Krossing The Bar Review
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Posted:Apr 27, 2015 8:25 pm
Last Updated:Apr 24, 2024 5:1 am
2317 Views
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Starring Kayden Kross and featuring India Summer, this Jim Malibu-direct feature was released by Adam & Eve in 2010.
The flimsy story of this feature revolves around India Summer (who plays an associate of defense attorney Kayden Kross) getting arrested and tried for having sex in public. Presumably the most dramatic part of the story (the trial) is never seen. Story Grade: F.
This feature appears to have been shot on HD video. The imagery is extremely clear. Medium Grade: B+.
An office building appears to have been utilized for scenes, rather than soundstages. Still, scenes were sparsely adorned. The scene with Alexis Texas and the judge (played by Tommy Gunn) and the bathroom scene with Marie Luv and Sochee Mala looked particularly phony. Additionally, all viewers see in the final scene is a sofa near an open door, which is unrealistic giving the setting. Set Design Grade: B-.
If you like loud sex, this movie's for you. While the performers seemed to be really into their sex scenes, perhaps they were a little too much. Kayden Kross can moan like nobody's business, but realism sort of exits the room at that point. Viewers have to suspend their disbelief regarding these loud performances taking place in a public office building. Condoms were not used in this production (which has no bearing on the grade), but girls wore shoes in three of the five scenes. Sex Performances Grade: B+.
Acting in this production was barely average. Characters used their performer names (Kayden, Alexis, Gunn, Summer) which showed little effort. Kayden learns of her associate's arrest from her secretary, yet he never tells her why she was arrested. Somehow Kayden intuitively knows that it was because of public sex. Also, this feature wasted the talents of Sharon Kane and Kelly Nichols who had very little to do, the latter having no dialogue whatsoever. Acting Grade: C.
Wardrobe and make-up seemed to be okay. I'm not sure how many female attorneys and paralegals were garters, but this feature was full of them. Wardrobe Grade: B.
Scenes were brightly lit, but too much so. More natural lighting couple have been used, given that some scenes were shot in front of windows. Lighting Grade: B.
There was an abundance of background noise in this feature for having been shot inside an office building. Traffic and sirens could be heard continuously. There was some amount of noticeable echo in scenes. None of the sex scenes included score music. At times, it was a little quiet. Sound Grade: C+.
Sometimes there were odd cut-aways as sex scenes were beginning and one of the elevator shots look peculiar. The sex scenes were were shot, but other scenes seemed somewhat stagnant at times. And again, scenes were too bright throughout. Directing Grade: C+.
Little effort seemed to be put into the artistry of this feature. From the sparse set design, unrealistic-looking locales, and consistently bright lighting, the production looked fairly average. Artistic Merit Grade: C.
OVERALL GRADE: C+.
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The Goddaughter Part II Review
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Posted:Apr 25, 2015 4:16 pm
Last Updated:Apr 24, 2024 5:1 am
2268 Views
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Directed by Fred J. Lincoln and released by Arrow Productions in 1992.
Ostensibly, this movie was to continue the story of the first Goddaughter movie in which we learn that someone in Don Genardi's (Fred J. Lincoln) organization wishes to oust him from power. That person is Victor Delvecchio, portrayed by Randy West.
That story gets sublimated in this installment and is basically told in exposition-based dialogue between sex scenes. The only subplot is Giuseppe's (Joey Silvera) sudden desire to have a relationship with Theresa (Cameo). Story Grade: D+.
Again, this installment was shot on video. Medium Grade: C.
Much less appeared to have been spent on this production. No real locations were used whatsoever. What little footage of Italy (although the box says shot on location in Rome, one store front said Florence) there was was predominantly recycled from the first movie. A small bonus for actually showing real products like Jack Daniels, Miller Lite, and Miller Genuine Draft. Set Design Grade: C-.
Cameo once again did a fine job in her sexual performances. However, the second scene with Jacqueline, Leanna Foxxx, and Steve Drake was awkwardly quiet. Domonique Simone is exceedingly beautiful, but I didn't get a sense that she was particularly into doing a scene with four guys. Overall, there weren't a lot of fireworks here. Sexual Performances Grade: C.
Ron Jeremy gets an A for acting. It's too bad he was only in one scene. The rest of the acting was mediocre. Even Randy West seemed a bit off here. Acting Grade: C+.
