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The 51 Best Sexy Movies of the 21st Century, from ‘Spring Breakers’ to ‘X’

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Editor’s Note: This story was originally posted on July 23, 2017, and has been updated multiple times since.

Few cinematic moments can burn themselves into an audience’s psyche better than a good sex scene. They can shock, arouse, or simply capture human beauty in ways that cinema is uniquely positioned to do. Sex scenes don’t have to define the movies they appear in, but they’re often the parts you remember the most.

Our list of the 51 best sexy movies of this century is an international affair, with films originating from around the globe. From the biggest studio projects to the smallest independent films, the artists on this list prove that you can be sexy with budgets of any size. Keep reading to see our picks for the sexiest movies of the 21st century (so far).

Kate Erbland, Jude Dry, Alison Foreman, Eric Kohn, Ryan Lattanzio, Zack Sharf, Jamie Righetti, Samantha Bergeson, and also contributed to this story.

51. “Saltburn” (2023)

“Saltburn” is less effective as a film than it is as a platform to produce fancams of its attractive male leads. Still, Emerald Fennell’s uneven second feature sure knows how to make the people onscreen look jaw-droppingly gorgeous. As the social-climbing, scheming Oliver, Barry Keoghan brings a barbed sensuality to his scenes that imbues the Oxford student’s relationship with the richer Felix (Jacob Elordi) with exquisitely thick tension. And Elordi, frequently bathed in golden hour light and adding a lovely softness to his character, has never been more desirable than he is as the innocent rich kid. For how much the film falters when it comes to delivering on its “Talented Mr. Ripley” premise, it delivers if what you’re looking for is an appreciation of male beauty. —WC

50. “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000)

49. “Bones and All” (2022)

After “Call Me By Your Name,” Timothee Chalamet and Luca Guadagnino’s ability to craft sexy cinema together was never going to be questioned again. So for their second film together, it’s almost as if the collaborators decided to challenge themselves and make something erotic out of one of the least sexy topics on the planet: cannibalism. By many measures they succeeded, crafting a disturbingly sensual road movie set against the backdrop of middle America in the 1980s. While certain viewers will always be haunted by the slurping sounds, the sexual chemistry between Chalamet and Taylor Russell is impossible to ignore. —CZ

48. “The Northman” (2022)

47. “2046” (2004)

Wong Kar-wai films are essentially cinematic foreplay. No filmmaker is better at capturing the beauty and sensuality of slow-burning flirtations that never have to be consummated to entrance audiences. So it’s hardly surprising that his sort-of sequel to his most beloved film (“In the Mood for Love”) would feature the same brand of agonizing sexiness. Set in 2046, nearly a century after the 1960s Hong Kong romances that took place in “Days of Being Wild” and “In the Mood for Love,” the sci-fi romance features some of Wong’s most iconic characters finally reaching the conclusion of a lifetime of unexplored desire. It’s a singular film that could have only been made by a singular filmmaker, but it’s essential viewing for fans of his work. —CZ

46. “Decision to Leave” (2022)

45. “Casino Royale” (2006)

Martin Campbell’s 007 film didn’t just mark the introduction of a new actor (Daniel Craig) playing James Bond — it represented a complete reinvention of what the iconic spy character could be. After years of increasingly goofy and dated Bond films, Campbell opted to ignore the character’s campy past and bring the womanizing secret agent into the 21st century with a bang. “Casino Royale” is sleek, gritty, and yes, very sexy (making Craig’s swim shorts one of the defining examples of sexy onscreen apparel). Rather than portray Bond as some kind of comic book character, it allowed audiences to see what it might look like if one of his high stakes spy missions took place in something resembling the real world. While the Daniel Craig era saw several other acclaimed directors put their own spin on James Bond, they all owe a debt to “Casino Royale.” —CZ

44. “Of an Age” (2022)

43. “Lingua Franca” (2019)

Isabel Sandoval’s masterful portrait of a trans Filipina immigrant is so intimately rendered it almost feels too close at times. The elegant breakout film was entirely directed, written, produced, and edited by Sandoval, who also plays the film’s sympathetic lead Olivia. The film follows an undocumented trans woman as she saves up for a green card marriage while working as a home health aide for an elderly Russian woman (Lynn Cohen) in Brighton Beach. Her plan becomes complicated by a simmering romance with the ne’er-do-well grandson Alex (Eamon Farren), a lost but gentle soul with a Slavic sex appeal. Their scenes are laden with a sexual tension that eventually gives way to latent desire, foreshadowed by intimately erotic scenes of Olivia’s self-pleasure. With her many hats translating into such confidently crafted cinema, Sandoval is the closest thing queer film has to a trans auteur working on such a level. Sharply edited and shot with an austere beauty, “Lingua Franca” is a profound example of what happens when marginalized voices are given full creative control. — JD

42. “The World to Come” (2020)

41. “Parallel Mothers” (2021)

Pedro Almodóvar is never one to shy from a complex erotic bond, and here the one between Janis (Penélope Cruz) and Ana (Milena Smit) is both a kind of mother-daughter connection, but one that takes increasingly kinky turns. Their dynamic is ever-shifting from the maternal, to the erotic, and back again. Plenty of Almodóvar films have featured raunchy, vigorous sex scenes, but “Parallel Mothers” is sexiest for the electricity humming between Janis, who is childless in middle age and derailed by a busted affair, and Ana, a scared teenager staring down the precipice of parenthood. All these threads are tied up in a twisted little package that’s also one of Almodóvar’s most sumptuous love stories to date. — RL

40. “Hustle & Flow” (2005)

39. “Weekend” (2011)

A head rush of desire, Andrew Haigh’s “Weekend” is perhaps the best whirlwind onscreen romance since Jesse and Celine met on the train in “Before Sunrise.” Tom Cullen plays Russell, an emotionally reserved gay man in Nottingham who hooks up with the more open and wild art student Glen (Chris New). What starts as a one night stand unexpectedly turns into a deeper connection that helps Russell break down his walls, but one with a very quick expiration date, as Glen is set to leave the country for the United States by the end of the weekend. Haigh’s film features a ton of explicit sex scenes, and Cullen and New aren’t shy about appearing on camera in the buff, but it’s the urgency of their fleeting encounters, and the sense that every last kiss could be their last, that makes the film so hot. —WC

38. “X” (2022)

37. “The Worst Person in the World” (2021)

Joachim Trier builds life-destroying sexual longing as so few do in his portrait of a woman in romantic crisis, “The Worst Person in the World.” Julie (Renate Reinsve) weighs romantic options between the more stable Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie) and more chaotic choice Elvind (Herbert Nordrum). In her first encounter with Elvind, they agree not to touch, instead spending a night together at a raucous party outlining all the things they might do to each other if they both weren’t already in other relationships. A gorgeous and literally slow-burning shot of Julie and Elvind passing a smoke ring is one of the sexist moments on screens in recent years. And when she finally runs toward her future and into Elvind’s bed, the delayed psychosexual gratification is worth the wait. — RL

36. “Take This Waltz” (2011)

35. “Challengers” (2024)

“Challengers” generated plenty of buzz before its release for the scenes where stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor all make out with each other on a dingy motel bed. So much hand-wringing came out of the trailers that it came as a mild surprise when Luca Guadagnino’s film ultimately lacked an actual sex scene in its two-hour runtime. That’s not to say it’s not sexy, though. Guadagnino has shown a talent for generating heat out of teasing and desire, and there’s enough sublimated lust teaming from all sides of the central tennis love triangle (or even, dare we say, throuple) to make “Challengers” an unbearably seductive watch. But the hottest part of the film may just be the tennis choreography, which is muscular and sweaty and makes the three leads look like gods on the court. When the film concludes on a furious match-to-end-all-matches between Faist and Connor’s childhood friends, it proves to be a climax in more ways than one. —WC

34. “Phantom Thread” (2017)

33. “Zola” (2020)

Sparked by a viral Twitter thread from 2015, Janicza Bravo’s “Zola” is a harrowing thriller about a cunning stripper, played by the revelatory Taylour Paige, and a deeply scary debacle involving three strangers and a road trip to Florida. When Zola is approached by Riley Keough’s Stefani — another dancer who seems nice enough — the pair become embroiled in a sinister but unquestionably intimate frenemy-ship that threatens to drag Zola into human trafficking. Again, this is a sexy and sex-positive title but it’s also laced with sobering dangers and features a series of coercive sexual encounters that are themselves decidedly repulsive. That said, supernova performances from both Paige and Keough, combined with snappy, internet savvy editing and costume designs from Derica Cole Washington, make “Zola” a seductive sight to behold. —AF

32. “American Honey” (2016)

31. “God’s Own Country” (2017)

There is no “I can’t quit you” moment in writer-director Francis Lee’s expertly crafted cinematic debut, only the bleak but beautiful landscape of the Yorkshire countryside. Gorgeously shot and engaging from beginning to end, “God’s Own Country” is the kind of gay film more people should be making, unflinching in its approach to sex scenes. The documentary-style farm scenes elevate it far beyond traditional gay dramas, and it doesn’t make the mistake of confusing tragedy with quality. It’s the story of a young man named Johnny (Josh O’Connor), who is stuck (in many ways) managing his family’s livelihood in the wake of his father’s stroke. To help with lambing season, the family hires a Romanian migrant worker named Gheorghe (Alec Secareanu). While Johnny is well-versed in soliciting random sex at livestock auctions, he isn’t prepared for the intensity of real human connection — much less Gheorghe’s puppy-dog brown eyes. When the two head up the mountain to birth the lambs, things get muddy — and viscerally sexy, as Johnny and Gheorghe’s encounters take on an at first animalistic energy before evolving into something deeper and more tender. — JD

30. “Disobedience” (2017)

29. “Quills” (2000)

It’s easy enough to get sucked into “Quills” based on the promise of Joaquin Phoenix playing an earnest (and incredibly sexy) young priest tempted by his attraction to a chambermaid. But somehow, much like Kate Winslet’s Madeline, we fall under the spell of the charismatic Geoffrey Rush, who plays his role as the Marquis de Sade with a deliciously dirty panache befitting the notorious French writer. The Marquis’ libertine ways run counter to the no-nonsense Royer-Collard (Michael Caine), who takes over the asylum with the intention of stifling the writer’s creative output. But even his own wife is no match for the words of the Marquis, which ooze both sensuality and liberty. Before long, any initial apprehension to the Marquis de Sade (he is a dirty old man, after all) is fully given over to the hope that his debauchery will win out, and that his desire, as well as that of Madeline and Coulmier (Phoenix) will be fully fulfilled — even though we know this is impossible. — JR

28. “Magic Mike XXL” (2015)

27. “Yes, God, Yes” (2019)

Set in the heyday of naughty AOL chatrooms, “Yes, God, Yes” stars Natalia Dyer as Alice: a curious high school junior whose burgeoning sexuality soon bumps against the strict abstinence-only stance of her Catholic community. Writer/director Karen Maine’s coming-of-age comedy merits inclusion here not because that many sexy things happen in it (seriously, these characters use the phrase “tossing salad” far too often to find them truly sexy), but because it brilliantly captures the zippy adolescent inquisitiveness that is first learning about intimacy. Dyer delivers a wide-eyed performance that’s not only profoundly endearing, but evokes the sort of sexiness you can only really experience when you’re young .—AF

26. “The Dreamers” (2003)

25. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008)

Undeniably sexy and amusing at once, Woody Allen’s 2008 Spain-set dramedy delights in pushing its various players into all sorts of romantic permutations and configurations. Anchored by Scarlett Johansson in a sneaky performance as the eponymous Cristina (pre-breakout Rebecca Hall is her best pal Vicky), the film follows a pair of friends as they meet and make lots of love with the beguiling Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who isn’t at all thrown off by the possibility of having two lovely ladies in his bed. In fact, he’s got another one to think about too, his free-spirited ex-wife (Penelope Cruz), who he just can’t get out of his head (or heart). On the surface, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is a dead sexy romp about free-wheeling love-makers (complete with plenty of naughty bits), but it’s also a film that boldly explores issues of fluidity and fidelity with an uncharacteristically easy touch. – KE

24. “Shortbus” (2006)

23. “Brokeback Mountain” (2005)

The end of this film is so movingly profound that your memory of it might not be that it was all that sexy. The love between these two men, buried under their rugged cowboy exteriors, ends with what can only be described as a sense of life-defining tragedy. Yet it is those brief moments where they let themselves go and unleash their animalistic passion, which “Crouching Tiger” director Ang Lee captures in his normal visceral fashion, that add a level of eroticism and physically affection that nearly makes all the pain worth it. Ennis and Jack rotate from almost fighting, as they pull at each others’ denim-clad exterior, to moments of being naked and incredibly tender. It’s virtually every cowboy fantasy rolled up into one. That they can only be themselves in the privacy of the great outdoors makes everything that much more liberating. Watching this film in 2005 felt taboo and rebellious, which resulted in a charged atmosphere in packed mainstream cineplexes around the country. — CO

22. “In the Cut” (2003)

21. “Spring Breakers” (2012)

A group of four college-aged friends head down to Florida for a spring break trip unlike any other in Harmony Korine’s luscious and totally insane drama. Doused in social satire and dripping with empowered teenage sex appeal, “Spring Breakers” flips nearly every script on its drug and sex-fueled joy ride into the most hedonistic depths of humanity. Deliberate with every move, Korine cast three beloved teen stars as girls gone certifiably wild: Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”), Vanessa Hudgeons (“High School Musical”), and pop star Selena Gomez. (His wife, Rachel Korine, rounds out the group). When they meet drug dealer Alien, (an unhinged James Franco in one of his best roles), they indulge every desire and descend into the dark underbelly of spring break. While certain scenes have undoubtedly landed on x-rated streaming sites, the image of Alien sucking the barrel of a handgun will not be forgotten anytime soon. — JD

20. “Beyond the Lights” (2014)

19. “Jennifer’s Body” (2009)

Karyn Kusama’s “Jennifer’s Body” suffered infamously bad marketing back in 2009, with posters that positioned Megan Fox’s “Transformers”-era hotness as the movie’s main attraction. Sure, the actress’s visual appeal plays an important part in the story of Jennifer Check: a high school cheerleader and “it” girl, sacrificed to the devil by an underperforming indie rock band. But to boil down Diablo Cody’s bloody brilliant script to just Fox’s looks undersells the screaming sexiness of the horror movie’s mischievous bisexual representation. “I go both ways,” Jennifer purrs in a scene where the demonically possessed popular girl turns on her best “friend” [wink] Needy, played by Amanda Seyfried. It’s a hilarious coming out that makes every previous scene between them (“ We always share your bed when we have slumber parties… “) at once so much sexier and so much scarier. —AF

18. “Ex Machina” (2014)

17. “Love” (2015)

Gaspar Noé’s jaw-dropping Cannes entry does not fuck around. Ostensibly a story about a dude (newbie Karl Glausman) who lost the love of his life (Aomi Muyock) because he couldn’t keep it in his pants when it came to the young Danish student (Klara Kristin) the pair previously engaged in a threesome with, the film is really an excuse to get down with some exceedingly dirty (and often admirably inventive) love scenes. While there’s a deep tenderness underneath all the fucking and fighting, Noé’s feature actually finds its most transcendent moments in scenes that hinge entirely on the act of physical love, forgetting the emotional and drilling down on, well, drilling down. Bolstered by an amusingly kinky marketing campaign that played up its sexiest bits to occasionally shocking results, “Love” wears its heart on its sleeve, and then promptly takes it off, flings it across the room, and takes you to bed. Scintillating! — KE

16. “A Bigger Splash” (2015)

15. “Passages” (2023)

Ira Sachs’ “Passages” takes a cold, hard look at love that hurts. Franz Rogowski plays Tomas, a Parisian filmmaker who self-immolates when he leaves his husband Martin (Ben Whishaw) for the kind-eyed Agathe (Adele Exarchopoulos, who does not appear naked once in this film despite what you’d expect from the “ Blue Is the Warmest Color ” star), a collaborator on his latest film. Tomas’ emotional and pan-sexual ricochets set off a grisly chain of psychological reactions. At one point, Tomas, realizing the peril of his decisions, returns to Martin in their Paris apartment. They make primal unfussy love in a long unbroken take helmed by cinematographer Josée Deshaies where Martin fucks Tomas, Tomas’ legs wrapped around him in tortured ecstasy. Director Sachs never shows us their faces, and obfuscates their bodies with off-centered camera blocking, but the scene underscores the banality of sex as seen from a distance, even when the sex in question seems like the most important thing ever to happen to us at the time.  —RL

14. “The Duke of Burgundy” (2014)

13. “Lust, Caution” (2007)

While the plot of Ang Lee’s 2007 historical drama is heavy on the intrigue, fitting a tricksy spy tale inside a lush setting, the feature’s treatment of the complexities of human desire and emotion are what set it a cut above. Initially concerned with a convoluted plan to off a high-powered special agent sent to Hong Kong to help sell a Japanese puppet government that also involves, of all things, a deeply patriotic acting troupe, Lee’s film steadily inches towards its  real  story: the unexpected and very dangerous relationship that blossoms between young Wong Chia Chi (a revelatory Tang Wei) and the agent, Mr. Yee (Tony Leung, because duh) as they double cross themselves and each other. Lee’s film celebrates the power of physical love — it’s only after lots and lots of lovemaking that Chia Chi begins to feel  actual  love for Yee — before getting to the emotional stuff, which packs an even greater wallop after all that getting down. Capped off by a tragic ending, “Lust, Caution” doesn’t shy away from its downbeat tone, but the memories of the love that came before keep it deeply satisfying to the last. — KE

12. “Swimming Pool” (2003)

11. “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” (2019)

Before “Bridgerton” seemed to coin the “I burn for you” catchphrase, Céline Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” set Cannes ablaze as a lesbian period piece rooted in forbidden love, feminism, and the haunted yearning of a life unlived. Set along the Brittany coast in the late 18th century, “Portrait” follows determined artist Marianne (Noémie Merlant) after she is tasked with painting a wedding portrait of reluctant bride-to-be Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) in secret. As Marianne lives a double life – playing Héloïse’s live-in companion by day while trying to sketch her face from memory by night – the two women forge a deeper bond based on their shared dissatisfaction with the lives they are supposed to lead. The lines between subject and painter, art and artist, are blurred until Marianne and Héloïse begin a tender love affair, one that inevitably has an expiration date. An especially memorable scene featuring the couple playing with mirrors atop their genitals echoes the emotional push inward as both characters see themselves for the first time in one another. — SB

10. “Magic Mike” (2012)

9. “The Piano Teacher” (2001)

Isabelle Huppert goes truly taboo in Michael Haneke’s daring adaptation of Elfriede Jelinek’s Nobel Prize-winning novel of the same name. Her eponymous piano teacher Erika Kohut is driven by desires she works to extremes to conceal, including a bent towards sadomasochistic fetishes that she is unable to hide once she meets young student Walter (Benoît Magimel), who soon becomes party to her secret needs even as he struggles to respond to them. As their dual (and dueling) passion for each other grows, they’re at loose ends to express themselves in ways the other will appreciate, leading to scene after scene of push-pull lovemaking that zip between erotic and uncomfortable. It all culminates in a shocking, violent finale that stays sexy and appealing thanks to the full force of both Huppert and Magimel’s commitment to their parts and their shocking chemistry. — KE

8. “Stranger By the Lake” (2013)

7. “In the Mood for Love” (2000)

Every Wong Kar-wai movie contains a kind of visual sensuality in every frame, but “In the Mood for Love” goes one step further — its slow-burning romance between a pair of would-be lovers who live across the hall from each other in sixties-era Hong Kong is rich with unobtainable desire. Much is left unsaid and unachieved about the fantasy of an extramarital affair shared by Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), but the hints of attraction between them, unfolding in small gestures and passing glances, imbues each scene with the intensity of emotions specific to a period of repression. It’s a grand tragedy of issed opportunities framed by erotic implications. — EK

6. “The Handmaiden” (2016)

5. “Nymphomaniac” (2013)

As with most Lars Von Trier movies, “Nymphomaniac” defies categorization. This epic two-part journey into the life and mind of one seriously perverted woman has many disturbing scenes, to be sure, but there are also some pretty hot ones. Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) is the nymphomaniac of the title, recounting the chapters of her life to the middle-aged Seligman (Stellan Skarsgard), who analyzes her escapades with various literary and philosophical references. From adolescence, her ravenous desire for increasingly extreme sexual contact is her only guiding principle, leading to risky and often reprehensible behavior. The sex — while often shocking — never feels gratuitous; not only is it so central to the story, but Joe’s cogent self-analysis keeps the focus on the inner workings of her mind that the camera can’t really objectify her. While the more extreme stuff is more riveting than arousing, there are a few vanilla sex scenes with Jerome (Shia LeBoeuf), an anonymous threesome, and an early scene where a teenage Joe is seducing businessman on a train. — JD

4. “Unfaithful” (2002)

3. “Sex and Lucia” (2001)

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen the clay-covered erection in “Sex and Lucía.” The role that first introduced Paz Vega to American audiences (shortly before she appeared in Pedro Almodóvar’s “Talk To Her”), Julio Medem’s “Sex and Lucía” features some of the most delightfully inventive sex scenes ever put to film. A grippingly sensual mystery with surrealist elements, writer-director Medem is clearly influenced by his countrymen Almodóvar and Luis Buñuel – to excellent effect. Vega is the titular character, a woman who retreats to a seaside town to after she learns of the suicide of her lover. The movie then jumps in time to follow Lorenzo (Tristán Ulloa) on a moonlit escapade in the very same seaside town where Lucía is convalescing. Each sex scene reveals something about the characters or drives the story forward, as well as being incredibly hot, fun, and creative. Whether its seduction by mud bath or a blindfolded game where lovers dip various body parts into each other’s mouths, the sex in “Sex and Lucía” is so imaginative it might inspire you to step up your game. — JD

2. “Secretary” (2002)

1. “Y Tu Mamá También” (2001)

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The 65 Sexiest Movies of All Time

'Fifty Shades' is one of the tamest movies on this list.

The internet is full of sex. But sometimes you want to watch something provocative without seeing straight-up explicit content. Lucky for you, the world has been producing sexy-but-not- sex -y entertainment for even longer than the internet has been in existence. When you want to watch something that's definitively NSFW, but not too steamy, when you're looking for steamy content, but not just intercourse, there are certain mainstream movies that land right in that sweet spot.

For your viewing pleasure, we've collected some of the sexiest and most sensual movies that mainstream cinema has ever gifted to the world. From Stanley Kubrick's anonymous sex orgy party classic Eyes Wide Shut to the very different mainstream accounts of real-life BDSM kink in Fifty Shades of Grey and Secretary to scorching hot LGBTQ+ love stories like Blue Is the Warmest Color and Call Me By Your Name , these movies epitomize the best kinds of sexy Hollywood has ever been able to muster. Yes, they have nudity and sex (sometimes just implied, sometimes, um, let's just say very strongly implied), but they also have amazing stories and, in many cases, top notch writing, directing, and acting, too—all courtesy of true A-list talent, no less.

