If you live in Colma, CA, the “graveyard capital of the world” where the dead outnumber the living 1500 to 1, there isn’t a whole hell of a lot to do but sing the blues. Might as well get it out on paper, which is exactly what screenwriter/lyricist (and lead actor) H. P. Mendoza did. The material was originally conceived as an indie pop album for a San Francisco stage show, but then Mendoza sent his friend Richard Wong a sample song, asking whether it was worthy of posting on his MySpace account. Wong was so impressed, the tune instantly inspired him to use it as a catalyst for his feature film debut. In a week, Mendoza assembled a first draft of what he called “a sort of hopelessly romantic summer project.” Meanwhile, Wong cobbled together the $15,000 needed to film this bouncy, poison-pen love letter to the city that spawned him. The story is familiar: three friends manage to escape high school, only to be held prisoner by their hometown. But if you’re not hooked after the opening song, check your pulse. Wong keeps it lively without relying on machine gun edits or numbers bunched together — two of the most common blunders found in contemporary musicals. Seven minutes shorter than it was when initially released, it’s being billed as a director’s cut. (2006) — Scott Marks
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