| Dog Tags | 
 enlarge | Director: Damion Dietz
Actors: Candy Clark, Amy Lindsay, Paul Preiss, Bart Fletcher
Studio: TLA Releasing
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.99
Buy New: $11.78
You Save: $8.21 (41%)
Buy New/Used from $11.78
Avg. Customer Rating:   (7 reviews)
Sales Rank: 2491
Format: Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc, Widescreen
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD
Running Time: 90 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: TLAD203D
UPC: 807839003819
EAN: 0807839003710
ASIN: B001ATWK2Q
Release Date: November 18, 2008 (New: Last 30 Days)
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Emotionally daring and bristling with powerful performances, Dog Tags explores the cost of self-discovery as two unlikely souls connect. Abandoned by his father and raised by his single mother, handsome and sexually confused Nate obligatorily joins the Marines to support his fiancee. On leave, the detached Marine meets Andy, a magnetic and seemingly free-spirited young man with big dreams of Hollywood. Initially their bond is purely platonic, but the smoldering chemistry they share is undeniable as it sizzles into something sensual and intimate. Together they plunge headfirst into waters of vulnerability and desire, while the identity of Nate s father finally rises to the surface.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Misses The Bullseye November 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
A story that has it's heart in the right place, this film none-the-less suffers from uninteresting characters doing unlikely things for no reason whatsoever. The main character, a marine who has no drive in life and apparently no personality either, somehow manages to forge a connection with someone even less likable, a gay loner who prefers heavy eyeliner and who reluctantly takes his own child with him on his own personal quest to "find himself." This leads to the marine trying to find out who his own father is, and gee what a shocker when we find out who it is. Oh, and did I mention that about two-thirds of the way through the marine and the loner get it on in a hotel room, after having known each other for about 24 hours and with no prior indication that the marine even remotely liked the loner?
All in all, it's not the worst film I've seen, but it's still pretty listless, with not much to recommend it. Some may be intrigued by the fantasy of a gay guy making it with a marine, but the reality here will be a disappointment for most. I would be more interested in seeing how a real friendship between them would have developed, but the filmmakers had other ideas.
 "Did the Director ever find out what........... November 26, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
.........his true sexuality is?"
((Here is my approach to obtaining/viewing/reviewing Gay tales in film form. Simply, it's seeking the holy grail of that genre, or looking for the "Addictive Film"---that movie one returns to time and again). Selection/purchase is based mainly on finding new releases by favorite directors/screenwriters and/or your comments/reviews at major online film sales or review sites. Sometimes I feel correctly steered by you (the "Keepers" filling my DVD shelves), other times mislead, occasionally badly (the "Throwaways"----and I do toss 'em). Rarely, I come across the "Addictive," those watchable every couple of months or so (see below starred *** area for a list......and some "near-Addictive" as well). For some movies, I'll share a review with you, as follows. Thanks for sticking with me so far.))
When buying this film, I had hoped for something perhaps as well done, and along the lines of, the recently released "Shelter" a film highly received by many of we everyday, nonprofessional reviewers. However, that hope was quickly turned topsy-turvy (learn the primary reason for this by continuing on to the Postscript, below).
To this viewer, this is NOT a "Gay Romance" and certainly not a "Gay Drama." (Oh, I know, I know, those of you who've seen the film will say: "what about the bed and shower scenes?" Then I'd come back with: "maybe he was just getting to that 'you-show-me-yours-I'll-show-you-mine' life phase a little later than most"). But to continue, what this film is, is a story in drama form of two young men trying to find themselves and their roles in life. One is heterosexual (Nate), one is gay (Andy); one is more a goalless, live-day-to-day type who's looking for a way to change all that; one is, simply, a free spirit......with a haunting memory. Our lead character, Nate, is someone at the most vulnerable point in his existence, someone desperately in need of comforting----and it just happens that the person who then comes into his life is gay. And, now that you know bare details for each character, you should also be made aware that, because of strong needs brought about by problems in both men's lives, they do fall into sex.........but they do NOT fall into love. Still, Paul Preiss (Nate) and Bart Fletcher (Andy) are, together, able to achieve quite a high degree of "chemistry" (not of the Trevor Wright / Brad Rowe caliber), which is very important to making their characters believable to us.
But, wait, there is yet another character of note making up this interesting little group of ours: Nate's mother, Deb (nicely played by Candy Clark). In this character we have someone who, to avoid a hurtful situation, sets an even more painful event into play. She seemingly loves her son, but whether she's always honest with him, as would be hoped, remains for us to find out.
