v-tadic

According to ALISSA SIMON of "Variety", this is a high-concept omnibus film developed from an idea by Serbian film critic/producer Nenad Dukic, that brings together five shorts by young lady directors from the republics of former Yugoslavia, all incorporating pregnancy in some way. Of variable interest and varying length.

Each segment is titled simply with the name of the country in which the action takes place, and separated from the next by a brief fade to black. The episodes reflect the economic, sociological, cultural and religious differences among the various countries. Strongest in terms of craft, performance and narrative is the suspenseful "Serbian Story." Tale of an expectant mother (Natasa Ninkovic) sharing an emergency room with a charming killer (Sergej Trifunovic) offers the piquant twist of an O. Henry yarn. While "Serbian Story" seems complete as a short work, ambitious drama "Bosnia & Herzegovina Story" feels more like an open-ended treatment, with nuanced acting that suggests complexities beyond the scope of the short running time. The narrative centers on a financially strapped Sarajevo family (Bosnian stars Emir Hadzihafizbegovic and Jasna Ornela Bery play the parents) forced to find a new place to live, while the pregnancy of Dutch U.N. official Hedder (Nina Violic) by the family's proud son (handsome Feda Stukan) is more tangential to the story. Uneven "Macedonia Story" unfolds in a private clinic where a junkie (soulful-looking Iva Zendelska) battles to keep her baby. Director Dzidzeva's hyper-real visuals and poetic framing make an impression despite the risible script. The longest but least engaging of the five, melodramatic "Croatian Story" follows a mentally unstable painter (Nera Stipcevic) who must decide if she should undergo a "selective reduction" because one of her twins will have Down syndrome. Still, notable production design supports the feeling of two worlds between the painter and her businessman hubby (Goran Bogdan). Arriving last, the attenuated "Slovenian Story," about a nun (Lucija Serbedzija) with her own version of immaculate conception, ends the omnibus on an awkwardly humorous note. Performed almost as silent comedy, the segment doesn't rep Slak's best work.

In conclusion, it could be stated that the film would not attract a very large audience, but that it was definitely worth seeing.

Before obtaining a copy of this film, and being very fond of Part 1, I read some of the reviews here. When reactions were so violent and outraged, most probably they were subjective and the product of defective education. Some even bordered on malignant stupidity. But this could be expected from the contemporary one-book, action-movie generations.

Although not the best of the Mikhalkov's movies, it is not bad at all. It could be vastly improved by re-cutting and shortening by one hour or so, but it nevertheless gives an accurate and touching picture of the horrors of the WW II in Soviet Union, of the enormous loss of young lives because of the monstrous Stalinist regime. Red Army was practically headless in 1941 because the majority of its leaders was either killed or in Gulags. It took some time and enormous loss of lives, equipment and territory, to push forward new and capable Red Army leaders and to train the ill prepared troops to fight Germans on equal footing. Mikhalkov's film accurately portrays the chaotic days of '41.

If you want to be "awake" go watch Steven Seagal or some such American crap, Mikhalkov is not for you. You are incapable of understanding the fight for survival on your own soil. So, shut up. If you don't like it, why watch it?

First of all, the number of voters is very low and I fear that those that rated the series badly are biased, even anti-Russian. Nevertheless, prevailing majority of the voters rated the film 7 and higher. Maybe IMDb should rethink the weighted averages method and revert to simple arithmetic means? One of the most significant faults of Russian films/TV serials is the lack of English subtitles. I understand Russian of the old soviet movies quite well, but have enormous problems understanding modern, quickly spoken language. The Russians will have to do something about it because many excellent creations go unnoticed. Very small number of people outside of Russia and ex-Soviet republics understand Russian. Due to this fact American distorted Goebelsian clichés about Russia still prevail: the Russians are either bad renegade generals, who want to attack poor unprotected America, or disgusting tycoons and prostitutes. This simply is not and was not so.