Bookmark this list for the next time your body is aching for a sexy story to satisfy your binging urge (and, you know, any other related urges you might have).

'Eyes Wide Shut'

Released in: 1999

Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Todd Field, and Marie Richardson

What makes it sexy: Stanley Kubrick's last completed film was this erotic drama, which starred Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman back when they were still married IRL. It's also notable for making masked orgies look like the sexiest possible use of a weekend.

Released in: 2019

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Starring: Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Selma Blair, Inanna Sarkis, Shane Paul McGhie, Pia Mia, Khadijha Red Thunder, Dylan Arnold, Samuel Larsen, Jennifer Beals, and Peter Gallagher

What makes it sexy: It's based on One Direction sex fan fiction, sooooooo.... 🔥.

'Cruel Intentions'

Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon , and Selma Blair

What makes it sexy: It's just your classic girl-bets-sex-with-step-brother-over-his-ability-to-seduce-another-girl-who-happens-to-be-a-virgin story. Okay, so that's not a great setup, but somehow Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, and Reese Witherspoon made it surprisingly sexy (so sexy that Reese and Ryan married the year it was released).

'Fifty Shades of Grey'

Released in: 2015, 2017, and 2018.

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, and Marcia Gay Harden

What makes it sexy: Could we do a sexy movie list without including the Fifty Shades trilogy? Obviously no. Christian and Anastasia have been through a lot of sexy moments during the series, but that elevator kiss in the first flick? Still classic.

'Secretary'

Released in: 2002

Starring: James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal

What makes it sexy: Before Fifty Shades hit the scene and got everyone all hot and bothered about mainstream S&M, there was Secretary, which gives a much more grounded look at a dom/sub relationship than Fifty Shades . The indie favorite was written by Erin Cressida Wilson (who would go on to pen the screenplays for The Girl on the Train and 2009's erotic thriller Chloe ) and, fun fact, Spader's dom character is also named Mr. Grey.

Released in: 1997

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, David Warner, and Bill Paxton

What makes it sexy: That steamy handprint that burned in our collective brains, for one.

'Dirty Dancing'

Released in: 1987

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, and Cynthia Rhodes

What makes it sexy: The dancing, obviously.

'In the Realm of the Senses'

Released in: 1976

Starring: Eiko Matsuda and Tatsuya Fuji

What makes it sexy: Graphic, unsimulated sex scenes and a story about a forbidden affair between a maid and a married man.

'9½ Weeks'

Released in: 1986

Starring: Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger

What makes it sexy: This movie pushed the envelope when it came to sex in mainstream movies and the kinky romance between Rourke and Basinger led to some iconic movie moments, including one particularly memorable kitchen scene.

'Body Heat' 

Released in: 1981

Starring: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, and Richard Crenna

What makes it sexy: It's inspired by Double Indemnity and tells the story of a seductive woman who uses sex to manipulate her lover into murdering her husband. AKA, sex-fueled intrigue all over.

Released in: 2013

Starring: Naomi Watts and Robin Wright

What makes it sexy: This Australian-French drama is about not one, but two very taboo love affairs. When lifelong BFFs Roz and Lil (Watts and Wright) begin affairs with each other's teenage sons, things are drama-bound from minute one.

'Moonlight'

Released in: 2016

Starring: Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris, and Mahershala Ali

What makes it sexy: This coming-of-age drama may not seem super sexy at first glance, but it's full of tender, touching sex scenes that more than earn it a spot on this list.

'The Handmaiden'

Starring: Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo, and Cho Jin-woong

What makes it sexy: It's basically the definition of "erotic" in every imaginable way.

'Portrait of a Lady on Fire'

Starring: Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel

What makes it sexy: This French drama focuses on the forbidden love affair between two women—an aristocrat and the artist hired to paint her portrait—in 18th century France.

'Atonement'

Released in: 2007

Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, and Vanessa Redgrave

What makes it sexy: The library scene. Also the sweeping, tragic romance. But mainly the library scene.

'She's Gotta Have It'

Starring: Tracy Camilla Johns, Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell, Spike Lee, and Raye Dowell

What makes it sexy: You know what's sexy? Female autonomy, that's what. And Spike Lee's 1986 classic She's Gotta Have It , which follows a woman who's dating three men, has that in spades. The movie is such a classic, it spawned a Netflix series of the same name.

'Blue Valentine'

Released in: 2010

Starring: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

What makes it sexy: This movie is about the breakdown of a marriage, but the sexy moments that make up that breakdown are so hot the movie nearly ended up with an NC-17 rating.

'Boogie Nights'

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, and Philip Seymour Hoffman

What makes it sexy: It would be hard to make a movie about the Golden Age of explicit content that wasn't sexy.

Released in: 1996

Starring: Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, and John Ryan

What makes it sexy: This movie marked the the Wachowskis' directorial debut and tells the story of a passionate love affair between two women—one of whom happens to be the girlfriend of a mobster.

'Mulholland Drive'

Released in: 2001

Starring: Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring, Ann Miller, and Robert Forster

What makes it sexy: The film is famous for its same-sex love scene between Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring.

'Stranger by the Lake'

Starring: Pierre Deladonchamps, Christophe Paou, and Patrick d'Assumçao

What makes it sexy: This modern iconic queer film is equal parts sex thrills and just plain thrilling thrills.

'The Dreamers'

Released in: 2003

Starring: Michael Pitt, Eva Green, and Louis Garrel

What makes it sexy: The Dreamers is about a love triangle involving a brother, sister, and an American student in Paris. Eva Green stars and is supremely sensual. There are two versions of the movie out there—an NC-17 cut and an R-rated version that's roughly three minutes shorter. Clearly, those are three important minutes.

'Jennifer's Body'

Released in: 2009

Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, J. K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, and Adam Brody

What makes it sexy: Megan Fox as a demonically possessed teen who kills and consumes her male classmates? It's a feminist horror masterpiece and sexy AF to boot.

Released in: 2004

Starring: Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Clive Owen

What makes it sexy: Love. Sex. Betrayal. All with that cast .

'Y Tu Mamá También'

Starring: Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, and Diego Luna

What makes it sexy: This is, hands down, the sexiest road trip movie of all time and a must-see for fans of director Alfonso Cuarón, who would go on to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Children of Men and to become the first Mexican director to win the Best Director Academy Award, for Gravity .

'The Graduate'

Released in: 1967

Starring: Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman, and Katharine Ross

What makes it sexy: The movie is basically a study in seduction.

'Call Me By Your Name'

Released in: 2017

Starring: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet , Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, and Victoire Du Bois

What makes it sexy: Call Me By Your Name 's worthiness for this list can be summed up in two words: Timothée. Chalamet. On top of the je ne sais quoi of the young Franco-American actor, of course, the film is also a gripping portrait of a budding relationship. But let's not discount the Chalamet factor.

Starring: Mark Rylance, Kerry Fox, Alastair Galbraith, Susannah Harker, and Timothy Spall

What makes it sexy: Well, the unsimulated fellatio doesn't hurt .

'Blue Is the Warmest Colour'

Starring: Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos

What makes it sexy: In 2013, Blue Is the Warmest Colour , shook audiences with its arousing look into the nuances of sexuality. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, Blue Is The Warmest Colour follows the relationship of a French teen named Adèle and aspiring painter, Emma.

'Sleeping Beauty'

Released in: 2011

Starring: Emily Browning, Rachael Blake, Ewen Leslie, Peter Carroll, and Chris Haywood

What makes it sexy: This erotic indie drama, about a college student who works at a unique, high-end brothel to earn money, is no fairytale.

'Before Sunrise'

Released in: 1995

Starring: Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy

What makes it sexy: The movie, about two strangers who meet on train and spend a night walking around Vienna together, perfectly captures the excitement meeting someone you feel an instant spark and connection with. The hours-long romance culminates in a sexy night in the park and an open-ended question about the couple's future (which is answered in subsequent movies, for inquiring minds).

'Malcolm & Marie' 

Released in: 2021

Starring: Zendaya and John David Washington

What makes it sexy: This romantic film plays out more or less in real time as a couple argues after an emotional night out and part of what makes the stripped-down drama work so well is the intense chemistry between Zendaya and Washington.

'Unfaithful'

Starring: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Olivier Martinez, and Erik Per Sullivan

What makes it sexy: It's an erotic thriller about a married woman who embarks on a dangerous affair with a stranger. Classic sexy movie setup.

'Magic Mike'

Released in: 2012

Starring: Channing Tatum , Alex Pettyfer, Cody Horn, Matt Bomer, Olivia Munn, Joe Manganiello, and Matthew McConaughey What makes it sexy: Magic Mike turns the tables on objectifcation and focuses on a group of male strippers.When Magic Mike came out, I'll admit, I was like "Huh? Why?" But then I saw Channing Tatum dance to "Pony" and I was like, "Oh. I get it."

'Sex and Lucia'

Starring: Paz Vega, Tristán Ulloa, Najwa Nimri, Daniel Freire, and Elena Anaya

What makes it sexy: If we had to pick just one thing, probably the orgies

'Henry & June'

Released in: 1990

Starring: Fred Ward, Uma Thurman, and Maria de Medeiros.

What makes it sexy: Based on Anaïs Nin's 1986 book, the NC-17-rated drama tells the story Nin's relationship with Henry Miller and his wife, June.

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale, and Nicole Beharie

What makes it sexy: Fassbender's, um, revealing performance.

'Dangerous Liaisons'

Released in: 1988

Starring: Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoosie Kurtz, Keanu Reeves, Mildred Natwick, and Uma Thurman

What makes it sexy: It's based on the same classic sexed-up French novel that inspired Cruel Intentions , but this version has period costumes.

'Lust, Caution'

Released in : 2007

Starring: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Tang Wei, Anupam Kher, Joan Chen, and Wang Leehom

What makes it sexy: The NC-17-rated steamy love scenes between Wei Tang and Tony Chiu-Wai Leung.

'Romance X'

Starring: Caroline Ducey, Sagamore Stévenin, François Berléand, and Rocco Siffredi

What makes it sexy: This French arthouse film features unsimulated sex and raw emotion in spades.

'Ex Machina'

Released in: 2014

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, and Oscar Isaac

What makes it sexy: Alicia Vikander plays a sexy android. It's romance. It's sci-fi. It's everything you need it to be and more.

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Anaïs Demoustier, and Joanna Kulig

What makes it sexy: The story, which follows a journalist who interviews two young sex workers for an article and starts rediscovering her own sexuality in the process.

'Sex, Lies, and Videotape'

Released in: 1989

Starring: James Spader, Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, and Laura San Giacomo

What makes it sexy: Sex, Lies, and Videotape isn't just about characters having sex, it's also full of frank conversations about sex, which is fascinating and titillating in its own wa y too. This Steven Soderbergh-directed film also marks a second James Spader appearance on this list, FWIW.

'The Hunger'

Released in: 1983

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon

What makes it sexy: This horror movie is about a hungry vampire, but director Tony Scott made the onscreen flesh-eating very sensual. Plus, the movie's topless woman-on-woman scene caused a stir back in the day and put the movie (and Susan Sarandon) on the map.

'Black Swan'

Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder

What makes it sexy: Ballet—and hellish nightmares—have never been sexier than in this mind-trip of a movie from director Darren Aronofsky.

'Mr. & Mrs. Smith'

Released in: 2005

Starring: Brad Pitt , Angelina Jolie , Adam Brody, and Kerry Washington

What makes it sexy: Known forever as the movie that brought Brangelina together, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is also the film that captures their early chemistry for the world to see. The scene where they literally bring down a house will make you understand why they had to be together IRL too.

'A Good Day to Be Black & Sexy'

Released in: 2008

Starring: Nana Kagga

What makes it sexy: Umm, Nana Kagga, clearly.

'Wild Things'

Released in: 1998

Starring: Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Theresa Russell, Denise Richards, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Robert Wagner, and Bill Murray

What makes it sexy: The threesome scene between Denise Richards, Neve Campbell, and Matt Dillon definitely doesn't hurt.

'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' 

Starrring: Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, Patricia Clarkson, Kevin Dunn, Rebecca Hall, and Chris Messina.

What makes it sexy: Um, the cast. Clearly.

'Belle de Jour'

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, and Michel Piccoli.

What makes it sexy: This might be the quintessential sexy mainstream movie. In it, Catherine Deneuve plays a housewife who decides to try her hand at prostitution, but the dreamy production makes it hard to know for sure if what happens is real or a dream.

'The Talented Mr. Ripley'

Starring: Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow , Jude Law, Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jack Davenport, James Rebhorn, Sergio Rubini, and Philip Baker Hall

What makes it sexy: The palpable chemistry between Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jude Law. Mmm.

Starring: Kieran O'Brien and Margo Stilley

What makes it sexy: This modern love story features unsimulated sex and centers on two people who's main interests in life are going to concerts and banging each other. How could it not be sexy?

'Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story)'

Released in: 2015

Starring; Finnegan Oldfield, Marilyn Lima, Daisy Broom, Fred Hotier and Lorenzo Lefebvre

What makes it sexy: A French movie about hormonal teens playing Truth or Dare? Sex, sex, sex.

Starring: Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Max Thieriot, R. H. Thomson, Nina Dobrev, and Meghan Heffern

What makes it sexy: When a wife (Julianne Moore) thinks her husband (Liam Neeson) is cheating, she hires a call girl (Amanda Seyfried at her absolute sexiest) to try to tempt him. The plan doesn't go perfectly though, considering said call girl ends up seducing the wife, too.

'Love & Basketball'

Released in: 2000

Starring: Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan, Alfre Woodard, and Dennis Haysbert

What makes it sexy: The movie follows a couple's journey from childhood sweethearts into adulthood, but the sexiest scene involves a steamy game of strip basketball.

'Brokeback Mountain'

Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams.

What makes it sexy: Its earnestness and honesty, hands down.

'Disobedience'

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola

What makes it sexy: Forbidden love. Sexy leads. Nothing not to like.

Starring: Aomi Muyock, Karl Glusman, and Klara Kristin

What makes it sexy: This 2015 French erotic art film by Gaspar Noé features unsimulated sex scenes and was released in 3D.

'Elisa & Marcela'

Starring: Natalia de Molina and Greta Fernández

What makes it sexy: This biopic about the first recorded same-sex marriage in Spain is sexy enough on its own, but the fact that it's based on a true story makes it achingly beautiful.

'In the Mood for Love'

Starring: Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung.

What makes it sexy: The anticipation. The movie is all about two neighbors whose spouses are having an affair—and about the aching (but unrealized) yearning they have for each other.

'Queen & Slim'

Released in : 2019

Starring : Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith

What makes it sexy : The chemistry between Kaluuya and Smith is off the charts, as strangers who go on the run after killing a cop in self-defense on their first date.

'The Pillow Book'

Released in : 1996

Starring : Vivian Wu and Ewan McGregor

What makes it sexy : Calligraphy has never been sexier than in this film, which follows a woman who's turned on by her lovers writing on her body.

'In the Cut'

Released in : 2003

Starring : Meg Ryan and Mark Ruffalo

What makes it sexy : This thriller draws out the danger inherent in sex, as a writing professor has an affair with a detective investigating a woman's murder.

'Jason's Lyric'

Released in : 1994

Starring : Allen Payne and Jada Pinkett Smith

What makes it sexy : The romantic love story between Jason (Payne) and Lyric (Smith), not to mention the steamy sex scenes.

'I Am Love'

Released in : 2009

Starring : Tilda Swinton and Edoardo Gabbriellini

What makes it sexy : Before Call Me By Your Name, Luca Guadagnino directed this slow-build of an affair between a mother and her son's friend.

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

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These films don’t have just one arousing, fog-up-the-windows scene—they ooze sexuality.

The horror genre is full of exploitative fare with sexy coeds nixing their knickers before getting offed by some masked, socio-psycho slasher. Well, X is technically that, but it’s also a lot more. It’s a skilled filmmaker (Ti West) executing quite the self-aware, sex-positive picture with a stellar cast at its core. So, yes, there’s graphic violence and gore, but there’s also a lot of headboard action from the likes of Kid Cudi, Mia Goth, Brittany Snow, and Jenna Ortega.

Anna Karenina (2012)

Joe Wright’s adaptation of Tolstoy’s late-19th-century portrait of Russian high society stars Keira Knightley and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a pair of aristocrats who should, but absolutely cannot, keep their eyes and hands off one other. Panting with anticipation, the two act out this seductive dance—she, dripping in opulence; him, oozing with sexual impulse—eventually giving in to an affair. And, sure, it’s lacking when compared to the original text, but damn if it isn’t hot on that big screen.

Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996)

A departure for director Mira Nair, whose Salaam Bombay! is a cinematic masterpiece, Kama Sutra is an erotic depiction of love and all its consequences. Though difficult to watch at times, Nair’s tale of love somehow glows—the light dancing off bare bodies and the jewel tones signature of the country. As for the players, you have Tara (Sarita Choudhury) and Maya (Indira Varma), friends-turned-foes, each tapping the ancient sex manual for reasons all her own.

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan drop trou in this big-screen adaptation of the love-to-hate-it E.L. James best seller about a bondage enthusiast and the virginal subordinate who makes him grow a heart. The narrative is—let’s just say, gratuitous—but in the hands of director Sam Taylor-Johnson and stunt coordinator Melissa Stubbs, we get explicit kink, complete with orgasm balls, nipple clamps, and spreader bars, awash in the female gaze.

Like Water for Chocolate (1992)

Alfonso Arau’s titillating romance, mixed with magical realism and adapted from the novel by Laura Esquivel, unfolds in a Mexican border town at the turn of the century. It’s here where Tita (Lumi Cavazos) and her Pedro (Marco Leonardi) have been forbidden to marry. Heartbroken, Tita, who is also a talented cook, pours her passion, desire, and longing for Pedro into her dishes, causing those who devour them to feel the very emotions boiling over inside of her.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

More sensual than sexy, really, Céline Sciamma’s 18th-century romance burns with the sexual tension and onscreen chemistry ignited by her two leads, Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel. As Marianne and Héloïse spend time alone together on a secluded island somewhere off the coast of Brittany, France, their desire builds and builds. But like the ebbing and flowing of the ocean, their time together is organic, heady, fleeting. And it all amounts to one satisfying masterpiece.

The Handmaiden (2016)

South Korea’s Chan-wook Park, the virtuoso behind similar psychosexual thrillers as Thirst and Stoker, outdid himself with this arresting tour-de-force about a con-man posing as a count, a beautiful pickpocket pretending to be a handmaiden, and the affluent niece of a book collector they’re trying to swindle. Adapted from a novel called Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, Park’s glossy puzzler is full of twists and discoveries, violence and revenge, and, thankfully for our purposes here, simmering sexual tension that finds its way to satisfying climax.

Malcolm & Marie (2021)

Out of Sight (1998)

Dear God, Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney disrobing in Steven Soderbergh’s stylish crime drama was a serious high point in late-’90s cinema. The two butt heads at first—he’s a bank robber; she’s the U.S. Marshall he’s kidnapped—that is until the laws of attraction override their good judgment. Bolstered by a solid narrative that’s also funny at times, this sexy Soderbergh hit reworks the classic love scene into a fantasy come true.

God’s Own Country (2017)

Set in the Yorkshire wilds on the cusp of springtime, God’s Own Country sees both its secluded backdrop and lonely protagonists go through quite the transformation. A romance that echoes the forbidden love story trapped in Brokeback Mountain, Francis Lee’s sensitive yet powerful portrayal of pent-up passion between British farmer Johnny (Josh O’Connor) and Romanian right-hand man Gheorghe (Alex Secareanu) is at once achingly romantic and unbearably hot.

Luca Guadagnino never skimps on pulsating human desire in his films. From A Bigger Splash to Call Me by Your Name, the filmmaker loves to bring his cast to climax and back, usually with several encores before the final credits roll. Perhaps the sexiest of the batch is I Am Love, an electrifying drama starring a remarkable Tilda Swinton as a married woman whose sexual awakening throbs at the hands of a young chef whose skills extend way beyond the kitchen.

9 Songs (2004)

Though this erotic concert film from Michael Winterbottom, one of Britain’s singular filmmakers, has been called a “scandalous experiment,” a “provocative romance,” and the all-encompassing “art film,” we’re just going to call it what it is: porn, it’s porn. The story follows a glaciologist and an American tourist who alternate rock concerts for orgasms throughout the cheeky 69-minute duration of the reel. And, yes, all the sex is real. Unsimulated. Untouched. Real. And sure to get you off well before the encore.

Desperado (1995)

Is there anything hotter than Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek going at it in Robert Rodriguez’s campy cartel thriller? Well, maybe Antonio Banderas sporting a rock star coif and Salma Hayek wearing his suit jacket as a dress as the two casually exit a crime scene they set ablaze. All that and then some goes down in this 1995 neo-Western revenge flick that not only set up shop in the lair of filmmaking folklore, it helped turn Salma Hayek into a household name.

This One’s for the Ladies (2018)

Okay. So now we would now like to turn your attention to the body-rolling stylings of a group of male strippers in Newark, New Jersey. This one comes to you in documentary form—graphic, NSFW documentary form, that is—and while it gives ample time to the community and the adoring fans the men entertain, it does not skimp on interviews, dance footage, and straight-up dick play with Tyga, Raw Dawg, and others. Things definitely get … wet.

Really Love (2020)

A newer release (Netflix debuted this one on its platform in 2020), Angel Kristi Williams’s gorgeously shot romance is at once a love letter to Washington, D.C., and a portrait of Black intimacy. Stars Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing and Kofi Siriboe radiate with sensual, soul-mate chemistry as Stevie, a law student, and Isaiah, a rising painter. Throughout the 90-minute reel, the two can hardly keep their hands off one another. And, trust us, you won’t want them to.

In the Realm of the Senses (1976)

Nagisa Oshima’s retelling of a true crime in prewar Japan is still considered controversial due to its graphic, unsimulated sex scenes. The film chronicles the sexual obsession between a maid and a married man that ends in a bloody mess.

Body Heat (1981)

William Hurt and Kathleen Turner get the mercury rising in Lawrence Kasdan’s 1981 film noir, about a woman who employs sexual persuasion to get her lover to murder her husband. It’s the role that launched Turner’s career, and it’s the seduction we dare say is hotter than Double Indemnity .

Dirty Dancing (1987)

OK, so this '80s classic probably doesn’t deliver the same effect today as it did when you first secretly watched it at a sleepover without your parents knowing. But with those soulful tunes, Patrick Swayze’s dance moves, and that one scene, this PG-13 number can’t help but still feel taboo.

Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

You may know this one better by its teen-heartthrob remake starring Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe, Cruel Intentions . But no cheap imitation can hold a candle to Stephen Frears’ almost-disturbing roll in the sheets starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Glenn Close, and John Malkovich. Bosoms be plenty.

High Art (1998)

In Lisa Cholodenko’s romance, Ally Sheedy is hardly recognizable as the Shermer High basket case who made her famous. Here, she plays a jaded photographer whose liaison with the girl next door—or rather, one floor below—draws her out of her heroin-induced pseudo-coma.

