Dawg! Reviews

Wonder Woman (2017)

Comic book adaptation plus so much more.

[9/10 · 27 March 2018]

I'm curious as to why so many negative reviews appear here. Then again, everyone is entitled to an opinion, so here's mine.

This film seems to me to run a bit long; however, it's action-packed and keeps your attention. It's not the typical thing that most movie-makers trot out when adapting a comic book or graphic novel; instead, it takes a fresh look at a superhero that we're ostensibly familiar with.

Some of the details have been changed with this incarnation of Wonder Woman - a World War I backstory with Steve Trevor rather than the World War II origin story that comic book readers might be familiar with - however; the "bones" of the story are fully intact.

Highbrow entertainment? It's not exactly something you would expect to see on Masterpiece Theater Classic on a Sunday night in winter. But then again, it isn't meant to be that. It's fast paced, entertaining, lots of things that go boom; yet it's also a story that keeps you engaged and makes you care about what happens to the characters in the end.

Put succinctly: it's an action movie that has a lot of really good moments. In my humble opinion, it's probably the best (as of March 2018) DC Extended Universe movie of the bunch. (I'll admit, I wasn't a fan of "Batman vs. Superman", and "Man of Steel" just moved a little too slowly for my taste.)

The Milagro Beanfield War (1988)

Not a bad idea to see this film before you visit NM...

[8/10 · 27 March 2018]

Some years ago, when IMDB had user comments (and the "six degrees of separation game" - good times!) I left a comment that said something to the effect of "If you're from NM, you get it. If not, well..."

I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of Robert Redford, but he and the cast of the movie hit the nail on the head with this movie. Is it slow? Yes, sometimes painfully so; sometimes, deliciously so. But then, so is life in the area of NM where this was filmed. Personally, I prefer reading the book to watching the movie, but should you ever decide you want to visit northern NM afterward, you'll almost immediately say, "Oh, yeah. I can totally see that happening here."

I will admit, I'm a bit biased since I had a couple of family members who had bit parts in the movie. (Watch for the lady selling chile peppers in the town, as well as the one trying to climb into the truck as it's taking off!) Give it a chance, enjoy the music and cinematography, At the end, you may just say, "Huh. I actually liked it."

It's rated R, but by modern standards it's barely a soft PG-13 - for at least one f-bomb, as I recall. Take that out, and I could see it almost passing as a PG.

Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (2003 Video Game)

Great game; A little like "The Thin Red Line"

[17 December 2003]

Any fan of the "Medal of Honor" series would like this game. If "Medal of Honor: Frontline" was like "Saving Private Ryan", this one is more like "The Thin Red Line". Player starts off as Pvt. Griffin, a Marine who is stationed at Pearl Harbor on the USS California. The missions cover several battles in the Pacific Theater, and a few espionage operations I won't give away.

My personal opinion is that it is harder than any of the previous Playstation and PS2 based "Medal of Honor" games. (I haven't played Medal of Honor: Allied Assault yet) Overall, if you like the series (and don't mind the control button configuration changing with every new incarnation of the series), you'll like this game.

**** out of *****

Wing Commander (1999)

Wait for the video

[1/10 · 17 March 1999]

Having played the video game, I expected this movie to be somewhat similar to the game. I expected it to be interesting. I expected a really cool movie.

Perhaps I should lower my expectations.

The plotline was full of holes, the movie was dull and slow-moving, and the characters were wooden. I've seen Freddie Prinze, Jr. do so well in other movies, so I assume that his lifeless performance (and those of the other actors) must have been directed to be so. I can't believe that the person who first had the idea of the Wing Commander series of games wanted to have his name associated with this piece of drivel.

Yes, the special effects are good. The dogfighting sequences seem believable (if you can imagine a dogfight in spacecraft), and even the science parts are OK. (Usually, bad Sci-Fi movies have some defiance of even the basest laws of physics.) But if you want to see a GOOD Sci-Fi movie, wait until May 21. This one isn't worth more than a 99 cent video rental.