"Captive" Critique
====================

Production company: Gwenmedia [ http://www.gwenmedia.com ]

External Distributor company: Pulse Distribution
[ http://www.pulsedistribution.com ]

Production Date: September 28th 2008
Original Release Date: January 2009 (self-release)
General Release date: February 20th 2009

Director: John Fitzgerald [ http://www.thndrshark.com ]

Positives:

* VERY powerful real BDSM action including water torture
* Excellent acting by Mz. Berlin in her role of the more than meets the eye "damsel"
* remains focused on being a BDSM film and does not waiver from that core idea
* creative plot-twist
* can be easily developed into the second volume and possible reliable series


Negatives:

* Too brief
* more reactions to the torture's duration SHOULD have been included
* Plotline has missing elements and plot-twist is not fully explained
* ending is intentionally vague -- seems to be intentional for series development


Film Time: 38 [min] 14 [sec]

Settings: warehouse

Gallery: Auto-advance-no skipping to individual pictures (back and forth by controller's remote no obvious button indicator;
thirty-eight (38) pictures total
Transition: None - immediate replacement by next picture

Behind the scenes -- NOTHING

Trailers: 1) Sisters (Gwen Media) --- 2) Ivy Manor 5: Rubber Dreams --- 3) Slavery, A Love Story pt 1

Rubber/Latex costuming amount: None

--------------------------

Okay let me make this simple -- give Fitzgerald and Mz. Berlin the friggin 2010 AVN Award for best BDSM film.

While many will complain about the ending of this film -- and they are correct to do so -- there is no denying that this is another good BDSM film from Fitzgerald that you will NOT be able to ignore or forget too quickly.

If you have seen half of the current releases from so called BDSM producers, then you KNOW that Fitzgerald deserves it and Berlin definitely shows she has some honestly solid acting chops.

Despite certain weak elements in this film, Fitzgerald continues to showcase his raw talent for understanding the real power in BDSM films namely the power exchange of the sub and the dom. And here he showcases that with Captive.

Now while it appears that Fitzgerald has been watching the old crime show channel a little too much he more than makes this an enjoyable emotional and psychological exploration rather than falls down into a mere indulgence.

Gods someone needs to give Mz. Berlin an acting award as she plays it so straight that you just immediately identify with her in the sub role here. Just as she and Fitzgerald planned it. Yes we were pwned by Mz. Berlin.

"Aren't you here to save me? I'm just here for the interview"

Yeah but we can see here just who is interviewing who? And what info is really being sought out?

Of course, the breaking process shown is very well done. Berlin responses to the water torture is undeniably powerful. Just in the water drinking scene of day two you can really see the mental intensity that Fitzgerald made in creating this powerhouse and the full acting scope that Mz. Berlin brings to this project. True the film would have been far more powerful and personal if Fitzgerald had shown peeing as this is basically a "watersport" themed film. AND would have been more powerful in its breaking process as that is one of the most personal acts one does as it reveals the person not as a cultivated individual but an animal engaging in one of the most base actions that they do. But then the spectre of obscenity would be brought up, possibly against the paying producer. Thus more than likely, Isabella refused to allow it to be in the final film. Yes I agree that such watersport inclusion would have increased the effectiveness of the film and would be better for future films if Fitzgerald would create his own studio to release more powerful material that he would want to showcase. But Fitzgerald has already said that he does not have the interest to doing such operations. But we DO get a powerful set here as is.

We continue to see that power in the water soaking scene where her character really starts to fight back against her imprisonment and captor. We start to see her real persona as she continues to remain focused on resisting her captor. But she does immediately change over from passive baby into fierce tigeress but slowly as she tries to get some information from her captor as well. Why is she doing that? Is there more to her than we have seen in the first part of this film? If that is so, then why is she no longer asking for information and demanding her release?

Just what is really going on here?

The mainstream media loves to portray that resistence to interrogation techniques by the good guys usually in military scenes with the phrase of "Give them only your Name, rank and serial number" and then watch the captive soldier parrot their name, rank and serial number. Anyone who has been in the service knows that is not true, no more so than shouting "Fire!" to indicate the launch of a missile. Suffice it to say, the successful resistence uses any small phrase repeated over and over again as it is used to focus one's self past their interrogator's attempt to get information. And Fitzgerald writes that part perfectly with some fairly good timing as we can see as Berlin's character lets go of her cover story slowly in response to her torture. No one really remembers the details of a cover story under pressure. You can prove it yourself by trying it. Ask someone to tell you what they did that day. Even if it is just five things. THEN ask them to repeat those same five things BACKWARDS. If it really happened, they will be easily able to tell you the baby went crazy BEFORE the certified letter was delivered and sent back as it inspired emotional links in the brain. Non experienced stories rarely do that. That says Fitzgerald has some experience or knows people who are dealing with the real stuff.

But the plotline is defeated with the ending where the interrogator simply pours all of her items back on the floor after unshackling her. WHAT?!?!? Just what is this brain dead action doing here in this power torture film? What thinking person would

1) free someone they just TORTURED? -- for an ENTIRE WEEK!!

