Glitter & Doom

As an Indigo Girls fan, I was concerned and skeptical about how some of my favorite Indigo Girls songs would be used in this film.

Prior to attending this showing, I knew that the movie had received favorable reviews from fans. So I was excited about seeing how Indigo Girls' songs had been repurposed for this gay romance. I saw some of the previews from the movie, specifically the "World Falls" video, and I was impressed.

The plot has been discussed in other reviews, so I won't repeat those details. Apart from the "boy meets boy" premise, it's a fairly predictable storyline. But it keeps the viewers interested with the setting (circus, camping, scenery) and the well-developed characters. And, of course, the music!

The lead actors were perfect for their roles and the supporting cast was AMAZING! Thanks to the trailers and music video clips, I knew about Lea DeLaria, Ming-Na Wen and Kate Pierson but there were also some familiar faces I did NOT expect and LOVED seeing (no spoilers here but I was excited to see a favorite comedian and celebrity chef)!

Tom and Cory, director and writer, exceeded ALL my expectations when they selected Indigo Girls songs for this film. I was AMAZED. And I do not use that word often. The songs they used worked perfectly within the film: the dialog, the plot, the setting, the characters, the entire storyline. The filmmakers had a difficult task because Indigo Girls have released 24 studio albums! I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the film didn't just feature the well-known songs AND they even included songs from Amy's and Emily's solo projects.

This was a truly exciting movie for me. I know I've forgotten to mention some of the details because I saw it more than five weeks ago. There were a lot of subtle references in this film: "Easter Eggs" including props, humor, dialogue, background, etc. I look forward to seeing the film again because I know I missed some of the hidden treasures.

As someone who watches movies in 15-minute increments due to mental and physical distractions, the fact that this movie kept me focused and entertained speaks volumes. I had no intrusive, or even mundane, thoughts and I never once wondered what time it was. THAT alone gives it 10/10 stars for me!

I saw Glitter + Doom (pronounced Glitter AND Doom, not Glitter PLUS Doom?) at the OUTNorthLA Film Festival in Shreveport, Louisiana, on September 10, 2023.

I know nothing of The Indigo Girls and haven't heard of almost anyone involved in this movie. I usually avoid gay themed films as they tend to be depressing with a bleak outlook on life. Glitter and Doom is just the opposite. There is almost nothing to complain about here. It's a wonderful, uplifting, romantic film with fine performances. The 2 leads have real chemistry and are fine actors while the songs are well done with a few dance numbers thrown in. I was afraid it was going to be all music, but there is a story here and some well done dramatic scenes although nothing to bring the movie down. Like all musicals this isn't anything realistic but it is well filmed and a real feast for the eyes, wonderful scenery and sets. If there was any negative it was Alan Cammish's thick accent that made many of his lines difficult to understand. He made up for it by having real star quality on screen. Wonderful film.

The music is definitely the major part of this little indie film. It is very well acted. The leads are impressive. All their scenes felt real and sensitive.

Alex Diaz and Alan Cammish sounded great together. Missi Pyle was wonderful and sounded amazing. Ming-Na Wen is always great.

The supporting actors and dancers added to the operatic storytelling.

The Indigo Girls wrote wonderfully emotional songs and the director and screenwriter did a fine jobs blending a story and music into a thoughtful, not always straight plot or theme, but gets you to the end that they strive for.

I know the rating is not as high as my rating because I want to see a vision that is creative, fun, sweet, kind, and special and this movie is that . . . Different and cool.

I honestly had no to low expectations for this going in knowing only the bare minimum about it. I never expected it to hit so hard, but, by Gods, it is beautiful. I absolutely loved all the little cameos & Ming-Na Wen is just flawless in everything that she does. Glitter & Doom, though, played by new to me actors definitely make the movie. Which is good because it's all about them.

As someone with both walls & scars, their story just hits all the feels. There really are not alot of movies I consider 10 out of 10. I can always find something to criticize or take a point off for & I could do that here, but I simply don't want to. I just loved this movie. I'm in tears, mostly happy crying, but crying nonetheless. It was such an experience to watch. I hesitated because I thought the song use may be cringe, but it was perfect. This is the kind of story I would 5 star & have the ebook & physical copy of if it were a book. Instead it's a movie & I'm going to need a Blu-ray release so it can never be lost to me on streaming. I'm going to turn right around & watch it again now. It may not be for everyone but it was just the kind of movie that I didn't know I needed right now.

This movie had its share of enjoyable moments, but overall, the plot felt stale. The visuals were really cool but the performances of the lead actors left much to be desired, with their delivery coming across as wooden and lacking depth. Moreover, the excessive use of autotune during the musical numbers was a distraction rather than an enhancement. They performed "Closer to Fine" really well though! And who knew that Ming-Na Wen could sing!

More humor would have gone a long way, as the existing comedic elements fell flat (other than some awesome and unexpected cameos). Furthermore, the musical numbers felt quite disjointed. Clearly a lot of love went into the production though, the sets and choreography are generally really vibrant and fun.

While not a complete disappointment, this one fails to leave a lasting impression.