The wardrobe, again, was fitting for the time and characters. However, for some reason, the make-up on Taylor Wane was particularly noticeable. Wardrobe/Make-Up Grade: A-.
Lighting, again, was sometimes harsh in scenes. The stage light could be seen outside Giuseppe's room. The lighting during Randy West's and Taylor Wane's sex scene made little sense (purple and red on the wall?). The white out in the rear van windows of the last scene was also a distraction. Lighting Grade: C-.
The sound quality in this movie was worse than the first. There were times once again when direction could be heard from off screen. The vocals during the telephone conversation were also seemingly unaltered as is typical in film and television productions. Sound Grade: D.
In regards to directing, let me describe the fourth sex scene. Prior to it we see Theresa (Cameo) give hired hitwoman (Taylor Wane) instructions to shag Victor (Randy West) prior to killing him. Taylor finds it to be an odd request, but agrees. She gets into Victor's abode and begins to remove her clothes, including her knee high boots. Once all her clothes are off, she puts the boots BACK ON. Utter nonsense! Some of the extreme close-ups of penetration in this scene were also unnecessary. Camera work was again shaky at times. Overall, this production fell short of the original. Directing Grade: D.
Unlike the first movie, there were no stylistic elements like reflective shots. There were also no additional scenes shot in Italy. There didn't seem to be much effort here. The last sex scene was shot in a van, which seemed to be way out of character for Theresa, who would want the finer things out of life. Artistic Merit Grade: D.
Overall Grade: C-.
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The Goddaughter Review
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Posted:Apr 25, 2015 1:46 pm
Last Updated:Apr 24, 2024 5:1 am
2149 Views
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It's Cameo's birthday today, and as lead actress in The Goddaughter movies, it will be those movies that will be reviewed.
The Goddaughter was directed by Fred J. Lincoln and released by Arrow Productions in 1992.
Fred J. Lincoln plays the role of Don Genardi, the father of wild Theresa (portrayed by Cameo--credited as Kameo). After he finds out that she's been having a relationship with Anthony Spinelli (the name of another famous porn director in case you don't get the joke) a member of the rival family, he has her shipped off to America under the supervision of his trusted henchman Giuseppe, played by Joey Silvera. During their stay in America, Don Genardi realizes that someone within their organization is attempting a coup. The premise is excellent, but the story itself gets bogged down with Theresa's antics regarding her hatred toward Giuseppe, which seems rather unfounded. Had there been more build-up showing her love for Anthony Spinelli, it would play better showing her hatred for the man who (SPOILER ALERT) killed her lover. Story Grade: B.
This was unfortunately shot on video. It would have looked a lot better if it had been shot on film. Medium Grade: C.
Real locations appear to have been used rather than sound stages. There were a few outdoor scenes, some of which were shot in Italy (presumably Rome). More advantage of the location shoots could have been taken, but just the fact that it was an international production gives it a boost. Set Design Grade: A.
Cameo's sex performances were probably the best of the group. The scene with Summer Knight and Nick Rage seemed very mechanical. Joey Silvera's scene with Stacy Nichols also felt a bit awkward, but that may have been due to the cramped location near a Jacuzzi. Girls wore shoes in four of the five sex scenes. Ugh. Sex Performances Grade: C+.
The acting here was unfortunately not this picture's strong point. There seemed to be longer than necessary pauses between characters' dialogue. Overall, there was a general lack of conviction in performances. Acting Grade: C-.
Wardrobe worn by the actors seemed appropriate (given it was the early 1990's) and I didn't have any issues with make-up in this production. Wardrobe Grade: A.
In some scenes, the lighting seemed to be rather harsh. During the second sex scene, a blue light was coming from somewhere and it was distracting. Overall, it was perhaps only slightly better than average. Lighting Grade: B-.
Outdoor scenes clearly utilized ADR. Often times in those scenes, audio and visual were out of sync. The sound quality also was either muffled or sounded tinny during indoor scenes. In at least one scene, off-screen direction was heard. Sound Grade: D+.
Camera work was shaky at times and there were too many instances when shots were off-center for no reason. The overall directing job here is just below average. Directing Grade: C-.
There is definitely artistic merit exuded in this movie. The fact that there were scenes shot in Italy demonstrates that this was more than a shoestring budget, done in a day porno. Mr. Lincoln seemed to like to utilize reflections, and did so frequently during sex scenes. This was a definite signature style that could be perceived throughout the movie. Artistic Merit Grade: A.
