Movies
28 Popular Movies That Are Actually Pretty Pornographic
From Boogie Nights to Blue Is the Warmest Color, these films tread the line between sexy and suggestive.
Movies can take us to new worlds beyond our wildest imaginations — and occasionally, those new worlds are very sexy. From critically acclaimed blockbusters to obscure indies, there are plenty of “regular” movies (read: not advertised as porn) that get very graphic. For evenings where you want a little spice with your sugar, check out the 28 films below, which are about as close to porn as you can get without, you know, actually being porn.
There’s a little something here for everyone. For something more high-brow, check out Oscar-nominated fare like The Wolf of Wall Street, Dogtooth, Monster’s Ball, and Dallas Buyers Club. There are also a few cult classics to choose from, like Wild Things, Showgirls, and Boogie Nights. And then there’s the Fifty Shades trilogy — enough said.
It’s good to keep your mind open, so no matter your taste in movies, it’s worth giving at least one or two (or seven) of these films a chance. As long as you’re prepared to sit through some pretty graphic sex scenes, these practically-porn movies are sure to be fun, whether you watch them alone or with a partner. Just make sure to take a cold shower afterward, because fair warning: These movies will definitely heat things up.
1. Lie With Me (2005)
Lie With Me, like porn, contains unsimulated sex — meaning the actors were filmed having actual intercourse. This 2005 erotic romance follows Leila and David, two sexually aggressive people who indulge in a carnal affair. Both love sex and hate commitment, but their relationship soon begins to seep into their (very separate) personal lives.
Watch now on Tubi or Pluto TV.
2. Wild Things (1998)
Wild Things has earned itself a place in the cannon of hotter-than-hot teen movies. From that infamous threesome between Matt Dillon, Denise Richards, and Neve Campbell, to Richards standing seductively, soaking wet, it remains a mystery how this 1998 film passed the censors.
3. Dogtooth (2009)
There may be highly realistic sex scenes in Dogtooth, but that doesn’t mean this film is necessarily sexy — it’s actually fairly disturbing. This Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite) flick is about a father who keeps his three adult children estranged from the outside world, forcing them into a cult-like atmosphere filled with arbitrary and ridiculous rules. At one point, the father forces two of them to have sex with each other. Dogtooth is filled with scenes you’ll never forget, for better or worse.
Watch now on Tubi or rent or buy on Amazon Prime
4. Shame (2011)
This Steve McQueen-directed movie is about a sex addict named Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender) who is trying to hide his private life from his sister, Sissy (Carey Mulligan). When Sissy decides to move in with Brandon indefinitely, he finds his sexual lifestyle waylaid. Shame is a little dark, so it might not be for everyone — but if you’re a Fassbender or McQueen fan, this is definitely a must-see flick. Heads up, though: Sissy has a history of mental illness, which could be triggering for some viewers.
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime or rent it on Apple TV
5. Basic Instinct (1992)
As a crime novelist accused of murdering a famous rock star, Sharon Stone takes femme fatale to the next level in Basic Instinct. Stone’s Catherine Tramell has written a book that mimics the real-life murder a little too closely for comfort. She and Nick Curran, the detective investigating her crime (Michael Douglas), have a sexy, twisted relationship — so messed up that he’s OK with ignoring her probable guilt in the murder. If you haven’t seen this ’90s neo-noir classic, now might be the time.
6. The Sweetest Thing (2002)
This movie — starring Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair as three successful single girls living in San Francisco — lives somewhere on the spectrum between obscurity and cult classic. In other words, only the real baddies know how ridiculous The Sweetest Thing is. Not everything about this movie has aged gracefully, but some of its scenes are as comical as they are sexy.
7. Baby Boy (2001)
This coming-of-age film stars Tyrese Gibson as Joseph “Jody” Summers, a 20-something, unemployed man who still lives with his mom despite fathering two children by two different women. Rather than taking charge of his life, Jody spends his time sleeping around, cheating on his girlfriend, Yvette — played by Taraji P. Henson in her film debut — and getting into trouble with her ex-boyfriend Rodney (Snoop Dogg). From sultry sex scenes to a stacked soundtrack featuring Snoop Sogg, Tyrese and D’Angelo, this NAACP Image Award-nominated film has it all.
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime
8. Good Luck Chuck (2007)
The movie is extremely silly. But even if the premise — women have no-strings-attached sex with Dane Cook’s character, then find their “true love” shortly after — is a little unrealistic, the movie’s sex montage is very intense — certainly more graphic than many teenage viewers were prepared for when it came out. You’re not alone if you still blush thinking about it.
