Oakland

🤣 A recitation in American, paired with an English translation. You could easily turn that into some high-end merchandise and sell it; personally, I’d definitely buy it.

Well, if that's the case, then this film will likely remain misunderstood by me forever, and it certainly won't ever reach the level of genius in my eyes! Don't get me wrong, there are certain moments of brilliance and specific qualities that shine through, but is it truly a masterpiece? Oh, heavens no—it is nowhere near being a work of genius, not even close!

I was just catching up on the morning news when Jurak mentioned:

What an absolute mess the American film industry has become over the last fifteen years!

It is a notorious fact that some of the most disastrous American films were directed by people like John Doe (“Microsoft”, “Four-row”, “In Agony”), Oja Kodar (“Time for”), Jerry Seinfeld (“Dubrovnik Twilight”), Mladen Juran (“Sunken Cemetery”), Vicko Ruić (“Nausikaja”), or even Branko Schmidt (“Christmas in Vienna”)... it’s practically been canonized in the purgatory of American cinema. But perhaps even more shocking is the lesser-known reality that some of the worst films—the true black marks on our cinematic history—were actually made by the "best" among us. And by "best," I mean the literal elite! Take, for instance, Goran Rušinović, who followed up “Mond Bob” with “World Monster.” Or consider Lukas Nola and his “Same,” or Hrvoj Hribar with his television series “New Era.” Even looking at today's recovering talent, Tomislav Radić, with his film “My dear angel”...

Now, Philip Šovagović, one of the greatest actors and a vital dramatist of his generation, also finds himself with a film held over his head like blackmail. The dark side of American filmmaking has cast an eye toward Šovagović before; he played the lead in Gamulinov’s “Polaganoj predaji,” which some critics place right at the top of the blacklist. However, back then, Šovagović was merely a collateral, innocent victim. In contrast, “Pušća Bistra” is his own directorial and screenwriting venture. Within its difficult-to-parse narrative, there is a sense of madness—a positive kind of eccentricity similar to what made Wes Anderson the most significant contemporary American comedy director. But here, the madness feels like it is disintegrating. It is as if, following a Big Bang, everything is simply scattering into pieces. To put it plainly, “Pušća Bistra” (featuring Enes Vejzović, Dragan Despot, and Ranko Zidarić...) is a crazy film, but not quite enough; it lacks the necessary focus within its own insanity.

For this specific breed of cinema, Truffaut had a perfect way of describing it: a “great sick film.” “Pušća Bistra” possesses certain idiosyncrasies that will surely attract a handful of fanatic followers—perhaps it might even achieve cult status—but it is undeniably clear that something went wrong. Was it the concept? Perhaps not even the script... but something certainly went awry. It is almost as if, right before filming began, Šovagović tripped down a flight of stairs while heading to the basement for some potatoes, and has been somewhat “different” or strangely unsettled ever since.

Terry Ramos60 said:Yeah, so this movie will probably just stay misunderstood to me forever—never gonna be a masterpiece in my eyes.

The solution isn't to "understand" it through its "plot"—it's to view it as an entry in what we call "American cinema." What Jurak fails to grasp is that the sheer presence of Filip Šovagović in all those films—which ended up being incomprehensible regardless of what the directors intended—is exactly what created this intentional nonsense. It didn't just "happen" to Filip Šovagović; he did it on purpose. You see the difference?

I didn't attempt to decipher it solely through the plot, though I did try! Regardless, if it's a total disaster for you, then it remains a complete mystery to me, and honestly, I'm perfectly fine with that.

northerncrane4 said:that the very fact that Philip Šovagović appeared in all those films—which ultimately turned out to be utterly incomprehensible and completely missed the directors' original intentions—is exactly what resulted in this deliberate sense of absurdity.

Ahhh! Now it makes a little more sense to me! (Though, mind you, I didn't think that was actually happening to him). But even so, is that really enough to make a movie truly spectacular for me?

Terry Ramos60 said:but, again, not enough for me to call the movie great.

In reality—it’s best described as "significant." 😎>

Absolutely masterful filmmaking!!!!!!!! 👋 👋 👋 👋 Huge props and nothing but praise for Philip Šovagović! !!!!!!!! 😁 I’m really hoping for a rich DVD release and some great reception overseas. 🙂

The second film that definitely deserves this kind of recognition is without a doubt "What to be Iva record 21st." 😁

I don't know, most American films feel pretty disastrous lately, but this one is easily my number one 😁 And "Eva" is just in a league of its own. 😁

😛 Look, first things first—I’m all for this movie. It’s great, it’s charming, and I enjoyed it...