2) NOT inspect all the items they are getting from their PRISONERS before giving them back to the prisoners?

While I agree that technically this turn-about plot device in scripted films is nothing new and be used applicably in such a genre. And these ARE a real world devices and not obvious fantasy items and as such the lipstick gun and its usage fits within this largely real-world setting. Guns, disguised as lipsticks, have been developed and used since World War II

[ http://www.gizmag.com/go/1512/ ]

as well as other small hand-held disguised deadly offensive devices and are included in a lot of personal defense packages of the elite and very wealthy on a regular basis for decades. So to use one as a solution for this film is not beyond the range of plot credibility. And the usage of that device SPECIFICALLY ends the idea that she is some innocent who merely walked into a trap that was intended for someone else which will make a LOT of people sit upright in their chair when they see it for the first time. She is a dangerous intelligent powerful woman who went in undercover to specifically confront this kidnapper and/or his handler.

BUT that makes the ending so incredibly unacceptable. To have such a dangerous device OVERLOOKED by a PROFESSIONAL hitman is just plain STUPID. And worse yet, to show him being so obviously stupid to have HIS VICTIM WHO HE JUST TORTURED FOR SEVEN DAYS STRAIGHT allowed to be UNSHACKLED on the floor was BEYOND plain MORONIC. Even the most simple person would fight back if given the opportunity especially if we see the intensity of the fight building up as we did for the bulk of the film under the torture she endured.

While that successful deception throughout the film makes Mz. Berlin's character a successful hitwoman as she was a capable infiltrator against the competition, the plothole here is just too obvious to ignore. And worse yet, the plot disconnect is just finalized with the shot which is then compounded further as Berlin's character does not try to figure out WHO her attacker was speaking to. I mean all she had to do was take the cell phone of her attacker to continue to find out who hired this attacker for hire. So if her target was the kidnapper specifically and NOT the person who hired him, we are not told WHY she went after the attacker by going to this interview. Did he kidnap someone close to Berlin's character and this is retribution? Did he cause her some personal tragedy? Or was he merely the competition and she wanted to get rid of him and take over his operations? We simply are NOT told.

And to leave such a obvious unresolved storyline with NO clarification of any of the major elements

-- reason for the conflict

-- background of the character

is BAD writing.

And I do NOT expect bad writing from Fitzgerald.

While some can -- and ARE already saying -- well that leaves the plotline open for another episode of this film to be built upon if there is interest to do so for Fitzgerald and Berlin, that complete removal of the character's setup and lack of a resolution really interferes with the conclusion of THIS film. Believe me if Fitzgerald and Berlin are looking to make a fetish female version of Takao Saito's "Golgo 13" or a torture enduring version of John Willie's U-89 (similar to Osvaldo Greco's reinterpretation of the original character though his is basically Rubberella in disguise), believe me, I and a LOT of people will be supporting Berlin continuing in this character enduring harsh bondage and then eliminating her on-screen competition. But a BETTER story structure has to be done than this.

I hope that if this is the basis for an emerging series with Berlin as the often enduring captured though successful hitwoman/spy,


-- NO I am NOT going to get into the
long standing Rubberella series
controversy at this point, as some are
already talking based on recent events

and more applicable to this film in
particular, this film is far more
mundane world than that living rubber
doll conversion series was --


I hope there is a FAR better and more clarified development in the successive episodes. As is this left me enjoying the bondage but let me flat on the storyline and that has always been the strength of Fitzgerald's films -- a complete cohesive WHOLE that focuses on the intensity of ALL its elements.

While I can appreciate leaving some elements anonymous to inspire more interest and perhaps even as a lead in for future episodes as done at the end of the first "Part-Time" film where Casey is left staked to the ground, I hope that this intentional usage of minimalism will NOT become a trend for Fitzgerald's future films. Though I can NOT deny the fact that I am already hoping for another usage of this line in ANOTHER film.

So this film accomplishes its goal of keeping me and other interested in the film and not forgetting it.


--------------------------

IN A NUTSHELL:

An enigma wrapped in an imaginative BDSM film that will grab you that leaves you wanting MORE in the end.

BOTH in a good AND bad way.

This film is easy to appreciate as a powerful psychological thriller and focused real world BDSM usage film that many consumers will have seen in a LONG time. The film fits well with the mainstream upcoming "Prisoner" remake of the BBC 1960s series.

But the ending runs counter to the power edge that went on before. And as a potential spy series that is a good thing as it will make you want to see more of Berlin enduring long and intense bondage sessions like this.

But as a storyline, a LOT of people are going to be screaming for a clearer answer. And hopefully if Fitzgerald and Mz. Berlin decide to build on this power film, we will get some answers to what was going on here.

The only two things that many people will resist is the end water torture used in the film (too realistic for some I think but films are meant to inspire SOME controversy and push boundaries at times and this works in this film) and that ending that clearly shows Berlin's character was no mere accident but a female spy who willingly entered into the den of danger. The disguised gun in the purse however feels forced though fits with Berlin's emerging focused resistence in the later portion.