9. Showgirls (1995)
Showgirls, a film about a young drifter trying to make it as a proper Las Vegas showgirl, is bound to have some sexy scenes. Starring Elizabeth Berkley of Saved by the Bell fame, this film got an NC-17 rating when it first came out for nudity, erotic sexuality, and sexual violence. It was also shocking for many people at the time, given that its star was best known for playing good-girl Jesse Spano on the popular teen sitcom.
10. Original Sin (2001)
A remake of Truffault’s 1969 film Mississippi Mermaid, Original Sin stars Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas as a married couple who get to know one another very intimately — but only after they’re wed. They only met hours before their nuptials, after all. This 2001 film is known for its extremely graphic sex scenes and deadly love triangle, a perfect pairing for any erotic thriller.
Watch now on Cinemax via Hulu or Amazon Prime
11. The Fifty Shades Of Grey Series (2015-2018)
E.L. James changed the entire book industry when her self-published novel Fifty Shades of Grey became a viral sensation, winning over suburban book clubs all over the country. It was only a matter of time before someone turned the books into movies, and they do not disappoint. Dakota Johnson stars as Anastasia “Ana” Steele, a literature student assigned to interview mysterious millionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). As the two grow closer, he slowly introduces her to the sexual world of BDSM. These three books and movies are definitely not Shakespeare — some of the dialogue will make you cringe — but they’re addictive and sexy.
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime or watch on Peacock
12. Nymphomaniac: Volume I & Volume II (2013)
In this incredibly graphic two-part movie from controversial director Lars von Trier, Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) tells Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård) all about her various sexcapades. The story begins with her teenage trysts, and continues through to her current life as a 50-year-old, self-diagnosed nymphomaniac. Seligman tries to analyze the whole thing, but it’s not really something you can break down if you’re not a licensed therapist (which he definitely isn’t). The double-feature also stars Shia LaBeouf, Christian Slater, Jamie Bell, Uma Thurman, Willem Dafoe, and Connie Nielsen.
Rent or buy Volume I or Volume II on Amazon Prime
13. Boogie Nights (1997)
A movie about the porn industry is obviously going to have some sexy bits. In Boogie Nights, Mark Wahlberg plays a teenage busboy who’s discovered by a porn producer, and sees his entire life upended. The film contains full-frontal male nudity (although Wahlberg reportedly wore a prosthetic), which is rare today, and was even rarer back in the ’90s. “What Mark Wahlberg did in that movie was all sorts of things that he had to absolutely commit to,” the director of photography Robert Elswit told Grantland. “He had to put a prosthetic cock on his own cock, you know what I mean? That’s asking an awful lot of an actor, honestly.”
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime
14. Antichrist (2009)
Violent sex is a huge and disturbing part of this Danish film, also from Nymphoniac director Lars von Trier. There are also a lot of dead bodies tangled up in the roots of trees, dead foxes, and ticks. This movie is not for the faint of heart, but if you have a kink for horror, it just might be what you’re looking for. It was also the talk of every single film festival the year it came out, so think of it as art, not porn.
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime
15. Newness (2017)
Nicholas Hoult and Laia Costa star in this sexy romance about a couple who decide to explore an open relationship. It doesn’t take long for their sexual encounters get more intense as they try to one-up one another in their sexual conquests. Thanks to Like Crazy filmmaker Drake Doremus, this film has a dreamlike quality that distinguishes it from other movies like it.
16. Madame Claude (2021)
One of the most famous brothel madams gets the silver screen treatment in Sylvie Verheyde’s Madame Claude, a 2021 remake of the 1977 film of the same name. It’s based on the true story of a successful ’60s brothel keeper, who catered to powerful politicians and high-profile clients. Though it was met with lukewarm reception from critics, Madame Claude’s sex scenes are very, very hot.
17. 365 Days (2020)
This erotic thriller definitely turned heads after it landed on Netflix, when it was quickly dubbed Poland’s version of Fifty Shades of Grey. The steamy flick tells the story of Laura (Anna-Maria Sieklucka), a Warsaw businesswoman who is kidnapped by Massimo (Michele Morrone), the leader of an Italian crime family. He gives her 365 days to fall in love with him, and the sex scenes honestly rival anything in Fifty Shades. Proceed with caution, though: There is a very questionable consent part of the movie, and you have to be willing to look past the fact that the main character is a prisoner.
18. Love (2015)
OK, this one might legit just be porn ... almost. When Gaspar Noé’s Love premiered in 2015, the word on the street at the Cannes Film Festival was the fact that the film uses unsimulated sex scenes. But it’s not just smut: Love tells an intriguing story about Murphy, an American student who reminisces about his past relationships with two women.
