Love and Other Mishaps by Digital Playground - review by Mr. & Mrs. Peg

Love and Other Mishaps is shot in Full 1080P HD on Blu-Ray which revealed every exquisite detail. This is my first time watching porn on Blu-Ray and the HD TV and I was really amazed at the level of detail. What I found interesting, though, was that on a few occasions the camera fell out of focus and it is really apparent when it happens.

The color tone of this film has been manipulated in the HD version. It is cool and contrasty which played well with Stoya's dark hair and alabaster skin. Sasha Grey is also very light-skinned with dark features. I think this worked well and added to the visual appeal. Mrs. Peg didn't find this as appealing. In fact, she found it a little distracting how almost translucent Stoya appears at times. My years of work with black and white photography may be coloring my opinion of this effect.

Celeste, the director, and Digital Playground deliver a quality porno movie in terms of the mechanics of this film. The cinematography has high production values. The shot and angles, while not particularly innovative, do bring you into the action. You definitely see what you want to see and in very fine detail. Love and Other Mishaps was filmed in an opulent mansion and a less stunning bar set. Because the house scenes are not on a true set, the sound, at times, was very echoey (I know, not a word…but it's true!). This was, perhaps, the only real detractor from this otherwise visually appealing film.

The script is another thing entirely. The general story line is that of a young actress (Stoya) who is unsure of what she wants, but definitely knows how to get it. Okay, so that is what the box says. I really didn't get that from the film. It's kind of hard to figure out what is really going on, other than a hot little minx is having sex with some studly gentlemen. To that end, Stoya shares scenes with three men in what, in movie time, seems to be all one day. Sasha Gray has one scene which seemed to be the longest in the film. Curiously, Nicole Ray also appears in the film in a scene that lends very little to the already weak story line.

The girls in this film are American, while the men are mostly European, with Christian being the exception. I always find this an interesting combination. There are some great American male porn stars, don't get me wrong. But European men always seem to carry themselves a little differently.

Both Stoya and Sasha Grey are natural, with Stoya even having only a moderately trimmed pubic area (perhaps in response to the “shaving incident” that is lurking around on the internet). Nicole Ray, who is tanned in comparison to Stoya and Sasha Grey, looks a little less natural and presents herself completely shaved. Nothing against the actress, but she seems just a bit out of place in the story and doesn't quite fit the theme.

Sasha's scene, while long, involved some things that Mrs. Peg and I find a little disturbing in porn. Her oral talents are apparent, but we really are not fans of gagging and there is a little of that going on here. We also do not like choking. I understand that's her thing, it's just not ours. As Mrs. Peg said, “That would be a deal breaker for me.” There is also plenty of ass slapping throughout (something we are not opposed to!) and some breast slapping as well. There is no anal in this film.

In all, I like this film. Being a guy, I am very visual, so this appealed to me. Mrs. Peg was less enthused. It lacks a strong storyline, she found the color manipulation disturbing and the acting is, well, not there.

We have watched part of this since we reviewed it. Still stand on what we said before. Stoya is definitely the highlight of this film. Mrs. Peg is still a little put off by her alabaster skin.