A Serbian Film Written by Srđan Spasojević and Aleksandar Radivojević. Directed by Srđan Spasojević. On DVD

   First, I want to say that writing a blog about this movie makes me a little uncomfortable. A Serbian Film is one of those films that when you talk about it, people are going to make assumptions about who you are as a person for even watching it. Having said that, this blog, and the way I feel about this film have no bearing on who I am as a person. My review of this movie is solely based on how the movie made me feel after watching it. If you read my blog, and decide to watch it for yourself, I would love to hear what you have to say.
   A Serbian Film is a movie about a former porn star in Serbia. The title character, Miloš, played by Srđan Todorović, is now a father and husband and living a life of family and reasonable quiet. He is soon approached by his brother, who introduces him to a man who wants Milos to come out of retirement and do one last porn film. After talking to his wife, and explaining to his young son what his daddy used to do for a living, he tentatively accepts the offer. More for the money that's being offered than for the love of doing pornography. Since he quit doing movies, Milos has become an alcoholic, and is seemingly depressed with the way his life has turned out. As he begins to work on the new film he soon realizes that the alcohol has taken a toll on his sexual virility. He attempts to quit drinking and regain the constitution that made him a porn star. I won't get into the films details, because I feel that the surprise is enough to keep you watching the movie. I will, on the other hand, say this...if you have a weak stomach, are easily offended, Hell, if you are liable to be offended by the worst things the world has to offer, this movie might not be for you. I have to admit, there were a few scenes in this film that made me very uncomfortable. I've seen it all. Blood, gore, sexual situations, racism, etc. None of these things make me uneasy. Yet, there were at least 3 or 4 times during this film that I felt sick to my stomach, and ashamed to be watching. View at your own risk, and if you do read this blog and decide to watch the movie, please don't blame me if you are disgusted.
  After watching A Serbian Film, and sitting in silence for almost a half an hour after the last credits, I had to do some research. I read a lot of interviews with the writers and director, and I was quickly informed that the film was made as a window into the state of Serbia itself. So, watching the film and later assessing it as a metaphor, I was a little less uneasy. Yes, the writers and directors cannot hide behind "this film is a metaphor," because there were scenes and ideas that were just amazingly disturbing. Yet, I can't help but think, "Serbia must be a sick and twisted, fucked up place to be," which is exactly what they were going for.

   Last, but certainly not least, this film garnered worldwide outrage. When it hit the film circuits, the Serbian state prosecution opened a case against the film for elements of crime against sexual morals and crime related to the protection of minors. The film was banned in Spain for "threatening sexual freedom." The film was shown at an adult only showing in Spain in 2010, and the festivals director was charged with exhibiting child pornography.  After two months of dvd release in Norway the film was banned because it violated laws in Norway pertaining to sexual representation of children and extreme violence. So, again, I say, view at your own risk. This is far and away the most disturbing, disgusting, and depraved movie I have ever sat through. Enjoy.

Excision Written and Directed by Richard Bates Jr. On DVD

 

   Excision is a film based on an 18 year old high school student named Pauline, played by AnnaLynne McCord of  90210 fame. She's a fairly normal teenage girl, other than the fact that she's completely delusional and has a strong fascination with blood. Pauline is an outcast, both at school and at home. Her younger sister, Grace, has cystic fibrosis, and is the perfect child in her mother's eyes. Pauline is in a constant battle for her place in the world, and often goes to great heights to achieve some sort of attention. The director made a conscious choice to make-under McCord, who for most of the movie has unbrushed hair, and extreme acne. The film also has cut scenes, where Pauline is dreaming about becoming a surgeon. Most of the dreams are twisted fantasies about her performing surgery while making out with two women, or climbing over dead bodies as she makes her way to a bathtub full of blood. It's interesting to watch Pauline grow more and more comfortable with her dreams. She becomes more self aware, and seemingly more confident in herself.

   The overall premise of the film is Pauline's inability to overcome her own delusions and the spiral it sends her through. There are some pretty intense sequences where Pauline's obsession with blood comes into play, and they make for very interesting viewing. I will only bring up one instance, because I don't want to ruin the entire movie for everyone. When Pauline in on her period, she decides to pull out her tampon and inspect it. The scene had me squirming, because I didn't know what she was going to do with it!
   The last 35 minutes of the film are the best part, so if you decide to watch, make sure you watch it all the way through. It's a movie worth watching, especially if you know someone who has a personality disorder, or severe delusions. The film, as a whole, is somewhat heartbreaking. Every one knows at least one Pauline in their time on this earth, and it's painful to watch her struggle so hard to just be normal. I will say this, at first I didn't want to see this movie because McCord was the lead character, and her acting abilities have never been her strong point. After watching her play Pauline, I have a new found respect for her as an actress. She dug deep to play this character and it really paid off. I hope you enjoy this film as much as I did.