Spomenik Majklu Dzeksonu

Thanks to Cleveland IFF's program selection (becoming one of top national indie-art-house festivals), I was able to see last night Monument to Michael Jackson -The Movie (2014), directed by Serbian up-and-coming film artist Darko Lungulov. The picture has all the elements of East-European realism driven cinema, blending - dark comedy, drama, tragedy, and romance. Inspired by semi-true events, the film follows an ordinary man trapped in his personal life problems, and trying to make a change by - building a monument to "king of pop" in the heart of small Serbian town. He also hopes to win back his estranged wife. The protagonist's "insane" project soon becomes a target of conservative and crime related forces within his social surrounding: local corrupted city officials and Serbian rightist-anarchists. Will he give up or fight? The ending is totally unpredictable. The character interactions and drama (touch of dark comedy), use of music, and playful staging points to cinematic influences by Jiří Menzel, Boorman, Kusturica, Herzog Darko Lungulov shows again that you don't need a mega-budget to create very original dramatic content and tell very good stories about human condition, love, hate, and everything in between. If Michael Jackson was alive, I'm sure he would love it, too. Thumbs up!

Totally worthless. Slow direction. The screenplay is awful. Don't lose your time watching this movie.

A touching and darkly hilarious film that captures the current zeitgeist in the Balkans and elevates it to the universal. The story is a hero's journey of director Darko Lungulov's protagonist, an unconventional hero that connects strongly with the audience in a story that is further brought to life with strong acting from its lead and the supporting cast, an attention to detail in the story, and a great (and very Yugonostalgic) soundtrack.

The substantial crowd at its Newport Beach Film Festival screening had a very strong positive reaction and the film stimulated a lot of discussion for the evening. A truly wonderful work you can't help but love, from a filmmaker whose next projects you'll want to look out for.

Really, it is an interesting movie. I loved film making and also narration. In present sceanrio, many cities are crumbling..many cities are set ready to revamp..in a urban angle also story looks interesting. A common man who findng some ideas to overcome his personal issues/problems, at the same time he trying to find answer to society necessity also. yes, climax was good. I liked the protagnonist's mad idea. Lot of towns needed mad idea to its reselience. The music is good. beyond that Idelolgoy mirror, we can see the echoes of life. Being a barber, he is also searching solutions to live. His wife is also on same thought but diffrent route. Several cities, especially which cities built in the backdrop of industrialisation is in same scenario. a thought provoking movie. Congrats for both Director and Protogonist.

I was waiting for a long time for a cute film with a humor coming from Serbia. I am glad that it finally came along.

First, plot is very cute and it will be endorsed by many. It is for the people to like it, and they probably will. The movie theater in Cinema City was sold out, and it will probably be for weeks to come.

Acting is excellent. Especially I always liked acting performed by Bjelogrlic and Karanovic and they are excellent again.

I strongly recommend this film. Two thumbs up! I especially liked one song which they played in the film. It is probably one of the best Yugoslav partisan songs ever composed. I hope youtube will not be angry if I borrow the link for you to listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1Su6FQHAYg