Little Ashes!

I really do need to keep up with this more. I've decided that with the invention of the Internet, and the subsequent invention of every single social networking site and cool new blogging site, all meant to make connecting with and keeping track of people easier, it is, in actuality, much harder. Who has time for them all?

Anyway, I totally forgot to tell you about the movie I saw 5/8. Yep, Little Ashes made its 12-screen debut across America two weeks ago, making just under $74,000 its opening weekend. Hey, that's not bad for only 12 screens. Now playing in 15 theaters across the country, it has grossed $151,390! That's terrific if you think about it: a little known indie film about mostly forgotten Spanish culture icons, Salvador Dali and Federico Garcia Lorca. Yeah, the gross total of the second week was almost half of what it was opening week, but still. That's not a bad amount of money. Okay, yeah... so it's not doing that well. I blame the lack of publicity.

I'm making a poor example of my degree here, as I have not properly researched, but I assume that the film had a relatively small budget. Perhaps there was not a lot of room there for publicity/marketing. Perhaps they thought that since now one of their stars is a tween-heartthROB, that was all they needed. I don't think they counted on that, but who knows. Still, the thing that's sad about this is that such a moving movie will go unseen by millions because there is/was not enough backing for a wider release.

Then again, that leaves more of a chance for it to accrue a cult following, as I think it deserves. The movie follows Spanish painter Salvador Dali as he enters university, where he meets poet Federico Garcia Lorca and filmmaker Luis Bunuel. There seems to be an immediate attraction between Dali and Garcia Lorca, whom Dali remarks, shyly and in awe, is "famous" for having published one of his poems. Garcia Lorca is equally impressed by Dali's artistic ability. They, along with friend Bunuel, work off of and with each others' abilities, all in the midst of a country on the brink of civil war. With this war, and its blossoming societal/fascist conflicts as the backdrop, Dali and Garcia Lorca struggle with their passion for each other. You see, Dali is torn between the passion he feels for Garcia Lorca and his strong Catholic upbringing (not to mention his fear of syphilis... oddly, I'm assuming, displayed through 2 bizarre bouts of hearing voices in his head. I'm assuming this because they never explain what the voices are). Meanwhile, the country is changing, drawing Bunuel off to Paris, where he feels he needs to escape. Eventually Dali follows, crushing Garcia Lorca, who remains behind. Periodically, they meet up, and their passion is reignited. However, now the country is in turmoil and homosexuality is a crime. You know they still love each other, but... I don't want to ruin anything for you. Go hunt down a theater playing this movie and watch it for yourself :)

This movie got mixed reviews. Some love it; others hated it. And while the story does kind of move slowly toward the beginning, it's still very engaging and entertaining. Robert Pattinson as Salvador Dali is definitely the comic relief (at one point, trying to make a socialite feel awkward, Dali announced that he "would like an enema!"). Not to mention that signature weirdo-Dali face with his crazy, upturned handlebar mustache. Pattinson pulls this off quite well. But in the more serious scenes, Pattinson and Javier Beltran (Federico Garcia Lorca) are also sweet, awkward, and most importantly, believable. I thought the love scenes would be uncomfortable to watch, especially after reports came out about how the crew would giggle as they were trying to film them, but they were actually quite passionate and consuming. Even the sex/masterbation scene with the longing stares was so intense, I may have held my breath. I won't reveal anything, but damn. Just damn.

I thought it was a great movie, and I would totally see it again. I love when a movie has the power to evoke an emotion in my cold, little heart, haha. This one definitely did. Damn, now I want to see it again. Trip to NYC anyone? :)

How To Be in NYC!!! :) :) :)

Wow, so last Friday, I had the most fun I have had in a long while. Sorry it's taken me a week to post about it (busy busy lazy). But last Friday, 4/24, was the NYC premiere of How To Be!! I have been dying to see this movie for months, and let me tell you, the whole night did not disappoint.

My friend and I purchased our tickets for the IFC Theater showing back in March, and as the day approached, I was actually getting butterfly-stomach syndrome. I had it the entire drive home from work that day. The showing didn't start until 11:55pm, but my friend and I couldn't contain ourselves, so we headed toward the train station at about 8:30. After about a 30ish minute ride, we finally got to Christopher Street, where we set about looking for the theater. Luckily it was not difficult to find. Now, I'm a huge nerd, so I gasped and my butterfly-stomach syndrome kicked in again when we came down the street and I saw the IFC marquee looming large above the sidewalk.

It's still probably only about 9:30 at this point, so I picked up our will-call tickets and we stood akwardly across the street for a while before retiring to a park down the block. At 10:45 we decided it would be a good idea to go start a line. Too bad we weren't the only people to realize this, so we joined the 30ish people already in line to get into the theater. That was the most agonizing hour ever. Why couldn't they just let us in? Instead, we stood there, the line growing behind us, and some guy who looked oddly familiar walking up and down the sidewalk with a hand held video camera. I guessed he must be part of the movie crew because who else would want video of the some 300+ people waiting to get in to see the screenings that night?

