"Busty Maids: Housekeepers In Heat" DVD & "Busty Bookworm Babes: Loose Nude & Dirty" DVD (director: Thomas Coven aka Thelonius Punk)

This pair (hahah) of hour-long DVDs arrive straight out of the box boasting of promises not delivered. To me, "busty" implies "with ample breasts", which both of these features definitely do NOT live up to. Immediate points off for false advertising.

Both "Busty Maids" and "Busty Bookworm Babes" consist of shorter vignettes of what amounts to softcore stripteases (and some simulated masturbation). Many of the same actresses appear, as well. "Busty Maids" just includes campy Halloween-store "maid" outfits, rather than the "nerdy" glasses and business attire of "Busty Bookworm Babes". Otherwise, these films are interchangeable. These are, for the most part, little more than substitutes for those boring Playboy videos. No, thanks. (Purgatory Blues and Bovine Studios)

Richard Kern - "Shot By Kern" DVD

"Shot By Kern" is a collection of 20 short "webisodes", created by famous underground filmmaker Kern. His subjects? Women. In this series, Kern photographs natural women, most often nude (at least as much as they want to show), all the while interviewing them about their lives, attitudes, family, etc. And though prudes out there may disagree, this is not pornography. There's no sexual acts, just all types of "everygirls" giving us, the viewer, a somewhat voyeuristic look into their private lives. Call it exhibitionism, too, and Kern just happens to be the catalyst to capture it. These ladies want to be free, and Kern is their portal.

The beauty of Kern's work is that he bucks the trends, never showcasing artificial women. We get ladies of a variety of styles, from lesbians to aspiring Brazilian models to alternative/punk rock girls. Kern doesn't embellish or airbrush anything, and, if anything, that makes "his" girls so attractive. You might know one.

That said, the first episode is an extended visit with Sasha Grey herself. Of course, she's a wee bit more comfortable being photographed naked than most of the other girls, but she's a fascinating subject nonetheless.

In short, "Shot By Kern" is a very worthwhile, even unforgettable series of vignettes presenting women on their own terms, being themselves, and not "performing". It's a breath of fresh air in a world of artificiality and marketing. I am looking forward to volume two! (MVD Visual)

Richard Kern website