Girlfriends

Anyone who thinks that all of Andrew Blake's movies are the same hasn't been paying close enough attention his recent offerings. This is especially true with "Girlfriends," perhaps his most erotic and lucid feature yet. I think his offerings are at their strongest when they are void of narration, relying on Raoul Valve's haunting score's to lull the viewer into the atmosphere. Many people argue that Blake's movies are not hardcore enough for their interest in porn. Fans buy Andrew Blake's movies without question, because it is akin to collecting fine art, you just know are in for something ethereal and beautiful.

Well, "Girlfriends" is the Andrew Blake movie I have been waiting for. It almost ventures into David Lynch territory with the visual tone, which seems edgier and rawer in sexual energy than past efforts. Raoul Valve gives us his most haunting and dreamlike of all of his scores, making us wish Blake would release CD's of Valve's work.

Up until now, "High Heels" had been my favorite just for Kelly Havel's unique beauty and the tone of that particular film. With Blake's last movie, "Exhibitionists," we were introduced to newcomer Justine who returns for "Girlfriends", along with one of my favorite Blake performers, Aria Giovanni. The rest of the cast includes Sierra, Monica Mendez, Hannah Harper and April. All involved are incredibly beautiful and have individual body types that define them and set them apart from the cookie-cutter forms we come to expect from many adult films.

I can't put my finger on what is so different about this Blake film, but within the first three scenes it had become my favorite. Justine is even more sensual in this one, showing us she is even more comfortable working with Blake and his stable of devoted actresses. The film seems like Blake took his time with this one and was even more careful to create a movie that would stand apart from his other features. There is a film-noir feel to it that goes deeper than the stockings, wigs and settings. The levels of fetishes are explored even deeper and the actresses seem to take the eroticism up a notch.

In scene three, Justine lies on her belly on the carpet with her legs spread wide across the floor, staring back at us and gyrating. This scene alone merits a purchase, but not having a particular interest in foot fetishes, when she puts her toes in her mouth and licks them, I felt weak. The sex in this "Girlfriends" is animalistic and as sexy as anything I have ever seen in an adult film where there are only beautiful women, with no need for men.

Scene five is also incredible, with Aria, Justine and another woman involved in a three-way love match that has to be seen. The costumes alone are worth the viewing, with Justine dressed in a sexy black-laced mask and the others playing dress-up.

Scene seven offers us a mind-blowing double-sided dildo scene with Justine and the enchanting woman from scene five.

The film runs 137 minutes and has chapters/scenes and two featurettes and the trailer for "Girlfriends." The audio and video quality is the crispest yet and the best you will find on any DVD, let alone an Andrew Blake movie. The level of quality overall is a screaming testament to the fact that Blake's style and tone are becoming more sophisticated and more interesting with every feature.

I cannot recommend any adult DVD as highly as this one. Other filmmakers will have to work very hard to make a better adult film this year. Blake proves he is the king of eroticism and that a film doesn't need dialogue or nararation to make a compelling movie.

"Girlfriends" is by far Blake's most interesting and beautiful offering. Andrew Blake is not just a skilled director, he is a visionary, and "Girlfriends" is the perfect example that there is art in the adult film industry. Watch it with someone you love - in the dark!

The women here looked great and their flaws are covered by Blake's artistic abilities. The attempts at using props such as riding crops were not enough to provide a diversity of tastes for those of us who've seen more than one of his past works. In a sense, the "sameness" remains and no matter what someone tells you, when you've seen one of his more recent works, you've basically seen them all. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. Like fans of pop music who demand their favorite star produce a series of follow-up songs sounding nearly identical to their previous hit, Blake's fans tend to let him coast with every new release - all but guaranteeing his gilded cage remain locked. He's proven his ability to think outside a narrowly defined set of conventions in the past, some of us; myself included, wish he'd regain that fire in his belly and expand his repertoire once more.

Most of Andrew Blake's all-girl productions have turned out to be among his most arousing. The recent "Girlfriends" is no different, as it has Justine, Aria Giovanni, Sierra and Monica Mendez enjoy each other in a string of exquisitely shot lesbian masturbation fantasies.