But despite that we are all STILL going to keep nagging "When is the next Fitzgerald film?" as despite these plotholes, this film continues to showcase Fitzgerald's and Berlin's ability to create at this level. And with warts and all Fitzgerald's less than stellar is better than most who are producing. So again I state "when is the NEXT Fitzgerald film?"



FINAL RATING: SEVEN out of TEN

"The Portal 2 - Latex Pets in Training" Critique
====================

Production company: Gwenmedia [ http://www.gwenmedia.com ]

External Distributor company: Pulse Distribution
[ http://www.pulsedistribution.com ]

Production Date: December 10th 2008
Original Release Date: November 2008 (self-release)
General Release date: December 12th 2008

Director: Isabella Sinclaire [ http://www.isabellasinclaire.com ]

Positives:

* well lit and contrasted sets and costuming
* nice promo for Jade Indica
* Solid BDSM scene as shown in clothespin and inversion segment

Negatives:

* COMPLETELY disorganized story
* no development of the characters or plotline
* unfulfilled BDSM performances and reactions from the unknown and unrevealed male sub
* intentional weakness from the torturing female slaves that mandates THEIR controller Isabella Sinclaire taking over
* sex scene is intentionally distracting but does NOT show the actual penetration
* ending is once again obvious despite being a stated psychological film
* No behind-the-scenes reports or interviews from the performers

Film Time: 1 [hr] 04 [min] 18 [sec]

Settings: bedroom, private dungeon hall

Gallery: Auto-advance-no skipping to individual pictures (back and forth by controller's remote no obvious button indicator; Fifty-seven (57) pictures total Transition: emergence replacement of next picture over the previous

Behind the scenes -- Photoshoot snipette; no interviews

Trailers: 1) The Portal 1 --- 2) Diary of a Rubber Girl --- 3) Sisters (Gwen Media)

Rubber/Latex costuming amount: EXTENSIVE -- Full body catsuits, hoods and thigh high latex boots on all but Isabella Sinclaire; various latex dresses, full length gloves

--------------------------

I do not like bashing films.

I do not like bashing films because I KNOW how much effort, time, energy, money is needed to take a vision and make it into a film. That is why I get so aggravated when I see all that time, effort and energy simply abandoned when it is not needed to be wasted.

Especially not wasted When all that is needed is a little more effort and focus to make something that is less than its obvious potential can become something really, really good.

And it is clear to see that the deliberate driving focus that was present in earlier releases from Isabella's directed films such as "Diary of a Rubber Girl" and "Dream Come True" is NOT included in this film. I can't tell what I am watching with this film. And unlike when I was watching "Diary of a Rubber Girl" where I was watching the film from the WRONG end, this time with this film, the wise one who educated me to Diary's true core - on this film we were BOTH confused.

As a scifi latex fetish FILM, this film doesn't work.

Nor as a BDSM power film

Nor as a latex fetish film

Nor as story driven film

Nor as a scifi event presentation film.

Not even as a continuation of the first episode of this series as everyone from the first film does NOT return for this film. Isabella takes this film into a curious alternate reality version of the "Ivy Manor" series whose specific sets, especially the bedroom scene (used well in "Ivy Manor 2: Jennifer's Education"), are used in this film despite the idea of being a beat-down domination film as far as I can tell.

And the really sad thing about this film, is that you can OBVIOUSLY see the intent of the film in the BDSM segment and would have been a very good little film if it had remained totally focused on developing that single element rather than trying to touch on all the fetish elements in this film.

Even as a cohesive story, this film just fails as the storyline is abandoned and replaced.

-- several times in this one film.

First, it is a scifi alternate reality

that becomes a lesbian sex film that never shows the direct sex

that becomes a BDSM film that other than the inversion is not solid in its intensity

that becomes a character analysis that ignores the fact that there was no set up of these characters to begin with!

And then goes back to specifically answer the supposed alternate reality question. But not in a good way.

This is just a mess....

All these conflicting elements and presentations -- or should I say LACK of focused on-screen presentation and direct usage -- make it clear that Isabella did not have a focused idea for this film. And again, that is a sad thing as this film really could have been a solid BDSM film but has too many conflicting elements that are not developed that prevent the solid BDSM core from becoming the fully developed story it could have been.

And worse yet, Isabella continues to show that she simply does NOT understand scifi latex fetish appreciation. While she CLEARLY understands and appreciates straight forward BDSM plotlines and situations (again she makes a VERY solid BDSM idea in the middle of this film and would have been better if she just focused on that ONE idea), Isabella does NOT understand that focus of the latex fetish consumer especially with that NON SHOWING latex dildo usage.

Can anyone simply answer -- just what is it with Isabella CONTINUALLY AND DELIBERATELY NOT showing the setup of the fetish actions except for the BDSM action?

