click for trailer (all photos courtesy of Elegant Angel; individual trailers attached below)

Performers of the Year 2012

Elegant Angel

Genre: Gonzo

Asa Akira

Director: William H. Nutsack

Cast: Asa Akira, James Deen, Gracie Glam, Michael Stefano, Jayden Jaymes, Manuel Ferrara, Lexi Belle, Kagney Linn Karter, Bobbi Starr, Kristina Rose, Jordan Ash

Length: 266:14 minutes (194:53 minutes & 71:21 minutes)

Gracie Glam

Date of Production: 11/27/2011

Extras: For many, the best extras will be the four bonus scenes on the second disc from movies like Battle of the Asses 2 (Kelly Divine, Ava Rose, & Michael Stefano) 39:09 minutes, The Bombshells (Andy San Dimas & Anthony Rosano) 28:18 minutes, Sex Appeal (Jynx Maze, Mick Blue & Toni Ribas) 44:36 minutes, and Battle of the Asses 3 (Jada Stevens & Mick Blue) 33:28 minutes. There was then a related extra in the form of a short, 6:19 minute Behind the Scenes feature, never really able to detail much given how brief the clips were this time. The rest of the extras were just generic fodder including a photogallery, and a pop shot compilation from the scenes.

Condoms: None

Jayden Jaymes

Audio/Video Quality: Performers of the Year 2012 was presented in the usual 1.78:1 ratio widescreen color as shot by director William H. Nutsack for Elegant Angel. This review is of the superior Blu-ray version by the way, the resolution, detail, and all visual elements notably improved from the limited experience I was given with the standard definition volume (alas, another review will be covering that version so the screen captures this time will come from the gracious company itself). The lighting was good as expected and helped minimize the grain & video noise. The composition of the shots tended to favor the ladies, rarely chopping off their heads in a frame or missing out on significant portions of the action. The editing by Robert Laplanc was smoother than I’m used to in most cases, the additional polishing up adding to the strokability of the scenes (less obvious distractions). I saw no compression artifacts although the bitrate varied substantially, often seeming to be in the 14.0 Mbps range. The audio was presented in the usual 2.0 Dolby Digital English using the 192 Kbps bitrate (and 48 kHz sampling rate), the separation was nonexistent and the dynamic range limited but at least the vocals could be heard most of the time (as could some background noise). The music from Productiontrax and the company archives were solid enough for the scenes themselves, showing some polishing up indicative of a movie of the year attempt.

Lexi Belle

Body of Review: Elegant Angel is one of the modern porn industry’s success stories in part thanks to the efforts of director William H. Nutsack. His latest extravaganza of ridiculously strokable smut making it my way of late is Performers of the Year 2012, the flick a wonderful batch of awesome scenes using the best talent available. The ladies here were Bobbi Starr, Jayden Jaymes, Gracie Glam, Kristina Rose, Lexi Belle, and Asa Akira; every one of them an award winning mega-babe in the porn world these days. Each provided a great scene and it is easy to see why this flagship series puts so many of the competition to shame given the double disc treatment provided here. Even the bonus scenes, starring Jynx Maze, Jada Stevens, Andy San Dimas, and Kelly Divine, were exceptional so this enhanced high definition version of the show should stand out during award season later this year. Here’s a brief look at the scenes by cast and action, noting that no condoms were used for those still interested:

Kagney Linn Karter

Scene One: Asa Akira, the lean Asian babe seen on the lower right hand corner of the cover’s group shot, was up first to establish the series formula with an interview. Asa was then bouncing around in a neon pink bikini, her ass prominently featured as well as her proportional rack. The seductive tease aside, she seemed happy to work with meat puppet James Deen, the two paired up in a white bedroom where he became aggressive with her; forcing her to submit to his will though she seemed to embrace her slut role oh so well. His fingers warmed her up and then he ate her asshole, Asa reciprocating with some heated oral before they fucked like bunnies, both vaginal and anal. Asa was an active rider of cock and James choked her at times, then going from one hole to the next and getting his salad tossed before she got off yet again. The scene closed out when she jerked him off all over her face, sucking the ball batter from inside his nads like a champion before he started choking her out. The company website described the scene like this: “Asa Akira can wash off her body, but the dirty thoughts will never go away. She showers her naughty naked pussy in the wet intro, then meets James Dean to start the hardcore action, in this 47 minute scene. Asa loves it rough, so James gives her a hair pulling, anal drilling, throat holding good time! It's not easy to satisfy this Asian nympho, but she looks tired and grateful when she finally gets the cumshot!”

