Page 72 - AVN April 2017

DVD REVIEWS
Ethni•City
most ambitious all-black features to ever come
out of Pornville, it’s also handily one of the most
accomplished and affecting movies period of Brad
Armstrong’s highly decorated career.
NNOT ONLY IS Ethni•City far and away one of the
A sophisticated, intricate ensemble piece in the
vein of Crash or Amores Perros, this gritty drama
weaves together a richly compelling tapestry of
stories about people from varying societal strata
whose lives intersect in a domino-like chain of
calamitous events.
The cast represents a who’s-who of the top
black talent working in the industry today, and
while every performance is grade-A caliber, a few
definitely make exceptional impressions. Two of
those are breakout turns from 2017 AVN Best
New Starlet nominee Kira Noir and Best Male
Newcomer Ricky Johnson as a brother and sister
who’ve chosen divergent paths to overcome
the impoverishment of their upbringing—she
becoming a doctor and he turning to a life of
crime.
Prince Yahshua likewise registers a milestone
career entry of his own as a philandering pro
football player who veers down an ill-fated path
after wife Misty Stone turns the tables on him by
partaking in a vengeful bang with his assistant,
Eddie Jaye.
On the plus side for Yahshua, he gets to indulge
in the double delight of gorgeous duo Chanell
Heart and Yasmine de Leon in the movie’s first
and best scene, making his wandering ways seem almost understandable.
Another sexual high note comes toward the end, with a romp between Noir and
Stallion in a private room of the hospital where they work together.
In a rarity for a regular feature (as opposed to a parody), the double-disc DVD for
Ethni•City includes a non-sex version on disc two—a testament to what a gripping
piece of storytelling it truly is. For added value, there are also an extensive look
at the auditions, an outtake reel, a triple helping of bonus sex scenes and more
included.
A moving, genuinely adult motion picture, Ethni•City comes both as a bold
reminder of Brad Armstrong’s mastery of the craft and as an early contender for
many nods when awards season 2018 rolls around. One every adult screenwriter
and/or director should watch and study in earnest.
— Peter Warren
AAAAA
WICKED PICTURES
WickedB2B.com
Director: Brad Armstrong
Cast: Kira Noir, Misty Stone, Chanell
Heart, Jezabel Vessir, Osa Lovely,
Sadie Santana, Sarah Banks,
September Reign, Yasmine de Leon,
Tyler Knight, Prince Yahshua, Ricky
Johnson, Dirk Huge, Eddie Jaye, Nat
Turnher, Stallion; Amber Lee, Rob
Piper, Chris Cock, Darwin Slimpoke,
Ric Rodney, Jovan Jordan, John
Longsworth, Chiefer Southerland, Q
(Non-Sex Roles). 141 Min.
Category: Drama, Ethnic - Black
Collision Course From left, Osa Lovely, Tyler Knight, Yasmine de Leon and Sarah Banks are among the characters
who bump into each other in Brad Armstrong’s latest feature.
REVIEWS | AVN.com
Barcelona Boss
PRIVATE/PURE PLAY MEDIA
PurePlayMedia.com
D: Xavi Rocka. Cast: Alexa Tomas, Amirah Adara, Anny Aurora, Julia Roca,
Misha Cross, Others. 131 Min.
CATEGORY: FOREIGN FEATURE
AAAA
Jason Steel is given a rough job: Move to Barcelona,
live in a fancy house and investigate why his company’s
branch in that city is doing so poorly. Best guess is that
everyone is too busy fucking to work. This even applies
to Steel, who gets serviced by sexy Anny Aurora.
— Dirty Bob
Christmas Spirit
GIRLSWAY PRODUCTIONS/GIRLFRIENDS FILMS
GirlfriendsFilms.net
D: Stills by Alan. Cast: Shyla Jennings, Elle Alexandra, Reena Sky,
RayVeness, Jenna Reid; Charlotte Stokely (Non-Sex Role). 180 Min.
CATEGORY: ALL-GIRL, PARODY, TABOO RELATIONS
AAAA
Girlsway brings us a lesbian version of “A Christmas
Carol” with Reena Sky as a glamorous Scrooge. She’s an
advertising mogul whose estranged stepdaughter, Shyla
Jennings, is returning home for Christmas with girlfriend
Elle Alexandra. The action is hot (especially with girl/
girl veterans Shyla and Elle).
— Jared Rutter
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