| | | New York's Got New Jersey; San Francisco's Got the Place Where Colma Stays.
Features: DVD, English, Spanish, Subtitled
Ever been to Colma? It's that little town right next to San Francisco. No? Well, its claim to fame is that the dead outnumber the living 1500 to 1 (cause of its cemeteries, don't get any crazy ideas). But it's really just like any other sleepy town that rests in the shadow of a huge progressive city - New York's got New Jersey, Philly's got Cherry Hill, San Francisco's got Colma, the list goes on and on. And in these towns, there are kids, and one day, these kids must grow up - or at least start to.Best pals Rodel, Billy, and Maribel live in Colma and they love it! (not really). After graduating from high school the trio finds themselves in a state of limbo; fresh out of high school, they are just beginning to explore a new unstructured world. Like most kids, they are on the brink of self-discovery, but aren't in much of a rush. What is the rush, anyway? They are having too much fun doing nothing or crashing college parties. But when newfound revelations and romances challenge their relationships with one another and their parents, the trio must assess what to hold onto, and how to best follow their dreams. Oh, there's one more thing - they sing. Colma: The Musical boasts 13 musical numbers featuring all original music by H.P. Mendoza and is Richard Wong's feature directorial debut. It has been awarded the Special Jury Prize at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and San Diego Asian Film Festival. It was honored with nominations for the Gotham Award ("Best Film Not in a Theater Near You") and the Independent Spirit Award ("Someone to Watch Award").
"...irresistible!" Los Angeles Times
"From the opening tune you know it's gonna be fun...and it is." San Francisco Chronicle
Editor's Note
This film-festival favorite from first-time director Richard Wong is set in the Bay Area town of Colma. A trio of high school grads is eager to escape the place for more exciting locales, and they communicate their desire through 13 all-new musical numbers.
| Features | Audio Commentary By Director Richard Wong | | Audio: English Dolby Digital Stereo | | Deleted Scenes | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: Spanish |
| Technical Info
|
Release Information
| | Studio: Lions Gate |
| Release Date: 9/9/2008 |
| Running Time: 100 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2007 | | Catalog ID: 22110 | | UPC: 00031398221104 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English [CC], English | | Available Subtitles: Spanish | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Standard 1.33:1 [4:3] |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Nominee (2007) | | | Independent Spirit, Richard Wong, Someone to Watch Award |
|
| | Professional Reviews | New York Times
"[A]n itty-bitty movie with a great big heart....[The movie is] about how we learn to give voice -- joyfully, honestly, loudly -- to the truest parts of ourselves..." 07/06/2007 p.E1Variety 9 of 10
Amerindie "Colma: The Musical" just gives the kids music they like and characters they can identify with, forgetting any grandiosity. "Colma" might be perilously local in origin, but this unexpected delight reps a less pretentious rock musical than "Hedvig," with music just as good. Colma is famed in the Bay Area as the place where space-starved San Franciscans have buried their loved ones for generations...Opening plaint "Colma Stays" ("like rigor mortis") jumps out of the box like Christmas. Split-screen tactics cleverly used throughout introduce principals Billy (Jake Moreno), Rodel (composer-lyricist-scenarist H.P. Mendoza) and Maribel (L.A. Renigen) as each marches unimpressed through their "Deadsville U.S.A." hometown. Bouncy pop-rock evoking both '80s New Wavers (especially They Might Be Giants) and '70s pure-poppers (Raspberries, etc.), the tune has clever lyrics, close harmonies and vocalists who mercifully don't sound "American Idol"-bound...First-time feature helmer Richard Wong surpasses expectations for a homegrown project -- "Colma" has a fresher look and feel than many a big-budget studio production. As blocking director, d.p. and editor alike, Wong has a firm grip on visual musicality, one not at all compromised by choreography kept elemental enough for a cast of non-dancers. - Dennis Harvey
|
| |
|
|
|