This complete disorganization is almost immediately obvious from the very beginning of the film where the conflict of Jade Indica and the supposed male sub to be are arguing in the car over what to listen to on the radio. THIS is the cause for such a mental break or his transportation to this alternate reality? SERIOUSLY? This act is less an offense than the kids in the backseat asking "are we there yet?" without relent.

Once the male target is transported to this alternate reality "Ivy Manor", we see that the male sub is already put into the pig snout mask and the two female targets are already completely covered.

Ah C'MON Isabella!! ON-SCREEN HOODING! Rather than showing the evil man being broken and forced into the pig mask after verbal humiliation, we just see him converted lying in his cage looking onto the two women who are openly engaging in sexual prep.

B-O-R-I-N-G!

After some light BDSM prep, the girls decide to engage in some strap-on sex. But true to her format, Isabella does NOT show the actual penetration!

Is it really too hard a concept to understand that if the producer is going to go through the effort to have sex on screen set up and presented, don't you think that the producer should BLOODY WELL SHOW IT? Let me make it simple for you, Ms Producer

1) Do NOT use full body costuming anymore unless we get to see the models getting INTO costume ONSCREEN anymore.

2) Do NOT use sex setup anymore UNLESS we get to see the models ACTUALLY PENETRATED in their vagina and anus anymore. It is a waste!

It is the dressing and getting INTO costume as ON-SCREEN domination such as

the ON-SCREEN gagging

the DIRECT on-screen hooding,

the on-screen blanking of the person by showing them getting into costume

and utilization of the latex bondage items as the FOCUS making the person INTO AN OBJECT. As everyone agrees, Isabella wrote and developed a simply excellent story in "Diary of a Rubber Doll" but as stated before, in Diary Isabella avoided

EVERY

SINGLE

aspect of the latex conversion process in that story.

But that latex conversion process is the VERY ESSENCE of this film for the latex male target. And that basis and its on-screen presentation is again ignored.

Why?

The entire basis of the STORY is completely defeated and ignored from what is shown here. ESPECIALLY for this SUPPOSED psychological twist basis of "is the experience the men shown in actually happening in some alternate reality or are their experiences only the result of their imagination" plotline as she continues to leave a result in the end that is TOO obvious and flat.

One of the best "Was the character's actual shared life experience happening so all experienced and remember it the same way? Or was what we were shown only the result of the imagination of the lead character?" films was the highly successful Korean "Dalkomhan insaeng" (English international title "A Bittersweet Life") 2005 where the main character spends the bulk of the movie trying to live "proper" life after living an "evil" life and ends up dead and then is shown somehow alive after being dead where he is again indulging in one of his most treasured fantasies when he thinks no one is watching him -- letting his emotions and fantasies flow, as his career requires absolute focus and control. So which is the fantasy and which is the real experience that the character is being shown in? The director leaves that up to the watcher.

Again Isabella defeats that questioning of the film with the end she presents.

This film COULD have been a solid BDSM film as the clothespin and inversion action is very good. But rather than developing this core idea and fulfilling from that core even if it devolved into the idea of sexual inverted bondage would have been better than the mere light BDSM act that follows. The entire power of the BDSM session is abandoned for the girls going back to their bed area for some more non shown sex with a basic approval from Isabella.

Hunh? Let me recount what is happening here and try to comprehend what is going on. The two slaves fail in their conditioning of the male target who is supposedly imagining this whole episode from an argument that is not even worth noting. And the reason that THEIR controller played by Isabella Sinclaire takes control of the session is because these two women are not effective but does not really punish them for their own lack of skill progression and not properly conditioning the male sub.

Anyone else having a problem with this film? [sigh]

And to make this film worse, we get another ending that is so obvious and abrupt. Why? Why go through all that onscreen time and then simply discard the entire basis of the film? Why not simply have Sinclaire dominate the male target from the beginning? Or why didn't Sinclaire simply continue with the slaves trying their best at controlling the male target? To shift in the middle of this film DOES drain on the on-screen BDSM setup and creativity that was beginning to be shown in the clothespin segment.

And let me say this, if any actor in future contention does NOT want to show their face in adult films, said future actor/actress should NOT be hired. No more anonymous people on film whose faces are never shown. If they want to be in the film, BE IN THE FILM. Hooding is to be done ON-screen and NOT from the back. The ENTIRE purpose of the hooding is to actively remove their id onscreen so we can see them being eliminated as a person onscreen. This walking onto set as an anonymous drone renders all costuming WORTHLESS. This pre-done anonymization of the targets is the same as having the performer walk into camera with all the whipping done off screen and expecting people to enjoy that pre-done BDSM result with the same intensity of watching the impact being shown on-screen.