Overall Grade: B-.
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Blind Date Review
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Posted:Apr 24, 2015 5:23 pm
Last Updated:Apr 25, 2015 9:27 am
2260 Views
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It's a double feature today, this being another movie with Aleksa Nicole. Coincidentally, it was also directed by Stormy Daniels and released by Wicked Pictures in 2011.
This movie is presumably in vein with the 1987 film of the same name directed by the late, great Blake Edwards. However, besides sharing the title and plot elements, they probably have little else in common.
The premise would be that a guy goes on a blind date and craziness ensues. So far so good. But the devil is in the details, and therein lies the condemnation. Elements in this story simply don't add up. Story Grade: C.
This production was shot on HD video and looks very clear. Medium Grade: B+.
Some real locations were used for this movie, but it could have used a few more. The bar scene and the party scene both seemed a bit off, as the first didn't have the feel of a bar and the second didn't quite have the feel of a loft apartment or artist's studio that it was presumably set up to be. There were very few outdoor scenes and, of those, none were lengthy. Set Design Grade: B-.
The lead character is played by Kris Slater, who is supposed to be a junior partner at a law firm. Both his father (played by Randy Spears) and step-mother (Brynn Tyler) have Southern accents, as do his former girlfriend (Zoe Britton in an uncredited role) and rival (Brendon Miller). However, he does not. He also didn't look the part of a lawyer. Additionally, his best friend (Barrett Blade) is a loser who plays video games and lives in his mother's basement. It all was out of character for a law partner. Kaylani Lei held her own as the lead actress and blind date, but it is Randy Spears who saves this ensemble from being more than simply mediocre. Unfortunately, his character was unimportant and ultimately unnecessary, but he was the best actor of the bunch. He gets an A. But overall...Acting Grade: B-.
Again, Kris Slater's wardrobe did not make him look very professional at all. An additional wardrobe issue was the fact that Barrett Blade wore boxers whilst shagging Alektra Blue and it was supposed to be a fantasy. (How many guys fantasize about shagging a girl whilst he still wears his boxers?) Also, and I know this happens in porn a lot, there were a few instances in which the girls kept their shoes on during sex on a couch and in a bed. If they stay on at the beginning of a sex scene, that's fine. But at some point, in respect of reality, they should come off. Wardrobe/Make-Up Grade: B.
The lighting was appropriate. Most of the sex scenes took place at night and the scenes were lit as if it were night regardless of whether or not it actually was night when they were shot. The shadows were a good addition to scenes. Lighting Grade: A.
The vocals during the sex scenes typically matched the visuals here. Sound was clear. The music during the first sex scene was particularly distracting. No music would have been better than the track that was selected. Sound Grade: B.
Comedy isn't easy to execute. The premise had promise, but the production didn't quite hit the mark. The last scene takes place three months after the rest of the story, which seems unnecessary. The two main characters could have had sex the following day. Why wait three months? Over the course of three months, wouldn't Kris' ex and Kaylani's ex make another attempt to break them up, or did they find bliss with each other. That subplot was left open. Directing Grade: B-.
I didn't notice any particular signature style in this production. I am dismayed that modern productions either can't or won't mention real products. All of the beer labels in this picture were phony. O'Douls was re-branded as O'Tools. I would think companies would want their products promoted, even in an x-rated movie. Fortunately, some allow themselves to be featured. The French Garden was an actual restaurant in downtown L.A. Unfortunately, being featured in a "porno" couldn't help save their business. Artistic Merit Grade: B.
Overall Grade: B.
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The Fate of Love Review
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Posted:Apr 24, 2015 1:57 pm
Last Updated:Apr 24, 2024 5:1 am
2370 Views
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In acknowledgement of Aleksa Nicole's birthday, today's movie review is The Fate of Love, released by the Wicked Passions label of Wicked Pictures in 2011. It was written and directed by Stormy Daniels.
Again, for review criteria, please view the Dark Chambers review.