I do have to especially address Paul Preiss's performance because, as a newbie to filmed acting, he most definitely gives this viewer a sense of his being "a natural" to acting (similar to, I would say, the case of Wright). Further, unlike Fletcher who is very good in his role, it is Preiss who takes control of / commands our attention.
One especially jarring note, for this reviewer, involves the writer / director's apparent need to insert what I consider gratuitous gay sex into the film's first twenty minutes. A heterosexual sex scene, on the other hand, seemed appropriate to developing aspects of Preiss's character. Again, I certainly did not see any real need for the nude male frontal scenes associated with Fletcher's character building (I've already got others of that type DVD). What was the director trying to do, anyway, shout out: this IS a gay movie?!! Obviously, Dietz chose not to aim this production for the mainstream market---too bad for Preiss's and Fletcher's futures; they deserved more. (Extra Point / Star given for Preiss and Fletcher performances..........none extra given for the director's)
PS--To, finally, address this review's subject question about sexuality, we know that character, Nate (representing the Director), at the most emotionally low and vulnerable point in his life, has a "gay event" with likely the most understanding and encouraging person he's ever met. But, from that point on and through film's end, is there anything that tells us, definitively (or even near definitively), what the sexuality future of Nate / Damion is going to be? Please don't give me conjectures in trying to answer this.
((NOTE to Director Dietz: Check your Dog Tags, Damion............maybe in addition to name, SSAN, blood type, they'll tell you your sexuality.))
***This DVD won't get tossed out in the trash----but it certainly won't make it onto this viewer's "Addictive" list either. Other, but not all, films which are habit formers: "Just a Question of Love" / "Brokeback Mountain" / "Boy Culture" / "All Over the Guy" / "Second Skin (Unrated Version)" / "The Man I Love" / "The Man of My Life" (maybe for older/gay thinking man viewers) / "Oh Happy Day" (do youselves a big favor and see this one / no longer available here, but see DVDPriceSearch.com) / "Fashion Victims" (only if you have an all-regions player---then try Amazon.com.UnitedKingdom)
Highly recommended! November 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Excellent performance from newcomer Paul Preiss who plays Nate, on a life long mission to find his father. Director Damion Dietz does a fine job of keeping the audience into the minds of both Preiss and Bart Fletcher who plays Andy who cannot forget his love for a marine in his past.
At first I thought there was a bit too much character development with the other characters but everything fits nicely in the end. I also thought that the scenario of how the two men meet could have been more creative.
Wonderful film about 2 men confronting their pasts, finding their path in life and the valuable moments they share with each other on the way.
Highly recommended!
 "The Twist Of Fate" November 21, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
An excellent movie! The best Indie film yet from Damion Dietz (Love Life, Beverly Kills, Neverland, Fag Hag). It does not have the feel of a low budget production (you know what I mean). I was swept up in the story after 5 minutes - the entire cast is that convincingly natural in their roles. Be sure to listen to Damion's sole commentary. He has the "gift of intelligent gab" and offers much insight into this somewhat personal story. BTW - this is not one of those covers that lure you in with false promises like so many DVDs do these days. It delivers.
Unique coming-of-age story of two young men. November 18, 2008
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
Raised by his single, working mom, Nate never had a father, older sibling or close friend as a role model, and has been pretty much sleepwalking through his young life, doing what he was told but neer following through on anything he started. To make money to buy his older girlfriend a nice engagement ring, he enlists in the Marine Corp and, having completed basic training, has a leave to visit home before he takes combat training and gets deployed to Iraq. Hitchhiking to a jewelry store near the base, he gets detoured to a place where he meets up with Andy, a seemingly free spirited young gay man who is on a "road trip" to leave his responsibilities behind. The two misfits form a mutually supportive friendship, and travel together, visiting Andy's mother (a Hollywood actress turned recluse) and looking for Nate's father whom he has never met. Along the way, their friendship turns from platonic to a sexual affair, and the two take a big step toward becoming responsible adults.
This isn't really a gay romance, as the sexuality of the young men seems as confused as they are, meaning this might just be one side trip in their paths to adulthood. But it is a beautifully-told story of life and love, how loneliness and lack of direction can affect a person, and how much difference a good friend can make. Film is not rated, but would be a soft R for sexual content and rear nudity. DVD has director commentary and trailers. I give it 4 stars out of 5.
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