Belgrade - while he could just come to visit a relative or study in reality) and Belgrade isn't utilized enough - worse of its clubs presented, its citizens just presented as "double faced" and in the end major Belgrade clinic VMA (Military hospital) presented as easy to infiltrate. Sad day for Serbian cinematography.
Cetverored (1999)
Interesting, but biased
Its always interesting to learn the other sides perspective. Independent state of Croatia was de facto Nazi puppet state, with awful war crimes in extermination camps. Even ordinary German army reported crimes as extreme.
Nevermind, as every puppet state it emulated a country, even being funded by Greater Reich. This is a story of its last days, when complete ISC army decided to retreat and to try to surrender to Western Allies.
Surely, amongst them were forcefully mobilized soldiers, that should be distinguished from Ustashe blackshirts (kind of like ordinary Wermacht and SS). Movie tries to show human side of ordinary men, compeling as similar war movies of war prisoners that suffered (Bridge on River Kwai, US Bantaan prisoners).
While it presents some of the facts (that UK/US Army refused to accept them as prisoners, that they had a long march and uncertain destiny, as well as that many were shot in Blaiburg without any trial) it omits several facts such as that World War II already ended, and that this force continued to fight. It was last Axis force in Europe.As well as that agreement among Allies was that Axis combatants are to be surrendered to theater they are combating).
In overall, I liked the first half of movie showing more human side of Croatian forces, then second one, trying to present communists as evil Gremlins, completely dehumanized and blood thirsty. Completely unrealistic, even yes, a lot of people were in anger due to crimes of Independent state of Croatia.
Sadly, high heads like Pavelic managed to escape. More balanced story of how people were involved in war without likeness would be better then trying to kind of justify Independent State of Croatia.
Croats have history and identity before that Axis puppet state, no need for such movies. Just another mirror or madness of ex-Yu fallout.