Last year, I ran away from the city to Floridian suburbia. I was tired of the artistic scene and found everyone involved in it a little too self-indulgent and cruel. What I forgot -- and sent me running quickly back -- is that artists are also funny, intelligent, overly kind at times and quite necessary for my life -- and many others -- to be full. Take my friend, writer and activist Owen Keehnen. He is funny, loyal and published! In fact, his latest is a series of interviews with some of porn's greatest super studs. Reading his book Starz is much like watching Jet Set's Jet Set Direct: Take One. Take One, a first in a planned series, is compiled of vignettes that let you get a glimpse of the styles and get to know, if you will, some of the most talented performers and directors in porn.

Class director Bud Light introduces you to porn as an art project with the dual segmented "The Aquarium" The first section is a Pisces Delight with quick editing, sharp angles and classical music pouring over the bodies of award-winning Tag Eriksson and new dark Euro hottie (and my new Boyfriend of the Month) Paolo Cortez. Cortez has a beautifully thick laser of lust, and he maneuvers it like a surfer into the willing Eriksson in the aquatically unique first section and, even more zealously, in the more traditional second half. The second beat of this shortie takes place on an outdoor patio with orangeade globes and ornaments dangling everywhere. Eriksson worships the beautiful Cortez -- who reminds me of a minor One Life to Live regular that I had a crush on during the Marty Saybrooke era, several years ago -- and after Cortez returns the favor, he gets down to the motion of the ocean and delivers some major fucking on Eriksson's own dangling globes. Cortez dives into Eriksson like a lifeguard saving a minor caught out at sea -- and it is the wettest, hottest thing I have seen in many a wide stream! In fact, if there truly are many rivers to cross, I would wade through every one of them to get to Cortez, so that he could get to me!

Legendary duo director Gino Colbert and porn star Ken Ryker work over newer blood Cody Cash with stealth and enthusiasm in "The Visitor" segment. Cash beckons working man Ryker into his boudoir by first prancing around reindeer style, naked, on his patio, then by working his blood-thickening Johnson into a frenzy and, finally, by bending over and sticking a finger into his needful, wagging ass. Ryker responds by hosing his beautiful body down and then barging into Cody's bathroom, where the youth, first, gives Ryker's tired feet a good sucking. Soon Cash is gobbling down that monster pole, slurping up that tantalizingly hairy chute and then taking that curved and monstrous beefsteak up his gasping, yawning boy twat. Cody howls as if he is being split apart at the same time as he encourages the onslaught. (The Battle of "Pornandy" has begun, son!) As an added gesture, after the two cover each other with their juices -- and let it be known the box proclaims that this is Cash's first onscreen money shot -- Ryker lets a stream of piss fly into Cash's toilet while the young, kneeling lad watches lovingly as every last drop splashes out. Fellows, it looks like there is no such thing as dehydration when Ryker's on the spot!

As I have noted before, I find Brad Benton to be one of the most committed and passionate up-and-coming porn performers, and if I had to pick a favorite porn star of all time, I think Marcus Iron would head my list. I just love that "masculine, dark haired with just a hint of the sensitive child hidden inside" type! So, needless to say I probably would have found Michael Zen's "Freak" entertaining. But as a B-movie and horror film devotee, I truly loved his psychological blend of Hitchcock, gothic Ingmar Bergman suspense and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer use of color-and-black and white. These two incendiary studs devour each other wearing the barest and kinkiest leather outfits. In fact, Benton is beyond-the-sun hot in a pair of leather briefs. They suck each other's perfect rods with animal fervor and attack each other's assholes with the magnetism of wild animals finally set free. And while I truly love Iron and would be Ashley Judd to his Cole Porter any day and, naturally, prefer to see him top -- it is still a heart-pounding experience to watch Benton throw his legs up and give my favorite stud the ride of the millennium.

To bring things to a fine end, director Thor Stephans has college cool boy Brandon dreaming of humpy leather god, Buck McCall in "Leather Lust." Soon McCall has entered Brandon's precious and privileged reality and is giving him the experience of the lifetime. Brandon makes love to McCall's sweet hot meat with his fevered tongue and then takes that cool hard rod up his moist, moaning hole. These players are well-matched, and while their leather play is not "Jack Rinella" intense, it is beautiful to watch and brings this first series to a pleasant, porn happy conclusion.  

- Christian James

The fun of "Jet Set Direct: Take One" comes from the fact that four different directors are given a crack. The result is four very steamy scenes that seamlessly connect with a perhaps unintended theme of tease (I sure felt it) into one great flick, but yet are each so different in style and execution.