DeAnna Janes is a freelance writer and editor for a number of sites, including Harper’s BAZAAR, Tasting Table, Fast Company and Brit + Co, and is a passionate supporter of animal causes, copy savant, movie dork and reckless connoisseur of all holidays. A native Texan living in NYC since 2005, Janes has a degree in journalism from Texas A&M and  got her start in media at US Weekly before moving on to O Magazine, and eventually becoming the entertainment editor of the once-loved, now-shuttered DailyCandy. She’s based on the Upper West Side.

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30 Sexiest Movies of All Time According to Hollywood’s Top Actors

Steamy, sultry and unforgettable.

We asked Eddie Redmayne , Cate Blanchett , Charlize Theron , and 31 other actors to reveal what they consider to be the sexiest movies of all time. Everyone answered differently: Bradley Cooper and Jake Gyllenhaal prefer steamy romance, while Carey Mulligan and Richard Gere love the classics. Rooney Mara and Alicia Vikander are drawn to the more awkward scenes, and it turns out Kristen Wiig and Seth Rogen are really into puppets. Meanwhile, Benicio del Toro can’t get enough of the 1973 Steve McQueen prison drama Papillion .

Here, some of Hollywood’s finest share their top picks for sexiest movies of all time. Queue them up on Netflix or Amazon and get ready for a seriously steamy evening.

1. Blue Valentine (as Voted by Alicia Vikander)

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Starring: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams

Year Released: 2010

At the outset of the movie, Cindy and Dean seem made for each other, falling fast and hard. The world’s at their feet, but the floor starts to slip out from under them as the pressure of a real life and raising a child wear them down. Though still in love, divorce seems imminent, and the film is as sad as it is sexy. The film goes back and forth from present to the past, dichotomizing a feverish, romantic courtship and the dissolution of a now lackluster marriage.

2. Blue is the Warmest Color (as Voted by Bel Powley)

Starring: Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos

On the cusp of adulthood, teenage Adèle is shy and keeps to herself — until a chance encounter with a striking blue-haired woman sets her on a path to love and self-discovery. The woman she meets is Emma, a painter and university student who is only slightly than Adèle. Passionate romance (and fallout) ensues, and each scene is wrought with the reality — good and bad — of what it means to grow up.

3. 45 Years (as Voted by Bel Powley)

Starring: Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay

Year Released: 2015

As their 45th wedding anniversary approaches, Kate and Geoff prepare to celebrate their marriage. Everything changes, however, when Geoff receives a letter in the mail that opens wounds that are decades old. The rest of the film is spent watching the two navigate the essential question of what it means to love and to forgive.

4. It Happened One Night (as Voted by Benicio Del Toro)

Starring: Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert

Year Released: 1934

The five-time Oscar winning film follows socialite Ellie Andrews as she elopes with a gold-digging aviator, despite her father’s wishes. After the marriage her father locks her away — but that does not stop Ellie. She escapes to look for her husband in New York and meets a disgraced journalist along the way — and that’s when the real romance begins.

5. Papillion (as Voted by Benicio Del Toro)

Starring: Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman

Year Released: 1973

Stuck in a prison on an island full of horrors, this film explores a bond between to prisoners who have promised to protect each other from harm. Benicio Del Toro said the film captures one of the most powerful cinematic moments of pure love between two men.

6. James Bond: A View to a Kill (as Voted by Bradley Cooper)

Starring: Roger Moore, Tanya Roberts, Grace Jones and Christopher Walken

Year Released: 1985

The name James Bond is synonymous with sex appeal, so it’s no surprise A View to Kill made it onto a list of the sexiest movies of all time. Bond fights to save Silicon Valley from imminent destruction. Femme fatale Grace Jones plays the to the sexy sidekick to the villain, played by a young Christopher Walken. As if Jones wasn’t enough to amp up this film’s red hot roster, it’s also stars Tanya Roberts as a geologist and love interest to Bond. Notably, this was also Roger Moore’s last run playing Bond.

7. The Rookie (as Voted by Bradley Cooper)

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Charlie Sheen and Sonia Braga

Year Released: 1990

Sergeant Nick Pulovski and rookie cop David Ackerman fight to take down a German crime lord at large in Los Angeles. Amid standoffs and internal struggles, Pulovski (played by Eastwood) is taken hostage their target’s lover, Leisl. Leisl handcuffs him to a chair and has her way with them — it’s a scene that, to this day, has stuck out in Bradley Cooper’s memory.

8. Reds (as Voted by Brie Larson)

Starring: Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton

Year Released: 1981

A love epic made to withstand the test of time, Reds explores the historical romance between journalist John Reed and Louise Bryant. Set during the birth of the Communist Revolution in 1915, John catches Louise’s eye with his anti-capitalist ideas. The film then follows the couple over five years as they fight to keep their relationship and political ideals alive.

9. The History of Violence (as Voted by Bryan Cranston)

Starring: Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello, Ed Harris

Year Released: 2005

Tom lives a quiet life with his wife and kids in a small Indiana town. Everything changes, however, when two men try to rob his diner and Tom guns them down without hesitation. The town deems him a hero, but the event sparks the interest of the Philadelphia mob, who have been looking for one of their own who disappeared without a trace. Tom can’t escape the past, or his wife. She wrestles with the new reality of who her husband is, and in a love scene that Bryan Cranston calls “brutal, vivid and visceral,” the come together on the stairs in a moment that Cranston said was “stunning and beautiful to watch.”

10. An Affair to Remember (as Voted by Carey Mulligan)

Starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr

Year Released: 1957

It’s love at first sight when Nickie and Terry meet on a cruise. The only problem? Each of them are on the cruise with their significant other. They agree to meet in six months time at the Empire State Building if their current romances don’t work out. The rest of the film chronicles the story how they fight to find each other, in spite of everything.

11. Silver Streak (as Voted by Cate Blanchett)

Starring: Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor

Year Released: 1976

Publisher George Caldwell just wanted to enjoy a relaxing and uneventful weekend while aboard the Silver Streak train line. What he thought would be a mundane journey from Los Angeles to Chicago turns into a hammering of events, from murders and robberies to falling in love. Aboard the train, George meets sweetheart Hilly Burns and instantly sparks fly. The film leads with the two of them sharing a romantic night together after drinking champagne, but soons turns into a murder mystery filled with both the intense bond between two strangers and a suspenseful journey to solve a crime.

12. Body Heat (as Voted by Charlize Theron)

Starring: Kathleen Turner and William Hurt

Inspired by the 1944 noir Double Indemnity , Body Heat tells the story of Ned Racine — a seedy Florida lawyer looking for sexual thrills. Enter Matty Walker, a brazen seductress unphased by her marriage. The two begin an affair, and eventually plot the murder of Matty’s husband.

13. The English Patient (as Voted by Eddie Redmayne)

Starring: Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes

Year Released: 1996

Hana is working as a nurse in Italy. Fully in the throes of World War II, a burn patient is brought to her with little memory of who he is. While some are convinced that he is a German sympathizer, Hana is taken in by his story as he slowly begins to recall his love for a married woman prior to his accident. The film alternates between the past and present, looking back at memories each has had with past lovers.

14. Unfaithful (as Voted by Elizabeth Banks)

Starring: Diane Lane, Richard Gere and Olivier Martinez

Year Released: 2002

Connie Summer has a picture-perfect life — a loving doctor for a husband, a sweet son and a beautiful home. A chance encounter in the city, however, leads her far astray from her family and she finds herself preoccupied with a handsome stranger. She gives into temptation, and her obsessive affair threatens to destroy her entire world.

15. Don’t Look Now (as Voted by Greta Gerwig)

Starring: Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie

Year Released: 1974

Julie and Donald travel to Venice after Donald is hired to restore a cathedral. With the death of their daughter hanging over them, the two pack up in hopes to escape their country home where their child drowned. The film is driven by grief, but not without passion. Why did Greta Gerwig call it one of the sexiest movies of all time? “The sex scene is so extended and so glorious that you feel like you’re watching something you shouldn’t,” she said.

16. Brief Encounter (as Voted by Greta Gerwig)

Starring: Cecilia Johnson and Trevor Howard

Year Released: 1946

Another one of Gerwig’s favorites, she called this movie “the epitome of romantic love in films” that showcases “lust and romance that you can’t quite ever reach.” The movie tells the story of a married woman who falls in love with a handsome doctor in an instant during a brief encounter on a train platform. The attraction is undeniable, and despite their best efforts, the passion won’t relent.

17. Out of Sight (as Voted by Jake Gyllenhaal)

Starring: George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez

Year Released: 1998

Jack Foley is a bank-robbing savant that falls hard for Federal Marshal Karen Sisco. An affair ensues and Sisco begins to question Foley’s motives. Motives aside, the sex scenes impressed Jake Gyllenhaal. “I haven’t seen many love scenes in film capture that idea of past, present and future all in one moment in a love scene,” he said.

18. In the Realm of the Senses (as Voted by Jennifer Jason Leigh)

Starring: Eiko Matsuda and Tatsuya Fuji

Year Released: 1977

In yet another film that explores infidelity, married hotel owner Kichizo Ishida and maid Sada Abe fall for each other, leave their current lives behind, and fall down a rabbit hole of sexual desire that ultimately turns dark.

19. Joel Edgerton on Fatal Attraction (as Voted by Joel Edgerton)

When Dan Gallagher is out of town on business, he meets a sexy blonde book editor named Alex. Their immediate white-hot attraction turns into an intense affair. The only problem? Dan is married. Eventually, guilt catches up with him and he calls it off with Alex. Alex doesn’t handle the rejection well, to put it mildly. She proceeds to stalk and threaten his entire family, and a rabbit ends up as collateral damage, among other things.

Starring: Glenn Close and Michael Douglas

Year Released: 1987

20. Team America: World Police (as Voted by Kristen Wiig and Seth Rogan)

Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone and Kristen Miller

Year Released: 2004

Leave it to comedians to nominate Team America: World Police as one of the sexiest movies of all time. The satirical film brings action blockbusters and puppets together for a one-of-a-kind spectacle. The “sexy” nomination is clearly tongue-in-cheek, but we still would be hard-pressed to find a movie with more passionate puppets.

21. Dirty Dancing (as Voted by Maika Monroe)

Starring: Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey

Baby is on summer vacation with her family, but finds herself far more interested in the resort’s charming dance instructor than spending quality time with her parents and sister. He teaches her to salsa and meringue, among other things, and she teaches him to believe in himself. Their young love reaches a fever pitch by the end of summer, and no one — not even Baby’s overprotective father — can stop it. It was supposed to be just another summer vacation, but it turns out to be the time of her life.

22. True Romance (as Voted by Margot Robbie)

Starring: Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette

Year Released: 1993

Elvis-obsessed Clarence Worley and the beautiful Alabama Whitman cross paths at a movie theater. They spend the night together, and when morning comes, it’s revealed that Alabama is actually a call girl. Nonetheless, they’re in love. The only problem is her disapproving pimp.

23. To Catch a Thief (as Voted by Michael Caine)

Starring: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly

Year Released: 1955

John Robie is a long-retired cat burglar who has to fight to clear his name after a string of robberies matching is M.O. are committed. While on the hunt for the true thief, he meets the Francie Stevens — one of the real jewel thief’s victims. He is taken with her, but she suspects John is the thief, which throws a wrench in his plans to woo her. There’s one scene where the two linger in a hotel room doorway, and Michael Caine said “It’s the most beautiful shot of a woman I’ve ever scene in a movie.”

24. Titanic (as Voted by Mya Taylor)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet

Year Released: 1997

Who can forget the iconic scene when Rose asks Jack to draw her like one of his French girls wearing only the blue diamond necklace? It’s burned into our collective memory. From Rose’s hand scraping the famously steamy backseat window as she and Jack made love in a car under the ship’s deck to her last moments with Jack in that freezing cold water, this is undisputedly one of the sexiest and romantic movies of all time.

25. Notorious (as Voted by Paul Dano)

Starring: Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman

Year Released: 1949

This noir film follows the love story of Alicia Hoberman and T.R. Devlin after World War II. After Alicia’s father is convicted of being a Nazi spy, she is recruited by Agent Devlin to engage with a German sympathizer group in Brazil. Along the way, Devlin and Alicia fall for each other in a classic Hollywood twist.

26. Bugsy (as Voted by Peter Sarsgaard)

Starring: Warren Beatty and Annette Bening

Year Released: 1991

Benjamin ‘Bugsy’ Siegel is a cold-hearted gangster who temporarily swaps his New York City life for the West Coast as he seeks to expand his empire. He is sidetracked from business when he meets feisty actress Virginia Hill. Although Ben has a wife and family back on the East Coast, he pursues the scarlet.

27. A Place In the Sun (as Voted by Richard Gere)

Starring: Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift

Year Released: 1951

George Eastman is torn between two women, each of which open up entirely different worlds to him. One becomes pregnant, and he commits to her. There’s a scene where they’re dancing and kissing, and Richard Gere called it “the most unbelievably beautiful committed moment of a man and woman connecting,” said Gere. “You’re just seeing into their souls.”

28. Rust and Bone (as Voted by Rooney Mara)

Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts

Year Released: 2012

Stephanie works at a marine park when disaster strikes. In the blink of an eye, she loses her legs, and along with them, her zest for life. It isn’t until she lets an acquaintance, Ali, into her life that she rekindles her spirit. As they learn more about each other’s intimate details though, their relationship blossoms and they fold into each other to find safety and love.

28. The Lover (as Voted by Samuel L. Jackson)

Starring: Jane March and Tony Ka Fai Leung

Year Released: 1992

Set in 1920s Vietnam, a young 15 year-old French girl is seduced by a wealthy Chinese man. It’s a relationship that’s ill-advised and doomed from the start. Their bond is unlikely, their age difference too large, cultural barriers loom, and yet they forge ahead thanks to an attract they refuse to deny.

29. Damage (as Voted by Samuel L. Jackson)

Starring: Jeremy Irons and Juliette Binoche

Londoner Stephen Fleming is an upstanding politician with a wife and two adult children. His life moves along steadily until he meets Anna Barton. She is much younger than him and they share an instant and overwhelming attraction. He pushes it aside until, down the road, she enters into his life again — this time as his son’s girlfriend. The attraction, however, is insurmountable and Stephen and Anna begin a torrid affair hidden from the entire family.

30. MacGruber (as Voted by Saoirse Ronan)

Starring: Will Forte, Kristen Wiig and Val Kilmer

A comedy like no other, MacGruber pokes fun at every traditional sex scene in one satirical moment. Written on the premise of ex-special operations agent, MacGruber, coming back into the field to face off against his arch enemy one last time, the characters duke it out between exploding vans and attempted murders. At one point, he is reunited with his dead wife’s spirit and makes love to her in a graveyard, spoofing cult favorites like Ghost .

Find out why these are everyone’s favorite films in the videos below:

Best Performances

Rooney Mara on the cover of W’s February 2016 issue.

Watch a video interview with Rooney Mara

Rooney Mara wears Hermès jacket; Maison Margiela shirt. Beauty: Lancôme.

Hair by Odile Gilbert. Makeup by Stéphane Marais.

Carey Mulligan on the cover of W’s February 2016 issue.

Watch a video interview with Carey Mulligan

Carey Mulligan wears Prada jacket, sweater vest, and neck piece; Anita Ko earring. Beauty: Dior.

Brie Larson on the cover of W’s February 2016 issue.

Brie Larson wears Marc Jacobs gown. Beauty: Marc Jacobs Beauty.

Watch a video interview with Brie Larson

Saoirse Ronan on the cover of W’s February 2016 issue.

Watch a video interview with Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse Ronan wears Chanel top; Mikimoto earrings. Beauty: Chanel.

Alicia Vikander on the cover of W’s February 2016 issue.

Watch a video interview with Alicia Vikander

Alicia Vikander wears Louis Vuitton vest and jumpsuit. Beauty: Nars.

Hair and makeup by Martin Cullen for Bumble and bumble at Streeters, Mary Greenwell for Chanel at Premier Hair and Make-up.

Eddie Redmayne on the cover of W’s February 2016 issue.

Watch a video interview with Eddie Redmayne

Eddie Redmayne wears Burberry peacoat and T-shirt. Grooming: Burberry.

Grooming for Eddie Redmayne by Petra Sellge for Elemis. Manicures by Michelle Saunders for Essie at Forward Artists, Adam Slee for Rimmel London at Streeters.

Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn

“I was scared every single day on Brooklyn . I mean, you always get jitters, and you always get a little nervous before you do your first take, but there was something about shooting at home, so close to where I grew up. I was terrified.”

Vera Wang Collection dress and bandeau; Chopard earrings.

Michael Caine in Youth

“ Youth was a complete surprise to me. My agent rang and said, ‘The director Paolo Sorrentino, who just won the Oscar for best foreign film, is sending you a script.’ I said, ‘Does he know who I am?’ She said, ‘Yes! He wrote this script for you.’ I nearly said, ‘You don’t have to send the script; I’ll do it for nothing,’ but I stayed cool and said, ‘I’ll be happy to read it.’ ”

Watch a video interview with Michael Caine

Boss jacket and shirt.

Cate Blanchett in Carol

“All my life I’ve been playing dress-up, and now I get to do it for a living. In film, particularly, the costumes are a big part of my characters. When I first appear in Carol , in a fur coat, hat, and gloves, the audience immediately ascribes meaning to the person I’m playing. A certain scarf or handbag or a pair of glasses can reveal multitudes about someone’s persona.”

Watch a video interview with Cate Blanchett

Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci dress.

Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight and Anomalisa

“I based part of my Hateful Eight character on Regan from The Exorcist. After she kills the priest, she doesn’t know what to do with her power. But she’s also completely lost—full of adrenaline and like an animal. Quentin Tarantino picked up on this right away. You can’t get any film reference past him.”

Watch a video interview with Jennifer Jason Leigh

Rochas dress; Agent Provocateur bra; Chanel Fine Jewelry bracelet.

Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight

“I like being a villain. It’s fun to be unapologetically bad. I hate movies where the bad guy starts to say he’s sorry and explains why he’s doing bad stuff. I like to play men who say, ‘Look—this is just what I do.’ ”

Watch a video interview with Samuel L. Jackson

Giorgio Armani sweater. Grooming by Autumn Moultrie for Dior at Exclusive Artists Management.

Amy Schumer in Trainwreck

“I have a crush on Christian Bale. Newsies was a really big deal to me. I haven’t watched it in a while, but maybe I’d still feel attracted to 15-year- old Christian. I definitely wanted to have sex with him when he was emaciated in The Machinist. I’ll take Christian any way I can get him.”

Giorgio Armani jacket; Julianne shorts from Journelle, New York; Wolford tights; Hermès shoes. Styled by Sarah M Richardson.

Watch a video interview with Richard Gere

Richard Gere wears Giorgio Armani coat, suit, shirt, belt, and shoes. Styled by Sarah M Richardson. Grooming by Birgitte for Acqua di Parma at Sally Harlor.

Richard Gere in Time Out of Mind .

“While I was in character as a homeless man, I would panhandle, and I was very bad at it. We shot for 42 minutes straight, and in that time, I made less than a buck and a half. No one recognized me or made eye contact with me. Their brains went ‘homeless guy’ from two blocks away, and they decided, ‘I don’t want to give to him.’ ”

Giorgio Armani coat, suit, shirt, belt, and shoes. Styled by Sarah M Richardson. Grooming by Birgitte for Acqua di Parma at Sally Harlor.

Bryan Cranston in Trumbo

“I’ve been in drag for several TV roles, and I make the ugliest woman in the world. As a man, I am not vain. But when brilliant makeup artists are making me into a woman, I become very concerned with my looks. ‘Can you soften my jaw?…Can you do anything about the wrinkles?’ Sadly, it’s a lost cause.”

Watch a video interview with Bryan Cranston

Burberry trenchcoat; Balenciaga shirt.

Carey Mulligan in Suffragette and Far From the Madding Crowd

“I don’t know if I believe in chemistry on a film. I know loads of people who’ve had quite sexy onscreen relationships with people they hate. I think chemistry might just be actors doing their jobs well.”

Chanel blouse, dress, and bag; Anita Ko earring.

Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road .

“My character Imperator Furiosa, in Mad Max: Fury Road , is missing an arm, but in the film we never explain how that happened—she just is. I don’t think the character would have the same gravitas if she wasn’t broken like that. Instead, she’s an entire human being who just happens to be an amputee.”

Watch a video interview with Charlize Theron

Dior Fine Jewelry ring. Styled by Sarah M Richardson. Hair by Enzo Angileri for Infusium 23 at Cloutier Remix; makeup by Francesca Tolot for Dior at Cloutier Remix.

Elizabeth Banks in Love & Mercy

“At auditions, I was the type of person to dress for the part. Then a casting director told me, ‘Don’t dress like the character; just look as gorgeous as possible all the time.’ So then I realized, if you’re up for the part of a waitress, put on an apron over something you might wear to the Oscars. That’s when I started getting roles.”

Watch a video interview with Elizabeth Banks

Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane dress; Graff earrings; Bulgari bracelet.

Benicio Del Toro in Sicario

“At my 4th birthday party, I wore an astronaut costume and we had a cake shaped like a rocket. I remember being very excited about dressing up like someone else. That may have been the beginning of my acting career.”

Watch a video interview with Benicio Del Toro

Olatz pajamas.

Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina , Testament of Youth , The Man From U.N.C.L.E. , and The Danish Girl

“I was on a long-haul flight at night, and as I went down the aisle to the bathroom, I counted at least 14 screens that had Ex Machina on. I was walking past myself playing Ava, the android. I was tempted to go to the front of the cabin and look over my shoulder to the people watching her. I thought it would shock them to find Ava on their plane. There might have been screams.”

Louis Vuitton vest. Styled by Sarah M Richardson. Hair by Martin Cullen for Bumble and bumble at Streeters; makeup by Mary Greenwell for Chanel at Premier Hair and Make-up.

Joel Edgerton in The Gift and Black Mass

“I’ve never counted how many times I’ve died in movies. I’ve been shot on many, many occasions. I find dying easy. The hard part is trying to hold your breath, because, obviously, dead people don’t breathe. One of these days, I’d love to do a long, melodramatic, triple-death ending. It would be like a drum solo at the end of a rock song. You think the song is over, and then it kicks in again.”

Watch a video interview with Joel Edgerton

Coach jacket; Simon Miller T-shirt; A.P.C. jeans; The Frye Company boots.

Joel Edgerton wears Coach jacket; Simon Miller T-shirt.

Brie Larson in Room

“I have always wanted to act. When I was around 7 I started auditioning, and I recall going up for a fish-sticks commercial. By then, I was completely committed to the craft of acting and had memorized a full monologue. The director was only looking for cute kids and wasn’t interested in hearing my speech. I started sobbing. ‘They won’t let me act!’ I wailed to my mother.”

Giorgio Armani coat.

Paul Dano in Love & Mercy and Youth

“I gained 30 pounds to play the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson in Love & Mercy . When I showed up for my costume fitting, the director looked at me and said, ‘Um…I think you could lose a few pounds.’ I was so upset. I’m naturally a skinny guy, and it was not fun gaining that weight.”