If 18 USC 2257 laws did NOT prevent Isabella from hiring foreign performers and directors who do not have USA issued ID for USA adult film record keeping law requirements, I would simply say GO HIRE SANDRA of fetish-live.com and let Sandra make the latex fetish films for Gwen Media. I do not like using a competitor up against another as that is unfair promotion of the competitor, but simply put -- nearly EVERY SINGLE ONE of Sandra's photogalleries could EASILY be redone almost EXACTLY AS IS into a 20 to 40 minute film just for the central conflict structure and then extended into a full feature film with the set-up and fulfillment of the session where we see the targets converted into their central conflict. Just Sandra's recent rubber maid shopping scene in a real grocery with Kumi as the maid would be a WONDERFUL exploration of a day in the life of a conditioned serving rubber doll story. Maybe Isabella could just look over Sandra's fetish-live.com website and just copy those productions for her specific latex fetish films.
Yes that WOULD mean Isabella getting into costume herself and doing some personal sub interaction on film and I would hope Isabella is gearing up to do that for the main Ivy Manor Gwen Media's series swan song as Jewell comes to her own final decision/realization -- and Isabella SHOULD. Otherwise we already know Jewell's character is going to end up dismissed or worse unless Isabella is merely going to fold the remaining episodes of the formal Ivy Manor series into the "Tales from the Manor" plotline where we see Isabella promoting Jewell to her own serving slave and assistant which still mutes Jewell's character development in those remaining episodes.

As is, Isabella keeps trying too hard to do elaborate stories with latex fetish scifi focus and yet she continues to INTENTIONALLY IGNORE the very focus of the latex fetish and the scifi appreciation. We see that from the very set-up and conditioning of this film and throughout its complete execution.

Isabella showed she is serious in being a fetish film producer. But she NEEDS to take that same focus she has in selecting good directors and performers, and apply that for her stories' writers as well. If she is going to continue writing latex fetish stories for Gwen Media herself -- and let's face it that IS what Gwen Media IS all about, unless she plans to make the company into "GOTHIC Media II" which I hope she NEVER does -- she NEEDS to focus on making latex fetish that DOES FOCUS ON USING THE LATEX FETISH AS THE CENTRAL UNDENIABLE FOCUS. And as far as her own written and directed films are concerned, Isabella has yet to do that.

Too bad that Isabella has announced her intention to end Gwen Media before she can really develop that focus.

Maybe if Isabella were to create a Caesar Roman crucifixion BDSM film, Isabella would be far more focused in her efforts, for at least in that specific overwhelming power focus, I know she can do serious onscreen BDSM action and maybe with the idea of simulated nails through the hands and feets of the targets, she would stay focused on the power edge where at least one audience could be fulfilled. Because she does NOT fulfill ANY fetish consumer -- not latex costuming, not lesbian sex and not BDSM -- with this film.

=====

IN A NUTSHELL:

Isabella's second Portal film continues the series' focus of abusing the male abuser.

But this film's plotline and execution is still NOT good. And the really sad thing is that this film could have been a VERY successful focused BDSM film if Isabella had remained focused on simply being a BDSM focused film ONLY, rather than trying to touch on all fetish elements.

Isabella changes the core of this BDSM film from being a potentially powerful BDSM film to being a sex film that does not show the sexual penetration, latex fetish film that ignores the latex costuming, and the power edge of the BDSM plotline is dumped from the non-descript conversion factory to her own former Ivy Manor complex to now the soft sets, especially the bedroom. All of these non-consistent items make this film even less intense, less powerful than it should have been and ultimately makes this film a disorganized mess.

Basically this film is Ivy Manor withOUT John Fitzgerald's structured and focused vision. And we already seen that vision is NOT an effective sight. No offense to Ian Rath as he is not a film director though good photographer. And this film shows Isabella is NOT a scifi writer. At least not now.

The first film was a very dark (literally the lightening is too dark and has no contrast!!) scifi psychological drama that using latex costuming only as a background element despite being a SPECIFIC latex doll conversion story driven psychological twist story where the psychological plot is destroyed.

This second portal is a better lit (filmed mostly in Isabella's Ivy Manor bedroom set) THAT STILL uses latex costuming only as a background element and conditioning story driven psychological twist story where the psychological plot is destroyed at the very end. Even the distracting sex scene fails to fulfill its own focus as the penetration is not shown.

[sigh] "Isabella's Toy" with a male target and unshown lesbian sex as the film's focus.

In short if you are looking for a male sub BDSM segment, this film will tide you over. The BDSM clothespin and inversion action is enjoyable though is too brief for some.

If you are looking for anything else beyond the brief BDSM segment such as the STATED PURPOSE of a STORY DRIVEN latex fetish sub conversion film, THAT structure is NOT included in this film.

Isabella NEEDS to go back and review better psychological stories before continuing this series -- IF she is continuing Gwen Media which is doubtful at this point given her statements on the future of this company

though we live in hope she will change her mind and keep ACTIVELY producing NEW GOOD films 2009 and 2010 and hopefully beyond

-- AND understand how to better develop a cohesive plot as well as developing a specific story that uses A SINGLE SPECIFIC fetish focus specifically and directly, rather than several at the same time. Isabella NEEDS to refocus in doing films with SIMPLE straightforward plots for herself as those seem to be the ones she does best. This second episode of this series continues to showcase Isabella does NOT do elaborate stories well.