"The Aquarium," directed by Bud Light: The first part of this scene is a slow-motion highlights of the entire scene, showing everything in a breathless few moments before the main part starts, which is the full scene. Sounds crazy, right? Giving away the scene and then showing it? Not in the hands of Bud Light. What ends up happening is that you get what amounts to a trailer, making you drool for a bigger picture, and then you get it. Tag Eriksson, looking tall and so smoothly handsome, gets to make out in a lovely garden with Latino bombshell Paolo Cortez. Paolo first opens really wide to suck Tag's cock and then Tag sucks as well. Paolo's cock is thrillingly massive and Tag does a dauntless great job on it. After lots of mutual blowing, Paolo splits Tag's cheeks wide so he can get in there with a wanton rim before he fucks Tag with his mighty oak of a dick. Paolo not only dive-bombs into Tag, but does so with uncaring power. Tag then rides with equal aplomb, Paolo sneering while he smacks upward to match Tag's downward force. Paolo gives it to Tag missionary and it's the best position yet. Tag cums being fucked and then powerhouse Paolo whips off his condom and sprays huge on Tag.

"Freak," directed by Michael Zen: Michael Zen's vignette contains the inner demons of closeted sex freak Brad Benton, being tortured by phone calls from Marcus Iron, who knows what lurks inside. When Brad finally falls asleep one night after the torment, he dreams of having sex with Marcus. Marcus, sex personified with those eyes that don't stop, is wearing leather chaps and Brad is in leather undies. Brad sucks. And sucks. And sucks. His deep-throat is most impressive. Brad then climbs up the chair so Marcus can more quietly deep-throat him, which is filmed spectacularly. Brad then returns to slurping up Marcus, with some hard face-fucking from Marcus. Marcus has the pleasure of eating Brad's delicious ass, and doing so with silent intensity while Brad wails in enjoyment. Marcus has such a look of focus on his face, I couldn't believe he was rimming and not taking the SATs. Marcus then fucks a wildly eager Brad with all the skill in the world. His dick is buried deeply and he zestfully takes the ever-agreeable bottom. Brad's rock-solid cock seems proof that it feels as good as it looks. In a grand surprise, Brad also fucks Marcus. Brad is a spiffy little top, not as potent and as strong Marcus, but wonderfully noisy and boisterous. Beautifully lit, Marcus returns to fucking Brad, with chemistry all but spilling onto their leather. Brad cums a splashy series of droplets and then Marcus has an impressive shot with Brad still hard! A fun ending seals this as my favorite of the four vignettes.

"The Visitor," directed by Gino Colbert: The tease of this story isn't the situation, but the majestic Ken Ryker. Military-looking Cody Cash arrives in his bathroom, filled with dirty mags and dildos, mind you, and starts jacking off furiously in the mirror. He goes for a while and then walks to the door where he sees Ken washing the car in a jumpsuit. He continues his self-pleasure and then shows Ken his ass. Ken teases him by hosing himself down and stripping out of the one-piece get-up. Ken looks as good as ever, tall and hairy, just perfect of body. Ken soon joins Cody in the can, sitting on the toilet while Cody sucks his toes, attending to the large feet with lovely devotion. Cody soon enough gets to the dick, sucking a nice amount of it. Cody's blowjob is a bit stagnant, but he looks to be working as hard as he can. When Ken stands up, the fully hard snake of a thing looks so impressive sprouting off his body and Cody manages it without a break. Cody gets to lick Ken's hairy ass with a big tongue lapping up every morsel of it. Ken fucks Cody and given the size of the cock, it's amazing that this is suddenly the most electric part of the scene. Cody loudly begs for it, and his ass fulfills that promise, taking all of it. Ken is silent, but as it continues, he provides a fuck that is loud of action. When he's done, Ken blasts a full shot to Cody's face and mouth. Cody ends by dropping cum on Ken's cock. As a prologue, Cody watches almost scientifically at eye level as Ken pees with Ken teasing him that "maybe next time, I'll let you drink it."

"Leather Lust," directed by Thor Stephans: Tall tanned brunet twink Brandon is touching himself and sporting a hardon in his slinky square-cut bathing suit while dreaming as the next scene starts. His dream involves a shadowy figure in leather with a stunning body. The man in question turns out to be Buck McCall, and if you're going to dream, thinking of a stud like this is the way to go. The camera goes ape shit drooling over his body. Finally, Buck pulls Brandon into dreamland and we see Buck to be a super buff guy with sexy eyes and incredibly bitable lips. After Buck teases Brandon for a while by standing off to the side, he finally brings his stiffie to Brandon, who gorges himself appropriately. When the man of your dreams becomes real, take full advantage! Brandon gives the hunk a great oral workout, turning his own body into a few positions to get maximum cock down his throat. Brandon briefly placed up against a giant X so Buck can kiss him and play with their dicks. Next up is a fuck. Buck squeezes into Brandon easily and plugs away with expected good force. Brandon's ass is incredibly smooth and willing. The fuck is often shot in extreme close-up, which really works given that smoothness. They sway together in a nice rhythm doggy before Buck gets to open up a bit on the energy side with missionary. Buck stays deeply buried in Brandon past Brandon's cumming until he's ready for his own.

DVD features: Chapters; music video ("Leather Lust"); mockumentary (a very hysterical scene created for a Swedish TV show: Brad and Marcus have a hoot of a time, and even get to sex it up a bit); cum-shot chapter; gallery; trailers ("The Hole," "Desert Pick-Up 2," "American Porn Star," "The Fuk Club," Desert Pick-Up" and "Jackhammer"); model videographies; and no regional coding.

A DVD Review by Brent Blue