Bobbi Starr

Scene Two: Gracie Glam, the attractive young lady seen standing on the upper right hand corner of the group shot, was up next as she took on Michael Stefano, her interview showing what a whirlwind the year had been for her and the tease providing a montage of outfits and masks. I would have liked her to pick up the pace a bit but only because I know just how wild she can get, the use of a high end water handle interesting in giving her that wet look I appreciate so much. In any case, Gracie’s allure was ever present and she was changed into a sheer black and red outfit for the sexual portion of the scene, Michael automatically kissing her and attending to warming her up front and back before it was her turn to crank up the heat. The active vaginal penetration was very hot and her overall playfulness suited me just fine, her oral attempts on him showing she could work a cock like a musical instrument in the hands of a professional. I also liked that pouty look she kept giving as she looked into his eyes, the elevated sense of lust or chemistry adding some solid replay value to the production as a whole. The scene closed out when he tossed out a load of splooge to her face, giving Gracie that “Got Milk?” look before she began to swallow what went into her mouth (this was one of the few bad edit points, showing her truly swallow would have been even better). The company website described the scene like this: “Today we have Gracie Glam any way you want to see her - fucked by Michael Stefano in this video, and having naughty girl-girl time in the other! You won't complain... Gracie loves sex, and we love watching her. Here's 34 minutes of Gracie's wet snatch being pummeled, after a sensual stroll in sexy attire, and a wet slob on a hard knob. Trust us - any video where Gracie's sweet ass is bent over getting fucked, is worth your time!”

Kristina Rose

Scene Three: Jayden Jaymes, a beautifully curvy hotty not seen on the front cover (why not?!?), was up next in a black bikini outfit after she gave her very short interview. Jayden is another young lady with incredible eyes, her fleshy figure as good as it gets for a great many fans. The tease on the stairs and in the house was good but too tightly shot on her with close ups, the good news being she was paired up with the reigning super stud of the industry, none other than Manuel Ferrara. For the most part, guys have little impact on a scene for most people but the plethora of low grade mopes out there have long established the principle of how much they can add (or detract) from the better performances, making this a welcome pairing indeed. Manuel was all over her orally and with his hands, devoting himself to warming her up by any means possible. As expected, this had the intended effect, Jayden beaming the entire time during the chemistry filled tryst, her giddy appreciation of him seen so clearly when he was using his thumb and tongue on her perfect pucker. Few would accuse her of having the best blowjob skills of the cast but she poured on the oral charm just the same, appearing to get off repeatedly during the multitude of vaginal penetration positions (and taste testing). She then gave a wonderfully happy titty fuck after impaling herself on his pecker, her hand to gland jerking off of his rod to launch spunk all over her face coming across as inspired. The company website described the scene like this: “Jayden Jaymes lets it all hang out, for the sexy solo intro to this 42 minute hardcore scene. She's back for more from Manuel Ferrara, the guy who's brought her to squirming, squealing orgasm so many times before. He pinches her nipples and squeezes her big tits while sucking her cunt, then lays back to get a blowjob. After that, Jayden rolls on her side to take a deep, hard pounding!”

Scene Four: Lexi Belle, the perky little cutie seen on the center of the front cover group shot, was up next with a five or so minute interview, showing she was still learning the tricks of the trade before a very sensual tease session led to her working with now-retired Michael Stefano. She wore a black outfit and red lace before swapping out to a basic black ensemble, the use of dark shadows during the tease a different take from what I typically prefer. When finally paired up with Michael, she was still in the black attire and he was fully clothed, his kisses and hands going all over her lean frame though she was still an active participant in the whole thing. She handled his pecker orally very well and he spanked her sweet ass as she slobbed his knob, the active vaginal riding showing some tenderness from the pair that complimented his rougher approach at times. The ending wad of sperm came from his own hand as he rubbed one out onto her mouth and face, Lexi not swallowing the nut batter as the camera faded out. The company website described the scene like this: “Lexi Belle is back to fuck with a pro: Michael Stefano's on deck, for today's 29 minute hardcore scene. The adorable blonde who's known for the silly antics plays it straight for our boy Michael, with seductive offers no man could refuse. She lays him back and does her thing, bending over so he can see everything while she sucks his cock to attention, before riding him. But that's only the beginning...”

