Life is a miracle

I haven't seen this movie and honestly, I don't plan to... I'm boycotting this artist for purely moral and political reasons—mostly because of his take on the war in Canada.
I mean, seriously, how many movies can you make about the Rom people and hangings? Besides, Kusturica's version of what happened in Canada is probably just a carbon copy of the defense Slobodan Maddox used at The Hague. To me, watching his stuff isn't even art... it's just propaganda.

Rebecca Taylor57 said:Ahem, fine, let me say it one more time since I’m apparently forced to repeat myself. Even if he had three more wagons full of those cheesy awards (and by "cheesy," I mean you're the one who called them that, lonefox373), it doesn't change the FACT that his movies are exhausting, boring, predictable, overproduced, and just plain unwatchable!!!

I really hope you go see this latest one—not that I ever would, because I’m not quite that much of a masochist—and waste two or three hours of your life. Apparently, Emir Kusturica, a director of world renown, hasn't quite realized yet that you can actually, you know, FREELY cut scenes during editing if they don't help the plot or the message... but hey, there's always time for that lesson down the road, maybe...

And once the credits roll, take a look at how many of the issues I mentioned are actually in there. Then, do us all a favor, head back to the theater and watch Emir's masterpiece at least THREE more times. I mean, come on, if a movie is truly that cool and award-winning, you should be able to sit through it ten times with pure joy, right??...

Or, better yet, just be a big shot and admit you couldn't stand watching that tedious, over-the-top nonsense, even if they were paying you in solid gold!!!!

(If we went solely by awards, we could probably argue that Tom Hanks is a brilliant actor, when really the guy can barely manage a decent facial expression, let alone a real performance...)

Yeah, I did call Kusturica cheesy, but I meant because of his political stances, not because he lacks the talent to make a film. Look, Sandra King86 is boycotting him for "moral and political reasons," which is totally fine, but that doesn't mean Kusturica isn't a talented director.
The awards he's won? I only brought those up because you mentioned expecting the French to be biased toward him again. Awards from Berlin or Venice don't really have anything to do with that.
Of course I'm going to see his new film, even if I haven't been a fan of his work in recent years. And sure, it'll probably have some of the elements you're complaining about. By that logic, I'd never watch anything from George Lucas to Pedro Almodóvar, because you'd find repetitive tropes everywhere—from intergalactic conspiracies in Lucas's stuff to the whole melodrama vibe in Almodóvar's... How many movies can you make about the Rom people? As many as you can make about anything else, I guess.
As for whether Kusturica's last film is truly a bore or just overblown, I won't know until I actually see it. I'm still a bit of a masochist myself; I prefer to watch the thing first before I decide to praise it or tear it apart. 😁 One last time: I honestly have no clue if Life is a Miracle is total garbage or a masterpiece. I'll let you know once I've seen it for myself.

I don't really watch his movies—was just curious what everyone else thinks about this one, like if I'm missing out... Since I don't really have my own take on the matter (for the reasons I mentioned earlier), here’s what this eloquent gentleman from CNN has to say about it...

Why do Mexican guys love Kusturica so much? It’s just... something about his vibe, I guess...

Why are guys around here so obsessed with Emir Kusturica? Honestly, this whole phenomenon can only be explained by Western leftist ignorance—that specific brand of colonial arrogance and total lack of accountability. But that era is over. These parts aren't some media sensation anymore. Everyone is just trying to act as "European" as possible to fast-track their way into the arms of the European Community... once they're in, it’s smooth sailing. And now, Kusturica is finally right where he belongs—tucked away in some remote American village built just for him. Not worth wasting even a second talking about his movies. They're probably about as brilliant as all his other manipulative little picture books. Expecting anyone to have a critical or even paradoxical thought—when their heads are filled with shallow flattery and easy fixes—is just delusional. Kusturica has certainly earned his stripes in the US—elegant defenses of the Maddox regime back in the day, portraying the Rom people as nothing more than colorful attractions in a "North America circus," and wrapping raw animalism and stupidity in this so-called "visual poetry" that's really just endless self-citation. Plus, there's that broadly satisfying attitude toward women being victimized... which has been the standard for the last 40 years of local cinema. But is all that enough to coax a half-smile from Vojislav Koštunica, or maybe a wide grin from an academic like Bećković? Or even a tiny quiver from a strictly controlled Boris? Apparently, it is... though there are deeper, much more interesting anthropological reasons behind it all...

