Holy Holy (2022)

 

When I like an actor, which is certainly the case with Aiden, and I don't see news about a major project coming often I will go at the store where I usually buy my movie and do some research. The smaller labels don't have the same marketing power and sometimes you can find interesting project that went under your radar. Not long ago I did one of those research and this title pop up so I got it... now it's time to check if it was a good surprise...

Seth Gamble

Pastor Smith (Seth Gamble) is home alone since his wife is gone when he hear a knock at his door. It's Jessica (Aiden Ashley) a member of his congregation to whom he gives private bible lessons since she wants to be the Pastor of her own Church someday. They study the Bible and talk religion for a bit until things become a little bit more personal and from there you all know where it will go.

Aiden Ashley

As expected it was enjoyable, how it couldn't be... it's a short taboo subject feature with two excellent actors. Aiden plays her role with the right amount of naivete and innocence necessary to believe in her character and Seth is able to make an unlikable character (I wouldn't call a Man of God cheating on his wife with a woman who trust him a good man) sympathetic. The use of natural light sure make everything look classy and I love the non-invasive camera work. Sexually speaking this is very arousing, when you have a scene with Aiden you know it's the real deal, the sex never look fake and you can believe that she have a good time (nothing is more annoying that someone overacting during the sex). Both Aiden and Seth stay in character and the sex talk doesn't sound silly.

Seth Gamble and Aiden Ashley

It's certainly worthy of a purchase (being a 40 minutes short it isn't that costly to begin with) and you can buy it on VOD where you usually purchase your films online or you can watch the feature on the Delphine streaming service if you are a member. 

Love, Sex and Music (2022)

 

Fourth films in the Love Sex and XYZ series, at least I think there are four of them, and those films are usually enjoyable (for an example you can check my review of Love Sex and Fashion the previous entry). This time it's about the music industry or to be more precise the country music industry.

September Reign

Dixie (September Reign) is a singer / songwriter and she is at Nashville to sign a recording contract and get her big break. She got it when she invited at Nash Song Records for an audition and everybody like her performance.

Nina Elle

Later that evening it's party time with the record executive and if you know the music industry you know what I mean by party. The following day Dixie record a demo of her song in duo with Buck Bennett (Frank Bukkwyd) and with the passing of time it will got quite a lot of airplay.

Vanna Bardot and Whitney Wright

Dixie's life won't stay all sunshine and rainbow for long since she was manipulated by Missy Free (Vanna Bardot) and Whitney (Whitney Wright) to give her song to Missy... yep the same song who is currently a radio success. Even worst, Dixie is sued over this and the trial could result as the end of her career before it even began. Will it be the end or will it be the first step on the stardom stair for Dixie? Her faith is in the hand of the judge...

Will Ryder

Once again Will Ryder shows that he is a good director when he isn't restricted by the parody formula (to be honest I was never a big fan of that "parody" fad, some were good but most were by the book borefest... just a personal opinion don't kill me). The story is predictable but enjoyable and September Reign is, surprisingly, very good in the lead role... I could be wrong but she haven't been in many acting performances. Vanna Bardot and Whitney Wright performances are flawless as always (I sure hope to see Vanna getting more and more acting parts). I also like Misty Stone in her non-sex role. By the way it was nice to see Will Ryder going against the convention and cast a black actress in the role of a young country music singer. Sadly the song aren't sang by the actress but I can understand that very few adult actresses are professional singer, in fact the only one I can think of is Lacy Lennon and she said previously that she doesn't want to mix her acting and music career. Nothing to complain about on the sex side... but I would have appreciated a lesbian scene, by the way that was funny when Dorian del Isla forgot that he was in an American film and made almost all his sex dialogue in french.

Whitney Wright and Samantha Lexi

Another one I can recommend since the film is what an adult film should be for me... a feature where the story and the sex are as important and you don't feel like using the fast forward button during the sex. The film, who was nominated at the last AVN for the Grand Reel award by the way, is available on DVD and VOD...

Rusty Nails and September Reign

A Very Special Investigation (2022)

 

French cinema today... yes I know the title and the cover art is in english but this was the Canal+ adult film of the month last November (the original title is Une enquuête très spéciale). Enough with the intro and let's jump in the movie storyline.

Rico Simmons and Nikita Bellucci

The police is baffle by a series of theft happening in private residences in which they can't use a regular surveillance procedure. Why is that? Because the theft occur during swinging couple evening (and no we don't talk about swing music). So a couple must be in charge of the investigation and the police chief wants a real couple and not an unrelated man and woman detective duo since there is possibility that they had to jump in the action to not burn their cover. Virginie (Nikita Bellucci) et Clément (Rico Simmons) are the obvious choice even if they aren't a couple anymore.