 

FINAL RATING: FIVE out of TEN

"A Dream Come True" Critique
====================

Production company: Gwenmedia [ http://www.gwenmedia.com ]

External Distributor company: Pulse Distribution [ http://www.pulsedistribution.com ]

Production Date: February 22nd 2008
Original Release Date: October 2008 (self-release)
General Release date: November 5th 2008

Director: Isabella Sinclaire [ http://www.isabellasinclaire.com ]

Positives:

* VERY focused BDSM story of advocates who seek to become members of the secret BDSM society
* Excellent BDSM performances and reactions from Satine Phoenix and Jade Indica and Isabella Sinclaire
* solid BDSM session film that never descends into boring repition nor campy unrealistic actions
* can be easily developed into the second volume of the main Ivy Manor series with either performer as the next primary target

Negatives:

* Not elaborate nor very imaginative in character, BDSM setting nor storyline
* No behind-the-scenes reports or interviews from the performers

Film Time: 1 [hr] 10 [min] 23 [sec]

Settings: private dungeon

Gallery: Auto-advance-no skipping to individual pictures (back and forth by controller's remote no obvious button indicator;
sixty-three (63) pictures total
Transition: rotation replacement into next picture

Behind the scenes -- NOTHING

Trailers: 1) Sessions 14 --- 2) The Betrayal --- 3) Submission of Star

Rubber/Latex costuming amount: MINIMAL -- latex dresses, corset on Isabella

--------------------------

There is an excellent BDSM film that focuses solely on the BDSM session that Isabella Sinclaire puts onto Jade Indica and Satine Phoenix.

But that is the nail in the coffin for Isabella as a writer of BDSM films. This film's success firmly showcases the fact that Isabella does better with simple, straight-forward, unpretensous BDSM stories as with this film and "Diary of a Rubber Girl" against whenever she attempts to create elaborate stories that need in-depth characters and storyline such as "Betrayal" (which this film is a basic redo of) and "The Portal" series.

And this film is a VERY simple, straight-forward uncomplicated story of Jade Indica and Satine Phoenix portraying casual BDSM indulgers who find out about the secretive Ivy Manor and decide that they want to become advocates of the Ivy Manor and have to prove that they have willingness to endure and dedication to expect more intense and elaborate conditioning.

There is no elaborate set-up of the characters. They are casual BDSM players who seek to advance. And they find a way to advance their BDSM skills and experience.

There is no character development of either person made in the film beyond them showcasing their willingness to show how really dedicated they are to succeed.

No real hidden agenda that they are really former dominatrix themselves who have been driven out of business by Isabella and now seeking to enslave the dominatrix for perceived injustices.

No background drama of them being unfulfilled with other dommes. The stated "deception" of the promo for this film is a throw-away.

No elaborate BDSM settings that break their hidden fears.

Nothing beyond the simple realization that Isabella wisely focused on only the onscreen reaction of the targets of the BDSM endurance Isabella has set for them to show they really want further training and further elaborate conditioning.

Nothing at all beyond what is presented -- basic newbies who want to advance their BDSM endurance and skills who meet with a skilled mistress who seeks to find out the potential trainees' dedication to the task at hand.

And that specific focus works for this framework of this plotline as these characters are supposed to be seeking MORE intense BDSM conditioning. The plotline would make no sense if they are enduring sensory depreviation, needle play and harsher more elaborate settings at the very begining of their training with the new drill sergeant.

The BDSM session itself is not elaborate but well done as both are chained together hanging from a suspension ring though not suspended from the ceiling where they are unable to reach the floor. The clothes-pin bondage on Jade is done well but not to the point that she is covered all over her body and then having them all pulled off at once. The caning almost goes to the far end showcasing a LOT of whelps and a caning breaks on thier backs and backsides. But the caning and its effects are done to showcase their endurance levels not as merely sadistic indulgence on Isabella's part.

But that simple focused BDSM focus showcases that as a producer, Isabella wisely hires people who not only really do BDSM sessions well, but selects people who are able to transfer that energy WELL ON-SCREEN as we see in Jade and Satine in their performances of this film. And Isabella the producer wisely decided to limit her inclusion as a performer in this film. Isabella shows that she is best when she is able to focus on the action of the scene and not showcase herself, except when she is needed to be in scene and being directed by other focused directors who know how to place her in the frame and setting WITHOUT intruding on the performers who are enduring the bondage which IS the focus of a bondage film.

The only people who are going to be not satisfied with this film are those who are expecting the elaborate character driven story as in "Ivy Manor" and Julie Simone's "Rubber Dollies" and "Love Story" and Amanda Wildefyre's Rubber Slave series. And those consumers who are expecting on-screen heavy latex costume bondage usage and super BDSM settings such as water tank submergence and inverted suspensions.

And of course, those consumers who are expecting intensive mindless indulgent abuse of the targets, where the targets end of discarded at the end of the session. But most know that those sn**f out films are made by Gwen Media anyway.

