Top 10 Adult DVDs of 2010

Pornstar Superheroes: When originally told that Elegant Angel was going to jump into the feature market we were skeptical, really skeptical but co-directors William H. Nutsack and Graham Travis showed us all that they could beat the best of the best with their devotion to the subject matter without missing a beat when it came to integrating gonzo sex into the storyline. Lasting almost four hours but still providing a plethora of great extras, all the elements of the show clicked so well that we were literally bowled over, the use of females such as Kristina Rose, Asa Akira, Sadie West, and Tori Black just the icing on the cake. We preferred the great looking Blu-ray version best and hope to see the directorial team continue the series in 2011, the likelihood of continued success being, well, super.

The Condemned: This surprise little drama from Director B. Skow was another that came out of nowhere to win us over, the lovely Nikki Jayne and fetching Kimberly Kane excelling in their roles. That such a fine drama could come from Vivid is not surprising, they have long staked out a place for such titles, but what did manage to stand out was the upgraded sex antics from the company, the sheer nasty and heated trysts far better than what they used to offer in such titles. The story elements added to the entertainment in this lengthy flick but it was clear in every moment that the company was shooting high when the critics at XCritic led the pack online in suggesting it was destined for awards. Kimberly Kane stole every scene she was in in terms of her acting and smoldering sexual passion but Nikki was perfect in her role too, making this a sure bet overall.

Raw 3: Manuel Ferrara being the Male Performer of the Year certainly helps gain him access to any women he wants, the fact being that most women in the industry crave being with him even if it is in the lengthy scenes of movies such as this one; the run time of the show lasting almost five hours. The amounts of tease, the dedication he shows to the ladies, and the way they respond to his attention makes this series a winner with our critics year in and year out, the raw nature of the visual elements showing that heavy handed editing is not needed to make a gonzo production succeed. Lorelei Lee, Asa Akira, Bobbi Star and others helped Manuel elevate this volume of the popular series to a place where few other movies attempt to go, the genuine chemistry such that at all times the cast appeared at their best.

Buttwoman Vs Slutwoman: Mason had a banner year with her showcase efforts but the one that stood out for our panel of porn professors was where she set up a competition between two of our favorite ladies, Kristina Rose and Alexis Texas. For over three hours, the action provided very little circus act sex so the hotties could show tons of chemistry with each other and the others that joined them, the initial concept of a "Rocky" style competition addressed only slightly but in a wonderful montage that remains as heated as most full scenes shot these days. It didn’t hurt that Asa Akira and Gracie Glam joined in at times but ultimately, the technical side and guidance by Mason helped elevate it above the pack of contenders from other companies, the wisdom of using two feature acts proving itself more than once as the best way to go.

Malice in Lala Land: This was another surprise hit, the movie made by Director Lew Xypher overseas to be distributed by Vivid, cashing in on the parody craze but definitely proving to be a cut apart from the pack of generic copycats. The freshness of concept surpassed several similar efforts and it was remarked that the movie had some alt-porn overtones but there was no doubt that everyone involved in making Malice saw to it that this was going to be special, the casting of ladies as diverse as Phoenix Marie, Andy San Dimas, Kristina Rose, and Sasha Grey just part of the reason why it stood out. When porn meets artistic vision, the results are anybody’s guess but this was one time when it worked, worked well, and surpassed expectations in ways we’re not even sure we had up front.

Deep Anal Abyss 3: Director Jay Sin has been around the block for some time but his anal-centric work at Evil Angel is sparking a revitalization in some areas for circus act stunts thanks to the amount of fun his casts have at work. It was a tremendous amount of value, strokability, and replay value but also the kind of hardcore kink factor that the director has become known for. The technical merits were very solid in all cases, the fun factor much higher than typical for such an anal flick devoted to extreme acts, and the brilliance of casting women with a healthy sense of kink, enough to get off completely no matter how far their limits are pushed worked time and again to help this one stand out from the seas of mediocrity on the market. Kylie Ireland, Nikki Hunter, and Amber Rayne’s scene stood out as the best of the bunch but there was plenty more to appreciate too, the amount of quality anal sex on the two disc package enough to keep fans busy for a long time.

Sexual Blacktivity 2 : Jenna Haze has been the object of desire for many fans over the years, her willingness to do anything to please them while getting off to her own fantasies well known. As a director, Jenna has certainly had a banner year and any one of her releases could have been in this spot, but her 5+ hour ode to interracial passion garnered a few additional votes, the quality and quantity of the lengthy scenes such that everyone looked better in a Jenna. The scenes with Ashli Orion, Kristina Rose, and Monique Alexander were the icing on the cake but this double disc set provided everything a fan could hope for, and more, not to mention showing some brotherly love while building bridges between groups.

Rawhide 2: Dirty Deeds: Adam & Eve is one of those companies best known for their quality sex toys and sexy little contract performers but a few times a year, they also produce a big budget porno worthy of their name and this was it. Starring Bree Olson and Kayden Kross, there was little new about the time tested plot or dialogue, the ladies showing an affinity for handling the story portions of the movie just as well as they engaged in heated sexual encounters, a fine package of extras included to make it an even better value for consumers. Director Andre Madness was on the ball with this one and even though it was designed to appease the couples crowd, it worked with superior replay value thanks to the care that was put into it

Body Heat:  There was a lot of debate over this year's landmark release from Digital Playground and if it would make our top 10 list. Digital Playground is one of the last companies standing still using the contract girl model and from that perspective Body Heat represents an extremely positive high point for 2010.  Body Heat was one of the only places to see Jesse Jane, Riley Steele, Kayden Kross and Raven Alexis going at it together on screen (and their orgy scene delivers). But with the line up they have we expected even more. Digital Playground is the studio which rocked the porn industry with the Pirates Series and so we know what they can do. Body Heat represents some of the best from Digital Playground in 2010 but we know they can do even more.   

Speed XXX:Wicked Pictures nearly snagged the top spot in our 2009 Best Adult DVD list with 2040 and this year they made it just at the wire.  Speed was another wonderful high concept film that looked like it would go full throttle, but didn't ever quite go all the way. Wicked along with Digital Playground is one of the last standing companies to still be sticking with the contract starlet model and so Speed is one of the best shots to see all of them together in one production.  As with Body Heat, we know what Wicked Pictures is capable of and while Speed does deliver, Wicked has to potential to top a list like this and not just place.

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