Aleksa Nicole plays the sister of lead actress Kirsten Price, who was recently dumped by a scoundrel. Lead actor Rocco Reed plays a married man whose wife was recently killed in an automobile accident. The story follows the development of their relationship as they try to move on from past heartache. But there's one little hitch... SPOILER ALERT. Due to a medical condition, Kirsten's character now has Rocco's deceased wife's heart. Melodramatic? Sure. But it beats out many other stories in x-rated fare. However, the third sex scene completely detracts from the story as it involves two characters in whom viewers have no vested interest story-wise. Story Grade: B-.
This appears to hit been shot on video, but HD at that. Crystal sharp picture quality. Medium Grade: B+.
Real locations were used in this production with a couple of outdoor scenes. Bedroom scenes were well decorated and the campfire scene was good. I wonder what the outdoor vista-view restaurant location actually was. What a view. Set Design Grade: A.
The sex performances were much more tender than those that would normally be found in a male-directed feature. Nothing wild here. No anal. Very little dirty talk. Like the branding would have you believe: passionate. And that isn't a bad thing. Sexual Performances Grade: A.
The acting here was pretty standard. Kirsten Price got teary. Rocco faked it. The most heart-wrenching scene (in which Rocco learns his wife has just been killed) was glossed over with music and various camera shots but very little acting and no dialogue. Acting Grade: C+.
Costumes and make-up were all appropriately done. Bill Bailey's haircut? Well, you decide on that one. Wardrobe/Make-Up Grade: A.
Scenes were well lit. Lighting did not appear to be used to create a particular effect. Lighting Grade: A-.
The sound was clear and typically matched up with visuals during sex scenes. Sound Grade: A.
In regards to directing, I found that the "fade to whites" in some of the sex scenes was a little distracting. There was also a swooping pan shot during the campfire scene that seemed out of place. Otherwise, a great effort from Stormy Daniels. Directing Grade: B+.
While the story was good, there didn't seem to be a stylistic signature throughout the picture. This may not be found in every movie, depending upon what the director is trying to achieve. However, I can't say that I noticed a transition from gloomy to sunny in terms of appearances throughout the discourse. Artistic Merit Grade: B.
Overall Grade: B+.
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Innocence (2001) Review
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Posted:Apr 23, 2015 7:21 pm
Last Updated:Apr 23, 2015 8:13 pm
2329 Views
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Being that today is Monica Sweetheart's birthday, I opted to screen one of her movies that I hadn't seen before for review. I'm not sure if she's ever played the lead in a movie. If you know of one, please send a comment.
For my review criteria, please visit the Dark Chambers review.
The lead in Innocence, directed by Red Ezra, is Carmen Luvana. This is one of her earliest performances. This movie was released by Digital Sin (New Sensations) in 2001.
There isn't much story to this feature at all. Carmen works in a bookstore and has fantasies based on the books she reads. That's about it. There is also very little dialog. The story is told with voice over narration. Without the narration tying things together, this would simply be a series of vignettes. Story Grade: F.
This feature appears to have been shot on video, but it is visually appealing. Medium Grade: B+.
Outdoor settings were not used in this feature, but some actual locations appear to have been used rather than just sound stages. The sets were well dressed and fit tonally with each scene. Set Design Grade: B+.
The sexual performances here were all top notch. Carmen Luvana had a brief solo scene along with a girl/girl scene and a boy/girl scene. Nicole Sheridan and Voodoo were with Nikita Denise. Monica Sweetheart was paired with Julian. And Kate Frost had Joel Lawrence. Fun appeared to be had by all. Sexual Performances Grade: A.
Again, because of a lack of storyline, there was little acting to be done outside of that which coincides with the sex scenes. What acting there was was relatively average. Acting Grade: C.
Wardrobe and make-up for this production was superb. It fit the style for each of the vignettes. Wardrobe Grade: A.
Lighting was used extremely well. Each vignette began with a certain tone and the color schemes were fitting for each vignette. It was rather beautifully done. Lighting Grade: A.
The sound was clear, but again the vocals didn't always match up with mouth movement during the sex scenes, which can be distracting. Sound Grade: B.
Red Ezra did a fine job in directing. My one critique here would be that not enough was shown of the surroundings. My guess would be that was due to working on a sound stage, or using a single location for multiple scenes, whereby all the set decoration was put into a particular corner of the space, so the shots had to remain tight. The museum set seemed to be the most open. Directing Grade: B+.
Each vignette had its own feel to it and the preludes to each vignette were generally very stylized. All in all, this production had a high degree of artistic merit. Artistic Merit Grade: A-.
