Revisiting Drive and Perspective - Lilith Likes to Watch

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Title: Drive
Year: 2019

Starring: Angela White, Maitland Ward, Manuel Ferrara

Director: Kayden Kross

Synopsis: Angela displays perfect execution in all aspects of her life until a chance encounter with a stranger makes her to face off against her own sexuality. What follows is an unraveling that pulls her out of the order of home and work and strings her along through a pulsing underground world of illicit gratification. The only thing stronger than the will of a woman who thrives on control is the part of her that breaks through once she loses it. - Via Letterboxd.com

Lilith's Notes: Read the original review here.

Buy: Adult Empire

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"Nothing is innocent and nothing is harmless."

If I had known better back then, I would have realized that this movie planted seeds with me. Horrible, horrible seeds.

I’m still pissed that this movie lost best art direction to Captain Marvel XXX.

In 2020, my little gremlin Kage, and I were feeling ambitious. We wanted to watch and review every 2020 AVN Best Picture nominee. That’s how we came across Drive. And how, a year and a half after starting the review site, we came across some of our favourite adult film performers.

You see, originally Lilith Likes to Watch was intended to review vintage adult films. But we grew curious and wanted to experiment, so we branched out and became fans.

Drive tells the story of Angela, (Played by Angela White) a repressed workaholic who comes across a seductive psychic and madame (Played by Maitland Ward), and follows her down a path into depravity and desire.

Drive is notable for being the adult film debut of Maitland Ward, formerly known for her mainstream, family friendly work like Boy Meets World. Of course now, in 2024, we know Ward has taken to porn like a fish to a hook, and is now quite successful in the industry. It’s a real Good For Her moment.

Okay, let’s just cut to the chase. Do I like it more or less than the first viewing?

I like it more. I’m sure you’re all so thankful to hear that. The scenes that I enjoyed the first time were somehow elevated this time around, and things I found passe, I managed to find new appreciation for.

I forgot how pretty this movie is. There are some gimmicky camera angles that director Kayden Kross tries out, and at least they’re interesting. Instead of watching Angela go through a door, we are attached to the door as she pulls it open, and the world swings back and forth.

The story is told in several chunks, meant to evoke the five stages of grief. Each stage accompanies a scenario in which Angela or her husband experience, watch or recall some sexual scene. All the while, Maitland is trying to unlock Angela’s sexual side, something Angela is afraid of.

The first scene centres around Maitland and we see how she became the porn powerhouse that she is today. She gives all the fucks. It takes up a lot of time, but never dips in energy or quality.

But, of course, if you know me at all, and I like to think that you do, then you know I was probably rather interested in revisiting the back-alley threesome between Small Hands, Brooklyn Gray and Owen Gray.

Yeah, it’s still great. I’m not gonna pretend like it’s not. Brooklyn Gray’s constant enthusiastic dirty talk remains top notch. She wants to be used, she wants to be enjoyed, and she wants to feel like garbage. Again, a real Good For Her moment. This movie is just filled with Good For Her moments!

But what caused me to absolutely flail, was a moment where Owen Gray said “Come here, ma’am” and then spat in Brooklyn’s mouth.

Find yourself a partner who politely degrades you! The best position is juxtaposition!

Next, Angela remembers a time where she was still just dating her husband and she grew jealous of the intern (Played by Gabbie Carter) that she and her husband hired. So she orders her husband to fuck the intern and for the intern to fuck Angela’s husband. This scene is still quite impactful, with very moody lighting, and good use of brightness and shadows. Angela is a commanding presence looming over every second. It’s dubious, and rather raw.

Gradually Angela learns some truths about herself and ends up at sex club sheltered in a warehouse. She and her husband enter, guided by Maitland, and Angela samples all the kinky things she had for so long let pass her by.

Cue the Darren Aronofsky comparisons. The filming techniques are lifted straight out of Requiem for a Dream and the score even sounds like the bastard child of Lux Aeterna. But, it looks good. The sets are all practical, the lighting dynamic and ever-shifting.

Then begins a five-person orgy that once made me believe I just don’t really enjoy orgy scenes. I had thought for a time that once you get past about four people, it all just becomes noise and flesh, which is true to a point, but also, I can admit when I’m wrong.

Thanks to watching truly awful films, I know what a bad orgy is. A bad orgy is when one or more participants just sort of stand off to the side and do nothing.

This is not, by any means, a bad orgy.

What I didn’t notice the first time around is that this particular five-some has moments where, through both body and camera placement, the scene is a work of art. Everyone will be in perfect symmetry, or an intricate pose, and they will look like a living sculpture.