Clea Gaultier

Obviously since it's a crime story I can't write too many details in my recap since a review spoiling a film is always annoying (at least for me it is). But the theft won't stop that easily even with the surveillance in place until the very end when the case is resolve (more or less).

Anna Polina

I'm French Canadian so I am always partial to french cinema since this is where I have started watching adult movies (obviously as a teenager I needed something that I could understand to stay attentive). As usual with the French films contrary to what we see in the American productions there is a lot of exterior locations that bring a lot of production value on the screen (we even got aerial photography, something that was certainly not cheap to do), I must also say that all the locations for the interior scenes look great. The scenario without being too complex is fine, feels natural (what I mean is that no sex scenes happen just because) and will keep your attention for the 80 minutes run time. The chemistry between Nikita Bellucci and Rico Simmons is perfect and you can believe that they are a couple on their last leg. The focus is the investors so the other characters aren't developed that much which is fine since they are mostly window dressing.

Vince Karter, Nikita Bellucci and Axel Reed

Even if the film is only 80 minutes long five sex scenes are included and none of them are, obviously, endless which is fine since watching a film for more than three hours with 40 minutes sex scenes can be chore after a while. Surprisingly for a french film there are no anal sex at all which is not a problem for me to be honest. One small critic I will do and it's the same for most french productions... why no english subtitles included? It's a little bit counter productive when you have a story to follow when you don't understand the dialogue. Not a problem per se for me but that would increase the foreign sales no?

Ania Kinski and Elisa Calvi

This Ludovik Dekan's production sure worth a watch in my book even if you don't understand the language the screen visual and the sex will worth your time. I suppose the film is always watchable on Canal+ but you can buy it on VOD at pretty much all the online stores.

Trailer (source: Nikita Bellucci Instagram)

Living Vicariously (2020)

  

Time to come back and why not go in the Pure Taboo vault for my first review this year. So enough time wasted it's time to dive in the movie...

Natalie Knight

Becky (Natalie Knight) is on her way home after school when she notice that something isn't right... she felt that someone is stalking her in the shadows which obviously put her in a panic state. She start running faster and faster until she reach the safety of her home. But is her home really the safe space she imagine? 

Nathan Bronson

It looks like someone is really following her since she see an old girlfriend of her ex boyfriend standing outside motionless watching her. The following day she invites Mitchell (Nathan Bronson), a friend of her, at her home to keep her company so she will feel safer. The day goes on and everything seems normal until they hear a noise outside. Mitchell goes at the door and open it... it was just a cat, but was it? 

Jane Wilde

Someone is in the house, it's Gwen (Jane Wilde) the girl who was stalking Becky the previous day and this time it's serious. She wants her revenge and since it's an adult feature it doesn't mean a bloodshed. What she wants and what she will do is force Becky and Mitchell to have sex together...

Natalie Knight

This is a solid features from the best era of Pure Taboo when Craven Moorehead was the director of the majority of their productions. The story is interesting, even if the sex doesn't make that much sense the way it happens (would have been more realist if the stalker was Becky's ex boyfriend and he would have been the one on a revenge trip, but as we know Adult Time who owns Pure Taboo always play safe to the extreme). The acting is solid but it's a given since Jane Wilde is a very good actress who can play any kind of role, Nathan Bronson is one of the best current male actor (not as good as Seth Gamble but not far) and Natalie Knight can play the woman in distress role very credibly (if you have seen her works with Psycho-ThrillersFilms you know that already)... the fact she haven't been cast yet to lead a major dramatic production is a complete mystery to me: she can act and she have the girl next door appeal. The "forced" sex scene is good for what it is (I just think the roles should have been reversed with Nathan being the stalker) and Jane is very good at being in charge of the actions and the way it goes.

Natalie Knight, Jane Wilde and Nathan Bronson

 

As usual the feature is available on the Adult Time streaming service if you are a member, but if you aren't don't worry this one is available on VOD and DVD in a double feature with Taking Care of Mom (another typical fake incest feature as we see often). Sure worth a watch in my book...

The Seventh Kind (2022)

 

Harry Spark is back with another science fiction movie which is one of the genre neglected in modern adult cinema for some reasons. His previous one, Maid to Kill, was enjoyable and well done (not that surprising considering he studied cinema and made non X rated films before) so it was a given that I would purchase this movie when it would be available and now it is...

Dante Colle

One evening while Rob (Dante Colle) waits for his wife Nicole to finish her bath to join him to watch a film the power goes out and everything starts shaking... Not only that but he disappears.