Watch a video interview with Paul Dano

Maison Margiela suit; Giorgio Armani shirt; Calvin Klein White Label tie.

Peter Sarsgaard in Experimenter

“In college, I was hot for a girl and took an acting class to be near her. They had me do a role from a play called Bent. The scene was between two gay men during the Holocaust, and I felt enormous empathy from the people in the room who were watching. It was very seductive: In that instant, I fell in love with acting.”

Watch a video interview with Peter Sarsgaard

Balenciaga jacket and shirt. Styled by Sarah M Richardson.

Jacob Tremblay in Room

“When people watch my movie, they cry. My mom told me that it was a very dark subject, so I didn’t read the whole script. But after we saw Room the first time, my mom was crying. People were a mess. Their mascara was falling off.”

Sogoodnight pajamas; Worth & Worth by Orlando Palacios hat.

Greta Gerwig in Mistress America

“My character, Brooke, is both a fraud and the genuine article, which is, I think, the truth: People can be both. To get anything done, you need a lot of crazy.”

Watch a video interview with Greta Gerwig

Gap T-shirt; J Brand jeans. Styled by Sarah M Richardson.

Jake Gyllenhaal in Southpaw and Everest

“I had no idea how to box before Southpaw. In an early sparring session, I got hit in the face and then in the body, and that first body shot dropped me. In my work, I try to get into the real space of my characters, but at that moment, I thought, What the hell am I doing this for?”

Watch a video interview with Jake Gyllenhaal

Dior Homme jacket; Alternative T-shirt.

Mya Taylor in Tangerine . “Tangerine happened for me because I was in the right place at the right time. A very attractive person named Sean Baker walked up to me at the LGBT center in Hollywood, and we started talking. Our conversations about hustling and struggling with my gender transition became the basis for the movie.”

Watch a video interview with Mya Taylor

Adrienne Landau stole; Rosamosario bra; Tom Ford skirt; Nina Runsdorf earrings and cuff; Chanel belt; Manolo Blahnik clutch and pumps; Wolford stay-ups; Cornelia James gloves (on bed).

Jane Fonda in Youth

“On my 75th birthday—which was my favorite birthday—I had 150 people to my house, including several ex-husbands. It was December 21, 2012, which was, according to the Mayan calendar, the day there would be a major shift to a new paradigm and the world would change. I can’t say that I experienced any sort of turning point, but I had a good time. And the ex-husbands all got along.”

Watch a video interview with Jane Fonda

Salvatore Ferragamo coat; Vhernier ring. Hair by Matthew Shields; makeup by Elan Bongiorno at Exclusive Artists Management.

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The 101 best sex scenes in movies of all time

We rank cinema’s best sex scenes, from steamy silent films to Hollywood’s lustiest comedies and beyond

Photograph: Shutterstock

Sex scenes are back! After a chaste period that had the internet wondering why cinema had lost its libido altogether, big-screen nookie has made a comeback. From Poor Things ’ orgy of ‘furious jumping’ to Passages ’ complex, elicit ménage à trois, to All of Us Strangers ’ tender gay romance and Femme ’s much less tender one, sex is everywhere you look – and it’s all to the good. Because while Jermaine Stewart wasn’t wrong when he sang that: ‘you don’t have to take your clothes off to have a good time’, some well-judged on-screen sex can definitely help a filmmaker tell their story – and ideally, not in a porn-y, lascivious, exploitative way. Because as a means of deepening a romance, building character, shocking and provoking an audience, there’s plenty to be said for kicking off the undies and getting down to it. But there’s a bigger story here, too, because the story of sex scenes is the story of cinema: a slow evolution from Hays Code-era censorship to a more open and honest view of human behaviour marked by sudden advances in what’s depicted – and more than a few regressive ones, too. The good, the bad and the ugly – looking at you, Last Tango in Paris – are all represented by the 101 entries below, a list that show how films’ steamier sides has shaken up the medium – and the world. Sorry Jermaine, but we’re taking cinema’s clothes off. 

Written by  Dave Calhoun,  Joshua Rothkopf,  Cath Clarke,  David Ehrlich, Phil de Semlyen,  Daniel Walber,  Trevor Johnston, Andy Kryza,  Daniel Walber and Matthew Singer

Recommended:

🕯️ The 35 steamiest erotic thrillers ever made 🔥 The 100 best movies of all-time ❤ The 100 best romantic films of all-time 😬 The 50 most controversial movies ever made 💪 The 100 best feminist films of all-time

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

Best sex scenes

1.  don’t look now (1973).

Director:  Nicolas Roeg Bedfellows:  Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland

The film Working with a Daphne du Maurier short story, Roeg gives us Laura (Christie) and John (Sutherland), a married couple who travel from Britain to Venice for his job after losing their young daughter in a drowning accident.

The sex scene It’s a simple predinner sex scene in a hotel room, but the way Roeg shoots and edits it, and the manner in which the actors perform it, makes it extremely powerful.

Why is it so groundbreaking? It just feels so real. It’s also a rare sex scene that chimes in perfect harmony with the film around it. Their sex feels like both an expression of grief and a welcome respite from it. Most of all, the actors just look like they know what they’re doing. No wonder they’ve been denying the sex was real ever since.

2.  Persona (1966)

Director:  Ingmar Bergman Bedfellows:  Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann

The film After the catatonic breakdown of stage star Elisabet (Ullmann), she and nurse Alma (Andersson) enter into a fluid, mesmerizing power struggle, also a meeting of the minds.

The sex scene In a semidarkened room, Alma relates a tale of sex on the beach with her girlfriend and a pair of underage boys, an incident with dire consequences.

Why is it so groundbreaking? A classic sex scene with no actual sex in it? That's expert-level, folks. It helps to be Ingmar Bergman, the master director who could wring a heartbreaking monologue out of a shoe. Andersson's matter-of-fact relation of graphic acts makes the scene unbearably hot. The moment was often cut from prints by concerned censors. Famously, Roger Ebert wrote, ‘The imagery of this monologue is so powerful that I have heard people describe the scene as if they actually saw it in the film.’

3.  Brokeback Mountain

Director:  Ang Lee Tentfellows:  Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal

The film Based on Annie Proulx’s story about the love affair between two cowboys, Ang Lee’s beautiful, swooning film starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as range hands who fall in love. 

The sex scene It gets mighty cold up there in the hills of Wyoming. After a night drinking whiskey, the ranchers huddle up for warmth, and then…

Why is it so groundbreaking? Ang Lee put gay sex in the mainstream. Conservatives accused the film of promoting a gay agenda, but don’t they always?  Brokeback Mountain  picked up three Oscars from eight nominations in 2006, but not Best Picture (which went to Crash ). Some critics, including Roger Ebert, believed homophobia factored in the voting.

4.  ‘The Kiss’ (1896)

Director:  William Heise Bedfellows:  May Irwin, John Rice

The film At just 18 seconds long, ‘The Kiss’ (sometimes known as ‘The May Irwin Kiss’) is one of the earliest films to be shown to the public. Directed by William Heise for Thomas Edison, it recreates a kiss from a popular musical of the time,  The Widow Jones .

The sex scene To be honest, it’s barely a kiss; there’s definitely no tongues or bodily fluids exchanged as actor John Rice tweezes his moustache in preparation before he goes in for what is more of a peck. 

Why is it so groundbreaking? Officially the first ever film to feature two people kissing, it caused an uproar, with one commentator writing that it was ‘beastly enough in life size on the stage, but magnified to gargantuan proportions and repeated three times over, it is absolutely disgusting.’ Sounds like a film critic to us.

5.  In the Realm of the Senses (1976)

Director:  Nagisa Oshima Bedfellows:  Tatsuya Fuji, Eiko Matsuda

The film Oshima’s 1976 masterpiece – the crown jewel of a career hell-bent on upsetting the establishment – recounts the true story of the all-consuming sexual obsession that blossomed between a hotel owner and his new employee in 1936 Tokyo.

The sex scene How do we pick just one? A marvel of escalation,  In the Realm of the Senses  is an almost constant stream of increasingly perverse sex acts. To isolate any moment from the maelstrom of deviant (and unsimulated) behavior would be arbitrary by default. Nevertheless, we’d argue the sequence that most pushes the boundaries occurs when Kichizo (Fuji) inserts a hard-boiled egg into the vagina of his new bride, Sada (Matsuda), in full view of the people serving them dinner. He then instructs Sada to squat like a hen and lay the egg on the floor before he eats it. In most films, the pain that Sada experiences would immediately classify the act as sexual assault, but  In the Realm of the Senses  renders our judgments irrelevant.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Even for generations raised on free Internet porn, the acts on display in Oshima’s movie are still taboo.  In the Realm of the Senses  was the first nonpornographic film to include blow jobs, and there’s a very graphic one prior to the scene of food insertion. But it’s only when you watch that egg disappear that you begin to comprehend the full extent of the film’s transgression.

6.  Basic Instinct (1992)

Director: Paul Verhoeven

Interrogation roomfellows: Sharon Stone, Michael Douglas, Newman from Seinfeld

The film It’s the erotic thriller that spawned countless pale imitators. Starring Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell, a novelist suspected in a string of very sexy murders, and Michael Douglas as the cop desperate to get her in handcuffs… if you know what we mean. 

The sex scene Brought in for questioning, Tramell gets a roomful of already sweaty cops even more hot and bothered by casually describing the deviant sex she used to have with her ex who’s recently been ice-picked to death. Then she uncrosses her legs, revealing that being a successful mystery writer doesn’t pay enough to afford her undergarments. Poor thing.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Basic Instinct contains several graphic, often violent depictions of actual intercourse, but nothing made ‘90s audiences gasp more than a fleeting shot of female genitalia. The moment was parodied endlessly, which took some of the scandal out of it - Seinfeld even recreated the scene with a profusely sweating Wayne Knight grilling Jerry about mail fraud. At the time, though, it was genuinely shocking to see a woman’s anatomy weaponized so salaciously. Stone later claimed Verhoeven misled her about the amount of skin that would make it to screen, but she’d get some measure of indirect revenge by participating in the awful sequel, which he had nothing to do with. 

7.  The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

Director:  Martin Scorsese Bedfellows:  Willem Dafoe, Barbara Hershey

The film Bluntly adapting Nikos Kazantzakis’s novel of the same name, Scorsese’s most controversial film portrays the Son of God as a fallible man, liable to the vices and temptations with which all human beings must contend.

The sex scene While nailed to the cross, an angel appears to Jesus and leads him on a guided hallucination of the life he might have lead. That life includes Jesus fathering a child with Mary Magdalene, and it turns out that sex is the best way to do that. Sure, it’s all a dream, and thus rather theologically protected, but that didn’t stop people from losing their minds over it.

Why is it so groundbreaking? It’s Jesus Christ having sex. That’s not exactly what he’s known for.

8.  It Happened One Night (1934)

Director:  Frank Capra Not-quite-bedfellows:  Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable 

The film A slapstick comedy starring Claudette Colbert as a spoiled heiress running away to elope with the wrong guy. Clark Gable is the disgraced reporter she meets on the bus to New York City. Her plan changes. 

The sex scene No sex here, just a tricky situation: Colbert and Gable are forced to spend the night together in a hotel room (pretending to be husband and wife) when their bus breaks down. Gable hangs a sheet between their twin beds for modesty’s sake.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Because sheet or no sheet, this was the era of Hays Code censorship, intended to stamp any whiff of misbehavior.

9.  Ekstase (1933)

Director:  Gustav Machaty Bedfellows:  Hedy Lamarr, Aribert Mog

The film Czech director Machaty’s overheated melodrama about an impotent husband, a frisky young wife and the beau who spots her skinny-dipping made an international icon of 19-year-old Hedy Kiesler. US customs burned an uncensored print, but it didn’t stop MGM’s Louis B. Mayer from signing up the starlet, renaming her Hedy Lamarr and launching a new Hollywood goddess.

The sex scene Hedy’s much-cut nude swimming brought her notoriety, though even more groundbreaking is a semiclothed love scene, where the camera rests on her face as passion mounts. Note also the highly symbolic string of pearls falling to the floor.

Why is it so groundbreaking? It’s nothing less than the first onscreen female orgasm.

10.  Body Heat (1981)

Director:  Lawrence Kasdan Bedfellows:  Kathleen Turner, William Hurt

The film A decade before  Basic Instinct  launched the era of the mainstream erotic thriller, Lawrence Kasdan reinvented film noir for a sophisticated modern audience with this sweaty tale of scheming femmes fatales.

The sex scene After chasing her around for days like a puppy in heat, Hurt’s smug lawyer Ned Racine finally tracks temptress Matty Walker (Turner) to her lair. Enticed by her come-hither eyes (‘You’re not too smart, are you? I like that in a man’), he smashes a window and dives into her waiting arms.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Most movies use sex either as cheap titillation or as a form of punctuation. In  Body Heat , it’s all about character. These characters are both playing roles here: he, the mad-with-lust macho man; she, the shrinking coquette. The thing is, only one of them knows it’s all an act.

11.  Boys Don’t Cry (1999)

Director:  Kimberly Peirce Fieldfellows:  Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny

The film Swank won an Oscar for her portrayal of Brandon Teena, a transgender man murdered in Nebraska in 1993.

The sex scene At night in a field so dark and striking it feels like a faraway dream, Brandon (Swank) and Lana (Sevigny) have sex for the first time. Lana tells it in flashback to her friends, her emotional arc doubled by the way the scene bounces between present and past.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Boys Don’t Cry  is a tragedy. Yet it is still the most culturally prominent portrayal of a transgender man in American cinema (despite the fact that it does not, in fact, star a transgender man). Its brutal conclusion claws at the memory two decades years after its premiere, but its hopeful moments remain just as important.

12.  Deep Throat (1972)

Director:  Gerard Damiano (as Jerry Gerard) Bedfellows:  Linda Lovelace, Harry Reems

The film Possibly the most famous X-rated film of all time, comedic sex-romp  Deep Throat  stars 23-year-old Lovelace as a woman who discovers her clitoris is in her throat.

The sex scene Linda is unable to orgasm, so she pays a visit to a psychiatrist, Dr. Young (Reems) – a real kook but horny as hell. He discovers her unusual condition. His solution? A technique called ‘deep throat.’ He suggests Linda practice on him.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Deep Throat  brought hard-core sex to the mainstream. Celebs like Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson and Truman Capote went to see it, as did millions more. The clampdown –  Deep Throat  was banned in certain parts of the US – only fueled the phenomenon. Shot for $25,500 (of mob money), it made an estimated $500 million at the box office. Years later, the film was still making headlines when Lovelace claimed that her then-husband Chuck Traynor forced her into taking part.

13.  Belle de Jour (1967)

Director:  Luis Buñuel Bedfellows:  Catherine Deneuve

The film In her most iconic role, Catherine Deneuve plays Séverine, a beautiful and bored Parisian housewife who takes a job working the afternoon shift at a high-end brothel.

The sex scene Séverine and her adoring husband Pierre are curled up in a horse-drawn carriage in the countryside. ‘If only you weren’t so cold,’ he says, breaking the spell. Séverine recoils and Pierre orders the drivers to gag her, tie her to a tree and whip her. Séverine is in ecstasy. Then she awakens: The entire scene is a daydream.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Buñuel’s transgressive exploration of desire and fetishism make this one of the most celebrated erotic movies ever made. And the fact that Séverine is not punished for her double life, puts Buñuel on the side of feminism.

14.  Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Director:  Luca Guadagnino Bedfellows:  Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer

The film It’s 1983, the shorts are short, and the music is by the Psychedelic Furs. In a summer villa in Northern Italy, sensitive teenager Elio (Timothée Chalamet) comes of age after his academic father invites a grad student, Oliver (Armie Hammer), to stay with them. The flirtation becomes mutual.

The sex scene Up in the sweltering attic, Elio writhes in sexual frustration. He takes a peach, crushes his thumb into it, removes the pit, and finds a cathartic use for the fleshy cavity he’s made. Then Oliver discovers him, and things get even hotter.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Already a sensation in the short time since its Sundance debut, Guadagnino’s emotional adaptation of André Aciman’s revered gay novel does right by its most notorious scene, vaulting the movie into the naughty, adult realm of Bernardo Bertolucci.

15.  Harold and Maude (1971)

Director:  Hal Ashby Bedfellows:  Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort

The film This is the hippyish story of what happens when depressive, death-obsessed rich boy Harold (Cort) meets Maude (Gordon) an optimistic, happy-go-lucky 79-year-old.

The sex scene Director Hal Ashby’s original script included a full-blown sex scene between Harold and Maude, but the studio put its foot down. So we have to make do with a postcoital scene. While Maude sleeps, Harold sits up in bed blowing bubbles. 

Why is it so groundbreaking? Without Harold and Maude , there would be no Rushmore or Almost Famous . And when was the last time you saw a movie that treated the sexual desires of a woman over 60 as something other than the butt of a joke?

16.  Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)

Director:  Abdellatif Kechiche Bedfellows:  Adèle Exarchopoulos, Léa Seydoux

The film This undeniably erotic but also deeply sensitive French film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for its free and frank portrayal of two young women, Adèle (Exarchopoulos), a schoolgirl, and Emma (Seydoux), an art student. They fall in love and face the challenge of sharing something in the long term other than sex.

The sex scene When Adèle and Emma first hit the bedsheets, Kechiche shows their lovemaking in intimate detail: a long, no-holds-barred sex scene.

Why is it so groundbreaking? On paper, six minutes doesn’t sound long. But when you’re sitting through kissing, sucking, licking and slapping, six minutes feels very long indeed. Audiences who thought they’d seen it all suddenly realized they hadn’t.

17.  North by Northwest (1959)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Trainfellows: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint

The film Cary Grant is a New York ad man mistaken for a spy and pursued across America by a shady cabal, sending him scurrying through cornfields, scaling Mount Rushmore and eventually crawling into the arms of femme fatale Eva Marie Saint, who might also be playing him for a mark.

The sex scene After a literal cliffhanger that sees Grant struggling to save Saint from plummeting off the side of a mountain, Hitchcock jumps to the newlywed couple canoodling sweetly in the sleeper car of a train, before ending with a shot of a long locomotive entering a tunnel. Choo-choo, indeed.

Why is it so groundbreaking? If Hitchcock had been born just a few decades later, you can bet he’d have a lot more scenes on this list. His psychosexual fixations are clear enough from the movies he did make, but depicting (or implying) actual intercourse often required some creative cinematic manoeuvring – or, in this case, a grade school-level visual pun. Sure, it might play as a puerile joke these days, but in the context of the time period, it’s a brilliantly audacious thumb to the eye of the prudish studio system… and still a pretty dang good sight gag even today, to be honest.

18.  Team America: World Police (2004)

Director: Trey Parker

Director: Trey Parker Woodfellows: Gary and Lisa

The film Call it a hot take if you want, but South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker are better at making movies than television – at least, it’s the medium where they’ve hit their targets most squarely. In this pointedly puerile action satire, the duo drop a WMD on both George W Bush’s ‘War on Terror’ and the movies that propped up Reagan-era jingoism in the 1980s – using marionette puppets. 

The sex scene Having shared a dark childhood secret – about his kid brother getting murdered by apes – actor-turned-secret paramilitary officer Gary finally seals the deal with teammate Lisa, as the two retire to the boudoir to bump wood in a variety of positions no major studio would dare attempt with two flesh-and-blood humans. 

Why is it so groundbreaking? Well, in what other mainstream movie have you seen two puppets 69 to a fake butt-rock power ballad? Sure, watching a pair of genital-less dolls go at it in increasingly graphic fashion is the extent of the joke – and if Parker and Stone had their way, it’d would’ve been even more explicit, according to the cut that earned them an NC-17 rating – but the longer it goes on, the more you’ll find yourself laughing, almost in spite of yourself. At least that’s the intent, unlike many other scenes that didn’t make this list.

19.  My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

Director:  Stephen Frears Bedfellows:  Daniel Day-Lewis, Gordon Warnecke

The film This mid-1980s London-set British comedy tackles issues of race, sexuality and politics with a pleasingly light touch as it tells the story of Omar (Warnecke), a young British-Pakistani man seduced by the capitalist dream – David Ehrlichspite his father being a left-wing radical. That’s not all he’s seduced by: He falls for Johnny (Day-Lewis), a local roughneck whose aggression and racism mask tenderness.

The sex scene When Omar’s uncle opens a gleaming new laundry, Omar and Johnny fall into each other’s arms in the back room as the opening party kicks off next door.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Frears presents an interracial, same-sex relationship as nothing special: not an issue, not a dilemma – just fun, youthful and impulsive.

20.  Max Mon Amour (1986)

Director:  Nagisa Oshima Bedfellows:  Charlotte Rampling, a chimpanzee

The film Having brushed aside sexual taboos with  Empire of the Senses , Japanese maverick Oshima subsequently posited a bourgeois wife’s love affair with our nearest animal relative (courtesy of vivid prosthetic costumery). Aware that our imaginations are filthier than anything they could put onscreen, the filmmakers deliver an urbane comedy of manners facilitated by Rampling’s ability to seem like she’s always up for anything.

The sex scene When hubby discovers Rampling in her secret Parisian love nest, he pulls back the sheets to reveal her simian playmate.

Why is it so groundbreaking? How many comedies about bestiality are there?

21.  When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

Director:  Rob Reiner Boothfellows:  Meg Ryan, with an audience of Billy Crystal

The film Up there with  Some Like it Hot  and  Annie Hall , this is one of the all-time rom-com greats. Sally (Ryan) and Harry (Crystal) stay friends for over 12 years – through traumas, break-ups and divorce – before they realize they’re made for each other.

The sex scene Not a sex scene, per se. We’re talking about the famous fake orgasm in Katz’s Deli, in which squeaky-clean Ryan reaches a screaming climax (presumably over the pastrami).

Why is it so groundbreaking? Female orgasms had always been a no-no in the movies. Scriptwriter Nora Ephron ingeniously dodged the problem by taking the climax out of the bedroom. And without her masterpiece of script, stuffed with one-liners and heartfelt life lessons, we’d have no Knocked Up .

22.  Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986)

Director:  Adrian Lyne Bedfellows:  Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke

The film An ’80s version of  Fifty Shades of Grey , Lyne’s soft-core erotic classic chronicles the brief relationship between a wealthy Wall Street arbitrator (Rourke, still human) and the young art-gallery employee (Basinger) he bends to his will.

The sex scene Today, the kids call it ‘sploshing.’ Revisiting a foodie motif from earlier in the film, Rourke sits Basinger at the foot of his refrigerator and begins feeding her all sorts of squishy, gooey foods (anything that you wouldn’t want to eat in bed is fair game). Basinger slurps strawberries out of Rourke’s hand as the Newbeats’ ‘Bread and Butter’ plays over the soundtrack. It’s all fun and games until Rourke switches to honey and the two lovers begin tasting each other.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Featuring the sex scene that launched a thousand imitators,  Nine 1/2 Weeks  did for food what Marilyn Monroe did for blonds.