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime
19. Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013)
Blue Is the Warmest Color (La Vie d’Adèle) is an incredibly raw and graphic film that tells the story of two young French women who begin a passionate relationship. It won the Palme D’or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and stars Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos were lauded for their vulnerable portrayal of the young lovers (not to mention the extensive and explicit sex scenes). The movie earned an NC-17 rating stateside, so you know what you’re in for.
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime
20. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Loosely based on Arthur Schnitzler’s 1926 book Traumnovelle (Dream Story), Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut stars Tom Cruise as Dr. Bill Hartford, whose wife Alice (Nicole Kidman) confesses she’s felt urges to sleep with another man. Shocked and upset, Bill seeks out a sexual encounter of his own and winds up stumbling into a secret organization’s masked orgy. The final film Kubrick created before his March 1999 passing, Eyes Wide Shut’s sex scenes were heavily edited by Warner Bros. to ensure the film receive an R rating rather than an adults-only NC-17.
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime
21. Jason’s Lyric (1994)
Set in a dangerous neighborhood in Houston, Texas, this erotic drama follows brothers Jason (Allen Payne) and Joshua (Bokeen Woodbine), who’ve pursued wildly different lifestyles following a family tragedy. A responsible man working as a TV store clerk, Jason spends much of his time trying to help Joshua, who’s gone down a criminal path. But after Jason meets a woman named Lyric (Jada Pinkett Smith), he loses himself in their intense relationship, which evolves over several lengthy, dreamlike sex scenes.
22. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Named the most explicit Hollywood film of all time for sexual content in a study published by NY Daily News, Martin Scorcese’s The Wolf of Wall Street features a record-breaking amount of curse words as well as many extreme sex scenes. Set in the early 1990s, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, who quickly works his way up Wall Street’s corporate ladder. Alongside trusted lieutenant Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill), Belfort defrauds investors and makes millions while seeking out in a seemingly endless amount of drugs, sex, and other dangerous thrills.
Watch now on Paramount+ or rent or buy on Amazon Prime
23. Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Set in the mid-1980s, this biographical drama tells the story of Dallas electrician Ron Woodroof (Matthew McConaughey), who’s shocked to learn he has AIDS — and supposedly has only 30 days to live. Determined to live through the disease, Ron begins illegally obtaining not-yet-approved drugs and discreetly selling them to those in need through his “Dallas Buyers Club.” Also starring Jared Leto and Jennifer Garner, the Oscar-winning film’s heavy subject matter is accompanied by many uncomfortably graphic sex scenes.
Rent or buy now on Amazon Prime
24. Annette (2021)
If you’ve seen Girls or House of Gucci, you know Adam Driver has what it takes to deliver a memorable sex scene. For one of these sequences in 2021’s Annette, he upped the ante by literally singing while simulating oral sex on Marion Cotillard, which spawned many viral headlines. The film follows comedian Henry (Driver) as he falls in love with opera singer Ann (Cotillard) and the pair have a baby, Annette (Devyn McDowell), whose arrival drastically alters their lives.
25. Trois 2: Pandora’s Box (2002)
Created as a standalone film but marketed as a sequel to 2000’s erotic thriller Trois due to its similar themes and sexual content, Pandora’s Box stars Monica Calhoun (The Best Man) as psychologist Mia DuBois. Unhappy in her marriage, Mia is persuaded by new client Tammy (Chrystale Wilson) to attend an underground sex club, where she meets Hampton Hines (Michael Jai White) and soon enters a steamy, complicated affair.
Watch now on Roku or rent or buy on Amazon Prime
26. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks star as the titular characters in Zack and Miri Make a Porno — two lifelong friends and roommates who find themselves ocean-deep in financial debt. After their electricity is turned off, the pair becomes desperate and decides to make a pornographic film together to score some funds. But though they try to prevent their new business from getting in the way of their friendship, Zack and Miri begin to struggle with their changing dynamic. Given the subject matter, you can expect to see an array of sex scenes in this 2008 comedy.
Watch now on Showtime or rent or buy on Amazon Prime
27. Lovelace (2013)
Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, this biopic sees Amanda Seyfried take on the role of legendary Golden Age of Porn actress Linda Lovelace, known for starring in 1972’s controversial Deep Throat. Born Linda Susan Boreman, Lovelace later claimed her husband, Chuck Traynor (played by Peter Sarsgaard), threatened and coerced her into appearing in porn, a troubling dynamic explored in the film.
28. Monster’s Ball (2001)
After his son dies by suicide, prison guard Hank Grotowski (Billy Bob Thornton) struggles with depression. When he meets Leticia Musgrove (Halle Berry) and helps her injured son, who then passes away, the pair bond over grief and soon spark a sexual relationship — shown onscreen in several lengthy sex scenes. But once she learns he played a role in her husband’s execution, their connection takes a negative turn in this Oscar-winning erotic drama.
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