Ombres

Milcho Manchevski became famous after his great movie "Before the Rain". Sadly, here in Croatia he's pretty unknown although one of the best Croatian actors, Rade Serbedzija was really great in Manchevski's before mentioned movie. But now we finally have his new movie in theaters and I must say that I was wondering what this would look like.

"Senki" follows a story of young doctor Lazar Perkov. Lazar has everything, beautiful wife and child, he's a doctor and he even has a nickname 'Lucky'. Soon Lazar's life changes after he survives a heavy car accident; but nothing seems to be the same as it was. His wife and child don't live with him any more and soon he starts having appearances of strange people who are asking from him do to something. Actually to return something what's not his.

We (viewers) are drawn into the story with ease, cause it is very interesting to wait till the end to found out what is happening with our main character. This movie was made in Macedonia (in Skopje and on some beautiful locations at Ohrid lake) but it could easily pass as American one (Manchevski lives in New York and some people who worked on this one are foreigners). Really, this movie doesn't lack a thing. The most important part is of course directing one, and Manchevski is leading us through this movie with 'safe' hands and you can really see why he is such established director. To return on Macedonia; it seems like Manchevski wanted to show both beautiful and ugly sides of his land. Beautiful scenes at Ohrid lake have their contrast in brutal living habits of some people in Skopje (like the place where Blagojce lives).

In central of attention is our main character Lazar (name has Biblical purpose here, but that is also common Macedonian name) who has these appearances of some people after his accident. Who are they, what do they want from him, how is this all going to end? All those questions makes viewers on the edge of their seats waiting for the end. There is also Lazar's connection with his family (specially with his mother) and his love interest in Menka. What I also liked is great creation of suspense and horror (the old lady in the water and all the appearances of these 'people'). Here Manchevski succeeds to make scary scenes, while we can all see how most of the American so called horror movies are not only dull but what's most important without any fear; and Manchevski's attention was to make psychological thriller like "The Sixth Sense" (which is similar in some points with this movie).

So if you want to see one very interesting story watch this very good third movie from Milcho Manchevski. I hope you won't regret it.

'Shadows' is a confection of images, evoked smells, fascinating faces, pitch-perfect acting, and unnerving events--with perhaps the best crash scene I have ever seen in film. My observation re: the accident might sound like hyperbole, but the psychology of the scene is sheer perfection. Its details are choice. I felt horrified, too, empathizing with all the people in the reaction shots, but at the same time exhilarated because it all looked so damn interesting! (The film has great cutaways!) I love it when a movie takes control of my moods and this has a driver's opening. There is also some great counterpoint with scenes and music. Really, very masterful. This film is better with a second viewing--like watching The Conformist--one always notices new and fascinating details in the frame, in the psyches of its characters.

When a doctor, who is down on his luck, gets in a car accident...he wakes up from a coma four days later...with a newfound ability.

As it seems he can now see the dead...well, maybe not ALL the dead...rather, only the dead who feel that his family has stolen something from them.

At first, he doesn't realize these people are dead...so he's interacting with people who aren't there...at least as far as other people are concerned.

And at the end of each day, he witnesses them die...before they return to life the next day, as if nothing happened.

Which, as you can imagine...been weighing heavily on his sanity.

And, to make matters worse, this is all going on, on top of becoming estranged from his wife and child, and having to deal with his overbearing mother.

The only thing getting him through all this, is the relationship he has been forming with one of the ghosts.

As things plod on, he eventually does realize what he needs to do: dig up the skeletons from his family's past, so that he can bury them, and end the cyclical torment of these lost souls, that are still trapped in the material realm.

In the end, it's sort of a mash up of The Sixth Sense and Ghost...though, it lacks the tension and engaging romance of either tale.

The romance angle here, seems particularly forced.

In that it's more sad and pathetic, than it is engaging and moving.

When all is said and done...it's not a bad film...but it is really quite slow, and fails to fully engage you.

It never really got me to the point where I empathized and cared about the characters.

I just kind of sat through it and it was over.

But, as far as films from Macedonia are concerned...I'm sure this is up there among the best.

It was that country's submission to the 80th Academy Awards, mind you.

5.5 out of 10.

When i first heard about Manchevski's next project to be in the horror genre i was a bit skeptical to be honest. I mean a European horror? What was the last good one you've seen? The hype, however, surrounding this movie here in Macedonia inevitably took over me so i become interested in it too. And after watching it's fantastic trailer, "Shadows" suddenly became my most anticipated movie of the year. So my expectations were as high as they have ever been when i decided to go and see it. And it was worth the wait. It's nothing i thought it would be though. It has Manchevski written all over it, meaning this is not your typical "go and have fun" movie. It's dark and funny, simple on the outside, yet the complexity of the inside is what makes it special. It's a love it or hate it one. It's simply different from everything you have ever seen. It's more of a thriller than horror in my opinion and it's a movie that you have to see a few times to understand it's whole meaning. The symbolics used in it are brilliant(though too often ruined by the obvious explanations) and the cinematography is great. The acting was OK(I liked the performance of Sabina Ajrula as the mother) and the storytelling was good too. I felt like it was more of a collection of scenes than an actual movie to be honest but let's face it, as commercial as this movie sounded this is still in the art department. True, there are too many unnecessary sex scenes that are a distraction from the general idea, but i think it's something that should be overlooked. And even though the theme of the movie is not very original it does a good job by showing those same things, used so often these days, from a different more realistic "angle". All in all it's something that i heartily recommend you to see and despite it's few flaws it's still another great movie from a great director. Friends of thriller horror movies with a deeper even philosophical meaning, you'll be satisfied. 10/10, even though i have to admit not Oscar worthy as some have suggested

I think that there are problems with the plot regarding the disconnected sex scenes, and the generally missed point in the movie. It could have been made better. I don't think it is a replica of the "Sixth Sense", I see no resemblance in the plot between these two movies. Also, as far as the Aegean Macedonians are concerned, I think the the movie does not mention the exodus of the 1913 and the use of the napalm bombs at that time. It just scarcely mentions the events following the partition of Macedonia. It mentions the exodus during the WW II, and especially during the Greek civil war following the WW II, when indeed there was an exodus of the Aegean Macedonians and the Greek forces and its allies did use napalm bombs to destroy forces of the Communist led coalition, but instead mostly civilians and villages were hit by those bombs. Those who survived were exiled into Eastern Europe and today's Republic of Macedonia (then part of federal Yugoslavia). So those are the facts briefly mentioned. So the movie does not say at all that this exodus happened in 1913, but after 1913 when part of Macedonia was seized by Greece. In any way, most viewers will not focus on that part of the story as those events are just scarcely treated, and implied. They are secondary to the main story. I think it is absolutely unfair and wrong to see that as propaganda.