Upstairs at 8:30 PM
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Colma: The Musical
(2006, 111 min)
Country: U.S.
Director: Richard Wong
Studio: Lions Gate Films
SYNOPSIS:
Taking inspiration from sources as diverse as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and Rent, first-time director Richard Wong and composer/lyricist/star H.P. Mendoza have created a startlingly unique and fun musical we're jumping up and down about.REVIEW:
Filled with piano-driven pop songs you'll be humming all night, Richard Wong and composer/lyricist/star H.P. Mendoza have broken down barriers by creating an Asian-American musical with a gay lead character. Set in Colma, a sterile working-class suburb south of San Francisco, the film tells the story of Rodel (Mendoza), Billy (Jake Moreno) and Maribel (L.A. Renigen), three friends who spend every evening trashing their boring existences. The three just graduated high school and are uncertain what their next steps are. Billy (Jake Moreno) is an aspiring actor with plenty of dreams -- all outside of Colma. When he is cast in a local play, his boring job and old friends seem to be remnants of his past.Rodel can be the life of the party -- or he can ruin it with his sharp tongue. At home, with his brother in prison, he carries the pressure of being the “good kid" in his family. Rodel is hiding the fact that he's gay from his dad and is out only to his buddies. Maribel loves a party and is the wild one of the three tight friends. But the three may not be as inseparable as they seem...
The superb music reminds us of Ben Folds with its piano-based melodies and hummable tunes. With 13 original musical numbers choreographed in imaginative settings, characters you care about and a compelling story, Colma: The Musical is a sure bet for gay film lovers.
-- Scott Cranin