23.  Do the Right Thing (1989)

Director:  Spike Lee Bedfellows:  Lee, Rosie Perez

The film A Bedford-Stuyvesant block explodes on the most sweltering day of the summer, as a local pizzeria becomes a magnet for racial tensions.

The sex scene Long before the movie eases into its more serious register, delivery boy Mookie (Lee) goes AWOL from his route, teasing girlfriend Tina (Perez) with dripping ice cubes skillfully applied to bared parts of her body.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The scene, no doubt, gave plenty of couples a few new ideas. It's also a perfectly judged comic interlude – a refresher, if you will – in a tightly plotted drama. But for all the nudity on display, it never feels gratuitous. Rather, it's a crucial reminder of the joys we have to live for.

24.  Shortbus (2006)

Director:  John Cameron Mitchell Orgyfellows:  Too many participants to name

The film Determined to make a place for sex in cinema outside of pornography, John Cameron Mitchell created this panorama of sexual problems and possibilities centered around an underground salon in New York City.

The sex scene In the midst of a citywide power outage, everything comes together in a final climax of togetherness. The characters arrive one by one, wordlessly smiling at each other and approaching one last sexual burst. A band arrives, the tempo quickens, and the room spins. Happiness is a chorus and an orgy.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Explicit, unsimulated sex isn’t always pornography. All of  Shortbus  makes this argument. The point here is sex as character development, as metaphor, as art. It’s something filmmakers shouldn’t be afraid of.

25.  Coming Home (1978)

Director:  Hal Ashby Bedfellows:  Jane Fonda, Jon Voight

The film Ashby’s antiwar drama escaped from the colossal shadow of  The Deer Hunter  by virtue of its intimate focus on the blossoming affair between an army wife and the paraplegic soldier she meets when her husband is serving in Vietnam.

The sex scene In what  Variety  described at the time as ‘a masterpiece of discreet romantic eroticism,’ Sally (Fonda) and Luke (Voight) finally consummate their burgeoning romance. His handicap is the elephant in the room, but it does nothing to diminish the quality of their sex – in fact, Sally enjoys her first orgasm.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The Vietnam War returned a generation of American men back to their lives with devastating wounds, physical and otherwise.  Coming Home  was the first film to confront this epidemic, targeting men at their most sensitive areas in order to illustrate that they may be wounded, but they’re still alive.

26.  Boogie Nights (1997)

Director:  Paul Thomas Anderson Bedfellows:  Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore

The film Launching PTA into the firmaments, this epic rise-and-fall saga of big-dicked, small-brained Dirk Diggler depicts the porn industry’s comedown into the age of home video.

The sex scene For his first sex scene, Diggler (Wahlberg) is paired with veteran porn icon Amber Waves (Moore). As the astonished crew witnesses the emergence of a major new talent, Amber’s warm maternal instincts help put her young costar at ease. The movie is full of professional penetration, but this scene – the Big Bang at the beginning of Dirk’s new life – is unique for its sweetness.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Released just before the Internet pulled porn into its most popular incarnation,  Boogie Nights  arrived at the perfect time to make adult movies feel cool again. The film is hardly a blind endorsement for the industry, but watching an actor of Moore’s caliber disappear into a scene like this introduced a little sincerity into smut.

27.  Caligula (1979)

Director:  Tinto Brass, Bob Guccione, Giancarlo Lui Bedfellows:  Anneka di Lorenzo, Lori Wagner

The film Here’s a Hollywood curiosity: a historical drama chronicling the depraved reign of the Roman emperor who fell in love with his sister. It all looks so proper on paper, with literary heavyweight Gore Vidal writing the script and British thespians Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, Peter O’Toole and Sir John Gielgud starring. But  Caligula  was bankrolled to the tune of $10 million of by  Penthouse  boss Bob Guccione, who, unhappy with the film, secretly filmed explicit scenes after the shoot wrapped. These days we can choose between the arty and hard-core versions.

The sex scene From the latter cut, naturally, comes the famous lesbian scene, starring  Penthouse  Pets Anneka di Lorenzo and Lori Wagner, who engage in a three-minute romp with zero relevance to the plot.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Caligula  was panned by critics,  Variety  calling it ‘a moral holocaust.’ Banned in the UK for 30 years, the film is now a cult classic. Helen Mirren described it as ‘an irresistible mix of art and genitals.’ In 2005, the artist Francesco Vezzoli made a trailer for a fake remake starring Mirren and Milla Jovovich.

28.  The Brown Bunny (2003)

Director:  Vincent Gallo Bedfellows:  Gallo, Chloë Sevigny

The film ‘The worst film in the history of the Cannes Film Festival’ according to Roger Ebert (before Gallo trimmed 26 minutes from his original cut, prompting Ebert to reconsider), this meditative art-house drama follows a motorcycle racer’s cross-country journey as he’s haunted by the memory of his ex-girlfriend.

The sex scene Our hero’s former lover (Sevigny) meets him at a seedy hotel, smokes some crack and then – very graphically – becomes his current lover. In a too-hot-for-YouTube moment, Sevigny unbuckles Gallo’s pants, unleashes his erect penis and begins to perform aggressive oral sex. Dramatically, the scene is hard to swallow, but it sure ties the film together.

Why is it so groundbreaking? This was hardly the first time that a respected actor performed an unsimulated explicit sexual act, but seldom had it been done with such commitment, despite the potential consequences it could have had for her career. Insisting that the film should be played in museums and admitting that she and Gallo had been intimate before, Sevigny was openly proud of her involvement in the project. That first Cannes screening provoked William Morris Agency to drop Sevigny as a client, but Sevigny would soon prove she was just getting started.

29.  From Here to Eternity (1953)

Director:  Fred Zinnemann Beachfellows:  Deborah Kerr, Burt Lancaster

The film As the US Navy prepares to meet a date with destiny at Pearl Harbor, an upstanding officer (Lancaster) gets a in a little too deep with his CO’s wife (Kerr).

The sex scene Their relationship reaches its onscreen climax during a day at the beach, as these two illicit paramours get freaky in the sand. There’s no actual action, just a discreet fade to black.

Why is it so groundbreaking? It’s not just the sight of an unmarried couple making out like a pair of slippery sea otters. The scene itself is also surprisingly steamy for classic-era Hollywood, with those skimpy costumes and all that crashing metaphorical surf.

30.  Pink Flamingos (1972)

Director:  John Waters Bedfellows:  Cookie Mueller, Danny Mills

The film There's only room in Baltimore for one person to claim the title of Filthiest Person Alive. Will it be Divine's Babs Johnson or jealous sleazoids the Marbles?

The sex scene Cookie (Mueller) infiltrates the pink trailer and hooks up with Crackers (Mills), a taste-challenged layabout. Their sex is wild, no doubt enhanced by the presence of a live, squawking chicken that gets crushed in between the wildly humping duo.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Pink Flamingos  remains one of the most controversial films ever made – particularly for a moment at the very end that has nothing to do with sex. (We won't poop on anyone's pleasure by ruining it.) But the chicken-sex scene is impossible to forget, no doubt contributing to the movie's notoriety and world-wide bannings.

31.  Law of Desire (1987)

Director:  Pedro Almodóvar Bedfellows:  Eusebio Poncela, Antonio Banderas

The film A one-of-a-kind masterpiece, Pedro Almodóvar’s sex comedy-cum-melodrama is a gay love triangle – and a prime example of his genre-bending 1980s style.

The sex scene Film director Pablo (Poncela) meets a young man named Antonio (Banderas) and takes him home. The sex, Antonio’s first time with a man, is a lighthearted affair that sets in motion a much tenser series of events.

Why is it so groundbreaking? This wasn’t Almodóvar’s first film to foreground sexuality. It was, however, his first that feels set in the real world, a linchpin between the stylized madness of  Matador  and his more polished later work. It may still be his freshest effort.

32.  Secretary (2002)

Director:  Steven Shainberg Bedfellows:  Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Spader

The film A hard-charging lawyer (Spader) hires an unstable young assistant (Gyllenhaal) who turns the tables on him in a sadomasochistic relationship conducted after hours.

The sex scene Viewers are treated to some rather sweet body-worshipping by film's end, but most remember it for Gyllenhaal bent over a desk, slowly sliding down her panties.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Consensual dominance and submission is the undercurrent of many indie films. Impressively, though, Secretary does double duty: It celebrates the occasionally violent intimacy between two partners while somehow launching the career of a fully empowered female actor, Gyllenhaal, who's never less than confident. Eat your heart out,  Fifty Shades of Grey .

33.  Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Director:  Stanley Kubrick Bedfellows:  Lots of naked extras

The film Stanley Kubrick’s final movie follows a wealthy Manhattan doctor (Tom Cruise) as he embarks on an unfulfilled sexual odyssey after learning that his wife (Nicole Kidman) was once tempted by a sailor.

The sex scene For a movie about sex,  Eyes Wide Shut  doesn’t have all that much of it – if anything, the hero’s journey into the New York night is an epic tour of missed opportunities. Be that as it may, apparently there was still too much sex for the MPAA, who slapped the film with an NC-17. Warner Bros.’ solution? Obscure much of the iconic orgy sequence with dark CGI silhouettes. Kubrick had only been in his grave a few months, but it’s safe to assume he was already rolling in it.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Digitally altering a sex scene without the informed consent of the film’s director sets a mighty dangerous precedent. Even worse are the flourishes that future filmmakers have since agreed to: Remember Leslie Mann’s computer-generated breasts in  The Change-Up ? Follow-up question: Remember  The Change-Up ?

34.  Unfaithful (2002)

Director:  Adrian Lyne Bedfellows:  Diane Lane, Olivier Martinez

The film A wealthy suburban NYC couple dissolves when wife Connie (Lane) finds herself drawn to the libidinous charms of French used-books-seller Paul (Martinez).

The sex scene The movie is loaded with illicit trysts but the sexiest thing in  Unfaithful  is Lane's flushed face as she rides Metro-North home, the memories of a sweaty afternoon playing in her head.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Director Lyne made his reputation with  Fatal Attraction , so it's nice to see him giving the power (and our sympathies) to a noncrazy female for a change. There's also something daring about demoting Richard Gere to the role of cuckold. For her sensitive portrayal, Lane got all the way to a Best Actress Oscar nomination.

35.  Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)

Director : Russ Meyer Bedfellows : Edy Williams, David Gurian

The film Rocking girl group the Carrie Nations heads to L.A. to make their fortune, but the wild party scene and its attendant pleasures prove a distraction to discipline.

The sex scene Rapacious pornstar Ashley St. Ives (Williams) puts the moves on band manager Harris (Gurian), sidling up to him in a Rolls-Royce, inviting him to the back seat and shedding her panties for some shrieky, orgiastic coupling.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Recently name-checked by a blushing Martin Scorsese in  Life Itself , this Roger Ebert-scripted melodrama scores comical points for interjecting brand consciousness in the squealing (‘There's nothing like a Rolls!’). Boobs king Meyer made racier movies than this, but  Dolls  hits the cult G-spot.

36.  Happy Together (1997)

Director:  Wong Kar-wai Bedfellows:  Tony Leung, Leslie Cheung

The film Wong won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for this romantic whirlwind, starring Leung and Cheung as two Hong Kong expats living in Buenos Aires.

The sex scene The two leads are in bed on a hot South American night. First they kiss, with an explicit passion somewhat unprecedented in the filmography of a director whose masterpieces are frequently more about longing. Then they grow mad together. It is as abruptly erotic as their relationship, rocking in bed with reckless abandon.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Leung was a huge star in Hong Kong at the time, and had never done something quite so transgressive as starring in a gay romance. Pop star Cheung, on the other hand, had not yet publicly acknowledged his bisexuality. The same year that  Happy Together  played Cannes, he would tell a concert audience about his relationship with Daffy Tong Hok-Tak, the man who would remain his partner until Cheung’s untimely death in 2003.

37.  The Idiots (1998)

Director:  Lars von Trier Bedfellows:  Jens Albinus, Anne Louise Hassing, Troels Lyby, Anne-Grethe Bjarup Riis

The film The second official effort of the Dogme 95 movement, Von Trier’s impish provocation tells the story of a woman named Karen who, eager to escape from her life, falls in with a group of able-bodied adults who pretend to be mentally handicapped in public.

The sex scene In the ultimate show of commitment to their characters, the Idiots retreat to their house in the suburbs of Denmark and launch into a haphazard orgy, all while still pretending to be handicapped (they refer to the performance as ‘spazzing’). Karen isn’t explicitly involved in the action, but the rest of her newfound pals are a jumble of naked bodies on the living-room floor, erect penises poking out in all directions as the men and women groan and shake with fake palsies.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Planting the seed that would flower as Nymphomaniac  16 years later,  The Idiots  was the first time Von Trier depicted an erect penis onscreen, and the first time he spliced in stunt genitals to give the illusion that his cast was engaging in unsimulated sex (there’s only one shot of penetration and the faces of both performers are hidden from view). But it was Von Trier’s decision to co-opt the characteristics of the disabled that ultimately proved most controversial – regardless of your opinion on the ethics of the project,  The Idiots  was proof that the director would stop at nothing to get a rise out of his audience (and his cast).

38.  Women in Love (1969)

Director:  Ken Russell Bedfellows:  Oliver Reed, Alan Bates

The film D.H. Lawrence’s 1920 novel about the love lives of two sisters is given a sensual spin by British director Russell (working with pioneering gay playwright Larry Kramer).

The sex scene It’s become infamous: Rupert (Bates) and Gerald (Reed) sit in a drawing room next to a roaring fire. Gerald: ‘I have a feeling that if I don’t watch myself, I’ll do something silly.’ Next thing you know, they’re wrestling each other nude, rolling on the floor and slapping each other. ‘Was it too much for you?’ asks Gerald at the end.

Why is it so groundbreaking? It’s not actually sex, but the metaphor is so strong it’s almost laughable these days. At the time, though, this must have seemed pretty trangressive. Russell gave us the ultimate movie bromance before anyone had even invented the word.

39.  Blow-Up (1966)

Director:  Michelangelo Antonioni Bedfellows:  David Hemmings, Jane Birkin, Gillian Hills

The film Italian maestro Antonioni’s first English-language film, about a photographer who stumbles on a murderous conspiracy, defined Swinging London for audiences around the world.

The sex scene Hipster photographer Thomas (Hemmings) invites unnamed cover girls Birkin and Hills up to his flat for a ‘shoot.’ Following an extreme wardrobe malfunction, the women run riot in the studio in a tangle of diaphanous sheets, ripped leggings and flying limbs.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The scene is famous for being the first time British audiences got to see pubes on the big screen (yes, said hairs are exclusively female). But it’s really more about the era than the act – a moment of pure permissiveness and physical celebration marking the end of the old society and the messy, ecstatic birth of the new.

40.  I Am Curious (Yellow) (1967)

Director:  Vilgot Sjöman Bedfellows:  Lena Nyman, Börje Ahlstedt

The film A promiscuous 20-year-old plunges body and soul into sex, politics and the vagaries of adult life. Meanwhile, the film's crew grapples with the subject matter in behind-the-scenes footage.

The sex scene Lena (Nyman) dips her head and offers tender kisses to her boyfriend's sleeping member.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Sweden's provocative export got hung up in the US court system, where it prevailed against charges of obscenity. Still, it was banned in Massachusetts and one Houston theater burned to the ground as a result of arson. Full-front male nudity remains rare in movies – unless you're Jason Segel.

41.  Emmanuelle (1974)

Director:  Just Jaeckin Bedfellows:  Sylvia Kristel and various others

The film This hugely popular slice of 1970s French erotica tells of Emmanuelle (Kristel), an expat living in Thailand who liberally sleeps with men and women – mostly for our pleasure, of course.

The sex scene It’s more the buildup of sex scenes that made  Emmanuelle  such a hot property. Moments of masturbation, several lesbian scenes and a shot of a woman smoking a cigarette with her vagina fell foul of the censors.

Why is it so groundbreaking? It’s the life the film had, and the imitators it spawned, that wins it a place on this list. Swimming in the wake of the more respectable  Last Tango in Paris , it brought soft-core porn into the mainstream and lent respectability to big-screen erotica, even if most critics thought it was poorly made and questionable in its intentions.

42.  Halloween (1978)

Director:  John Carpenter Bedfellows:  P.J. Soles, John Michael Graham

The film Carpenter’s low-budget thriller about a faceless serial killer with a taste for teens may not have been the first slasher flick, but its huge success popularized the genre.

The sex scene When chatty high-schooler Linda (Soles) and her boneheaded boyfriend Bob (Graham) get down to business in her parents’ bed, they have no idea that a killer is lurking downstairs. To paraphrase  Basic Instinct , at least they get off before they get offed.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Whether Carpenter intended it or not,  Halloween  marked a key moment in the rollback of the ’60s dream. No longer were sybaritic, sexually promiscuous teens something to be celebrated. In an increasingly conservative era, their indecency would instead lead to an abrupt and bloody death, with only the virginal heroine spared.

43.  It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine. (2007)

Director:  Crispin Glover and David Brothers Bedfellows:  Steven C. Stewart, Carrie Szlasa

The film Written by and starring lifelong cerebral-palsy sufferer Stewart, Glover’s second film as director (here working with David Brothers) is a lurid sex-and-violence fantasy told from the point of view of a handicapped man dying on a hospital floor.

The sex scene Paul (Stewart) may be disabled but he’s still able to get it up, as proven in the explicit scene in which he lures sex kitten Karma (Szlasa) into his bed, before wrapping his hands around her throat.

Why is it so groundbreaking? If the sight of an erection is still fairly rare in cinema, to see a severely disabled man brandishing his broadsword with evident pride is surely unique. Glover’s film is divisive, crude and arguably misogynistic, but it’s also deeply affecting and sympathetic to its subject: Stewart died from his illness barely a month after principal photography wrapped, and never got to see the finished product.

44.  Wild Things (1998)

Director:  John McNaughton Poolfellows:  Denise Richards, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell

The film A high-school guidance counsellor (Matt Dillon) is accused of rape by a wealthy student (Denise Richardson), a claim backed up by a classmate from the wrong side of their Floridian backwater (Neve Campbell). But for a local detective (Kevin Bacon), the facts don’t add up.

The sex scene As it seems like their scheme is unravelling, the three principles reconcile in a motel pool, sans clothes, in a scene studiously examined by teenage boys in dark family rooms with their fingers hovering over their TV remote’s power button.

Why is it so groundbreaking? John McNaughton’s knowingly sleazy noir was late to the erotic thriller bandwagon of the 1990s, but it was one of the few that felt genuinely hedonistic. These days, the group sex would drop less jaws than the underage student-teacher affair and false sexual assault allegation. But in its day, a wet-and-wild threesome involving a trio of recognizable stars was legitimately eye-popping. It exists almost entirely for the purpose of titillating those aforementioned teenage boys, but this is a movie thoroughly unembarrassed by its own trashiness. More films should be so bold.

45.  Goodbye to Language (2014)

Director:  Jean-Luc Godard Bedfellows:  Richard Chevallier, Zoé Bruneau

The film Godard’s DIY 3-D experiment abstractly dissects the relationships between two separate couples in its effort to dismantle the conventions of stereoscopic filmmaking.

The sex scene There isn’t any actual sex in  Goodbye to Language , but one nudity-filled sequence invites so much audience interaction that people might remember things differently. As actors Chevallier and Bruneau have a conversation in the nude, Godard splits the image apart, assigning each of his 3-D cameras to its own eye. The resulting effect allows viewers to choose their own adventure, closing one eye to see Bruneau’s pubic hair, and another to see Chevallier’s flaccid penis.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Like pretty much every technological innovation invented for cinema, 3-D was eventually used to shoot sex (and much earlier than this). But Godard’s twist on it invites a unique sense of engagement, resulting in the first movie that allows you your choice of partners. At screenings, you can practically hear the crowd around you closing one eye and opening another (it’s as weird as it sounds).

46.  One Thousand and One Nights (1969)

Director:  Eiichi Yamamoto Bedfellows:  Aladdin, Miriam

The film Osamu Tezuka, creator of  Astro Boy  and a true legend of Japanese animation, cowrote this epic  Arabian Nights  fantasy tracing the misadventures (mostly sexual) of happy-go-lucky Aladdin, who tangles with a bodaceous slave girl, a clothes-shedding redheaded female warrior, and a whole island of naked nymphs. The psychedelic visuals suggest that hallucinogens had made their way to Tokyo by 1969.

The sex scene Having rescued curvy Miriam from being sold to the highest bidder, Aladdin gets her alone and the animation turns extremely trippy: Think purple skin tones and lots of floral motifs.

Why is it so groundbreaking? A mind-blowing precursor to today’s  hentai  subgenre.

47.  Crash (1996)

Director:  David Cronenberg Bedfellows:  James Spader, Holly Hunter

The film David Cronenberg’s darkly comic adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s 1973 novel explores the subversive sexual potential in car wrecks.

The sex scene There are a number of appropriate moments in this edge-of-madness, edge-of-genius antidrama. But the scene in which Spader rubs himself up against the stitched wound of fellow accident victim Hunter’s leg in a car park has to be the most worryingly memorable.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Wound sex. Do we really need to expound on that? Okay, fine: Cronenberg has always concerned himself with perversions of the flesh. His deeper idea, still provocative, is that we’d come to enjoy those perversions and not hold them at arm’s length. In a movie expressly about a death cult, Cronenberg weds tortured flesh with glittering metal in a way that’s unnerving.

48.  American Pie (1999)

Director:  Paul Weitz Bedfellows:  Jason Biggs, Shannon Elizabeth 

The film This chirpy high-school virgin-com follows four pals desperate to get their respective rocks off before graduation.

The sex scene We could have gone for the scene that gave  American Pie  its title, because – let’s face it – the sight of a teenager screwing baked goods remains pretty groundbreaking. But instead we prefer the moment where Jim (Biggs) is seduced by his flexible East European houseguest (Elizabeth), but sadly steps off the love train a stop or two early.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Singlehandedly delivering raunchy teen sex comedies to the doorstep of the 21st century, the visionary centerpiece scene of  American Pie  didn’t just cement the movie as the  Risky Business  of its generation, it also anticipated how the Internet would change sex forever. (If not necessarily for better. Sorry, Jim).

49.  Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Director:  Alfonso Cuarón Bedfellows:  Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Maribel Verdú

The film Sensual and sensitive, funny and forlorn, Alfonso Cuarón’s break-out follows two exceptionally horny teenage boys (Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal, both also breaking out) on a transformative road trip through Mexico with an alluring older woman (Maribel Verdú). 

The sex scene Having spent their beach trip scrambling the boys’ image of themselves and their sexuality, Verdú initiates a threesome where, in their orgiastic delirium, Luna and Bernal share a sudden, passionate kiss.

Why is it so groundbreaking?    Well, for one thing, it literally changed cinema in Mexico – after the film was slapped with a restrictive 18+ rating, Cuarón sued the country’s government-controlled ratings board, eventually causing the organisation to loosen its political influence. Beyond that, few sex scenes manage to say so much while showing so little. It’s the movie’s climax and denouement – the moment that, as we learn in the quietly sobering coda, changes everything for everyone forever.    

