Here we have The 2008 AVN Adult Movie Awards (the 25th edition, so a fairly round anniversary while we are heading closer to 40 now) and the title shows you that here we have another installment of the adult film Oscars if you want to call them that. This is from 2008, so over a decade old already, but if you are not reading this review of mine in the next one or two years, then it's getting closer to 20 years already. or at least 15. It says 87 minutes duration here on imdb. Well, could be true, even if the version I watched was a little longer, but this also included over ten minutes of pre-show footage and at the end there was a grey screen or something for a long time. Kinda fitting because that night Sasha Grey triumphed and early on (directly before the show) somebody said she is maybe the one adult film performer with the best chance to make it big in non-adult films. Well, it wasn't meant to happen really and probably never will, but that won't keep me from saying I kinda liked Grey's rebel attitude besides the fact that she is also physically totally my type, so yeah nothing negative to say about her. She is my favorite and probably always will be and I am glad she won big that night. The director that night was Mark Stepp by the way and it sure feels unusual to see somebody other than Gary Miller in charge here, but Miller was writer and producer nonetheless and Stepp has a really respectable body of work as well if we take a look at all he directed in terms of (awards) shows, also some kids-friendly stuff. The exact opposite of what we have here. Miller's co-writer here was Mark Stone by the way. He was no longer with us, but he directed this event himself many times a long, long time ago and unless the other two I just mentioned, he is one directly from the center of the industry looking at all the video stuff he came up with. Not credited as a writer this time was Greg Fitzsimmons, at least according to imdb. He hosted the show in 2006, so two years earlier already, and back then he was. I also think he was good in 2008, but in 2006 he was really phenomenal and maybe this was because he wrote his own material. Or maybe he also did in 2008. We will never know I suppose. Only he knows and remembers I guess. But it not that important anyway. He was a talented fella back in 2006. He was one in 2008 and he still is in 2020. I can see why he appeared on Howard Stern this often and also acted here and there in known stuff like Santa Clarita Diet not too long ago. He should host this event more often for all I am concerned. He also had one co-host from the industry just like in 2006. Well, the rule is normally two female co-hosts, but as the one he picked in 2006 as well as the one in 2008 both did not impress me too much (the one in 2008 even less I suppose), I am glad that only one other person for each year was taking the attention away from him. In this 2008 version he sang even on one occasion. Just briefly, but stayed in the mind. Musical at the AVN Awards? Who would have thought. So yeah, for me it was mostly him in addition with Sasha that make it possible for me to say this was only a weak show, not a bad one. However, many other moments felt fairly uninteresting and uninspired unfortunately.
As for the winners, I cannot say too much here. Many I am not familiar with at all compared to previous years. Monica Mattos or Eva Angelina and they won big awards for example I have never heard the names before. But Evan Stone somehow always manages to succeed. This awards show probably, if at all, is remembered nowadays because of Jenna Jameson's "performance" and what she had to say about the industry. How she loves everybody really, but at the same time will never spread her legs again in front of the camera. A promise that seemed like a challenge to keep. Did she succeed? I am not too deep into the matter. No pun intended. In any case, it seemed pretty unusual to have a crowd boo somebody at this events. I think it was not what she said, but how she said it or that she used this platform to actually make a somewhat negative statement about the industry from her perspective. I am not sure what to think of that. Probably don't know enough for a really valid point. But Jameson, retired or not, will always be considered an icon. I have never been big on her I must admit, but she is also not really physically my type. It was probably for good reason they named an awards after her. And Stormy Daniels who won it said that she will keep spreading her legs. Okay, that was kinda spontaneous, but also a but funny. Nonetheless, I will never say something really positive about her because of the smear campaign about PotUS who I think she