Scene Five: Kagney Linn Karter, the curvy blond with big implants seen on the upper left hand corner of the group shot, was up next as the last scene on the first disc. She seemed a bit out of it during her interview but with a body as fine as hers, I didn’t care one bit. Like the other scenes, there was some montage shots added into the interview, her tits and ass such that the light blue bikini she wore during the initial tease barely held them at bay. Unlike the others, she did not change outfits and some of her work here seemed kind of rushed, the notable shaved head look from other movies for Elegant still appearing to be her trademark look. She was paired up with James Deen as her scene partner and while he was not the best of the batch by any stretch of the imagination, he seemed to suit her needs of the moment. In any case, she was active at the vaginal riding and gave decent head, James getting rough on her at times but also tearing up that pussy the way she enjoyed it on the white couch. She got off a few times, a common trait for the ladies in the movie, and took his population pudding into her mouth to swallow, a fine ending to the first great disc. The company website (incorrectly) described the scene like this: “Kagney Linn Karter shows her softer side for a couple of minutes, before taking a hardcore drilling from Manuel Ferrara, in this 31 minute scene. He starts with her throat while she lays back taking it. His legs bump against those great big breasts, his dick bumps against her throat, and Manuel reaches down to finger Kagney's pussy. With a rough start like that, Kagney's ready to take that deep, hard spooning Manuel's always good for!”

Scene Six: Bobbi Starr, a lean brunette extreme queen that was weirdly not on the front cover, was up next as the first scene on the second disc, her black swimsuit attire used in the initial tease once she gave a brief interview with Nutsack. The slow tempo of the music worked for her stage presence and slow burn appeal, her pretty eyes glimmering with the possibilities of what would come next. As an all natural lady, she has long been a top performer, her recent directing efforts good enough to win a lot of critical acclaim for all the right reasons. Michael Stefano was her partner and while he might not make my top meat puppet list, he rocked her world strongly enough, his pecker porking her mouth, pussy, and ass in all sorts of heated positions as the chemistry filled tryst worked on several levels. She was easily able to throat him and the ending wad of genetic juice was deposited in her mouth as a reward for a job well done. The company website described the scene like this: “We let Bobbi Starr find her own way into Michael Stefani's hands, at the beginning of this 30 minute hardcore scene. By the time she does, she's stripped out most of her skimpy clothes, and started molesting her tits in anticipation. Once she finds Michael, Bobbi grinds her pussy against his face to kick things off. It's not long before she's laying back with her legs spread, her eyes begging to be fucked. She gets it, and more... including anal!”

Scene Seven: Kristina Rose, the fetching young lass seen on the lower left corner of the group shot on the cover, was up last and as her fans should know by now; last was not least. She wore an BDSM style outfit that barely covered her assets, the short interview giving way to another fine tease session that will inspire many a boner. Unlike some of her peers, okay many of them, Kristina has kept her body all natural and shown the world that she is her own person. I know that bugs some folks but ultimately, she speaks her mind so you know what you get with her. The tease emphasized her ass and while it appeared that she had lost a few pounds of late, she was having fun and offering a smoother style of dance this time, a few outfit changes giving additional spank bank fodder. When the actual sex portion of the scene began, she was paired up with Jordan Ash, admittedly not a high end male but at least good enough to give her something to work with, her colorful bikini providing no resistance to his hand diddling her in the living room. Her white boots looked sexy and her flexible legs allowed her to spread nicely as he ate her out. She rewarded him with some enthusiastic head and a fine vaginal ride, her active penetration positions including anal along the way with plenty of taste testing. The action ended when he dribbled out a bit of population pudding to her mouth, Kristina sucking him clean with some help from her hands. The company website described the scene like this: “Kristina Rose is strapped up in kinky black leather straps with metal studs. Jordan Ash is somewhere in the house, watching Kristina's anticipation rising. Finally he comes up from behind and strikes, and we get the sight of his hand down her panties, and her nipples hardening. Kristina is always so wild and rough, but Jordan makes her show some restraint... and Kristina's never complained about a man taking charge!”

