1

1. EYES WIDE SHUT (1999)

Secret societies, masked orgies, and a nude Nicole Kidman feature in Stanley Kubrick’s 1999 erotic psychological drama starring then couple, Kidman and Cruise. What else do you need to know?

2

2. CRUEL INTENTIONS (1999)

Described as “the dirtiest-minded American movie in recent memory,” Cruel Intentions was smuggled into every pre-teen slumber party in the early 2000s. The cult classic stars Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon (who were later married and divorced IRL), as well as Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair who stand out in an iconic make-out scene. If you’re looking for a messy teen drama full of mean, horny, entitled prep-schoolers serving betrayal and girl-on-girl action, then this is the one for you.

3

3. NINE 1/2 WEEKS (1986)

Mickey Rourke wasn’t always a tanned, sinewy, hot dog-skinned man wearing a mask of himself. He used to be pure sex. In Nine 1/2 Weeks, Rouke plays a mysterious Wall Street type with a penchant for BDSM, starring opposite a more buttoned-up Kim Basinger. The two embark on a brief, but intense, sexual affair, and they do it A LOT. Their most iconic love-making location, however, is outdoors in a Manhattan alley stairway while rain and dirty street water pours over their thrusting bodies.

Trigger warning: the relationship is undeniably unhealthy, but, if you’re into that, you won’t be disappointed.

4

4. UNFAITHFUL (2002)

The erotic thriller tells the story of a couple, played by Richard Gere and Diane Lane, whose marriage disintegrates after the wife (Lane) begins an affair. Sure, affairs never end well, but at least you get to watch Diane Lane have sex with Oliver Martinez in a public bathroom stall before shit hits the fan.

5

5. ORIGINAL SIN (2001)

Can’t say it’s the best movie (it’s terrible), but I can promise you lots of sex. Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas, two of the most beautiful creatures in human existence, hump like rabbits in a very convincing, very nude sex scene that will make you… feel things.

6

6. WILD THINGS (1998)

If you haven’t seen Wild Things, you’ve probably heard of it. Denise Richards and Neve Campbell girl fight in the pool, then girl kiss in the pool. It has an all-star cast, including Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon, and beloved Mr. Chive himself, Bill Murray. This movie is a mess, but it’s a fun, hot, sexy mess. Roger Ebert described Wild Things as “lurid trash” saying, “It’s like a three-way collision between a softcore sex film, a soap opera, and a B-grade noir. I liked it.” Yea, it’s trash, but Roger liked it. I wonder if Denise and Neve’s aquatic rendezvous won him over…

7

7. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)

An oldie but a goodie. It may not seem scandalous by today’s standards, but when From Here To Eternity premiered, it was a jaw-dropper. One scene in particular had audiences especially titillated when Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr make out (suck face) in the sand, rolling around while waves crash into their intertwined bodies. It won a ton of awards and has a ridiculous cast that includes (in addition to Lancaster and Kerr) Frank Sinatra, Montgomery Clift, and Donna Reed. 

Fun fact: This movie was an indirect inspiration for arguably the most shocking scene in The Godfather. A rumor circulated that alleged Frank Sinatra used mob ties to land a role in From Here To Eternity. It was this rumor that inspired Mario Puzo’s crooner character, Jonny Fontane. The fictional entertainer uses his mob connections to try and extricate himself from an unfavorable contract with studio head, Jack Woltz. When Woltz balks at the request, mob boss, Vito Corleone, makes him an offer he can’t refuse… cue the horse head.

8

8. BODY HEAT (1981)

Ok, y’all. This one is super steamy and chock full of sweaty, sweaty sex. Kathleen Turner and William Hurt are in their prime, and they’re all over each other. Inspired by the 1944 film, Double Indemnity, Body Heat isn’t just smut (even though there’s a lot of it); it’s a fun, film-noir thriller with mystery… Also, did I mention all the sweaty sex?

9

9. SECRETARY (2002)

Where do I begin with Secretary? If the GIF is any indication, this film is wild. Secretary stars Maggie Gyllenhaal as a submissive secretary and James Spader as her dom-daddy lawyer boss. Together they get up to all kinds of BDSM shenanigans. The film delivers kink with levity, successfully navigating tricky subject matter in a way that’s never too extreme or too silly (the hay scatted about her office desk aside). If you’re into a little pain with your pleasure, this one is for you.

10

10. BASIC INSTINCT (1992)

There isn’t a sexy movie list in existence that doesn’t include Basic Instinct. Starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone, Basic Instinct was controversial for issues outside its graphic nature (trigger warning stuff – do your research), but we’re not here for critical analysis; we’re here for the heat. Initially given an NC-17 rating, Basic Instinct is best known for one scene, one moment, really – Sharon Stone, during a police interrogation, smokes a cigarette as she answers questions about her sexual activity while detectives, visibly aroused, observe. After a few questions, Stone looks directly at one of the detectives (Michael Douglas) and asks, “Have you ever fucked on cocaine?” before slowly crossing and uncrossing her legs… and she’s wearing a dress… annnd it appears she’s not wearing panties. 

ICONIC.

The Basic Instinct writer/director team, Joe Ezterhas and Paul Verhoeven, would go on to make another film together a few years later – Showgirls. Arguably one of the most ridiculous films ever made (and, coincidentally, one of my favorites), Showgirls is also undeniably steamy and chock full of sex, full-frontal nudity, and girl-on-girl action, but Showgirls is sacred and deserves a dedicated post.