would have loved to spread her legs for, but never got the chance. Okay, on a really small note, I also like to see something in the small moments from time to time and as a big Les Misérables fan I was baffled to see an adult film actor with the name of Jean Valjean. Or I think it was Jean Val Jean. I wonder if he liked the Tom Hooper film as much as I did. Admittedly, that one came out years later, so he is probably more of a fan of the original story and character of Jean Valjean. Or he just likes an older movies. There's other of course. Randy Spears also won an award, but he was not featured as prominently as 2006 unfortunately. Somehow like the guy. Other than that, we have the usual problems: I still think there are far too many nominees in all kinds of categories. And exclusing categories altogether (in fact really, really many) is pretty disrespectful to the nominees. And I must say I am also glad this event did not go on for another 40 minutes or so, which is always a sign that I simply cannot give a positive recommendation this time. Admittedly, as I said in the title of my review, it is also nowhere near the weakest editions of the AVN Awards. Besides, I know I say this every single time, but it must be said: It's not acceptable for an awards show to take place in Janiary and people cannot watch it until two months later and the really sad thing is that this gap is still relatively small compared to how sometimes there was almost half a year in-between if we can trust the release dates listed on imdb. On a completely different note, how about they give some more attention to the male newcomer or male starlet or whatever you wanna call the category before now coming up with an "Unsung Starlet of the Year" category. Come on, show some respect for the (new) guys as well. And Transsexual Performer of the Year I am also not really familiar with. Honestly, I would have expected this in 2018 and 2008 and I am not sure if it's a good thing they were doing soemthing like this, but if the person really does not see "itself" as either woman or man, then it's understandable I suppose, but please only if it's not because the mainstream media came up with nonsense like this. before we are complaining about people not using a female article in a context where it is an option, we might wanna discuss why women are far from getting same wages as men. but then again it's always easier to give the starving man (and woman) a fish instead of teaching him (and her) how to catch a fish himself (herself). i don't even. the sad thing is that this agenda is pushed so shamelessly by the aforementioned mainstream media. Oh well, I am drifting a bit away now. Sorry (not sorry). A few more words on this ceremony now: Digital Playground is so incredibly big really and of course the production companies with the word "angel" in the title as well. And Vivid Entertainment. And Adam & Eve Pictures. Oh yes, Larry Flynt was around as well. He always elevates the material and I am glad he is still alive over a decade later. Still gotta watch that Woody Harrelson movie at some point I guess. Again, back to this show: The only other female reason besides Grey maybe to watch this would be Jenna Haze (great outfit too) who also took home an award back then. Good for her. Not undeserving by any means. I like her. And Manuel Ferrara (he has won so many times over the years) seemed also pretty likable in their acceptance speech. Is it weird that I find it romantic when couples accept awards for this category. I mean not actual couples, but it's kinda nice. I felt the two had decent chemistry. I mean they must have because otherwise they probably would not have won this award right? And Haze presenting an award with the equally stunning Belladonna, well call me in for that threesome. Ron Jeremy must stay out though. He joined the two in announcing this awards. Oh yeah, those where the days when he was not the devil yet. Sad to see people forget about everything positive he did for the industry for decades. I am absolutely not appreciative of what he has done to these girls (of he has done it), but it would be wrong to forget about everything else he has done. Away from that now. Very controversial. The banter between the porn girls (including Joanna Angel) and the nerds (or whatever they got called by the ladies) was one of the better moments of the evening too. But in the end, it just wasn't close to being enough for a positive recommendation. Even I as a gigantic Sasha Grey fan cannot give the entire thing a thumbs-up. They did not even have a (somewhat) big-name music guest that year. How unusual such an exclusion. Not even close either. Watch something else instead.