Finally they let us in! My friend and I ended up grabbing a seat 3 or 4 rows from the front. Waited a bit more, then suddenly 5 guys walked to the front and introduced themselves. There was Oliver Irving, Joe Hastings, Johnny White, Mike Williams, and Mike Pearce. Hey, hey! We get 5 guys? The website only said 3? Bonus! I secretly hoped Rob Pattinson would pop out too, but no such luck. But, hey, turns out Mike Williams was the guy with the camera. And now they have footage of me looking at them confused while talking on my cell phone. Splendid. Anway.

So they introduced the movie quickly because they had to go introduce the movie in the other theater (where an added screening was), and the movie started. It was funny, and dark, and heartbreaking, and a little disturbing at times, but it was wonderful. The three main characters, Art (Pattinson), Nikki (Pearce), and Ronny (White) are so cute and loveable in their own way, even though they're all kind of strange and absorbed in their own personal realities. It had a lot of good one-liners, but it also had a lot of scenes that made my heart want to break (Art screaming after he got slapped at the bar, anyone?).

Anyway, after the movie, they did a quick Q&A because they had to get next door and do one too. Here we learned that the story was taken in bits and pieces from a lot of different people's lives when growing up. The bit about being made out of plastic and the father moulding him into another child was Mike Pearce. We also learned that Rob is a good guy and easy to work with because he became one of the guys even though he was the outcast (most of them already knew each other from film school). They told us they would be in the lobby if we "wanted to come say hey," so my friend and I dutifully waited.

Once the guys finally came back out, everyone whipped out their HTB soundtracks. I hadn't received mine yet, which made me kind of mad/jealous haha. I didn't have anything for them to sign, but then remembered my receipt from buying the tickets online! Perfect. My friend and I stayed back for a few minutes, too nervous and giddy to think of anything clever enough to approach one of them with, but then I just took a deep breath and went up to Mike Pearce. We made plesant small talk. I can't remember now what exactly it was, but I asked how he made himself cry during one of the scenes (skateboard). He told me he's usually pretty good at crying on cue, but he just couldn't do it so Oliver slapped him across the face really hard and he teared up. True story. I didn't believe him, so he told me to ask Oliver. I promised I would. He signed my sheet and we made a bit more small talk, but there were some other girls waiting, so we said goodbye and moved on.

Next was Mike Williams and Joe Hastings. I explained to them why they were signing my receipt and Joe was like "Oh, it's not my fault! It's Mike!" haha. So Mike apologized and we joked about the CD and how I was hoping I was one of the 250 lucky people. He said he didn't know, but maybe he would just never send my CD and I could keep hoping forever. It was funny. I ended up not being on of the 250 anyway :( Sad. Anyway, so then I asked Joe (who played Dave in the movie) why he slapped Art instead of just punching him, as most men would do in a bar fight. He told me they originally thought that, but started talking, and realized that slapping a man was way more emasculating. And no one will expect it. I sure didn't; good move, fellas. Then, while talking about the slap, he and Mike revealed some very interesting information about Mr. Pattinson. I would tell you, but they swore me to secrecy. Sorry ;) haha.

Next was Johnny. He was so sweet and cute and nice. And tall. Like, damn. He doesn't seem that big in the film, but when I saw him up at the front during the Q&A and now standing next to him... I was surprised! I mean, I barely come up to the boy's shoulder. Anyway, I told him how Ronny was my favorite character, and all that. I asked him to do the Ronny Dance, and he giggled very sweetly, and told me no. He claims to not remember how to do it, how it was just one of those things that works out one time, but then you can't quite figure out how to do it again. Psh. Whatever, haha. He was still cute though. He also signed my receipt (writing that he hated Mike for not sending me my CD haha), and then it was off to Oliver.

Oliver is just as sweet and nice as the other guys. We talked a bit about the movie, and he signed my receipt. Then I remembered Mike P's story. So I asked him. "Well, usually Mike has no problem crying," he started. "But he couldn't do it, so I just went up to him and slapped him across the face to get him to tear up!" Hahaha! Oh, it was true! We laughed a bit over how Mike had already told me the story but I didn't believe him. I asked him if he slapped Rob to make him cry or look like he was crying during the movie. No. Rob used a tear-stick, hahaha. I love Hollywood secrets!

It was so much fun talking and getting to meet all these guys. They were all super nice and modest and humble and fun. My friend and I got one final group shot before we left. I've had a few people ask me if they were my friends, or comment on how we all looked like friends, and I think that's really a testament to how great and friendly these guys are. I love them, haha. I loved the movie. I loved the whole night!

So my friend and I finally left the theater at 3am! Yikes! We headed down to the train station, and between waiting for the train and then a ride, we didn't get home until 4:45am. It really was such a fantastic, albeit long, night. Most fun I've had in a while. And I very HIGHLY recommend the movie. So if you haven't seen it... do it. You owe it to yourself.