Bonus Scene: Battle of the Asses 2: Kelly Divine, the curvy gal on the right side of the front cover, and well-endowed Ava Rose, the gal standing beside her on the left, were up first as they shook their ample samples on a perfectly sunny day outside by the pool. Each gave the other a chance to impress the fans with their booty shaking, lathering oil in copious amounts to enhance the visual appeal of their bikini outfits to be peeled off. Ava was bigger and Kelly seemed more toned, both of them perfectly suited for the show as they rubbed against each other seductively until Michael Stefano joined them inside of the house. They teased him by pushing against his face, soon riding his pecker vaginally before the oral started from both ends (pun intended). The ladies actively rode his cock and paid some attention to one another, never content to stay out of the limelight as they kissed, caressed, and rubbed each other out. The blowjobs and pussy licking were not the strongest I've seen out of the ladies but Kelly made up for it with some solid anal work, begging for more and totally engulfing his rod as he tapped her silly. The scene eventually ended when he rubbed out a wad of genetic juice to their asses, Ava helping to encourage him by sitting on his face.

Bonus Scene: The Bombshells: Andy San Dimas, a skinny brunette initially known for her "alt porn" efforts, was up first as she provided a tease montage using settings outside and in the white room, her all natural form swaying nicely in time to the music. While I tend to like meatier gals more, she definitely had some physical appeal, her ass shaking alone begging for a stiff dick drilling away at her asshole. There was no anal this time but she seemed okay with almost everything else, moper Anthony Rosano caressing and kissing her as she laid back for him to eat out. He orally serviced her well enough, Andy sucking her fingers as though they were his cock while he ate merrily away. That led to her going down on him passionately, trying him on for size with her hands and without, aggressively slobbing his knob with abandon before engaging in a series of active vaginal riding positions. They appeared to have some chemistry together and she provided more enthusiasm than usual here, the taste testing leading to him jerking out a wad of genetic juice to her face.

Bonus Scene: Sex Appeal: Jynx Maze, a fantastic newcomer with an appeal beyond just having a sexy attitude and smoking hot body, was up last; the gal earning the spot by way of her flaming hot scene. She was dressed in classic black lingerie, parading around the house with a lot of jewelry on during her tease performance. Her sweet ass was showcased a lot by the camera and she seemed giddy at the prospect of getting both Mick Blue and Toni Ribas inside of her. She coyly teased them at first but she was ripe for the plucking, fingering her own ass before Toni started hammering away at it. Then came some oral and the use of a wand vibrator, Jynx getting off in several ways (including being choked) as the men pursued all of her assets. The scene ended with a little Jynx magic, Toni busting out all over her ass crack and Mick then taking her as a sloppy second, force feeding her face. The company website described the scene like this: “Tattooed, talented, and tasty as hell - once you've seen her, you will want a piece of brunette Latina Jynx Maze. The male talents get more than a little, in this 44 minute hardcore anal scene. You might get a laugh from how little she needs to do, in order to get the dude interested - even to the point of aggression. After she struts and stares for you, we cut to her sitting - and then getting anally stretched by hand and cock, for a long runtime!”

Bonus Scene: Battle of the Asses 3: Jada Stevens, a lean brunette with a disproportional ass I found fetching, was up next with Mick Blue, the gal starting with an interview in tightly cut shorts and moving that heart shaped ass outside for the tease montage. The oiling up process nearly caused me to lose my own load, the gal rubbing the mixture of oil and water all over her perfect ass before the edit had her on the white couch with Mick. He warmed her up with some oral and rubbing, her head falling to his lap to give him a very enthusiastic hummer showing how much experience she has pleasing men orally. That led to her doing both vaginal and anal positions, both partners doing some intermittent oral on the other as the heated tryst continued. Whether they had chemistry or were just filled with old fashioned lust is subject to debate but in all it was a solid scene full of taste testing and active riding, Mick draining his balls of semen by jerking out a healthy round of spew all over her fabulous ass cheek.

Summary: Performers of the Year 2012 (Blu-ray) by director William H. Nutsack for Elegant Angel was designed to be one of the big hits of the year, the cast selection and double disc treatment providing fans with a tremendous wealth of strokable footage and replay value. The technical values were superior too and there was no doubt in my mind that the movie earned every bit of the Xcritic Pick given all it had to offer. In short, Performers of the Year 2012 joins previous volumes in the series to showcase some of the most popular ladies of the year in what often amounts to their best scenes. I found each performance to be an exceptional tryst but favorites like Kristina Rose, Kagney Linn Karter, and Lexi Belle were certainly as good as the work by Jayden Jaymes, Gracie Glam, and Asa Akira; the amount of strokable material here supplemented by the exciting four additional scenes on the bonus disc to make this one a solid winner!