50.  Blue Valentine (2010)

Director:  Derek Cianfrance Bedfellows:  Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams

The film Derek Cianfrance’s hipster drama gives us the the five-year marriage between Dean (Gosling) and Cindy (Williams), moving back and forth in time, seeing how the couple came together and fell apart. 

The sex scene In the happier early days, Dean goes down on Cindy: Gosling pulls down Williams’s panties and shoves his face in there.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Oral sex (of the man going down on a woman variety) has always been a taboo in Hollywood. The MPAA slapped a NC-17 rating on  Blue Valentine  for its cunnilingus scene. That, according to Ryan Gosling, was blatant sexism and misogyny: ‘There's plenty of oral sex scenes in a lot of movies, where it's a man receiving it from a woman, and they're R-rated. Ours is reversed and somehow it's perceived as pornographic.’

51.  Cruising (1980)

Director : William Friedkin Clubfellows : Al Pacino, Richard Cox, James Remar

The film William Friedkin’s tawdry detective thriller stars Al Pacino as an undercover cop on a mission to uncover a killer in New York City’s gay leather scene. Inevitably, he gets in too deep.

The sex scene Before anything untoward happens to the bewildered straight-boy lead, Friedkin features explicit sex in the leather clubs of NYC’s then-infamous Meatpacking District. While the director claims 40 minutes were cut (including footage taken in real sex clubs), the finished film does include shots lifted from gay pornography.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Cruising  has always had a troubled reputation and was protested by the gay community upon its release. Over the years, that tide has somewhat turned: The movie is a landmark of gay representation, despite the plot’s more formulaic gestures.  Cruising ’s dark mood persists in the imagination.

52.  The Devils (1971)

Director:  Ken Russell Bedfellows:  A lot of nuns

The film Russell’s enduringly controversial masterpiece revisits the severe religious hysteria of 17th-century France, where a priest is bequeathed control of a small rural city only to find himself the defendant in a witchcraft trial.

The sex scene The local nuns, convinced that they have been possessed by the devil, are having their demons exorcised by a witch hunter. But when their psychosomatic condition remains unresolved, they promptly descend into an orgiastic fever, some of them using a giant crucifix as a dildo, commencing a sequence that has since become known as the Rape of Christ.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Russell’s defenestration of the church remains one of the most ruthless attacks on organized religion the cinema has ever seen. By using unfettered sexual mania as the catalyst for his jeremiad, Russell insured that he would whip viewers into a frenzy on par with the one he was depicting onscreen (albeit a frenzy of a different kind). The scene was cut by Warner Bros. before they submitted the film to the British Board of Film Censors, and subsequently thought to be lost – until several decades later, film critic Mark Kermode found the missing footage while researching a documentary on Russell.

53.  Pepi, Luci, Bom (1980)

Director : Pedro Almodóvar Bedfellows : Eva Siva, Alaska

The film This was the Spanish director’s second feature film and came at the height of La Movida, the cultural explosion in Madrid that followed the death of Franco. The film tells of an unlikely trio – Bom (Alaska), a punk singer; Luci (Siva), a policeman’s wife; and Pepi (Carmen Maura), a modern metropolitan woman – who hit the city’s party scene.

The sex scene Urged on by a conspiring Pepi, punky Bom stands on a chair and pees on meek Luci. Why? Because Luci is overheating of course. Next thing you know, they’re an item.

Why is it so groundbreaking? This would be a jaw-dropping scene in a movie today. Take into account how deeply conservative Spain still was in 1980, and this anarchic comedy is nothing short of revolutionary in cultural and sexual terms.

54.  9 Songs (2004)

Director:  Michael Winterbottom Bedfellows:  Kieran O’Brien, Margo Stilley

The film A no-holds-barred depiction of a brief but incandescent relationship between climatologist Matt (Kieran O’Brien) and American exchange student Lisa (Margo Stilley), backdropped by scenes from nine indie gigs, mainly at London’s Brixton Academy, and very full of explicit sex. The sex scene Where to start? The bathtub footjob, an almost offhand (off-foot?) moment, is an obvious choice, but Lisa using a vibrator while a bemused Matt looks on is an oddly haunting way to signal that their relationship has run its course.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Michael Winterbottom must have known what was coming when he introduced his formally experimental sex-fest to the world at Cannes in 2004 – and it wasn’t just his two actors. Screamingly moralistic headlines and a battle to get the film cleared for distribution followed, and there’d be a philosophical battle, too: was 8 Songs pornography or art? Typically, its two stars were treated very differently by the media, with American actress Margo Stilley slut-shamed where her co-star, Kieran O’Brien, got praise. The sex scenes remain as explicit as anything in a mainstream release, but they’re also honest and real.

55.  Little Vera (1988)

Director:  Vasili Pichul Bedfellows:  Natalya Negoda, Andrei Sokolov

The film Pichul’s nihilistic drama, an enduring emblem of the Soviet Union during perestroika, follows a wild Russian girl as she falls in love with a man whom her family violently disapproves of.

The sex scene Vera (Negoda) straddles atop of Sergei (Sokolov) in a hostel room, rocking back and forth on top of him as they coolly discuss the recent lunch at which she had introduced him to her parents. Vera informs Sergei that she told them she was pregnant, and continues riding him while he tries to suss out whether or not Vera was lying to her family.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The reasons why  Little Vera  caused such a stir are largely contextual – the scene where a topless Vera gets into some cowgirl action with the man of her dreams flew in the face of puritanical censors. Though it’s quite chaste by today’s standards, it was considered the most blunt and unvarnished sex scene the Russian cinema had ever produced. More than anything, it’s the casualness with which Vera treats the encounter that shocks people most.

56.  Bound (1996)

Director:  The Wachowskis Bedfellows:  Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly

The film Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s breakthrough film unites two women, a convicted thief and a mobster’s trophy girlfriend, in a high-wire plan to grab $2 million of mob money and head off into the sunset.

The sex scene After some smoldering chemistry and a spot of light plumbing, Corky (Gershon) and Violet (Tilly) fall hard for each other – at least, as hard it’s possible to in a movie where no one seems entirely trustworthy. Before long, they’re naked on Corky’s mattress, out of sight of Violet’s mobster boyfriend Caesar (Joe Pantoliano).

Why is it so groundbreaking? In the context of a thriller in which each of the three main characters is constantly calculating and recalculating, the lesbian tryst adds a extra dimension: it’s both a trip wire for Caesar’s male ego and insecurity and a weak spot for the two women. The sex, which comes early in the piece, is not male gaze-y or gratuitous, but sensual and characterful, which may have something to do with the presence of sex educator Susie Bright on set. Helping bring authenticity to Bound ’s LGBTQ+ world, Bright’s involvement was just another way the Wachowskis were way ahead of the curve.

57.  WR: Mysteries of the Organism (1971)

Director:  Dusan Makavejev Bedfellows:  Nancy Godfrey, Jim Buckley

The film US-shot documentary footage combines with a madcap satire of modern Belgrade in this uncategorizable art-house favorite. Themed around the sexual and political theories of Wilhelm Reich, its heady mix includes Soviet propaganda clips, upsetting material filmed in insane asylums and even a psychotic Russian ice skater.

The sex scene Most notorious is when artist Godfrey makes a plaster cast of Screw editor Buckley’s erect penis.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Buckley’s not-unimpressive member became the first ever to make it through the British film censors, though the film’s one and only UK. TV showing two decades later saw his manhood hilariously masked by superimposed animation.

58.  Sebastiane (1976)

Director:  Derek Jarman and Paul Humfress Bedfellows:  Ken Hicks, Janusz Romanov

The film Gay British darling Jarman, working with Humfress, retells the story of St. Sebastian on location in sunny Sardinia, entirely in Latin and with a homoerotic porn sheen lent to the whole affair.

The sex scene Two men make love in the water and we see a flash of an erection. As an act of rebellion, it was a happy accident, as Jarman recalled: ‘We left in the hard-on during editing and the censor unknowingly passed it because it was at the bottom of the screen and we showed it to him in the wrong screen ratio.’

Why is it so groundbreaking? Remember that homosexual acts were only decriminalized in the UK eight years prior.  Sebastiane  is frank and unapologetic about nudity and gay relationships, and proudly depicts same-sex lovemaking as fun and sensual.

59.  Tiny Furniture (2010)

Director:   Lena Dunham Bedfellows:  Dunham, David Call

The film Pre- Girls , this is the film that got Lena Dunham noticed. She writes, directs and stars as Aura, a twentysomething woman stuck in that who-am-I-and-what-am-I-doing? postcollege phase.

The sex scene They meet at work. She’s a hostess. He’s a chef and has a girlfriend. She lives with her mom. So they go to a construction site and do the deed in a giant metal pipe, doggy style. Romantic it ain’t. ‘You don’t have AIDS, do you?’ she asks when it’s all over.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Trailblazing the way for  Girls , this sex is frank and honest. Lena Dunham is on a mission to normalize sex and in  Tiny Furniture , it’s realistically awkward and embarrassing in a way we can all relate to.

60.  Showgirls (1995)

Director:  Paul Verhoeven Poolfellows:  Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan

The film A violent drifter (Elizabeth Berkley, of Saved By the Bell fame) blows into Las Vegas, determined to climb the ranks of Sin City’s glamorous and highly competitive exotic dance scene.

The sex scene Berkley’s Nomi Malone seduces sleazy casino owner Kyle MacLachlan in a swimming pool, then proceeds to flop around like a hooked marlin while MacLachlan looks like he’d rather be back in the Black Lodge.

Why is it so groundbreaking? In the span of three years, Paul Verhoeven managed to single-handedly reinvigorate the erotic thriller genre, then kill it dead completely. Slapped with a dreaded NC-17 rating, it was torn apart by critics and audiences so viciously that it’d be years before anyone would attempt big-budget ‘adult’ fare again. It’s since been reappraised as campy satire – which, knowing Verhoeven, is probably how he meant it to be taken all along – but that poisoning effect remains the most crucial aspect of its legacy.

61.  High Art (1998)

Director:  Lisa Cholodenko Bedfellows:  Radha Mitchell, Ally Sheedy

The film Mitchell plays Syd, a straight art-world ingenue who becomes tangled up in the tense emotional web of Lucy (Sheedy), a famous and reclusive photographer in Cholodenko’s debut feature.

The sex scene A trip out of the city for inspiration leads to a late night of wine and physical connection, in which Lucy coaxes Syd through sex. The ‘first gay experience’ setup makes it lovably awkward and the performances give it beauty.

Why is it so groundbreaking? What could feel clumsy is instead a triumph of apprehension and an almost eerie sense of foreboding (supplied by original music from Shudder to Think). It’s a confident scene, a sign of strong vision early in Cholodenko’s filmography and perhaps a career-best moment from Sheedy.

62.  Le Coucher de la Mariée (Bedtime for the Bride) (1896)

Director:  Albert Kirchner Bedfellows:  Louise Willy, plus an unknown actor

The film Shortly after the invention of motion pictures in the 1890s it was only a matter of time before some bright spark stumbled on the artform’s risqué potential. And in 1896, director Albert Kirchner coaxed actress Louise Willy to strip in front of the camera.

The sex scene Willy plays a bride on her wedding night, taking off her clothes, while her new husband blithely reads the newspaper. This being the 1890s, there are layers of frills, corsets and bloomers to get through, so it takes a couple of minutes.

Why is it so groundbreaking? It might look tame today, but this is the birthplace of porn.

63.  Psycho (1960)

Director:  Alfred Hitchcock Bedfellows:  Janet Leigh, John Gavin

The film Alfred Hitchcock’s genre-defining thrill-kill flick is most famous for its unforgettable shower scene, but there’s more here than meets the eye.

The sex scene In a film crammed with Hollywood firsts – the early death of the heroine, the suggestion of necrophiliac incest, the practical use of a toilet – it’s the opening scene of unmarrieds Leigh and Gavin sharing a bed that really got moral watchdogs barking.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The ‘offense’ here is so minor to modern eyes, today’s viewer can almost miss it. After all, this a consensual couple, nuzzling in a hotel room, neither of them nude. But for two actors to be in a single bed together was, in its own way, a quiet revolution in post–Hays Code Hollywood. Hitchcock knew he needed to supply heat and attraction to motivate the criminality to come.

64.  Antichrist (2009)

Director:  Lars von Trier Bedfellows:  Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg

The film Von Trier’s tribute to Tarkovsky is a classic tale of parental tragedy: A young couple retreats to a wood cabin to cope with the loss of their child, they make friends with a self-cannibalizing fox, and then the woman destroys everyone’s genitalia with a rock and a pair of scissors.

The sex scene Antichrist  opens with a balletic slow-motion sequence in which Mom and Dad (Gainsbourg and Dafoe) are too busy making love in the shower to notice their young son wander out of his crib and plummet out the window to his death. But, like, the sex looks really good.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Antichrist  wasn’t the first time that penetration had been graphically depicted in a theatrically released film (hell, it wasn’t even the first time that Von Trier had done it), but there’s something strikingly confrontational about the black-and-white classicism with which  Antichrist  depicted it. While it may first appear as though the scene demonizes the lustful mania of sex– not just any sex,  married people  sex – Von Trier’s stylization is eventually revealed to be the first arrow in the director’s quiver aimed at the nature of physical intimacy and its itinerant psychoses.

65.  The Living End (1992)

Director:  Gregg Araki Bedfellows:  Mike Dytri, Craig Gilmore

The film Gregg Araki’s first hit is a major watermark in New Queer Cinema, a gay riff on Thelma & Louise  with an AIDS-era fire in its belly.

The sex scene Between the movie’s early comic blisses and troubling desert finale lies one memorable love scene in a cheap motel shower. Luke and Jon, both HIV-positive and on the run from the law, share an awkward but very memorable sudsy embrace.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Luke and Jon don’t use a condom. This honest, unprotected sex midway through the film, between two HIV-positive men, is the high point of Araki’s furious commitment to reckless liberation. The movie ends without happy resolution, or even clarity, but the brief outburst of near-separatist joy is revolutionary in itself.

66.  Go Fish (1994)

Director:  Rose Troche Bedfellows:  Guinevere Turner, V.S. Brodie

The film Troche’s debut feature, a lighthearted and low-budget lesbian love story, won the Teddy for Best Feature at the Berlin Film Festival.

The sex scene When Max (Turner) and Ely (Brodie) finally reach the sexual climax of their long flirtation, Troche almost skips past it. It isn’t until the two women debrief their respective roommates that the actual sex emerges, in alternately comic and smoldering flashbacks.

Why is it so groundbreaking? More than a simple romance,  Go Fish  is a playful symposium on lesbian sexuality and identity. A Greek chorus of intimate discussions among friends about sex, relationships and the politics of it all punctuates the film. The sex is not only a manifestation of the desire shared by two women, but a celebration of lesbian community as well.

67.  Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971)

Director:  Melvin Van Peebles Bedfellows:  Mario Van Peebles, an unnamed woman

The film The first revolutionary work of black-American cinema, dedicated to ‘all the brothers and sisters who have had enough of the Man,’ Van Peebles’s problematic debut follows a mustachioed sex worker who goes on the run after beating up two cops.

The sex scene Given that it features one of the most disturbing, controversial openings in cinema, it’s perhaps surprising that the film is still widely available. Growing up in a whorehouse, our young title hero earns his nickname at age 10 when one of the hookers seduces him into her bed, praising his ‘sweet, sweet back.’

Why is it so groundbreaking? It’s a pubescent boy (Van Peebles’s own son Mario, 13, later an actor and director in his own right) having sex with a middle-aged woman. Arguably pornographic and indisputably grotesque, the scene is only acceptable (if at all) because of Van Peebles Sr.’s dedication to making the most rebellious, confrontational film he could get away with.

68.  Intimacy (2001)

Director:  Patrice Chéreau Bedfellows:  Kerry Fox, Mark Rylance

The film Married Claire (Fox) and divorced Jay (Rylance) embark on a sex-heavy, chat-free anonymous relationship on a weekly basis in Jay’s seedy London flat. The film is based on a series of stories by novelist Hanif Kureishi.

The sex scene Claire gives Jay a blow job – nothing is faked.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Intimacy  caused a storm for featuring unsimulated oral sex – the first nonpornographic British film ever to do so. The film brought a no-nonsense European art-house approach to UK screens.

69.  Taxi zum Klo (1981)

Director : Frank Ripploh Bedfellows : Ripploh, Peter Fahrni

The film A schoolteacher living in West Berlin (played by director Ripploh himself) flits between his relationship, his work life and his penchant for anonymous sex in public places.

The sex scene Frank meets an auto mechanic and later takes him home. This leads to the kinkiest sex in the film, complete with leather and water sports.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Taxi zum Klo  is a warm portrait of an open relationship, a clever juxtaposition of public life and private sex, and an oblique critique of society’s hang-ups. It’s also a time capsule of gay life in a major European city in 1980, just before the AIDS epidemic. Its explicit sex has a carefree joy due to its anonymity, its risks and its gleeful filth.

70.  The Ice Storm (1997)

Director: Ang Lee Bedfellows: Joan Allen, Jamey Sheridan

The film Based on Rick Moody’s 1994 novel, Ang Lee’s frosty drama follows a Connecticut family as it breaks apart over a late ‘70s Thanksgiving weekend. The sex scene Sex in the swinging ‘70s of The Ice Storm isn’t a liberation so much as brief escape from suffocating ennui and a betrayal sorta-avenged. That’s what brings Elena (Allen) and Jim (Sheridan) together for a tryst in the front seat of a car. Why is it so groundbreaking? Rarely has a movie shown bad, awkward, regrettable sex so effectively as this. ‘That was awful,’ admits Jim in a piece of post-coital dialogue you’re not hearing in any of the other movies on this list.

71.  Anatomy of Hell (2004)

Director : Catherine Breillat Bedfellows : Amira Casar, Rocco Siffredi 

The film Catherine Breillat adapted this film from her own novel,  Pornocracy , with intent to shock and challenge her audience’s notions of gender politics and sexuality. Despite (and because of) the ensuing controversy, it worked.

The sex scene The whole film can be seen as one long sex scene. A woman (Casar) attempts suicide in a gay club, is saved by a man (Italian porn star Siffredi) and pays him to spend four nights with her in her apartment. The psychological warfare and emotional brutality from that point on is all one bundle of flesh and philosophy.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Breillat has put explicit sex into a number of her films, since the very beginning of her career. But  Anatomy of Hell  is the culmination of her approach, a distillation of her style and an insistent proclamation that sex can be more than shocking.

72.  Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Director:  John Schlesinger Bedfellows:  Jon Voight, Bob Balaban

The film Jon Voight is the naive Texan in a Stetson who dreams of becoming a gigolo in New York City, certain that rich women will lavish him with money in return for sex. In reality, he hooks up with pathetic deadbeat Ratso Rizzo (Hoffman).

The sex scene Voight is hustling in Times Square when he picks up a nerdy kid (Bob Balaban) and the two disappear into a seedy cinema. The kid gives Joe a blow job in the back row.

Why is it so groundbreaking? This was 1969, one year after the creation of the modern rating system. At the time, the NC-17 category did not exist, so  Midnight Cowboy  found itself slapped with an X. It went on to pick up three Oscars, including Best Film and Best Director for John Schlesinger, making it the only X-rated film to win an Oscar to date.

73.  Circumstance (2011)

Director:  Maryam Keshavarz Bedfellows:  Nikohl Boosheri, Sarah Kazemy

The film Two teenage girls, growing up in upper-class Tehran, experiment with sex, alcohol and politics in Keshavarz’s Sundance-winning feature.

The sex scene Atafeh (Boosheri) and her family take a trip to their beach house, bringing along Atafeh’s orphaned best friend Shireen (Kazemy). One morning the two girls wake up with the dawn, in a scene that’s warmly lit and set to music reminiscent of the Muslim call to prayer. They make love, then they go swimming.

Why is it so groundbreaking? It goes without saying that a film about homosexuality in Iran is by definition controversial – both  Circumstance  and its director are banned from the nation. More than that, though, with its Sundance prizes and its international feel, this is a step forward for representation of lesbians in world cinema in general.

74.  Bed and Sofa (1927)

Director:  Abram Room Bedfellows:  Lyudmila Semyonova, Vladimir Fogel

The film A far cry from the politicized dramas of Sergei Eisenstein, this Soviet-era silent offers an intimate account of a Moscow ménage à trois, with a young housewife’s sexual and moral independence the key factor as her affections shift between her husband and the old war buddy who’s lodging on their sofa.

The sex scene With hubby away, the yearning intensifies in the moments before the wife decides to cross the line with her houseguest.

Why is it so groundbreaking? There’s no actual flesh onscreen, but when lead actor Semyonova bites her bedstead out of sheer longing, the erotic tension is palpable.

75.  Mulholland Drive (2001)

Director : David Lynch Bedfellows : Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring

The film Lynch’s neonoir mind-bender, considered by many to be the greatest film of this young century, needs no introduction.

The sex scene Amid the film’s labyrinthine not-exactly-plot, Hollywood wanna-be Betty (Watts) and amnesiac Rita (Harring) find a dead woman in a stranger’s apartment. They freak out and return home, where eventually the mood changes and they have sex for the first time. It’s love, it’s confusion, and it’s extremely memorable.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The choice by a significant, heterosexual male American auteur to use lesbian sexuality in a work of boldly experimental narrative is not by definition a safe one. The presence of sex between two women in Lynch’s bewildering feature is a matter of artistic purpose, rather than mere titillation or reductive symbolism.

76.  Last Tango in Paris (1972)

Director:  Bernardo Bertolucci Floorfellows:  Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider

A widower (Brando) and a young Parisian woman (Schneider) engage in an anonymous sexual relationship that can’t honestly be called ‘casual’, and soon goes beyond gratification into realms of dominance and obsession.

The sex scene

In the empty flat that hosts their trysts, Brando wrestles Schneider to the ground and anally penetrates her, aided by a stick of butter. It’s presented as a violation and has only become more disturbing with 50 years’ worth of perspective.

Why is it so groundbreaking?

First things first: ‘groundbreaking’ is not the operative word here. But it is hard to talk about cinematic sex without mentioning Last Tango in Paris – as much as we might not want to. At the time of its release, the movie’s perverse eroticism scandalised audiences, and it remained a lodestar for high-minded cineastes for precisely that reason. Decades later, however, revelations about the filming of its most infamous moment made an already difficult viewing experience nearly unbearable: Schneider claimed Bertolucci sprung the butter thing on her last-minute; she said the scene left her feeling ‘raped,’ and the director eventually admitted that’s essentially what he was going for. It fits the narrative, sure, but what does artistic intent and ‘authenticity’ matter when it involves actual abuse? That it now raises that question perhaps helps the film retain some import. But it’s tough to recommend with a good conscience.

77.  Flesh Gordon (1974)

Director : Michael Benveniste, Howard Ziehm Bedfellows : Jason Williams, Cindy Hopkins

The film This is a campy skin flick packaged as a spoof of the Flash Gordon stories and superhero tales in general. The original intention was to include hard-core pornographic scenes. In the end, a less-explicit version was released to cash in on the gimmick.