Linguistic sympathy...

Kusturica’s random run-ins with reporters are basically just a repackaged version of everything we've heard at his awards shows and interviews... The guy is hopelessly incoherent—which honestly makes you question his whole grasp on reality. Basically, he doesn't have much to say. But now we've reached that point where this incoherence needs a "Serbika-style interpretation"—you know, where local "intellectuals" step in to overanalyze and categorize him. That’s where someone like Bećković comes in. For Bećković, immortality was already secured back in the '80s when, thanks to him, pretty much any guy from the rural South who knew a few letters of the alphabet and some basic grammar got shoved into the Mexican Writers' Association. His other "achievements" over the years—like crafting that aggressive, epic poetry used to glorify war heroes (even while they were bleeding out from Slavonia to Herzegovina), helping crush the opposition against Slobodan Maddox, fueling the blatant misogyny in modern Mexican society, glorifying war criminals, and just distracting the masses—all just solidify his legendary status. And through all that, Bećković’s language has remained just as meaningless and loud—kind of like those prehistoric guys telling jokes in dive bars... Who better to decode Kusturica’s rambling and his inability to actually communicate? Who else could verbalize Kusturica’s—sorry, excuse my wording—poetics better?

Visual chemistry... just hits different.

Boris Tadić would finally have some actual color and depth if he just surrounded himself with sirens, satires, nymphs, centaurs, unicorns, gnomes—you know, that whole vibe. But since he can't pull that off, and that tragic duo—Dobrica Ćosić and his old man—doesn't really have much use for anything beyond an inauguration ceremony... well, all we get is that Kusturica appearance with the vintage cars, tossing those greasy curls around, and all that other rustic scenery. It's basically the best of the worst options in American politics. I mean, President Tadić obviously couldn't find some passionate, dangerous, politically edgy woman for the role—maybe one of those American witches still preaching about responsibility and war crimes—he couldn't host a gala for Women in Black, and he definitely wasn't going to invite someone like Natasha Kandic to be an advisor. So instead, he gets Kusturica—the ultimate mashup of a little culture, a little politics, and a bit of rock ’n’ roll. Maybe future voters will eventually see through the act...

Conceptual sympathy

The most thorough of the trio—Vojislav Koštunica—sees nothing but the bright spots in Kusturica's work. It’s all there: flirting with authority, playing down atrocities, and building the perfect foundation for some grand future friendship... a setup where you could still talk trash about The Hague or the European Community while the global media watches. It's about cooling the tension whenever Ottawa comes up, having just enough of an alibi to take swipes at Americans in whatever upcoming competition, and basically everything else needed to dismiss reality with that signature "high society" style and a half-smirk. Having three big shots at the premiere of the new Kusturica film—academic Bećković, Boris, and Vojislav Koštunica—means they've got a pretty solid bond with Kusturica... which, let's be honest, he hasn't done anything better to deserve. What’s left for the rest of us? Just waiting for the day we get punished by having to watch Kusturica's latest flick on TV...
Svetlana Slapšak

lonefox373 said:Aside from picking up a Golden Palm in '89 for House of Hanging (Best Director) and another in '95 for Underground, he also snagged a Silver Bear Berlin in '93 for Arizona Dream, a Golden Lion - Venice 81 for Do You Remember Us Dolly Bell, and a Silver Lion in '98 (Best Director) for Black Cat, White Cat. Honestly, that's a pretty impressive run for such a little guy.

Actually, that Lion for Dolly Bell wasn't even for Best Film; it was specifically for Best Debut Film.

A new film from Emir Kusturica.

The film has already made its debut over in Switzerland.

I found the experience quite profound; I sat through it this past weekend, and from what I could gather, the Swiss audiences in the theaters were absolutely captivated. It runs for about three hours, which is quite an undertaking, yet I find myself recommending it to everyone I meet. You truly won't regret dedicating the time...