Overall Grade: B.
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Dark Chambers Review
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Posted:Apr 22, 2015 6:17 pm
Last Updated:Apr 24, 2024 5:1 am
2605 Views
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In honor of Marilyn Chambers' birthday today (she would have been 63), I decided to view a movie in which she starred that I hadn't viewed before. Dark Chambers happened to be one of her final x-rated features. Released in 2000 by VCA, it was directed by Veronica Hart. This will be the first of hopefully many reviews of x-rated features on this blog.
It should be noted that I share the philosophy of Burt Reynolds' character in Boogie Nights, a director of x-rated movies who wishes audience members to continue watching his films even after they've reached climax. In my opinion, a good x-rated movie should have a plot that keeps viewers engaged along with the hardcore sex. That is, the sole draw of the movie should not be the sex. There are clips-a-plenty if that is a viewer's purpose.
With that being said, my reviews will be based on ten criteria: story, set design, ensemble sexual performance, ensemble acting performance, wardrobe, lighting, sound, directing, media type (i.e. film or video), and artistic merit. As this is a review, the following are my subjective opinions. I welcome any discussion or questions.
The story of the movie is rather flimsy and as it progresses it seems to make little sense. The surprise ending falls flat because throughout the movie I simply took it as being a series of vignettes. Plot didn't seem to service linking scenes well at all. Story Grade: D.
Set design works best if actual locations are used rather than sound stages. Such was the case in this movie. The sets looked cheap and uninteresting. However, the scenes in the shop on Melrose Avenue and those in the mansion in the hills looked far better. Set Design Grade: C.
For the most part the sexual performances by the performers were good, especially from Marilyn Chambers and Erica Boyer who really seemed into it. On the other hand, Bianca Jordan seemed to be asking herself, "why am I here?" the entire time. Plus, Lauren Montgomery didn't seem to enjoy that anal scene. Sex Grade: B-.
With such a weak storyline, good acting was hard to come by, even with someone like Herschel Savage in the cast. Still, it wasn't horrible. Acting Grade: C-.
I'm throwing make-up in with costumes/wardrobe, even though they are separate things. Yes, I realize this is a "porno," but I think some of the make-up was overdone here. Some of Ms. Chambers' wardrobe choices also were not terribly flattering. I'm also not into latex, so points off for one of Erica Boyer's outfits as well. Asia Carrera looked pretty good throughout as did Bianca Jordan, despite her lousy performance. Wardrobe Grade: C.
Scenes were lit appropriately and the outdoor scenes looked great. Lighting Grade: A.
Sometimes voices sounded a little tinny, but audio was clear. During sex scenes, audio moans didn't always match lip movement, which happens frequently in x-rated features, but I nevertheless find it distracting. Sound Grade: B.
Veronica Hart's overall direction was good. One of the early scenes with Herschel Savage and Marilyn Chambers seemed to be off-center, which I found to be an odd choice. Directing Grade: B.
This is one production that did embody artistic merit, but again, I think the weak writing weakened what could have been an excellent piece of work. There were probably budget restraints that also played a role. Artistic Merit Grade: B.
One interesting point of note, Marilyn Chambers' character is named Ivory, referring back to her days as the Ivory Snow detergent model.
Overall Grade: B-.
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X-Rated Film of The Moment
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Posted:Apr 19, 2015 12:45 pm
Last Updated:Apr 24, 2024 5:1 am
2187 Views
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Recently, I had the pleasure of watching Nightdreams, the 1981 film starring Dorothy LeMay. It ranks at #71 on AVN's 2012 list of the 101 greatest adult tapes of all time.
Actually, this was a film released in theaters prior to it being released on videotape. If you think pornography can't be artistic, think again. It was actually co-written by Jerry Stahl, who also wrote episodes of Alf, Thirtysomething, and Moonlighting.
What struck me the most was the fact that the song "Ring of Fire" is featured in the movie. It was performed by Wall of Voodoo (of "Mexican Radio" fame). Also, Nabisco's Cream of Wheat also features prominently in one scene. Such elements would never appear in a porn film today, as the "legitimate" tends to shy away from the illicit.
There is somewhat of a plot; however, the visuals (and I don't just mean the hardcore sex) are so alluring, that it becomes secondary.
This truly is an example of artcore at its finest. Check it out.
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