When the four girlfriends are introduced, the current of dominance is being felt as much as it is being seen. Also clear is the contrast between the girls, with them taking turns giving each other the whip. Then, after Aria has turned up the heat with a solo scene, she submits to Justine. The latter radiates erotic energy when Aria has her ride a dildo and they wrap things up with a kiss. Justine continues in a solo that emphasizes her legs. This is, after all, a leg fetish movie. Not satisfied, Justine has an encounter with Sierra, where she licks the other's toes. Sierra shows initiative as she uses her other foot to rub Justine and as a reward, Justine fingers her in front of a mirror.

Aria returns, being caressed by Justine and Sierra. A combination of smoldering glances and a perfectly curved body, Aria adds sizzle to the scene. The two others dress her up in a corset Blake fans will recognize, after which they go through a number of positions. Then, Monica takes center stage. She shows off her legs and strips down in a succession of shots that do justice to her full-figured body. She moves on to fingering herself, throwing mesmerizing looks at the camera. Picking up steam, the four girls present a double team-up. Aria and Monica watch as Justine and Sierra go wild with a double dildo, the close-ups and final kiss being icing on the cake.

Going for optimal contrast, Aria and Monica strip each other of their brightly colored clothes. Aria takes pleasure in cuddling the other's breasts and when Monica does the same in reverse, it is clear the two have a powerful chemistry going on. Sierra gets to display her legs and slim figure dressed in red, followed by a black and white scene featuring Sierra and Monica. Everything turns to sepia tones when Monica shows up with a dildo and they end up worshipping each other's feet. Especially Sierra is a brightly lit star here, her fair skin and small breasts creating the antithesis of big-breasted, golden-skinned girls like Monica.

Another erotic strip is being served up by Aria. The image quality looks grainy here, but it does not take away from the fiery show. As always, things get hotter just when all superlatives are used up: Justine and Aria share their passion in the bathroom. They smear lipstick over each other's breasts, strip down and create a series of sensual images, all of them being reflected in the mirror. This is the part where Justine shows her nicely proportioned body is a match for anything the other girls throw at her. More sepia tones as Monica returns to submit to Sierra. The emphasis is on the feet again but despite being hot, this scene is too short to take off.

Not surprisingly, Aria has another solo scene where she teases the camera with her feet. She joins Sierra and Justine, who go through a few arousing positions in too short a time span. When Aria pushes Sierra to orgasmic heights with a dildo and Sierra fingers Justine, it is the closest this movie comes to actual sex and it's assuring Blake still has room for that. All four return for the final act, mistress Justine punishing maid Aria and making her look away when she has Sierra use a dildo on herself. Black and white shots of April, the girl from the featurette, accompany the end credits, which is a nice way to link main feature and extras.

Other than the chapter index, extras consist of featurettes and a trailer. April is the focus of the first featurette, which is all about her legs. For good measure, there are some shots of her angelic face and soft breasts, but as soon as she reveals her piercing down there, it is where all the attention goes. Nice colors throughout, the electrifying shots of April fingering herself finishing it off. The second feature has Justine thinking about an encounter with blonde Hannah Harper. Justine proves she is a chameleon, changing hairstyles to give her different looks at every turn and her shaven pubic area adding erotic tension. She teases the camera with her blue eyes and gives Hannah (who has a nice face but does not look as spectacular as the other girls) a good time.

The lack of boy-girl scenes can be a pain to some, yet when the gorgeous girls are into each other this much, that should not be a problem. Again, the casting is superb. While Aria and Monica on the one hand and Sierra and Justine on the other make for great teams, they can easily mix and match and that is what is being done here. Most scenes are balanced, the editing is nowhere as chaotic as it was with Blake two years ago and there is enough action to prevent things from becoming softcore pictorials on film.

"Girlfriends" is among the finest packages Blake has cooked up over the past years. If "Playthings" was his most intense all-girl movie, this is his most visually and aesthetically pleasing all-girl movie.

"Girlfriends" is another lush, stylish, empty and disappointing product from Blake. While it is technically lightyears ahead of other adult films, ultimately it is too cool for its own good and continues the recent decline of Blake as an erotic filmmaker. The girls are, as usual, drop-dead gorgeous and are dressed and made-up accordingly. They are also shot in a range of 'tres cool' interiors.

I have long been a fan of Blake, but find that I am getting sick of the repetition. As a girl/girl film, this one is far too cold. It compares poorly to his last good movie - "Playthings". The much-vaunted double dildo scene is very poor compared to the one that opens "Pin Ups 2".