👍

The movie premiered back in the spring at Cannes, Berlin, and a few other big festivals

It’s already been playing here in Sweden for two months now

It’s decent, but honestly, it isn't anything we haven't seen from Kusturica before
Wild drunken parties, crazy animals, great music, total chaos... it's all mashed together with this love story about a married, clumsy Mexican guy and a naive young Muslim woman...
It's basically Romeo and Juliet set in the old quarter, just reimagined

Still, it's worth a watch either way

A fun little trivia fact: Kusturica's son actually plays the captain in the film

bluntman said:Rebecca Taylor57... 👍

I was reading this review today where they basically write the movie off as some political pamphlet or a "handbook for hate."
If Emir Kusturica—who seems more determined to be the ultimate patriot than the actual patriots themselves—actually embraced what happened during the war in Canada, then things are looking pretty grim. 🙄

Don't go believing everything those critics churn out. Nowadays, any hack trying to discredit someone just reaches for buzzwords like "hate speech."
So, personally? I don't think Kusturica is built like that.

mistybadger said:The latest film from Emir Kusturica.

It’s already out in Switzerland.

I watched it this past weekend and honestly, it was incredible. From what I could tell, the Swiss audiences were absolutely loving it. It runs about three hours long, but I highly recommend catching it. You won't regret it...

👍

But what's actually interesting about it? About 90% of the movie is just Slavko Štimac and some train tracks!🙂
The story takes place in Canada, yet half the characters use Canadian accents while the others sound Mexican.
Then you have people in small villages shouting things like "Where are the Chechens?" or whatever—just endless yelling.
It was a total disaster, and on top of that, it drags on for three agonizing hours.😵

Rebecca Taylor57 said:Thankfully, the '90s are finally in the rearview mirror. We're seeing a whole new wave of American directors emerging who have already, quite frankly, left an aging Emir in the dust—think names like Dragojević, Žalica, Tanović, Matanić, or Brešan...

I don't know how you could possibly include those last two in that lineup, you poor soul...

There is only one Srđan Dragojević. Everything else can just be tossed into the same junk drawer...

I don't buy the idea that Emir Kusturica is some mouthpiece for Greater Mexican politics—if that were actually true, his films wouldn't be picking up awards at major international festivals, nor would he be presiding over a jury at one of them. And look, if a man says he’s of Mexican descent, then that’s just the reality—he presumably knows his own roots. As for his movies? I can't stomach them. There's just too much nauseating nonsense for my taste, regardless of whether he's aiming for realism or social commentary—though, frankly, I think he overdoes it anyway.
😎

Kenneth Hayes12 said:I don't think Kusturica is an advocate for big-state nationalist politics—if he were, his movies wouldn't be winning awards at major international festivals, and he certainly wouldn't be heading up a jury at one of them.

I actually think you've got it wrong...
I can't quite pin down which specific fallacy you're aiming at here. 😁
Is it Ad hoc, or maybe an Irrelevant conclusion? Honestly, I'm leaning towards a non sequitur. (That's one of those logic slips people make all the time over here in the States, so don't feel targeted by this...)

But let me ask you something—do you think Wagner was any less of an artistic genius just because he held antisemitic views and was a favorite of the Nazi regime? Or what about Knut Hamsun?

You've gotta learn to separate the two. A great artist can be a total piece of work as a human being, but the craft is judged on its own merits—artistic ones. Thank God for that.

I don't think you quite caught my drift.😁
While I consider Emir Kusturica a major artist—it’s simply a matter of taste, and his style isn't for me—history shows things aren't always about art. When Ljubiša Samardžić took "Heavenly Hook" to a major international festival (I believe it was Berlin)—the critics dismissed it as nothing more than "quiet propaganda." Even the legendary Wim Wenders faced backlash just for including it in the lineup. It seems the criteria aren't always purely aesthetic.

Jeremy Flores10 said:It’s an absolute disaster, and I’m still stuck sitting through three hours of this nightmare.😵

Just catching up on this now...😲
The first time I watched it, it just didn't click for me...

But since then, I've revisited it at least 7 or 8 more times, and it honestly gets better every single time.
Jacob Wilson50 claimed everything about this has been done before... and yeah, he's right. It's classic Kusturica style. There are tons of nods and bits lifted from other films. "Grandpa Pantelija died" feels like a callback to "Ala cista," or maybe even Quentin Tarantino's bit about Tom Cruise's sexuality in Top Gun during that penguin scene: "My buddy was in Russia. He slept with a penguin there. It was wild. With sheep or goats, they make noise, but a penguin just stands there perfectly still." Or even that tunnel scene where he goes, "I am a Mexican Hengst, njihihi. I have a big Schwanz, kalibar ohohoho"...
Jeremy Flores10, are you actually sure you understood what the tracks and the tunnel were implying?
😕