The sex scene When Emperor Wang of the planet Porno uses his ‘sex-ray’ on planet Earth, it inspires all sort of kinky behavior. You get the picture.

Why is it so groundbreaking? You know you’ve truly come out of the other side of the liberated ’60s when films like this are sending up sex with free abandon. It even features a penis-shaped spaceship. And a sidekick named Dr. Flexi Jerkoff.

78.  The Dreamers (2003)

Director:  Bernardo Bertolucci Bedfellows:  Michael Pitt, Eva Green, Louis Garrel

The film Michael Pitt falls in love with future Bond girl Eva Green, but her brother (Louis Garrel) is part of the deal, in a romance set in the tumultuous Paris of May ’68.

The sex scene Three sexy actors get up to a number of scantily clad – and fully nude – encounters in a book-lined hothouse apartment. It's hard to pick just one scene, but a cozy bathtub conversation harkens back to Bertolucci's  Last Tango in Paris .

Why is it so groundbreaking? Eva Green is such a once-in-a-generation screen siren that mere close-ups of her face can feel like the best sex scenes ever committed to film. But one moment here in which her sexpot heroine squeezes into a bathtub with her brother and their American houseguest causes a splash (heh) for how it suggests that her character is starting to lose control of her erotic drive.

79.  Betty Blue (1986)

Director:  Jean-Jacques Beineix Bedfellows:  Jean-Hugues Anglade, Béatrice Dalle 

The film Beineix’s erotic drama, a sensation when the French film first debuted in 1986, details the deteriorating relationship between Zorg (Anglade), a handyman, and the eponymous spitfire (Dalle) who resents him for not living up to his artistic potential.

The sex scene Betty Blue  opens with a bang: Zorg writhes on top of Betty, thrusting in the missionary position as the camera slowly dollies in. At this point, we don’t know who either of these people are, only that they seem to enjoy each other’s company. After Zorg has finished, his voiceover kicks in with a first line that echoes throughout the film that follows: ‘I had known Betty for a week.’

Why is it so groundbreaking? To foreign audiences, this was a shocking and delightful way to begin a movie. (To French ones, it might have just been another Tuesday.) Béatrice Dalle’s title character is a force of nature, boldly hedonistic with undeniable appetites. And can you believe this movie was up for the Best Foreign Film Oscar? Even though it lost, it certainly helped scenes of explicit sex enter the mainstream. 📍 Find out where Betty Blue ranks among the 100 Most Romantic Movies ever made .

80.  Fetishes (1996)

Director:  Nick Broomfield Dungeonfellows:  Maria Beatty, plus two leather-clad technicians

The film Broomfield’s HBO documentary is a profile of Pandora’s Box, one of New York City’s premier S&M establishments.

The sex scene There are many to choose from, running the gamut from what seem like standard fetish sessions to troubling, politically charged fantasies. The most interesting, however, is a sequence in which professional submissive Maria Beatty arrives for a personal session with two of Pandora’s Box’s dominatrices.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Fetishes  is important because of the way it demystifies the world of sadomasochism, but it remains relevant because of its interest in the personalities of the women who work at Pandora’s Box. This scene is significant because it shows sex workers not simply as the fantasies of clients, but as people on their own professional journeys.

81.  Rust and Bone (2012)

Director:  Jacques Audiard Bedfellows:  Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts

The film After a catastrophic accident takes her legs, former killer-whale trainer Stéphanie (Cotillard) gathers the strength to rebuild thanks to Alain (Schoenaerts), a hunky, sensitive bouncer and kick boxer.

The sex scene It may be hard to take your eyes off the computer-assisted trickery that erases Cotillard's limbs, but there's no denying that these well-toned lovers work their way into a lather.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The sex is hot, but Rust and Bone brews an overall attraction that speaks well to the commitment of both lead actors. It's a textbook example of using physical intimacy to convey a blooming sense of confidence.

82.  What Now? Remind Me (2014)

Director:  Joaquim Pinto Bedfellows:  Pinto, Nuno Leonel

The film Pinto’s meandering mélange of art, science, biography, theory and beauty was arguably the best documentary of 2014.

The sex scene Pinto, who has been living with HIV for two decades, spend much of the film musing on human sexuality. Still, it comes as something of a surprise when he cuts to a long take of himself and his partner in bed, engaged in real sex.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Its matter-of-factness, particularly in a doc, is unexpectedly thrilling and new.  What Now? Remind Me  is a seamless blend of widely scoped natural philosophy and intimate personal storytelling that gives sexuality equal standing.

83.  Monster’s Ball (2001)

Director:  Marc Forster Bedfellows:  Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton

The film As thick a slice of misery porn as has ever been cut, Forster’s Southern-fried tragedy tells the story of a racist executioner who falls in love with the widow of a man he recently sent to the electric chair. Needless to say, the film was produced by Lee Daniels.

The sex scene Hank (Thornton) has just quit his job after watching his son (Heath Ledger) shoot himself in the chest. Leticia (Berry) has been recently widowed, and even more recently has witnessed her young son’s death after being struck by a car. He’s a bigot, she’s broke, and they both need to feel good. Hank is going to make Leticia feel good. Intercutting the sex with shots of birds flapping around in a cage – a metaphor that’s even louder than Leticia’s moans – Forster launched this sequence directly into legend.

Why is it so groundbreaking? For one thing, it remains the most graphic and prolonged sex scene to ever feature an actor named Billy Bob. For another,  Monster’s Ball  convinced Berry to go fully topless (and then some) in an indie film only a few months after she was paid $500,000 to briefly show her breasts in  Swordfish . For her fearless work in in this scene and others, Berry became the first African-American to ever win the Oscar for Best Actress.

84.  Wild Side (2004)

Director:  Sébastien Lifshitz Bedfellows:  Stéphanie Michelini, Edouard Nikitine

The film Sébastien Lifshitz’s award-winning film is a portrait of Stéphanie (Michelini), a transgender Frenchwoman somewhat suspended in love between her two roommates: Djamel (Yasmine Belmadi), an Algerian hustler, and Mikhail (Nikitine), a Russian soldier gone AWOL.

The sex scene Stéphanie picks up a client at a club who wants to watch her have sex with someone else. On their drive she happens to see Mikhail, and chooses him to be her partner in what begins as a completely impersonal experience.

Why is it so groundbreaking? There are not enough films that portray transgender protagonists with respect and fullness of character. Yet  Wild Side  breaks ground beyond simple representation. Gender and sexuality are different things, after all. The sex in this film is almost entirely separate from love, despite the fact that the rest of its plot is essentially a plural love story. This specific scene both complicates that tension and drives it home, forcing us to rethink the boundaries of all relationships.

85.  Cloud 9 (2008)

Director:  Andreas Dresen Bedfellows:  Ursula Werner, Horst Westphal

The film This German drama tells of Inge (Werner), a woman in her late 60s. Her marriage has lost its spark, so she starts an affair with Karl (Westphal), a man a decade older.

The sex scene There are several sex scenes between Inge and Karl, and they’re presented simply: no music, no coyness, no nonsense.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Cloud 9  tackles head-on an unlikely screen taboo: sex between the elderly. And director Dresen does so with a minimum of fuss and fanfare, unapologetically showing aging bodies and weary flesh. It’s only by seeing it depicted so straightforwardly that we realize we so rarely do.

86.  Notorious (1946)

Director:  Alfred Hitchcock Bedfellows:  Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant

The film In Alfred Hitchcock’s postwar spy drama, Ingrid Bergman plays the daughter of a convicted Nazi. She’s hired by Cary Grant’s slippery agent to seduce another Nazi (Claude Rains) in Rio.

The sex scene No sex. This was 1946 after all. But  Notorious  features what is possibly the steamiest, most erotic kiss in the history of film.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Crafty old Alfred Hitchcock pulled a fast one over the censors. According to the rules of the time laid out in the Hays Code, no screen kiss could last longer than three seconds. Hitch instructed his actors to kiss, pull apart, kiss again, pull apart and so on, for a marathon smooch.

87.  Gone Girl (2014)

Director: David Fincher Bedfellows: Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris

The film Fincher’s pulpy thriller starts off like a missing-person mystery, only to heel-turn in the second act to reveal that Pike’s ‘Amazing’ Amy wasn’t offed by douchebag husband Ben Affleck: She faked her own disappearance in order to frame her cheating spouse for her own murder. When her plan goes awry, she reinvents herself as a sultry praying mantis targeting an obsessive former lover. 

The sex scene Goodie-goodie Amy greets her would-be saviour – Harris’s ultra-rich, domineering tech bro – with some particularly rough after-work nookie. Then, mid-coitus, she slashes his throat, showering her with blood. She then she frames the extra-stiff stiff for kidnapping and sexual assault. 

Why is it so groundbreaking? Fincher’s sterile filmmaking style doesn’t exactly drip with eroticism, but the moment we see Doogie Howser’s jugular drain out on his would-be lover is the most shocking mid-romp murder since Sharon Stone brought an ice pick to bed.

88.  They Call Us Misfits (1968)

Director:  Stefan Jarl, Jan Lindkvist Bedfellows:  Stoffe Svensson, unnamed girl

The film Although Sweden has produced more than its fair share of internationally exportable smut, this intimate documentary portrait of two long-haired, free-spirited teens, Stoffe and Kenta, mostly intercuts revealing interview material with footage of their frequently dull existence. But it’s a celluloid milestone of sorts for eavesdropping on their sexual exploits.

The sex scene Sweet talk gives way to rawer pleasures as Stoffe and a female playmate get down to it with the film crew in remarkably close attendance.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The visual detail isn’t anatomical, but there’s no doubt these kids are keeping it real.

89.  East Palace, West Palace (1996)

Director:  Zhang Yuan Bedfellows:  Si Han, Zhao Wei

The film One evening in a park near Beijing’s Forbidden City (the Chinese capital’s prime cruising destination), a cop arrests A Lan, one of the furtive men seeking companionship. The ensuing interrogation lasts all night.

The sex scene The cop’s questioning of A Lan’s sexual history leads to flashbacks, in this case of a handsome teacher that he once took to bed. The sequence is the first truly explicit moment in the film – and the first time that the ostensibly heterosexual representative of the state is forced to react to images of gay sexuality.

Why is it so groundbreaking? East Palace, West Palace  was the first mainland Chinese film with an upfront gay narrative. Beyond that, however, this scene is important because of how director Zhang Yuan structures desire: His camera is obsessed with the lead actor’s face reacting to pleasure and pain, inviting the audience to identify with desire.

90.  Hustler White (1996)

Director:  Bruce La Bruce, Rick Castro Bedfellows:  Tony Ward, Bruce La Bruce

The film La Bruce and Castro’s black-comedy porno remake of Billy Wilder’s  Sunset Blvd . , starring Madonna’s ex-boytoy Tony Ward, isn’t so much a classic masterpiece of New Queer Cinema as it is its throbbing id.

The sex scene There are many to choose from but perhaps the most controversial is a central hookup involving a hustler with a prosthetic leg and a john with an amputee fetish.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Hustler White  isn’t the only sexually adventurous film in La Bruce’s filmography; indeed, next to later works like  L.A. Zombie  and  The Raspberry Reich , it doesn’t even seem particularly confrontational. But that’s the point: The effect of this early success is not simply to entertain and titillate, but to take fetishes and naturalize them, tossing them up against the fading Americana of Santa Monica Boulevard as good, filthy fun.

91.  Nymphomaniac (2014)

Director:  Lars von Trier Bedfellows:  Stacy Martin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Shia LaBeouf, many others

The film Danish provocateur Von Trier explores the increasingly troubled sex life of self-confessed sex addict Joe, played by two different actors at different ages. Von Trier’s epic was so long, he split it into two volumes.

The sex scene Take your pick. The S&M scenes with Jamie Bell? The teasing, slyly comic double-penetration episode with Gainsbourg and two men? Perhaps most memorable is a parade of penises that Von Trier flashes onscreen one after another.

Why is it so groundbreaking? As if the sight of a naked Shia LaBeouf weren’t groundbreaking enough,  Nymphomaniac  represented a landmark moment in the history of film sex because of how seamlessly it composited the genitals of porn stars onto the bodies of its famous cast. Offering the best use of such a technique since it was last used to graft Brad Pitt’s head onto a little person’s body in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , this film might one day be remembered as the Big Bang of the digital age.

92.  Out of Sight (1998)

Director Steven Soderbergh

Bedfellows Jennifer Lopez, George Clooney The film A sunlit crime caper that goes dark in the second half, Soderbergh’s Elmore Leonard adaptation pairs Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney as a US marshal and career bank robber who turn a cat-and-mouse pursuit into a seriously unlikely but still deeply believable romance.

The sex scene After an early encounter in the boot of a getaway car, Jack Foley (Clooney) and Karen Sisco (Lopez) reunite in a Miami motel bathtub. Is she going to read him his rights? Well, kinda. Okay, no. She’s going to join him for a soak – in her daydreams, at least. Why is it so groundbreaking? The Don’t Look Now -homaging sex scene that comes (oo-er, etc) later in the film is more celebrated, but a woman’s sexual fantasy is rarely visualised as directly and with such an unapologetically female gaze as this. It’s a wonder the screen doesn’t steam up. 

93.  Burnt Money (2001)

Director:  Marcelo Piñeyro Goodfellas:  Leonardo Sbaraglia, Eduardo Noriega

The film Based on a real Buenos Aires bank robbery in 1965,  Burnt Money  is the story of two criminal lovers who met in a public bathroom and died together under police gunfire.

The sex scene Shirtless, sweaty and still armed, El Nene (Sbaraglia) and Ángel (Noriega) find themselves immensely turned on at an incredibly inconvenient moment. Shot from above, sprawled out on the ground with their heads together, the two men become a strikingly fired-up image of throbbing sexuality in a closeted time.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The burden of representation has long been a problematic topic in queer cinema: Do we want gay criminals and murderers onscreen?  Burnt Money  is a resounding ‘yes’ – groundbreaking in its pursuit of honesty, however ethically compromised.

94.  Eternals (2021)

• Action and adventure

Director:  Chloé Zhao Bedfellows : Sersi (Gemma Chan) and Ikaris (Richard Madden) The film Eternals , Marvel’s sprawling, cod-philosophical saga of godlike beings protecting Earth from alien beasties. The sex scene Finally, someone in the MCU has sex. Two people, in fact. The remarkably well-preserved centuries-old couple Sersi and Ikaris enjoy a PG tumble in a break from baddy-fighting. Why is it so groundbreaking? Despite its major characters typically being vacuum-packed in Lycra, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is remarkably reluctant to acknowledge that its heroes have genitals or sexual urges. Even for a mostly 12A franchise, it’s an almost perversely sexless place. So in any other movie this scene would be considered purest vanilla – it’s a fleeting shot of some missionary position and a sliver of side-boob – but it’s a breakthrough moment precisely because it’s the  first  sex scene in cinema’s biggest ever franchise. These chaste few seconds may signal a tentative step into more grown-up emotional and thematic territory for the MCU, or they may just highlight a strange discomfort on-screen Marvel feels for this sweaty side of growing up that comic-book Marvel has never shared.

95.  The Bronze (2015)

Director : Bryan Buckley Bedfellows : Melissa Rauch, Sebastian Stan

The film Eight years after winning the world's heart at the Olympics, chirpy Ohio gymnast Hope Ann Greggory (Rauch) has soured into a toxic, desperate mess. Buckley's comedy makes a mockery of the second-chance sports drama.

The sex scene Hope has grown tired of watching her protégé rise up the ranks. She hooks up with a fellow gymnast and frenemy (Stan) who took her virginity years earlier. Their athletic sex is a staggering display of sweaty leaps, lunges and impossible positions.

Why is it so groundbreaking? This so-so Sundance film busts its way on to our list via the clownish exuberance of its one brilliant scene (partly performed by a member of the Cirque du Soleil). Hope's night of pleasure rocked festival audiences and dominated sex-centric discussions over the entire festival. We give it a perfect ten on the dismount.

96.  XXY (2007)

Director:  Lucía Puenzo Bedfellows:  Inés Efron, Martín Piroyansky

The film Alex (Efron) is an intersex Argentine teenager trying to decide how to handle the psychological, physical and social reality of being born with both male and female genitalia.

The sex scene Alex’s mother has invited a surgeon and his family to their beach house in Uruguay, to try out the idea of surgically ‘correcting’ her child’s ambiguous sex. The surgeon’s son hits it off with Alex, and the two end up having an unexpected sexual encounter.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Director Puenzo uses this scene to foreground how both Alex and the surgeon’s son are comfortable with Alex’s gender identity as it stands, uncorrected by parents or doctors. It’s hardly a moment of resolution in the film (or even relief), but it effectively articulates the possibility of life outside a gender binary.

97.  Desert Hearts (1985)

Director:  Donna Deitch Bedfellows:  Patricia Charbonneau, Helen Shaver

The film Based on Jane Rule’s novel, Donna Deitch’s debut feature is a 1959-set love story that unites an East Coast intellectual divorcée and a Nevada ranch girl.

The sex scene Well aware of what might be going on between her free-spirited adopted daughter Cay (Charbonneau) and the uptight Vivian (Shaver), Frances (Audra Lindley) kicks the older woman out of her ranch and into a hotel. Not one to give up, Cay follows Vivian to her room and eases her into a new kind of lovemaking.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Desert Hearts  was the first mainstream American film to portray a lesbian relationship and allow it a happy ending. A joyous warmth beams from the sex scene, passionate but also remarkably relaxed.

98.  Eveready Harton in Buried Treasure (1928)

Director:  Anonymous Bedfellows:  Harton, other human and animal inhabitants of a desert island

The film According to veteran Disney animator Ward Kimball, this no-holds-barred silent-era porn cartoon was made by a trio of studios working separately, though evidently dirty minds think alike. The massively endowed protagonist (think ‘Harton’ but with a  d ) serially humps his way from willing curvaceous female to compliant donkey and flexibly tongued cow.

The sex scene The first sight of our hero’s morning tentpole signals the short’s lusty shamelessness, though his path to sexual fulfillment isn’t always an easy one. (Watch out for that cactus!)

Why is it so groundbreaking? Disney this ain’t. A yardstick for future animated naughtiness like  Fritz the Cat .

99.  The Watermelon Woman (1996)

Director:  Cheryl Dunye Bedfellows:  Dunye, Guinevere Turner

The film The first American feature by an African-American lesbian, Dunye’s  The Watermelon Woman  stars its director as a  video-store  clerk and aspiring filmmaker working on a project about a long-forgotten black actress of the 1930s.

The sex scene Cheryl’s love interest is Diana, played by Guinevere Turner. As the two women sit watching one of the old movies, Diana bluntly puts it like this: ‘Now that we know that we’re attracted to each other, what do we do? Don’t you think we should kiss?’

Why is it so groundbreaking? Marked by a bold and direct approach, the film is about the intersection of gender, race and sexuality. This scene’s importance comes from both that added layer of politics and the striking sensuality of its images: The glistening of saliva on skin has as much to say as words.

100.  Pleasantville (1998)

Director:  Gary Ross Bedfellow:  Joan Allen (solo)

The film When 20th-century kids Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon are mysteriously beamed into the monochrome world of 1950s TV show  Pleasantville , they bring with them a whole lot of new and dangerous ideas.

The sex scene When their fictional suburban mom Joan Allen learns the shocking facts of life from daughter Witherspoon, she runs a quiet bath and decides to take matters into her own hands.

Why is it so groundbreaking? The idea of masturbation as an act of female empowerment may not be new, but this must be the first time a mainstream Hollywood movie not just depicted the act but did so with gusto and a complete absence of (ahem) beating around the bush. When, at the point of orgasm, a tree outside the window bursts into vividly colored flames, it’s as thrilling a metaphor for sexual liberation as cinema has to offer.

101.  Turkish Delight (1973)

Director:  Paul Verhoeven Bedfellows:  Rutger Hauer, Monique van de Ven

The film Verhoeven’s second feature documents the relationship between womanizing sculptor Eric (Hauer) and promiscuous girl-about-town Olga (Van de Ven), from giddy beginnings, through treachery and betrayal to its final, violent end.

The sex scene It’s free love on the freeway as Olga picks Eric up in her car and takes an immediate shine to him. However, it’s not the sex scene that’s important here, but the aftermath: Following a frank discussion about bodily fluids, Eric zips up a bit too quickly, with alarming and painful consequences.

Why is it so groundbreaking? Along with  Don’t Look Now  the same year, Verhoeven’s film was one of the first to depict sex neither as a furtive act committed behind closed doors nor the pinnacle of human interaction, but as an everyday act between two carefree, consenting adults. It’s messy, joyous, honest and human, and the only real risk is of getting something caught in your fly.

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So many options, but which to pick? Consult our ranked list of the very best movies on Netflix streaming.

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The Sexiest Movies of 2023

Featuring, but certainly not limited to: 'Magic Mike XXL ,' the ultimate Pornhub documentary, and multiple A24 films.

OK, let’s cut to the chase. You’re in the mood for a sexy movie, but you don’t want to scroll through a streaming queue, wondering which option is actually right for you. I get it—that’s boring! But open your mind, dear reader. Romance is everywhere if you look hard enough. So instead of opting for the most obvious options (no shade to Christian Grey), how about we try something new?

Greta Gerwig's Barbie is a modern adventure starring Barbie and Ken. This time, Ken only has a good day if Barbie notices him. If that’s not hot, then I don’t know what is.

After Everything

The final chapter of After Everything is as sexually charged as the films that came before it. In After Everything , Hardin travels to Portugal to mend his relationship with Nathalie. Why, you ask? He wrote a book about his ex, Tessa. As usual, tensions rise when business mixes with pleasure.

Amazon Prime

You Hurt My Feelings

What’s sexier than honesty? In You Hurt My Feelings , a writer's marriage is put to the test when she overhears her husband talking about her latest novel. The result is a comedic take on marriage and intimacy.

The Perfect Find

Sometimes, an unexpected suitor is all you need to heat things up. In The Perfect Match, Gabrielle Union stars as Jenna, a 40-year-old woman who hits rock bottom after she is fired from her dream job. While searching for a new gig, she begins sleeping with a younger man. But their rendezvous is cut short when she learns his mother is her new boss.

Watch on Netflix

To add—or not to add—a third? That is the question in Passages, a film about a gay couple whose marriage is uprooted after one of them has an affair with a woman. I won't spoil anything else, because what happens next will shock you.

In theaters

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 1

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One might not be an obvious choice, but it’s sexier than you’d think. The film follows Ethan Hunt (Cruise) on yet another mission to save humanity. While hunting bad guys, he falls for his teammate Isla Frost, which inevitably complicates their mission.

No Hard Feelings

This delightful romantic comedy follows Maddie (Jennifer Lawrence), a woman who’s trying to save her home from foreclosure. In a fit of desperation, she responds to a wealthy couple's ad asking for a young woman to “date” their 19-year-old son. After a quick interview, Maddie accepts the job, but there’s a catch: in order to secure her paycheck, she’ll have to take things a bit further than expected. (Don't make us spell it out, people.)