And that barebones approach of the film is even extended to the additions of the DVD, as there is no back features or interviews of the performers included. It would have been interesting to hear Satine Phoenix's thoughts on this film and her reaction to the session as we KNOW that Jade did act as if this film session was Jade's real test to become a reliable Gwen Media performer. I hope that the interviews return to Gwen Media DVD films.

But that minilistic focus is the reason why this film works. It is focused specifically on Jade Indica and Satine Phoenix and their on-screen BDSM reactionary endurance to prove that they ARE excellent BDSM advocates who are able -- and more importantly, personally WANT -- to entend their abilities under the tutalage of Sinclaire. And both Satine and Jade clearly succeeded in proving that they are excellent BDSM advocates and able to endure more elaborate conditioning.

And both Jade Indica and Satine Phoenix SHOULD be featured in more Gwen Media films if Sinclaire continues to produce in 2009 and beyond

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IN A NUTSHELL:

A brief almost non scripted BDSM interview and domination session of Satine Phoenix and Jade Indica as new additions to the Ivy Manor stable.

It is clear to see this session actually AS Satine's and Jade's REAL "Gwen Media Girls" try-outs for further films as this film was made BEFORE "Diary of a Rubber Doll". And based on this film, both performers clearly show that they have the on-screen presence and intensity to REACT to the beating and domination to draw in the watching audience WITHOUT being stiff, unnatural or overly rehersed for their screen presence.

Jade and Satine SUCCCESSFULLY showcases their reason for further performance with Gwen Media with this focused BDSM feature.

FINAL RATING: SEVEN out of TEN

 

Sisters (Gwen Media) critique

"Diary of a Rubber Girl" Critique
===============================

Production company: Gwenmedia [ http://www.gwenmedia.com ]

External Distributor company: Pulse Distribution [ http://www.pulsedistribution.com/ ]


Production Date: February 12th 2008
Original Release Date: June 2008 (self-release)
General Release date: undetermined in 2008


Director: Isabella Sinclaire [ http://www.isabellasinclaire.com ]

Positives:

* Plotline of the unnamed slave is solid and well developed
* Focused story of a day in the life of a conditioned slave as she pleases herself in loving servitude of her mistress
* THOROUGH focus on the plot and character maintained throughout all of the segments
* Solid fetish situations used throughout the film
* Jade Indica's recitation is alluring with soft, subtle spoken tones to convey what her character' reactions are
* well maintained and clear focused camera no crazy zooms or twisting of the camera to convey discord or wild emotions
* music works well with the pacing of the film
* sets and backgrounds are well contrasted so you can see the action of Indica. Black catsuit on model white bed sheets for contrast. Dark walls shows off light catsuit on model. Simple enough idea.
* gallery pictures give some nice behind the scene treats


Negatives:

* Single person bondage only without a set up for such
* No overt power used in the film
* no onscreen rubberization
* You do NOT see Jade's face or eyes reacting to the situations she is in, except for the sex machine segment


Film Time: 1 [hr] 06 [min] 37 [sec]

Settings: various rooms in private settings, including bedroom and private studio

Gallery: Auto-advance-no skipping to individual pictures, pause only; 40 pictures total
Transition: immediate switch, no fade

Behind the scenes -- Interview: Jade Indica

Trailers: 1) Isabella's Toy --- 2) Slavery a Love Story, Part 2 --- 3) Enslaving Sasha

Rubber/Latex costuming amount: EXTENSIVE -- full body catsuits, full head hoods, leggings, various gloves, Vac-beds
full encapsulation

--------------------------
Okay let's get the bad stuff out of the way first for I am going to gush on this one as Isabella selected a solid sensual performer and tailor made this film to show that performer off.

And surprise! surprise! Isabella comes through in showcasing Indica WONDERFULLY. Kudos to both Isabella for making a solid art film that evokes sensuality and corrects all of the faults of her earlier "Isabella's Toy" namely ignoring the sub though that sub WAS the intended star of the film.

First of the potential bad things, this is a single person reactive bondage film. And you know what single person bondage films means -- no interaction with anyone else in front of the camera.

And for Gwen Media that means we, as the audience, do NOT get to see the sub being put into latex costume bondage on-screen.

But that is okay for the settings are not meant to break Indica's character to become devoted to her unseen mistress. Indica's character is already hopelessly in love with her mistress and wants nothing more than to serve the mistress with absolute devotion. She is already past the point of conversion. She is already conditioned well to service her mistress' demands -- whatever those demands are. Though she still needs better focusing in accomplishing her assigned tasks which results in her punishment of the gimp dog floor scrubber scene.

Yes I admit that I too was not expecting a single person bondage film given Isabella's run with power films. But it seems that Isabella wanted to make an art film that showed a loving fetish interaction here.

And Isabella and Indica work together seamlessly to create that easy open desire and dedication in this film. Now if only Isabella had read her catalog and knew that this film belongs in the White Box series, this would have been a overwhelming success and excellent series restart.

