Continuing my examination of the porn industry in documentary form, my latest find is Naked Ambition: An R Rated Look at an X Rated Industry. Basically, Michael Grecco, a photographer, wants to make a coffee table book featuring pictures of porn stars (and other facets of the industry), that grandma wouldn’t shy away from looking at. His goal is to capture the intimacy, without the sluttery, and show that the industry is more than just raunchy bump and grind.
So, his first stop to catch all this glamour and glitz is at the AVN expo in Las Vegas, where anything can happen. Even sex and religion can intermingle, as JC’s Girls (aka Holy Hotties), who preach that a lifestyle change is unnecessary to be one with The Lord, and "There's nothing you have ever done that God would not forgive you for!," sat right next to a table of sex toys.
I’d agree that one can have a healthy sex life and still retain a spiritual well-being (even if it means selling your body and taking it in every orifice), but to see them hand-in-hand in one setting was kind of laughable. Sure, sex can be the most enlightenment one may ever attain, and JC’s Girls were hot (I'm sure causing blasphemy in the name of the Lord in many pervs thoughts), but I doubt we’ll find a religious establishment called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Sluts anytime soon (sounds more like a reformed porno star church group, doesn't it?). Even for Sin City, this seems a little far-fetched, and churches are usually outside boycotting events, not partaking in them. Then again, maybe we're approaching a new day and age.
We get veterans like Tera Patrick, Jenna Jameson, Janine, Randy West, Peter North, and Larry Flynt, to newcomers like Sunny Lane and Joanna Angel (Joanna’s a newcomer? Man, this must have been filmed some time ago), who offer a little insight as to why they got into the industry and why they stay (cause they like sex and money, right?), much like 9 to 5: Days in Porn, but with much less nudity and perversion.
Other than Janine and Ron Jeremy, there wasn’t a single porn star in this doc that I cared to see. I’m not a big fan of Jenna, you’ve heard my thoughts before on Jesse Jane, and Mary Carey looked like shit, with her big ole saggy fake boobs and anorexic body. I prefer her back in her "bigger" days, like in this movie:
It’s a shame what the porn industry, and being famous in general, will do to certain folks. Even Mariah Carey was hotter when she was au naturel and singing about a Vision of Love.
Sadly, I walked away unsatisfied, and it wasn’t because there was a lack of T&A, as you’d expect, but because it was nothing more than a sad plug for the AVN awards, with only a backdrop of this dude’s project. A much better flick of similar nature is Thinking XXX, but most grandmas will have to sit this one out, as too many bare ding dongs in one place might put them in their grave. Also, check out Porn Star-The Legend of Ron Jeremy, it's a true look at The Hedgehog’s lifestyle and will have you rolling.
So, skip this AVN marketing ploy and pick up the others mentioned, I guarantee you'll thank me later. And, just because you have the ability to film a ton of half-naked porn stars in one place, it doesn’t mean it'll be a hit.
No, this isn’t a story about Chicken Little, but it does involve a little chick, Rachel, and her ass-kicking new acquaintance, Lance. Seems that a disease has spread and wiped out most of mankind, and what’s left, are some zombies, a few survivors, and the reapers, who attack the weak and experiment on the dead.
Hellbent on revenge for killing his kin, Lance first exterminates the undead with guns, and then breaks out his father’s sword, cause “it never runs out of bullets.” In order to save what’s left of humankind, Lance and Rachel head out to find the head reaper, but must also battle the demons in their head. Do they succeed? Are things truly as they appear? Guess you'll have to watch it in order to find out.
What plagues this movie is forced dialog, too much explanation of storyline, and low budget. And, even though flying blood is aplenty, almost all the action and gore are done as cutaways, and the battle scenes are drawn out to the point of exhaustion. I'd rather have seen a shorter film, than getting bored with the monotonous hack and slash. Having been involved in a NO-budget zombie flick myself, Undead on Arrival, I can probably appreciate it a little more than the average horror watcher, but still, there’s much to be desired.
The melancholy tone of the film and it’s characters fight against it, and even the special features carry this feel. For instance, the attitude and delivery of the writer and director, Doug Roos, is just blahzay, as he never even cracks a smile or seems excited about anything. With his even keel-ness, it’s almost like he was reading pre-written statements to questions asked. Come on, Doug, it’s your film, and you gotta be the hype-man. It's your job to sell me (and everyone else) on it!
But, even with it's flaws, there are times it shines, and the following scene of dialog made me laugh, because perverse thoughts kept popping into my head.
Rachel: Can I see it? (He hands his sword to her) Teach me something.
Lance: I’d rather not.
Rachel: And why’s that?
Lance: I don’t think you could keep up.
Rachel: Oh really?
Lance: Yeah.
Rachel: Well, I think you’re just afraid.
Lance: Afraid of what?
Rachel: Of me being better than you.
Lance: First, you’ve got to hold it right, like this. (She swings it) WOW! It’s okay, you’ll learn.
(Of course, one could say, “That’s what she said!” after several of these lines, but I also envisioned this leading to a porno scene (a la 1970's) with groovy music. Heh heh, it still makes me giggle.)
Although it’s not the best indie flick I’ve ever seen, and I had high hopes as it touts at least 10 awards and I'm always looking for hidden gems, I’d like to thank Doug for sending me a copy. For his next feature, I’d really like to see more personality come out (Will the real Doug Roos please stand up?), and also leave more of the plot for interpretation, rather than trying to explain it all. Still, he succeeded in keeping me confused, because I’m still not sure why, or even if, the sky has fallen…
