Frameline 33 Wrap-UpPeter Wongbyline‚ Jul. 03‚ 2009Ed. Note: Frameline, San Francisco's renowned International Lesbian and Gay film festival, concluded June 28. FRUIT FLY — "Colma: The Musical"'s H.P. Mendoza returns with a musical love letter to the San Francisco the non-wealthy struggle to live in. Peppered throughout the film are hilarious odes to public transit, rent control, the gay nightclub scene, and the art scene. A particular favorite is the gay dance music parody "Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay." The gameness of Mendoza's primarily Asian-American cast generally compensates for any dramatic bumpiness. "Colma"'s L.A. Renigen makes a welcome return as the titular character, a P.C. version of a fag-hag. However, "Fruit Fly" needs a better sound mix. In more resonant theaters such as the Castro, lo-fi rendered lyrics can cause listeners to miss some of Mendoza's wittier lines. "Fruit Fly" may not offer Gavin Newsom-style bombast, but its unpretentious charm does a far better job of capturing San Francisco's charm ... |