I have to admit, it was very difficult to review this video. I had no idea if I should rate this GayVN award-winning title according to the sex or the safe-sex message. So I combined the two and came up with what's above.
We are told by the beautiful Ken Ryker in the opening of the feature that all the talent gave their time to this effort free of charge and that all money earned will be going to three HIV/AIDS charities (or at least a huge portion of it, I don't remember, staring at Ryker tends to mesmerize). So people should buy the video simply for that. But there are some fine sexual moments and some nice teachings included in the package so buyers will feel like they're not only contributing something to charity, but they'll be getting off (and learning) as well.
The first segment, directed by Karen Dior, is entitled "Show Me How" and features adorable little Tony West and Peter Dixon. West has been in a monogamous relationship for years and dumped his boyfriend after finding out that the prick was having an affair - and not a safe one at that. (What a dick. Who could dump that little cutie?) The scene takes place in Dr. Dixon's office, where West is learning the results of his HIV test. Thankfully, the boy is negative. But he hasn't been out in the world, so Dr. Dixon needs to show little West a few safe-sex ropes. It starts out okay, and Dixon manages to throw a solid fuck into a whimpering West, but I have to say that any doctor who whips out a dildo (and a huge one at that) in the course of my examination would be staring at the Jeremy-sized hole in the wall immediately after. And one small gripe I had was that when Dixon puts on the condom, it's not a close-up. He makes a big deal about how a condom is applied, but it's done at a long shot so those who are watching and don't know how to apply a condom misses out. It's almost as if Dior is saying that anyone watching porn should know how to do it anyway. Wrong.
The second scene is directed by Sam Abdul (who has disappeared from the industry), features ex-lovers Dino DiMarco and Grant Wood and is entitled "web.cum." It's about Internet sex. Although I understand where Abdul is coming from, no Net sex takes place. They hook up online and meet at DiMarco's. True, they have sex with a condom, but, hello? All I could think Abdul might be saying was that Internet sex is a safe form of sex, which is true. But if he was saying that, he should have had the two jacking off to voice-overs.
Scene #3 is a long one, called "Tony's Sex Adventure," and stars Tony Valenzuela and Doug Jeffries and is directed by Mike Donner. Donner previously directed Positively Yours, and a portion of this scene is lifted from that. Valenzuela, who is very cute, is an openly HIV-positive porn actor and starts talking into the camera about the dangers of unsafe sex and how to help prevent the spread of disease. During this, however, Jeffries (also cute as a bug) pops on screen and does comedic little mugs for the camera and does his best to distract Valenzuela (which he does frequently). When they finally do have sex, 10 minutes have crawled by, and you don't feel as if anything has been accomplished other than a really long build-up to their scene. Jeffries fucks Valenzuela (with condom) and leaves him with some life affirmations.
Our fourth segment is a surprisingly erotic, very sensual tale, called "After Dinner Mint," directed by former porn star Jamie Hendrix. It stars Drew Andrews and Sky Thompson as longtime lovers celebrating Valentine's Day where they do sexy things to each other with mints. Andrews and Thompson have terrific chemistry for each other, and you really believe that they love each other. A hot scene, but really not advocating the safe sex.
The final scene is, hands down, the best. Directed by visionary Wash West, it stars Rod Barry (bleached blond) and Dean O'Connor and is called "Rubber is Natural." West directs in a stylish, 1970's way that makes this scene stand out not only in this film but in the gay genre. No wonder it got a Best Sex scene nomination at the GayVN awards. Barry and O'Connor, the rough and tough biker and the innocent waif who meet in the woods by a rubber tree, have terrific chemistry. West incorporates the rubber tree as many ways as he can - Barry retrieves a condom from it, lube drips from the leaves and O'Connor lubricates himself so that Barry can slip right inside him. The scene may not teach us anything verbally, but visually it tells us everything we need to know. The one small drawback is that because it is so different from the rest of the film, that it may be looked on as either visually stimulating or terribly distracting. I think it's the former, but I'm a reviewer - what do I know, right?
A definite recommendation. A lot of terrific talent obviously put a lot of effort into getting this made, and everyone involved needs to be commended for helping fight this terrible disease.
Let's hope that No Ego Productions raises a lot of money. Because this is a battle that can be won and with everyone working together, that hope can finally become a reality.
- Jeremy Spencer