Shawn Alff

Fast forward one year later, Nicole (Ana Foxxx) who is a reporter haven't give up searching for her husband and everything seems to lead to an alien conspiracy. Sadly she is caught when she try to enter illegally in the Pentagon to get some documents to prove her claim. She is interrogated by a member of the federal secret service and they sure know a lot about her activities.

Ana Foxxx and Anna Claire Clouds

They know that she met Selina (Anna Claire Clouds) to decrypt a file that she got hacking a government server and that she met Amanda Price (Liv Revamped) a woman claiming that she was abducted by aliens when she vanished for months.
 

Liv Revamped

At the end of her interrogation the special agent makes an offer to Nicole, they won't charge her if she stop her investigation and sign a document confirming that she will. She isn't that interested to sign but they have more to threaten her... if she doesn't do so her friend Selina will be charge too for hacking top secret government's files, so she doesn't really have a choice. Flash forward six months later when Rob shows up at the door and explains what happen to him and how he comes back (obviously I have no intention to say anything).

Ana Foxxx

As you can see I have kept almost everything unsaid in the story, I really think it's better to go blind watching and learned as the film goes with this one. As science fiction goes this was an enjoyable film and the script is interesting (the title isn't the seventh kind for no reasons). Ana Foxxx is very good in the lead role as are Anna Claire Clouds and Liv Revamped are, also that was nice to see Shawn Alff playing something else than a cuck or goofy character for a change. The special effects are obviously not on the same ground than multi-millions productions but they are certainly better than what we see, by example, in the film done by The Asylum. Some shooting decisions are interesting and different and the lightning choices for some scenes are quite good (by example when Ana takes her bath in the introduction). The other thing I like is that, just like with Maid to Kill, the sex scenes aren't overlong so it feels more natural... by the way great lesbian scene between Ana Foxxx and Anna Claire Clouds.

Liv Revamped, Athena Faris and John Legendary

Another one to put in the recommended folder, you can watch it streaming only on the Sparks Entertainment website if you are a member if you aren't you can buy the film on video on demand where you usually buy your adult films. By the way I think a follow up should be made, I felt the story isn't over and I want to learn more about the conspiracy...

Madi Collins and Lucky Fate

Love Behind Bars (2022)

One of the biggest genre in exploitation cinema is the Women in Prison film, I have so many of them in my library, and this is is what Ricky Greenwood decided to cover with this new offering from AllHerLuv. Not that he never touched the genre before since he did Prison Heat back in 2019 for Sweetheart Video. Also if we are honest this is a film genre who is perfect for a more adult treatment.

Alexis Tae and Olive Glass

Alexis (Alexis Tae) is brought to jail after her conviction for murder for the beginning of a long stay, it won't take long for her cellmate (Olive Glass) and her to become friend. She gives her all the vital information on who is who among the prisoners and who can and can't be trusted. We will also learn quickly learn that one individual in particular is dangerous... the jail warden (Ariel X), but if you are familiar with that type of cinema you already know that a warden is always someone that you must fear in jail.

Ariel X

When the lights go out the inmates can be more intimate, this is when Kenzie (Kenzie Taylor) and her cellmate and lover Alina (Alina Ali) decide to share their love... best sex scene in the film if you want my opinion. They aren't the only one who will see some actions that night since Alexis is brought in the warden office to get her welcome to jail treatment.

Kenzie Taylor

When Alexis is escorted back to her cell she is in shock after what happened and Olive does her best to console her. The following day she seems fine, but this isn't the more important event of that day since we learn that Olive being tired of being the warden's bitch plan an escape. Sadly for her someone will snitch and she will be send in isolation for a long time... at least Alexis and her will get the change to exchange their feelings for each other before.

Aubree Valentine

When Olive returns from isolation something is broken in her and she isn't the same. But the focus of this episode isn't Olive or Alexis but Aubree who is certainly the most optimist of all the inmates since she know that she is innocent of the crime she is in jail for. Every time we saw her previously she was writing letters to her lawyer with the assistance of the principal guard (Helena Locke). This final night we learn why she "helped" her and the consequences will be deadly. But the film will end or not with the prison escape we were hoping for.