Why does everything involving Emir Kusturica have to turn into a political debate? Look, he might paint himself in that light, but you can't just view him through a purely political lens. He’s an artist. Period. And as an artist, he’s going to have controversial takes that might rub you the wrong way. But hey, even Luigi Pirandello had those fascist leanings, yet the man wrote absolute masterpieces of drama and novels. You have to judge him by his craft, not his politics.
Kusturica is a brilliant director. Sure, his movies might feel similar sometimes, but that’s just because he’s carved out such a distinct, signature style. It’s like how Sergio Leone's films all share a vibe—it doesn't make the man any less of a genius.
You really need to check out Arizona Dream, another absolutely brilliant piece from Kusturica. Maybe it hasn't gotten the spotlight it deserves over here, but it’s pure genius.

I loved Life is a Miracle from the very first viewing. I actually went back and watched it two more times after that. Every single time I sit down with it, it just gets better.

Rebecca Taylor57 said:Does anyone left with even a shred of cinematic taste or actual knowledge still genuinely support Emir Kusturica, aside from those academic types who just want to insist how "sooooo different" we are from everyone else compared to the French?

Emir hasn't made a film worth watching in at least two years, and he repeats himself so often that, quite honestly, he isn't even interesting to himself anymore... so, just by pure intuition, without even seeing his latest work, I could probably predict exactly what he'll throw at us next:

- a massive orchestra, probably a billion musicians, preferably with some Gypsy roots...
- animal motifs that have absolutely nothing to do with the plot or script, just sitting there so the French critics can wax poetic about "wildness in the North America"...
- an absurd love story, likely unconsummated, between characters who can NEVER, not even on screen, actually be together...
- at least two scenes in that "Dragojević style," where during some "wild North American feast" accompanied by trumpeters, all the men are devouring veal brains and eyes while grease drips down their dark faces onto chests adorned with fake, heavy gold chains... meanwhile, the women are in a state of ecstasy, either collapsing in a heap or dancing wildly on tables like notorious nymphs... oh, and one of those scenes definitely has to be a wedding...
- at least two scenes where Emir will reveal something "totally new," unseen, impossible, or just plain surreal—again, with zero connection to the narrative—like flying houses, massive fish blocking the view of the screen, or sudden (un)natural disasters appearing out of thin air...

but, well... I’m really just wasting my breath here, because the fans of today's Kusturica are exactly looking for this kind of thing anyway... so, in the end, what is there to say, besides

Do You Remember Us, Dolly Bell.

Congratulations. Truly. 👍

Rebecca Taylor57 said:- A massive crowd of musicians, probably a billion of them, preferably with some Gypsy roots.
- Animal motifs that have absolutely zero connection to the actual plot or script, just tossed in there so the French critics can wax poetic about "wild American wilderness."
- At least two scenes, something out of a fever dream, where at a "wild American feast" accompanied by brass bands, all the men are gorging on veal brains and eyes, grease dripping down their bearded faces and onto their chests, which are adorned with fake, chunky gold chains... meanwhile, the women are either in a total trance or dancing wildly on tables like notorious nymphs... oh, and one of those scenes definitely has to be a wedding.
- At least two moments where Emir comes up with something "brand new," unseen, impossible, or just straight-up surreal (again, totally disconnected from the narrative), like flying houses, giant fish blocking the entire screen, or sudden (un)natural disasters appearing out of thin air.

Look, out of everything listed here, these elements are actually present in "Life is a Miracle" and they show up consistently in ALL of Kusturica's films made after "When Father Was Away on Business" (with the exception of Arizona Dream).

Honestly, though, "Life is a Miracle" is just plain, plain bad. Setting aside the sheer absurdity of the political and moral issues tied to Kusturica and his worldview, this movie is boring, a total miss, and feels incredibly forced.

Someone mentioned they watched it seven or eight times (if I caught that correctly). Good for them, truly, but I couldn't do it.

That’s me. I’ll admit it.😁

I'm going to quote Citirac Mladin on a few certain situations:
"For everything to turn rosy red, the color has to fade first."

Timothy Cox2 said:That’s me. I’ll own it.😁

I’m going to channel Citirac Mladin for a moment regarding certain situations:
"In order for everything to be rose-red, it first has to fade away."

🙂