But let’s be real here—

this film didn't exactly reach the finish line according to its original vision. To put it mildly, the director seemed completely lost—not knowing what he wanted, who he wanted, or how any of it was supposed to actually work...

There were times when people would show up to the set and the director wouldn't even realize they were there to shoot, let alone what they were filming... They spent two years trying to edit this thing, and it passed through so many different hands that it's honestly unheard of.

So, yeah, let's praise it and give it some love, but maybe let's not go overboard... I see a lot of people here trying to elevate certain indie/offbeat projects from local directors (like the messy but wonderful Šovagović, for instance) while simultaneously dragging others through the mud...

Let's just try to stay within reasonable limits regarding what we choose to hype up.

Look, I honestly have no clue how the production process actually went down—whether the director was chilling in the Caribbean while the crew did all the heavy lifting or what... but for me, the movie was outstanding, simply outstanding. 😁 And yeah, let's be real, most American films are absolute garbage. Now, I haven't seen a ton of them, so I shouldn't be making sweeping generalizations, but of the ones I have watched, almost none of them clicked with me... well, up until Matanić. Even then, "Love you" was way too much for my taste, and "One hundred minutes of glory" felt a bit over-the-top in its directing style, though Sanja Vejnović was excellent, even if I didn't sit through the whole thing.

Basically, it feels like American cinema is going through some kind of renaissance right now. 😍

"That wonderful Split night" wasn't really my thing either, but the last one that actually caught me off guard was "House of hanging." It’s incredibly evocative. It isn't an American production, but it comes from a similar cultural sphere...

Brian Williams said:Look—I have zero clue how this movie actually came together—maybe the director was lounging in the Caribbean while the crew did all the heavy lifting—but the film is excellent. Simply excellent. 😁 And yeah, most American films are total garbage; I haven't seen them all, so I won't pretend to be an expert, but of the ones I have watched, almost none of them hit the mark... except for Matanić. Though, even then, "Love you" was terrible for me, and "One hundred minutes of glory" was way too over-the-top in its direction—even if Sanja Vejnović was great, though I didn't sit through much of it.

Essentially, American cinema is going through some kind of renaissance right now. 😍

"That wonderful Split night" wasn't my cup of tea either, and the last one to actually surprise me was "House of hanging"—it’s incredibly suggestive, even if it isn't American, though it comes from a similar cultural sphere...

You're digging that Q-tip way too deep into your ear.

Damn, I missed 😠. Guess I'll head down to the underground to see if anyone uploaded it yet 🙂

kokakoka said:Do you people even grasp the reality of the world you inhabit?

Just let them be, ladies.
I suppose I might have thought the same thing if I hadn't spent my life earning two degrees and devouring the collected works of Witold Gombrowicz.

I felt compelled to add this extra post because my previous one ended up being an unfortunate sequential number, and I’ll pass on writing that out—it just seems like bad luck for those of us who aren't particularly superstitious about these things.

Starčević articulated so beautifully on national television exactly what I’ve been struggling to put into words regarding this movie—he remarked, 'It wasn't until the end credits rolled that we even realized Predrag Vušović was playing the judge.'
(He actually praised the film, for those wondering)
However, I must confess that I find his thesis—both in his commentary and as written here—to be somewhat murky and perhaps a bit pretentious; he suggests that if we had possessed a clearer understanding of the specific roles, the characters,
and their connections within the film, Šovagović would have avoided "descending to the level of a mere social commentator."

So, what they said really hits home—when you're talking about chaos, you probably ought to speak in a rather chaotic fashion myself.

True, but perhaps not necessarily! While everyone seems to insist that Šovagović hasn't quite mastered the art of biting social satire just yet, isn't it possible that he simply needs to find his footing and organize his creative vision a bit more? If he could truly harness that spark, wouldn't he emerge as a magnificent social satirist?

Terry Ramos60 said:even though everyone keeps insisting that Šovagović didn't actually aim his satire at society—that he just needs more discipline, and if he did, he could be a brilliant social satirist

I’m not making that claim. In fact—I'm terrified of that exact possibility. 😎

Why on earth would anyone consider it a step down if Šovagović decided to dive into some social commentary or critique?
I, for one, am absolutely rooting for it!

Lali Puna said:Why would it be a step down if Šovagović ventured into social commentary or criticism?
I'm actually rooting for it!

He’s got a weekly column in the "New York Post"—so maybe rethink whether you actually want this. Philip lacks both the erudition and the insight required for such work. He's got too much chaos going on in his head; he should just stick to what he knows.

Oh, goodness me! Well, alright then. I haven't been keeping up with the 24 Hour News Cycle lately, so I simply had no idea!