Angela and her crooked smirk then run off deeper into the warehouse and things get genuinely creepy for a moment as Angela accepts the true depths of her desires and descends into pure chaos.

And yeah, my feelings on this scene haven’t changed. It’s a level of extreme gonzo excess that I don’t click with. As always, no shame if this does it for you, it clearly does it for Angela White, but like I previously established, I need some manners with my extreme hardcore kink.

I liked Drive better than I remember, and better than I expected. I was honestly kind of dreading this re-watch but I forgot how stylish and ambitious it is. It’s nowhere near my favourite but it does try to reach for elevation in a way a lot of porn lacks. This is art, it’s just tough to watch at times and the story perhaps has been told better in other films.

Best Moment: It’s a tie between the office scene and the alley scene.

Worst Moment: I can’t even say that the final orgy scene was bad, necessarily, it’s just way too extreme for my personal tastes.

LILITH'S SCORE: 3/5 - The score remains the same but I have discovered a new found appreciation for the movie as a whole.

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Title: Perspective
Year: 2019

Starring: Angela White, Seth Gamble, Abigail Mac

Director: Bree Mills

Synopsis: A psychological thriller about a couple in the final days of their marriage, as told from each of their perspectives. - Via Letterboxd.com

Lilith's Notes: Read the original review here.

Buy: Adult Empire

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"I think everyone should taste her."

Over the years, there have been many times that I've wanted to rewatch this movie. That time has finally come.

Like last time, I urge you to watch this film, then come back to watch the review because oh boy!

The Safe Word is Spoilers.

Perspective is one of those rare important adult films, and it’s going to be impossible to discuss without spoiling it.

Angela White and Seth Gamble play Jenny and Daniel, a husband and wife couple who are going through a difficult time in their marriage.

I’m just going to cut to the chase. Sorry. I can’t not.

This is a film one should watch twice and I’m so disappointed in myself that it took so long for a second viewing. Honestly I was both waiting for “the right time”, but also fearful it wouldn’t hold up. Lucky for us, not only did it hold up. It was even better this time around.

Going forward, I’m just going to assume you’ve watched this film as well, so you know how this all ends.

In retrospect, the opening has an amazing ethereal atmosphere that I pick up on right away. If you don't know where this movie is going, it can give the viewer a false sense that this is just a strangely acted and directed porno. But... if you know, you know.

As always, Angela White is just phenomenal in this film. From the evil seductive knowing looks right at the camera, to her full-bodied weeping in later episodes, she is acting her absolute heart out.

There are also some amazingly beautiful shots, like one of a scene shot through a glass orb, so Angela is refracted and upside down. It's very pretty and inventive.

Jeeze, it’s so hard to review perfection. Like, what am I supposed to say? The story is an amazing gut-punch, the acting is great, the use of colour and lighting is astounding. This is peak. This is mint. This is four years old and I would argue nobody, inside or outside of this film, has met this level of quality. This is art. This is the best there is.

Take everything I said the first time around, and apply to now, but amplify it by 10.

I can't. How can such a perfect film exist? How is this real? How. HOW?!

Anyway, episode 3 rolls around and we learn the tragic truth Jenny has been enduring, that, in reality she isn’t a controlling, manipulative she-devil but is in an abusive marriage and sneaking her way to freedom.

There’s a clever subversion of the whole “screwing the milkman” porno trope used that made me snicker.

The love scene between Jenny and Nina (Played by Abigail Mac) is just as sweet and tender as before. Surprise, Pornos can have slow burn romances.

Unfortunately, it slightly fumbles the landing, just a little bit. I know the movie has to happen but I feel like there should have been another way for Daniel to find out what Jenny was up to. Attacking her abuse counselor, and getting the address to the safe house, I feel that if anyone would have a fake address in their back pocket, it would be the organizer of Jenny’s escape. So that rang a little false to me.

Also I’m not sure the final reveal makes logical sense.

And yet, 4.5 feels a little too low.

But also the last 10 minutes kinda fall apart a little.

But also… 4.5 feels too low.

This is a movie that stuck itself in our heads for four years and it was even better than we remembered.

I suppose it truly is a matter of–

No. No, fuck that, nope, too easy.

Best Moment: The reveal of what this film is actually about.

Worst Moment: The ending falls apart just a little. Also I’m not a fan of the styling of Angela White in the group scene.

LILITH'S SCORE: 4.5/5

Until next time, my voracious voyeurs. I’m Lilith, and I’m always watching.