The title of the teen musical comedy Colma: The Musical incorporates a colloquialism regionally specific to the San Francisco area: "Colma" references a northern California town once established as a necropolis and still used as a burial place. That burg serves as the setting of the picture, but here director-cinematographer-editor-choreographer Richard Wong expands the meaning of 'Colma' to characterize the small town as a place of utter boredom and spiritual death for its young residents. The
teenagers at the center of the picture continue to suffer from that malaise: Rodel (scripter H.P. Mendoza, Maribel (L.A. Renigen) and Billy (Jake Moreno). The three rebel against the status quo by periodically breaking into peppy musical numbers - songs original to the film, done in the unmistakable style of '80s new wave rock. The premise of the picture has each teen grappling with the pain and sorrow of a recent romantic break-up, while they attempt to figure out what to do with their lives, given perceived limited options; as the foremost character, Billy takes a part in a local theatrical production and accepts a job working for an oddball proprietor of a men's store. He also finds a new girlfriend in thesp Tara (Sigrid Sutton) but can never quite manage to shake off the lingering memories of his last paramour (Kat Kneisel). The picture packs in thirteen new songs and waxes crisp and snappy, despite its occasional sad-eyed undertones. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
An itty-bitty movie with a great big heart, Colma: The Musical is about how we learn to give voice -- joyfully, honestly, loudly -- to the truest parts of ourselves.
Colma is so blazingly original that it bursts off the screen with the sort of breathtaking energy that reminds you why you love movies in the first place.
When it lets its characters express their universal youthful ennui through hook-laden tunes with clever lyrics, it works. The 'let's-put-on-a-show' attitude is a welcome relief from the navel gazing typical of coming-of-age.
Director Richard Wong is alert to every nuance, cleverly framing the heavily satirical situations with appropriate deadpan affection and deft use of split-screen.
compare this with other films about being a teen (even the good ones), and few match this level of happy, resourceful creativity and unforced diversity.
Mendoza's 13 original numbers...provide the slender story with structure, and overall the songs are surprisingly catchy despite the bare-bones music production and the fact that of the leads, only Renigen has a standout voice.
breezy and irreverent in idiom, yet it examines with sometimes wry, but always unflinching, even brutal, honesty, the impact and consequences of emotional betrayal. And it does so without missing a beat, or a combination step.
I happen to catch this musical on the Sundance channel and it was a delightful surprise. I, especially, enjoyed Mendoza's songs. The film's style is reminiscent of the french musicals, THE UMBRELLA'S OF CHERBOURG and LOVE SONGS. It almost falls apart during the climatic scene which takes place in a small regional
theatre. However, the film redeems itself rather quickly. check it out!
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