Charleston & Vendetta

"Charleston for Ognjenka" is an attractive, dynamic, feminine, adventure and comedy for intelligent audience, one of the movies from the select group without first neighbors, a work to remember.

There is a song that says: "One step changes whole world". That's the sort of precision punches, bruises, subtle words, or awesome music that hits the viewer with perfect timing at perfect places, as if to receive a cure and treatment for the formal description or even definition of what this movie is supposed to be.

Charleston is not a morbid movie despite all the epic graveyards and characters "made of magic" due to careful details impact and art really. The topic of the movie is an attempted cultural change and its critique. Strong in body language, movie is a transformation journey of maturity and sensuality. At times the frames are haunted by ghosts that liberate the dark humor into character acceptance and pro life propaganda.

Tending to occupy most of attention and physical experience in theater, we may add it to the heritage of artworks that penetrate directly into perceptual actuality.

Guide it through fluent, flying camera in surreal vision for best results. Cinematography beyond error earns the right to free expression, and a solid blow to emotions at times.

One of the worst peaces of cinematic drab I have seen in a long while.. I'm glad I didn't watch this little ditty in a cinema, because then I would be forced to walk out (which I hate doing).. What I hate the most about this movie is it's awkward pace - It's a mess, a collage of fast paced scenes mixed with slow motion shots. The dialogue is not even close to believable. The CGI, is OK, that's the only thing in the movie I don't hate, but it's far from a redeeming factor - I feel like this heap of a movie was created for the sole purpose that some guys can hone their special effect skills. It's full of shallow symbolism, overinflated to the absurd... The script is bad, the acting is worse, but the direction is a bottomless void of fail. I must note that this movie was so bad that I just had to register here, and vent my anger/disgust/whatever.

One Big Dose of a Great Plot, Music, Camera & Set Design, Few metaphorical Messages, One amateur Screenplay and lot of bad Acting! That is how one of the newest Serbian ''to-cinema-returning'' and ''pretended-to-mesmerize-long-ago-sleepy-public'' movies could be described in short. New wave of global Hollywoodization clearly affected new Serbian Cinematography, with this, more, or less effects-fabricated fantasy and drama work serving as a perfect example of already proved worldwide magic recipe. And what about promoted originality and authenticity (of the Serbian Cinematography, Mentality, Culture...) No, not in this one. So turbulent political and economy Transition of the Serbian Society came to the Serbian Cinema too.

However, some of the important elements, previously mentioned, especially - original Plot, Music, Set Design and Camera are very good news in new Serbian (and former great? Yugoslav) cinematography, somehow always ''full of talents'' and always with lack on visual and acoustic elements. And money, of course! Example of ''Carlston za Ognjenku'' and significant involvement of affirmed foreign film companies in its shooting and production certainly brings a lot of optimism for the future.

However #2, with no doubt, this is yet another one debut work, from one more ''Child of the Serbian Movie''. Yes, the young director is someone's ''already-in-the-bussines'' son. And yes, his baby-movie has been therefore pretty much supported ''at all costs'', if not even forced from some top levels. But this is not my biggest concern. There are so much time in the future for young Stojanovic to prove himself and his work.

The reason of my deeply worry is certainly our new generation of the so-called prosperous young actor-stars. Those who need and should inherit and continue decades of proved good acting in our cinematography... Those who became stars too early. Even before they became actors! I'm worried. Are you?

When i saw a trailer I thought I must see this movie.It seamed like something modern and well produced for a Serbian movie.Comments from some distinguished movie critics didn't well so good and I thought that last night when I was going to the festival to see it that I will be disappointed.But it was quite opposite I was fascinated.It is such a great comedy in first place and after that a great love story for people who understand what love is. This is a comment from the person that watches what kind an effect will make the movie on her.Not directing or acting or some other part in particular but the whole movie in the way all those parts together make the person feel after watching it.From that point of view i thing that this is a great movie :)

It's a pity the first review of the film on the IMDb website is so negative, by an illiterate reviewer I might add. I need to respond because this was the single most delightful film I saw at TIFF 2008. I don't understand why it hasn't had wider release. Comedy can be the best way to deal with a tragic history - it's why so often people tell funny stories at memorials. I realize that those personally touched by Serbian history may not find Tears for Sale so amusing, but the ability to find perspective through humour can be a first step in moving on to a better, more tolerant and peaceful future. In general, the quality of new Serbian films is amazing, and this one was only surpassed by the wonderful "Honeymoons" at TIFF 2009. If you can find them, see them both!