Little Ashes

At last, a stab at all those tweens and teens who sat through Twilight while their middle parts tingled away at what I now believe to be a mediocre role for the very talented Robert Pattinson. His portrayal of Salvador Dali in the 2008 film, Little Ashes, not only gave me a new respect for his acting ability, it delighted my sense of artistic intellectualism.

Rarely do I finish a film thinking, damn that was a good movie! Any way you look at it, the quality of this film is superb. Little Ashes explores the relationship between Salvador Dali and Spanish poet, Frederico Garcia Lorca, based on stories told by Dali himself near the end of his life. During their time at the Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid, 1920s Spain provides the perfect scene for the decadent lifestyles then enjoyed by artists and intellectuals. With just enough nudity to pacify, including a frontal of Robert Pattinson, rising sexual tensions between the two friends parallel the increasing political animosity leading to the Spanish Civil War.

Little Ashes, which shares its name with one of Dali's paintings, is about choices. As political fury cuts across the land, jazz becomes the music of revolutionary thinking. Frederico Garcia Lorca, and Salvador Dali share unique ideals that present no limits. This includes their love for one another. Ultimately, the two are parted, sending Dali to Paris where narcissism and excessiveness lead to his expulsion from the Surrealist Movement. Garcia Lorca remains in Spain, speaking out for his freedom and the right to love whoever he chooses in a time when homosexuality was illegal. He is finally captured by a Nationalist militia and killed in his homeland of Grenada.

I absolutely loved everything about this film. Because of the subject matter, I wasn't expecting

a great deal of nudity and hot lasciviousness. This movie delivers a beautiful love story on the edge of a revolution of hearts, minds, and country. There are a few scenes in which Frederico Garcia Lorca, played by Javier Beltran, recites his work in Spanish while the same actor speaks a translation in English. The combination of the two languages is a lovely way to experience Garcia Lorca's poetry. This wonderful film is highly recommended for its content and character. Viva la revolucion!

Happy Endings,,

Matthew