So why does this film work so well? Because Isabella specifically tailored it to Indica's onscreen sensuality as the story of the sub who is already in love and devoted and got a performer who was able to showcase that devotion and sensuality. While Indica more than likely can do a fast pole dance and show off her vagina is a series of quick bends to flash the audience for quick whistles, Indica's reaction comes off smooth and seductive as is her voice. The only problem to the reaction is the lack of showing her eyes in the hoods. That reaction would have made the scenes better. But Indica still responds with her whole body evenly enough to convince you of the setting that she is in, including the punishments scenes or the electric dildo pleasure reward scene. When you are able to see Indica's eyes in the seventh segment, Indica is able to convince you that she is full of desire and devotion. Indica does not merely say she is engaging in the act which she does. Indica SHOWS that "hunger to please" in her reaction. She does not merely sit there as some have done with a "fucking machine" but Indica does exactly what she says -- she wants to show off her desire and please her unseen controller. Indica comes across very well as the longing lover who will do anything for her partner in a totally believable way. And that is the primary strength of the film.

And Isabella steals a lot of good fetish setting ideas to showcase Indica's erotic talents. Even for the punishment scene, the mouth mounted scrubber is a favorite from the discontinued Gord Books. But to see it in actual action and in a halfway convincing manner on-screen like this shows the dedication of Indica and imagination of Isabella as writer to come across with something beyond the electroshock therapy used so many times before. Still the idea of actually doing the cleaning COULD have been better shown visually such as showing some sort of grime actually on the floor and then removing it area by area which matches the area Indica's brush can actually cover and staying above her to showcase this. Though the progressive fade away into the corner is still a good visual idea in that same idea of showacasing the massive amount of cleaning to have been done, but just not as overwhelmingly powerful.

Isabella REVIEWED the FAILINGS she had with "Isabella's Toy" of basically ignoring the sub and trying then to distract you from the fact that she ignores Toy. In this film, while the unseen mistress is never seen but only suggested except for the bathroom shower scene where she turns on the water, Isabella specifically and deliberately showcases Indica's reaction to the desires and aspirations that her character is placed into by said controller and never loses that specific focus of Indica's reaction to the bondage settings she is in.

And most of all, Isabella selected a performer who is able to do seductive bondage for this love story. Not merely someone who can grind on cue but someone who seems to KNOW what seduction and hunger are and how to convey that set of emotions on-screen. Jade Indica showed that not only is she able to endure a long amount of imaginative settings but reacts to them well and in the setting the script calls for -- attentive desire to satisfy her partner. This is a BDSM love story made VERY well indeed.


So --

1) no overt beat downs;

2) no dressing into full costume such as onscreen hooding or gagging;

3) no interaction with anyone else; and

4) and a slow paced art film.

And this film is still an erotic filled BDSM power play for the mind and emotions of its audience that showcases its performer and writer very, very well.

My my my I may have to rethink my attitude on Isabella's writing ability as she shows she can make a good solid story driven film that touches the erotic as well as the emotional.

So you KNOW I am going to expect this level of writing and plot consistency for her next film, regardless of whether that film's focus is seductive BDSM actions as this one is, or returns to the enforced power-driven, break 'em down and convert 'em attitude as Toy was meant to be.

And as far as Indica goes, Sinclaire better try to keep her around along with Berlin and January Seraph as these performers show that have onscreen acting ability and that is a rare find in an industry populated by those who can't act in front of the camera well. And Indica proves that she can act AND SPEAK well.

--------------------------

IN A NUTSHELL:

Jade Indica perfectly nails the longing desire-filled sub who lives for her mistress' pleasure in this single person "day-in-the-life" story. There is very little to really fault Isabella here with in her obvious HIGH CALIBER DVD production showcasing of one of her devotees going through the daily routine and exercises for the unnamed servant.

This is EASILY Isabella's best self release for Gwen Media thus far out of the five films she has done. The film's plot is thoughtful, provocative and reflective of its target namely the unnamed slave and HER reaction to the situations she is enduring all for her mistress' pleasure and attention.

If you can get over the fact that this film action is wholly single person action, intentionally NOT overwhelming in its power play and an slow lingering art film that focuses on the mostly unrevealed performer who slowly seduces you with her onscreen desire and devotion, you can really, really enjoy this film.

If you are waiting on the next break-neck speed, beat-down of the still resisting recent kidnap victim that you want to see made into your devoted follower == this film will NOT fill your desires or demands as she is already there. Though give Indica a long slow look as she will draw you in with that voice of hers and her onscreen seduction. Unless all you are looking for it the quick bump and grind and smack. If that is what you are expecting, then you are just plain out of luck with this one.

I expect ALL of Isabella's films to be of this level from now on regardless of whether they are seduction films or beat downs as she SHOWS CLEARLY that she CAN do this level of production. I do NOT want to see any more of the shovelware films that list Sinclaire as the writer and director in the future.

So all I can really say about this film is when is Jade Indica's next film? As Jade proved in this film that she can DEFINITELY carry a full film as the lead with smooth seduction.



FINAL RATING: SEVEN out of TEN