Helena Locke

First thing first... the jail set designed by Kylie Ireland is amazing! The movie is enjoyable and is everything I expected for a Women in Prison film. The casting is solid beginning with Ariel X who was a great choice to play the warden (we sure feel the threat she represent for the inmates), Helena Locke plays her character in a way that we aren't sure almost until the end on what side she is and the rest of the cast did a good job too... obviously Kenzie was great but Alexis Tae, I have never seen before in a movie main role, was perfectly credible in her role, Olive Glass performance was also excellent... but my favorite actress performance even if she wasn't a major character was Aubree Valentine, the way she played it you believe in the innocence, the fragility and the emotions of this prisoner. Sexually speaking, if we forget that many scenes are forced sex, it was enjoyable (I have really appreciated the view from below used for some parts of the Kenzie Taylor and Alina Ali scene) and I must say that Ariel X really brought a vibe of danger and fear in the two scenes she had with an inmate.  I must say that I don't like the way the film ends but it's probably because some events don't seem clear (five minutes more to explain what happened after the jailbreak would have help I think) and, more important, the faith of Aubree wasn't deserved. 

Alina Ali

Without being perfect this was another excellent production from Greenwood and certainly worthy of a watch in my book.... at the time of my review the film is exclusive on the AllHerLuv streaming service in four episodes but since it's a major production it should be available quicker than usual for purchase online.

Alexis Tae and Ariel X

STARS (2022)

 

Something brand new for a change, couldn't be newer than this since the film was released yesterday. The minute I've heard about this movie the first time I put it in my schedule since I believed that it had the potential to be one of the best movie of the year. It's the story of Jane Wilde before she became Jane Wilde and what lead to it, but more important she co-wrote and co-directed this movie with Bree Mills. So let's find out if the movie is as good as it sounds on paper.

Jane Wilde

The movie start just after the first professional scene of Julia (Jane Wilde) but we don't it yet, but this isn't important since quickly we go back in time fifteen months earlier. Julia who just hit eighteen years old not long ago is stuck in a boring 9 to 5 job. One day she sees a publicity online for a 1,000$ a week job and she decides to call the number to ask for more information. After talking for a bit Kevin (Seth Gamble), the man offering the job wants to meet her. They meet at his house, she gets the job and he will help her... but first thing first he wants to test the merchandise (big red flag if you ask me)

Seth Gamble

Later Julia is at her home ready to do her first cam show and one of friend, at least I think he is just a good friend, knock at her bedroom window to see her. She tells him that she got a good paying job and what it is. He doesn't see anything wrong with this life choice, they start being more romantic and one thing leading to another they start making love until they heard sounds from the computer... the show is life but he doesn't care and they continue what they started. If he doesn't Kevin sure does and he calls Julia quite angry later.

Oliver Flynn

That second red flag is quickly forbidden since Kevin gives her a top of the line camera for her live show. For a while she continues to perform, at one point one of her auditor invite her to Los Angeles with one of friend and he will pay for everything. She decides to go for a weekend to change her mind and before leaving she is told by two women (Aiden Ashley and Ryan Reed) that she doesn't need a middle man to cam.

Cam Damage and Aiden Ashley

It doesn't take long after Julia is back home for the major trouble to begins... Kevin is nowhere to be found and, to make thing worse, she can't access her money since he is the one who pay her. Her situation is so bad that she doesn't have any other choices than telling everything to her father (Dale Savage) who advice her to contact the cam website to explain everything to them. They fix the situation and lock Kevin from the account (in fact if I remember the interview Jane did with Holly Randall that scumbag was cut completely from the website in real life since he did this to many other young girls).

Dale Savage

Obviously Kevin takes the situation very badly and immediately starts threatening her, so much so that Julia decides to go at Los Angeles to start the career that she is now. Before leaving she tells an agent that she needs two weeks to take care of a couple of things... I sure hope that it was reporting that scumbag to the authority or to send someone to break his legs.

Bree Mills and Robby Echo

The film was everything I hoped it would be... I knew already what happened to Jane before but knowing and watching it on the screen is different. She wrote a script for something very personal and very sad without making it a sob sorry as we see so often in the mainstream media... yes this year of abuse by a pimp (I mean this is what he was) was sad but it ends well for her. The acting is solid, Jane is great, which is important since she plays more than the main character she is Julia, Seth Gamble performance is so good that he should win the best actor award for his role in January, Dale Savage was also good as Julia's father in a non sexual part and Tommy Pistol's character took me by surprise since I expected that something bad would happen during that trip to Los Angeles. Sexually talking I have really appreciated the scene between Jane and Oliver Flynn and the final one between her and Robby Echo where she acts so naive about the industry (also Julia looked so happy to be free). 

Tommy Pistol

I don't think it will be a big surprise if I tell you that I highly recommend this film who will certainly be nominated for the film of the year award (at this time I hesitate between this movie and Dark is the Night for my film of the year choice). I certainly hope that it is just the beginning for Jane career as a writer and that she will direct more film by herself.

For now the movie is exclusive on the Adult Time streaming service but it will certainly get a quick VOD release and when it will be, if you like good cinema like I do, it will be a must buy.