Magic Mike's Last Dance

I’ll say it: the latest Magic Mike film is the best of the series. Magic Mike’s Last Dance is both charming and hot , with a mix of sweat-worthy dance moves and witty humor that will keep you entertained from start to finish. The film reunites us with Mike Lane (Channing Tatum), who’s financially struggling after a shoddy business deal falls through. His luck changes when he meets Maxandra, a wealthy socialite, who hires him to run her new strip-club in London.

Watch on Max

Money Shot: The Pornhub Story

Pornhub is (unfortunately) known around the world as one of the leading porn distributers. Millions of people visit the site every day, but few know much about the adult entertainers who grace the screen. Money Shot: The Pornhub Story provides an exclusive look behind the scenes of the platform, while investigating the many scandals and trafficking accusations tied to it. The Pornhub Story isn't sexy in the traditional sense—but it is full of twists and turns.

Infinity Pool

OK, so maybe a gruesome horror movie isn’t the sexiest thing in the world. But... this one has an orgy. That counts for something, right? In all seriousness, Infinity Pool is a dark—and sometimes seductive—film that takes some gory turns. If that’s not for you, keep scrolling! If that's what you're into, prepare to see what happens when an idyllic vacation goes horribly wrong.

Watch on Hulu

Somebody I Used to Know

There’s something about a lost love that’s undeniably seductive. In Somebody I Used to Know, Alison Brie stars as Ally, a young woman who visits her hometown—where she runs into her ex, Sean. They spend the perfect day together, but their blissful reunion turns complicated when she discovers he's engaged to another woman.

Watch on Amazon Prime

Red, White, and Royal Blue

If you’re a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, this one’s for you. Red, White, and Royal Blue follows childhood foes Alex Diaz, the First Son of The United States, and Henry Windsor, The Prince of Wales. Despite their disdain for one another, Alex and Henry are forced to spend time together for a press stint—and fall in love along the way. Come for the sweet romance, stay for the steamy love scenes.

Bottoms (In Theaters)

This summer, comedians Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebri will star in Bottoms . The film follows two nerdy high schoolers: PJ (Sennott) and Josie (Edebri), who start a fight club so they can meet girls. Their horned-up plans take an unexpected turn... when the most popular girls in school start fighting each other.

Dicks: The Musical (September 29)

Dicks: The Musical might not sound like the sexiest film of the year, but there is something to be said about the allure of potty humor. Also, Megan Thee Stallion is in the film, which means Dicks is a certified hot-girl production. If you were wondering what it’s about, here’s the jist: two narcissistic coworkers learn they’re long-lost twins and plot to reunite their parents. Oh, and the raunchy title? Well, let’s just call it a play on words.

Maestro (December 20)

What? You don’t think a biopic is hot? Open your mind, friend. Some of the steamiest love stories have already happened. For example, take the romance between composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife, Felicia Montealegre. Their whirlwind romance is the subject of the upcoming film Maestro, which explores what happens when personal and professional lives blur.

All of Us Strangers (December 23)

All of Us Strangers is an upcoming romantic-fantasy film starring Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott. Scott stars as Adam, a man who falls for his neighbor, Harry (Mescal). As their relationship progresses, Adam becomes overwhelmed by his past, and chooses to revisit his childhood home. To his surprise, his parents—who died 30 years ago—are somehow still alive.

MaXXXine (TBD)

The titles triple x should tell you everything you need to know, but if not, allow me to explain. MaXXXine is the third installment of A24’s horror trilogy, which stars Mia Goth as Pearl, a deranged woman who will stop at nothing to become famous. The first two films tracked Pearl’s deadly origin story, and MaXXXine is expected to conclude her bloody-tale. MaXXXine was originally set to premiere in 2023, but the date has been pushed until further notice. While we wait for updates, you can stream the first two movies, Pearl and X.

Watch ‘Pearl’ on Hulu Watch ‘X’ on Showtime

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‘Flamin’ Hot’ Review: Neon Dust, Hollywood Corn

The actor Eva Longoria’s feature directing debut is a fictionalized account of the birth of a spicy, profitable snack.

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By Lisa Kennedy

“Do I have initiative?” Richard Montañez (played by Jesse Garcia) asks his wife, Judy (Annie Gonzalez), in the dramatic comedy “ Flamin’ Hot ,” directed with affectionate brio by the actor Eva Longoria. Montañez, on whose memoir this fictionalized story is based, is eyeing an application for a job at the Frito-Lay facility in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. While he’s stumped about that word — “initiative” — soon enough he’ll embody it, as he goes from being a janitor to becoming a family man behind a Cheetos flavor that extended the snack maker’s reach, launching Montañez’s marketing career.

Garcia and Gonzalez possess poignant chemistry as the economically struggling couple. They first meet as children. He, a child of farm workers, is being bullied in the lunchroom and at home; she has a bruise that suggests they might have more in common than simply being the brown kids at a predominately white elementary school. Montañez’s youth is recounted in a sometimes boastful, sometimes self-deprecating, always upbeat voice-over that softens the edges of his childhood, which include routine bigotry and outright racism, but also brutality and judgment from his father, Vacho (Emilio Rivera).

Montañez came of age in the late ’60s and early ’70s, and the pride and resistance of the Chicano Movement, while adjacent, were not central to his upbringing. Instead, as he tells us in an account that swings from the present to the past, from the biographical to the fantastical, he found friends in a gang. It wasn’t until Judy got pregnant that the pair agreed that things had to change.

From the moment he enters the Frito-Lay facility, Montañez is a dogged learner, asking questions about chemical processes, wondering about an extruder, even celebrating an industrial power washer. His curiosity aggravates his supervisor (Matt Walsh), worries the friend who helped him get the gig (Bobby Soto) and breaks down the defenses of an engineer (Dennis Haysbert) who knows the facility inside out, and who becomes Montañez’s initially suspicious mentor.

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Movie Reviews

Sharply funny 'janet planet' perfectly captures the feel of a long, hot summer.

Justin Chang

Mother and daughter Janet (Julianne Nicholson) and Lacy (Zoe Ziegler) share a slow New England summer in Janet Planet. Courtesy of A24 hide caption

Amid the current crop of summer movies, I can’t think of one that captures the feeling of summer more evocatively than Janet Planet. Much of the story takes place in a rustic house in woodsy Western Massachusetts; by day, sunlight streams in through enormous windows, and at night, chirping crickets flood the soundtrack. The celebrated playwright Annie Baker, here writing and directing her first film, has uncanny powers of observation and a talent for evoking time and place. She also has two memorable lead characters and a sharply funny and moving story to tell.

It’s the summer of 1991. The story begins when 11-year-old Lacy, played by the terrific newcomer Zoe Ziegler, calls her mom from camp and demands to be taken home early; her exact words are “I’m gonna kill myself if you don’t come get me.”

These are the 19 movies we're most excited about this summer

Lacy is a shy misfit with big owlish glasses and a flair for deadpan exaggeration. She and her single mom, Janet, who’s played by a subtly luminous Julianne Nicholson, are extremely close, as we can see when Janet duly comes to fetch Lacy and bring her home. Later at their house, Janet puts Lacy to bed and listens to her vent.

Baker isn’t one to hurry her characters along. Her plays — the best known of which is her Pulitzer-winning 2013 drama, The Flick — have been justly praised for bringing a new kind of naturalism to the stage, especially in the way the actors retain the stammers and silences of normal conversation. She brings that same sensibility to Janet Planet .

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What to watch this summer: here are the tv shows we're looking forward to.

Baker includes a few loving nods to her background in theater; at various points, Lacy plays with a small puppet theater, complete with handmade clay figurines, and in a later scene, she and Janet attend an outdoor performance featuring actors in elaborate costumes. But the movie never feels stagey. It was shot on 16-millimeter film by Maria von Hausswolff, who previously filmed the visually stunning Icelandic drama Godland , and her use of natural light and precise, fine-grained details feel transportingly cinematic.

The movie is divided into three loose chapters, each one focused on a friend or significant other of Janet’s who becomes a houseguest for a spell. First up is her boyfriend Wayne, played by a gruff Will Patton, who has a daughter around Lacy’s age but doesn’t take too kindly to Lacy herself. He’s soon out the door.

In the second chapter we meet Regina, played by a wonderful Sophie Okonedo, a free-spirited drifter who comes to stay with Janet and Lacy after leaving a local hippie commune — basically a cult, though everyone is careful not to use that word. Regina initially brings a breath of fresh air into the house, though she proves insensitive and tactless, especially around Janet, and soon overstays her welcome.

The third houseguest — Avi, played by Elias Koteas — is Regina’s ex-partner and the leader of that hippie commune. Avi is the most mysterious presence in the movie, and it’s through his short-lived relationship with Janet that we fully grasp how profoundly unhappy she is.

The title Janet Planet has many meanings — it’s the name of the acupuncture studio that Janet operates out of the house. It’s also a passing reference to the nickname that Van Morrison gave the singer-songwriter Janet Rigsbee, who inspired a lot of his love songs during their five-year marriage. But the title is most meaningful as it frames our understanding of Janet, whose quiet magnetism really does seem to draw other people, especially men, into her orbit. As we see in Nicholson’s heartbreaking performance, it’s been as much a curse as it is a blessing.

One of the movie’s subtlest achievements is the way it clues us into Janet’s perspective, even as it keeps Janet herself at a bit of a distance. Much of the time we’re studying Janet through Lacy’s eyes, and what’s uncanny is the way Baker captures a sense of the girl’s growing disillusionment — that intensely specific moment when a child begins to see even a doting parent in a clear and not always flattering new light. By the end of Janet Planet , not much has happened, and yet something momentous seems to have taken place. You want Baker to return to these characters, to show us how Janet and Lacy continue to change and grow, together and apart, in the years — and the summers — to come.

‘The Exorcism’ Review: Russell Crowe Plays a Fallen Movie Star Playing a Priest in an Exorcist Movie. Is This the Sign of a Career Gone to Hell?

Crowe stars in his second exorcist film in a year. His acting isn't bad, but by the end the message seems to be: The power of residuals compels you.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

• ‘Maxxxine’ Review: Mia Goth Fights the Hollywood Power in Ti West’s Retro- ’80s Schlock Sex-and-Horror Thriller. It’s Fun at Times, but It’s No ‘Pearl’ 1 day ago
• Remembering Donald Sutherland: From Cool in ‘MASH’ to Sexy in ‘Don’t Look Now’ to Tragic in ‘Ordinary People,’ He Was a Chameleon, and the Most Human of Movie Stars 7 days ago
• ‘The Exorcism’ Review: Russell Crowe Plays a Fallen Movie Star Playing a Priest in an Exorcist Movie. Is This the Sign of a Career Gone to Hell? 1 week ago

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While we’re on the subject of art-and-life parallels, this is the second exorcist film that Russell Crowe has made in a little over a year (the first, “The Pope’s Exorcist,” was released in April 2023), and that might well be the sign of a once-hot movie star’s fall from grace. But Crowe remains too good an actor to phone in what he’s doing, and his performance as Tony has an undercurrent of shaggy despair unusual for the genre.

Early on, Tony’s 16-year-old daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), returns to his funky New York loft apartment after she gets kicked out of Catholic boarding school. For a while, we’re invested in whether Tony can mend fences with her, and whether he can turn his broken life around by portraying the priest in a movie whose director, played with amusing Machiavellian ruthlessness by Adam Goldberg, will do whatever it takes to wring a good performance out of his leading man, even it means abusing the hell out of him. (In this case that’s no metaphor.) “You still devout?” asks Goldberg’s Peter, saying it like it’s a dirty word. Tony is a former altar boy, so I guess that’s supposed to hit him hard.

On set, Lee bonds with Tony’s pop-musician costar, Blake (Chloe Bailey), the lead singer of Vampire Sorority. And Tony is coached by an on-set priest, Father Conor, a kind of intimacy-with-the-almighty coordinator played with amiable cynicism by David Hyde Pierce. There are omens, like Tony’s bloody nose on the first day of shooting. The bottom line is that Tony is not giving a good performance, and what’s standing in his way is his guilt for his sins, as well as the “mysterious” trauma that brought on his bad behavior. This is a movie that plays connect-the-dots with exorcist/Catholic/addict themes.

“The Exorcism” was directed by Joshua John Miller, who’s the son of Jason Miller, the late costar of “The Exorcist,” which creates, I guess, a kind of Satanic synergy. As the movie goes on, Tony starts slugging whiskey again, which on the story’s terms is a sign that the devil has appeared. The trouble is that a good exorcist movie requires a confrontation with the devil. Crowe is playing an actor playing an exorcist, and the way “The Exorcism” is structured what he needs to be is the therapeutic Father Merrin of his own soul. But the darker the movie gets, the less there is at stake, and the more that Crowe seems to be going through the motions of trying to save not his soul but his career. The power of residuals compels you.

Reviewed at Digital Arts, New York, June 13, 2024. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 93 MIN.

• Production: A Vertical Entertainment release of a Miramax, Outerbanks Entertainment production. Producers: Kevin Williamson, Ben Fast, Bill Block. Executive producers: Padraic McKinley, Scott Putman, Andrew Golov, Thomas Zadra.
• Crew: Director: Joshua John Miller. Screenplay: M.A. Fortin, Joshua John Miller. Camera: Simon Duggan. Editor: Matthew Woolley. Music: Daniel Bensi, Saunder Jurriaans.
• With: Russell Crowe, Ryan Simpjkins, Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg, David Hyde Pierce.

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Upcoming indian action movie with 94% on rotten tomatoes is one of 2024’s most exciting films.

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Every Action Movie Releasing In 2024

15 most rewatchable western movies of all time, eddie murphy elaborates on beverly hills cop 3 criticism: "that means the movie's not going to work".

• "Kill" is a boundary-pushing action movie set on a train, captivating audiences with intense fight sequences and a gripping story.
• Critics praise the film's immersive quality, inventive use of space, and brutal action scenes that pay homage to genre classics.
• The movie is a rare collaboration between Indian and Hollywood studios and is set to release in July 2024 with high anticipation and positive reviews.

An upcoming Indian action movie with 94% on Rotten Tomatoes is one of the most exciting films of 2024. Produced by famed Bollywood producer Karan Johar ( Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and My Name Is Khan) and Apoorva Mehta of Dharma Productions and Academy Award-winning producer Guneet Monga ( The Elephant Whisperers) and Achin Jain of Sikhya Entertainment, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year . Recognized as first runner-up for the People's Choice Award: Midnight Madness, this particular project is a thrilling addition to the genre.

2024 has already been an exciting year for action movies. Following in the footsteps of action movies like John Wick , releases such as Monkey Man have helped push new boundaries in the genre, laying the foundations for even more future success. However, while action films have undoubtedly been revitalized in recent years, there is a growing sense of formula to major releases. One 2024 movie promises to challenge this.

Dharma Productions and Sikhya Entertainment previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed 2013 drama film The Lunchbox, which won the Critics' Week Viewers Choice Award at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Film Not in the English Language at the 2015 British Academy Film Awards.

2024 may potentially be one of the greatest years for action movies, with intriguing originals and impressive franchise releases on the way.

Kill Is An Action-Packed Movie Set On Board A Train

A romantic escape goes horribly – and thrillingly – wrong.

Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, Kill has been dubbed the " most violent and goriest film India has ever produced ," according to the trailer. The movie follows an army commando named Amrit (Lakshya) and his newly engaged fiancé, Tulika (Tanya Maniktala), aboard a train bound for New Delhi. Initially, the couple's journey seems to be a romantic escape, but things go awry when a gang of knife-wielding dacoits begins to terrorize the passengers . Amrit's sense of duty is awakened, and he engages in a relentless fight against the thieves, transforming the train into a battleground.

The narrative confines itself to the claustrophobic environment of the train, amplifying the tension and urgency as Amrit combats the increasingly violent criminals to protect his fellow passengers.

Kill is the first Hindi-language genre film of its kind. The narrative confines itself to the claustrophobic environment of the train, amplifying the tension and urgency as Amrit combats the increasingly violent criminals to protect his fellow passengers. Through a rare deal with Lionsgate (via Deadline ) , this is one of the first times an Indian production has partnered with a Hollywood studio on a theatrical release in North America and the UK for a mainstream Hindi-language film. Its cinematic release on July 4, 2024, is therefore especially exciting thanks to its boundary-pushing content and provocative story.

Why Kill’s Reviews Are So Good

Critics praise its relentless action and unabashed commitment to the genre.

Most critics appear mesmerized by Kill 's unabashed commitment to the genre, immersive quality, and inventive use of the train's claustrophobic environment.

Kill's reviews praise its gory, visceral violence, well-choreographed fight sequences, and gripping feel. Among all the movies set on a train , Kill has been likened to Bullet Train, Train to Busan, and Snowpiercer by Peter Debruge of Variety , who praises the film's relentless brutality and graphic action. Most critics appear mesmerized by Kill 's unabashed commitment to the genre, immersive quality, and inventive use of the train's claustrophobic environment. They also appreciate its sincere homage to Indonesian genre classics like The Night Comes for Us and The Raid.

Matt Donato of Slashfilm , for instance , celebrates Kill as a " near-perfect action thriller that's stuck in overdrive," calling it " sublimely savage" and " an action masterclass. " Similarly, Indian independent film critic Sucharita Tyagi commends the film's technical excellence , including the cinematography, editing, set design, and sound work to build tension and craft action sequences within a small, overcrowded train carriage. While some criticized the relatively thin plot, most lauded Kill for excelling as a classic action thriller, successfully combining Bollywood style with the genre's popular excesses.

Kill releases in cinemas on July 4, 2024.

Sources: Variety , Slashfilm , Sucharita Tyagi ,

• Cast & crew

Speak No Evil

A family is invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, unaware that their dream vacation will soon become a psychological nightmare. A family is invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, unaware that their dream vacation will soon become a psychological nightmare. A family is invited to spend a weekend in an idyllic country house, unaware that their dream vacation will soon become a psychological nightmare.

• James Watkins
• Christian Tafdrup
• Mads Tafdrup
• Mackenzie Davis
• James McAvoy
• Aisling Franciosi
• 1 Critic review

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How hollywood can make climate stories sexy.

The founders of the Hollywood Climate Summit break down the ways — subtle and not — our entertainment can address environmental themes while remaining, well, entertaining.

By Allison Begalman , Heather Fipps , Ali Weinstein June 24, 2024 8:00am

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We’ve seen the apocalyptic headlines (and movies). We’ve heard the scientists’ warnings. We know they’re the characters who are ignored until it’s too late. The consequences of that ignorance are supposed to teach us something, right?

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As working creatives in Hollywood, we found ourselves grappling with these questions and felt there needed to be an accessible space to bridge silos and share information between the climate and media communities. That’s why we created the Hollywood Climate Summit , a nonprofit and annual conference whose network of film, TV, music, fashion, games, sports and social media professionals convene with activists and experts to strategize around collective climate action. (It runs this year from June 25 to June 28.)

Over the past five years, we’ve had a front-row seat to the discussion around, “How should we be integrating climate into our stories?” We’ve learned that storytelling holds immense power to change the culture around the climate crisis and how we respond to it, and that every person who touches a story has the power to implement climate and sustainability values into their work, whether you’re writing the story, marketing it or physically building its sets. 

Make any story a climate story: This doesn’t just mean a story explicitly about climate (although it can be!). It’s about what the story is illuminating, connecting or moving in us that helps us become better humans, equipped to navigate the massive culture shift needed to face the climate crisis. 

Example: The Affair explores the emotional turmoil of an ongoing love affair, but in the final season it jumps to the near future where the main character explores and processes her family trauma by working to help save her home from the effects of the climate crisis. Additionally: True Detective: Night Country, Ted Lasso, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Madam Secretary.

It must be entertaining!: Any attempt at including climate in storytelling isn’t going to be as meaningful or valuable unless it is an incredible story that moves us, attracts major audiences and leaves a lasting impression. We’re not looking to sacrifice what makes a great story for heavy-handed messaging or information overload. It’s impactful to add climate information, questions or values (whether it’s through character, plot, in the background, via production design or VFX) in any already entertaining story you have or are developing.

Make it aspirational: Stories can shift our mindset away from defeatist, apocalyptic narratives and instead offer solutions, agency and inspiration. What are the character values in our stories, who are the people we want to see as leaders, and what are the lifestyles or societies we aspire for that would be better for us and the planet? What story choices or world design choices could help us visualize a climate-positive future? 

Example: It may not seem aspirational to escape your life by hiking 2,650 miles, but Wild captured Cheryl Strayed’s perseverance and love for nature, trusting the process and showing women world-wide that thru-hikes like the Pacific Crest Trail could be possible for them, too. In the years following, PCT permit application numbers increased 320 percent. Ultimately, studies show that the more time spent outdoors, the more inclined people are toward climate solutions. Additionally: Erin Brockovich, The Biggest Little Farm, WALL-E, The Expanse, Interstellar, Black Panther, Moana, Rutherford Falls and My Octopus Teacher.

Embrace humanity & nuance: In navigating major cultural shifts and compromise, we must depolarize this issue and see one another’s humanity. Can your story urge us to be more interconnected? Can people with differing perspectives align over common needs? Can it center community rather than individualism? 

Climate is intersectional: Actually, it is the most intersectional issue of our time. Almost every social justice issue a person can identify with or is passionate about intersects with climate, because climate escalates all issues. Can your story deepen our awareness of the intersectional issues that are the root cause of climate change, such as racial injustice, consolidated power, wealth disparity and extractive economies? 

Example: Abbott Elementary expertly weaves climate through many of its episodes because it is undeniably a part of its characters’ lives. Abbott is located in a diverse and under-resourced school district in Philadelphia and highlights through comedy how resource disparities in the public education system impact teachers and students dealing with climate change. In an episode in season one, we see how extreme heat impacts schools like Abbott when the characters have to scramble to keep the school day on track after the (already limited) air conditioning stops working. Additionally: Spirit Rangers, Parasite, The Territory, Beasts of the Southern Wild and The Curse. 

Example: Snowpiercer (the film, but also the TV show) is a sleeper climate storytelling classic. A climate solution gone wrong, a train endlessly circling the globe in a frozen tundra, desperately divided by class — clearly a metaphor for the continued inequity of the climate crisis. It both interrogates the feudal system of this postapocalyptic world and finds solutions, namely at the end where the only reason the main character survives is because he listens to two Indigenous characters whom everyone else wrote off. A poignant warning, perhaps? Additionally: Years and Years, Succession, The Game Changers, Thank You for Smoking, Dune, Don’t Look Up, Okja, Fallout, Arcane and Barbie.  

In order to implement these takeaways, we need to embrace creating an industrywide environment for telling climate stories. Doing so will open the door to dozens more ways to portray the present and future that will defy apathy and encourage action. Intersectional climate stories will only become representative in our content if they are embraced within the culture of this industry, similar and in conjunction to the DE&I movements Hollywood has been striving toward.

This story first appeared in the June 2024 Sustainability issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to see the rest of the issue .

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