As for the winners, I cannot say too much here. Many I am not familiar with at all compared to previous years. Monica Mattos or Eva Angelina and they won big awards for example I have never heard the names before. But Evan Stone somehow always manages to succeed. This awards show probably, if at all, is remembered nowadays because of Jenna Jameson's "performance" and what she had to say about the industry. How she loves everybody really, but at the same time will never spread her legs again in front of the camera. A promise that seemed like a challenge to keep. Did she succeed? I am not too deep into the matter. No pun intended. In any case, it seemed pretty unusual to have a crowd boo somebody at this events. I think it was not what she said, but how she said it or that she used this platform to actually make a somewhat negative statement about the industry from her perspective. I am not sure what to think of that. Probably don't know enough for a really valid point. But Jameson, retired or not, will always be considered an icon. I have never been big on her I must admit, but she is also not really physically my type. It was probably for good reason they named an awards after her. And Stormy Daniels who won it said that she will keep spreading her legs. Okay, that was kinda spontaneous, but also a but funny. Nonetheless, I will never say something really positive about her because of the smear campaign about PotUS who I think she would have loved to spread her legs for, but never got the chance. Okay, on a really small note, I also like to see something in the small moments from time to time and as a big Les Misérables fan I was baffled to see an adult film actor with the name of Jean Valjean. Or I think it was Jean Val Jean. I wonder if he liked the Tom Hooper film as much as I did. Admittedly, that one came out years later, so he is probably more of a fan of the original story and character of Jean Valjean. Or he just likes an older movies. There's other of course. Randy Spears also won an award, but he was not featured as prominently as 2006 unfortunately. Somehow like the guy. Other than that, we have the usual problems: I still think there are far too many nominees in all kinds of categories. And exclusing categories altogether (in fact really, really many) is pretty disrespectful to the nominees. And I must say I am also glad this event did not go on for another 40 minutes or so, which is always a sign that I simply cannot give a positive recommendation this time. Admittedly, as I said in the title of my review, it is also nowhere near the weakest editions of the AVN Awards. Besides, I know I say this every single time, but it must be said: It's not acceptable for an awards show to take place in Janiary and people cannot watch it until two months later and the really sad thing is that this gap is still relatively small compared to how sometimes there was almost half a year in-between if we can trust the release dates listed on imdb. On a completely different note, how about they give some more attention to the male newcomer or male starlet or whatever you wanna call the category before now coming up with an "Unsung Starlet of the Year" category. Come on, show some respect for the (new) guys as well. And Transsexual Performer of the Year I am also not really familiar with. Honestly, I would have expected this in 2018 and 2008 and I am not sure if it's a good thing they were doing soemthing like this, but if the person really does not see "itself" as either woman or man, then it's understandable I suppose, but please only if it's not because the mainstream media came up with nonsense like this. before we are complaining about people not using a female article in a context where it is an option, we might wanna discuss why women are far from getting same wages as men. but then again it's always easier to give the starving man (and woman) a fish instead of teaching him (and her) how to catch a fish himself (herself). i don't even. the sad thing is that this agenda is pushed so shamelessly by the aforementioned mainstream media. Oh well, I am drifting a bit away now. Sorry (not sorry). A few more words on this ceremony now: Digital Playground is so incredibly big really and of course the production companies with the word "angel" in the title as well. And Vivid Entertainment. And Adam & Eve Pictures. Oh yes, Larry Flynt was around as well. He always elevates the material and I am glad he is still alive over a decade later. Still gotta watch that Woody Harrelson movie at some point I guess. Again, back to this show: The only other female reason besides Grey maybe to watch this would be Jenna Haze (great outfit too) who also took home an award back then. Good for her. Not undeserving by any means. I like her. And Manuel Ferrara (he has won so many times over the years) seemed also pretty likable in their acceptance speech. Is it weird that I find it romantic when couples accept awards for this category. I mean not actual couples, but it's kinda nice. I felt the two had decent chemistry. I mean they must have because otherwise they probably would not have won this award right? And Haze presenting an award with the equally stunning Belladonna, well call me in for that threesome. Ron Jeremy must stay out though. He joined the two in announcing this awards. Oh yeah, those where the days when he was not the devil yet. Sad to see people forget about everything positive he did for the industry for decades. I am absolutely not appreciative of what he has done to these girls (of he has done it), but it would be wrong to forget about everything else he has done. Away from that now. Very controversial. The banter between the porn girls (including Joanna Angel) and the nerds (or whatever they got called by the ladies) was one of the better moments of the evening too. But in the end, it just wasn't close to being enough for a positive recommendation. Even I as a gigantic Sasha Grey fan cannot give the entire thing a thumbs-up. They did not even have a (somewhat) big-name music guest that year. How unusual such an exclusion. Not even close either. Watch something else instead.