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Colma:
The Musical Independent films
have the odds stacked against them before they ever even
get off the ground. Overcoming the odds is necessary before
they ever begin to see the light of day, so limiting any
possible detracting factors is common practice for aspiring
indie filmmakers.
Adding
the element of a musical to an independent effort is like
adding one more adversity in a long line of things to overcome
on its way to success, fame, and fortune. Yet part of the
charm behind Richard Wong and H.P. Mendoza’s Colma:
The Musical stems from the simple fact that it eschews
the safety of commonality, and wears its musical stripes
like a badge of honor.
Dipping
into the pool of teenage coming-of-age drama is nothing
new, but Colma brings a fresh approach to tackling
common tropes, and intersperses them with music that feels
unique and catchy.
The film centers on three teens desperately
seeking to find direction after graduating from high school
in Colma – a city best known as the place where San
Franciscans are buried when they die. In a town where the
living population is eclipsed by the number of deceased
residents, it’s easy to see why straight-edged thespian
Billy (Jake Moreno), and his best-friend Rodel (songwriter,
screenwriter, and lyricist, H.P. Mendoza) anticipate that
things will, hopefully, get better.
We follow Billy on his quest to land a job
at a local retailer. His interview with the store’s
manager is at once awkward and demeaning – poor Billy
is presented with the first of many choices in a long line
of Colma-induced conformity. His supportive parents rejoice
when they hear that he’s been hired, but Billy is
unsatisfied and seeks the comfort of Rodel’s company.
Their kindred feeling of disenfranchised
aimlessness is not shared by Maribel (L.A. Renigen) who
is far more content “acting the part” and morphing
into the routines of other, older Colma-ites. In celebration
of Billy’s newfound success, the trio sneaks into
a frat-party – pretending to be of legal drinking
age. Like the graveyards of Colma, Billy and Rodel view
the partygoers as bleak harbingers of a future lying in
wait for them. At Maribel’s request they begrudgingly
act the part, but the thought of living it later is too
much for them to accept on a more permanent basis.
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There
is a deeper layer at play in Colma: The Musical
that resonates within its music. It’s not enough to
merely discuss these characters' feelings of being trapped
in dismal situations; their circumstances are enhanced by
their surroundings. The argument here is that, sure, teens
across the country are subjected to similar situations all
the time, but they become amplified by the mere nature of
Colma itself – a city where one’s own mortality
is reflected in countless tombstones and cemeteries throughout
town.
All
of this is set to the beat of H.P. Mendoza’s pop-inspired
soundtrack, including songs as earnest and honest as the
conflicts contained within the film itself. One common issue
I’ve had with many musicals is the feeling of “resolution
through song,” yet Mendoza has carefully crafted numbers
that expand the conflicts among characters in a surprisingly
self-aware fashion.
Each
tune culls inspiration from 80’s pop mainstays (I
like to imagine that somewhere in Brooklyn the Johns of
They Might Be Giants are contemplating a musical of their
own after seeing Colma), and blends it with equal
parts nostalgia and originality.
Ultimately,
this miniDV shot DIY indie pulls off a simple yet deeply
entertaining yarn of teenage aspirations fighting to get
a leg up over personal conflict and turmoil creatively portrayed
through deft use of split-screen and well-crafted character
development. The conflicts feel legitimate, and the favoring
of realism over fantasy is a refreshing approach that sets
Colma: The Musical apart from many other entries
into the musical genre.
Colma:
The Musical is currently playing at the Embarcadero
Center Cinema in San Francisco.
Rating: 
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