50 of the best sex movies *ever*
... just don’t watch these on your work laptop
It’s time we all told the truth, porn doesn’t always do it for everyone — which is precisely why you just typed ‘best sex movies’ into your search bar and ended up here.
Well, you’ve arrived in the right place; if you’re currently looking for a bit more character development and connection in your erotic content, we really do have the lowdown on the best sex movies to check out instead, from 90s classics Eyes White Shut and Cruel Intentions to more recent sexy flicks like Fifty Shades of Grey and Saltburn. No topic is off limits: we’re talking sex parties, forbidden love, BDSM, affairs with beautiful married women... the works.
Looking for more alternative erotic content? You can check out our picks of audio porn, sexy fan fics, and erotic fiction later. But in the meantime, get stuck into our countdown of 50 h-o-t sex movies to fire up your fantasies.
And finally, an FYI: since these movies are works of fiction, the whole film might not be sexy, even if there are some turbo-charged sex scenes. Just something to remember!
Best sex movies to watch next time you’re alone... or with a partner
Love (2015)
When Murphy (Karl Glusman), an American living in Paris, and his lover Electra (Aomi Muyock) invite their young neighbour to join them as a third in Gaspar Noe’s 2015 erotic drama Love, they have no idea the effect it will have on their relationship.
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Love it or hate it, Sam Taylor-Johnson’s Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) has some extremely hot scenes. The film is an adaptation of E.L. James’ novel — which, fun fact, started life as Twilight fanfic — and charts the relationship between a shy and somewhat naive literature student, Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), a billionaire with a dark secret (that’s not tax fraud).
Fifty Shades Darker (2017)
Why not work through the whole trilogy? In the second instalment, Anastasia leaves Christian, who begins getting nightmares in her absence. When he tries to win her back, Jack Hyde, Ana's editor, and Leila, a former submissive, create problems.
Fifty Shades Freed (2018)
Anastasia and Christian are now married and looking forward to spending their lives together. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy for them. Once more, Jack poses a threat to their relationship.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
In Brokeback Mountain (2005), the classic gay love story based on a novel of the same name, Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) navigate the homophobia of the American Deep South and find solace in each other and the mountains.
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Sex club or cult? You decide. In legendary director Stanley Kubrick’s final film, 1999’s Eyes Wide Shut, a Manhattan doctor (Tom Cruise) embarks on a bizarre night-long adventure into a seedy underworld after his wife (Nicole Kidman) confesses her unfulfilled desires.
Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013)
In Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013), an iconic exploration of sapphic coming-of-age, Adèle’s (Adèle Exarchopoulos) life is changed when she meets Emma (Léa Seydoux), a young woman with blue hair, who allows her to discover her desires and assert herself as a woman.
Shortbus (2006)
2006’s Shortbus is an erotic comedy in which a group of sexually diverse New Yorkers try to navigate the city’s underground art scene. The film contains several scenes of non-simulated sex, including real shots of male ejaculation. If that’s your thing.
Belle de Jour (1967)
In Belle de Jour, the award-winning and groundbreaking 1967 movie, a beautiful and unsatisfied housewife (Catherine Deneuve) embarks on a double life as sex worker while her husband (Jean Sorel) is out of the house at work. But can she and her marriage survive the duplicity?
Room in Rome (2010)
In Room in Rome (2010), Alba (Elena Anaya), a 30-something Spanish tourist, invites a young Russian woman (Natasha Yarovenko) back to her hotel while on holiday in Rome. Despite having not been intimate with another woman, the two embark on a physical adventure and discover new desires.
Closer (2004)
2004 romantic drama Closer sees the loyalty and bond of two couples (played by Jude Law and Natalie Portman, as well as Julia Roberts and Clive Owen) tested to their limits, as the man of one couple tries to pursue a relationship with the woman of the other. Not only was this film nominated for a number of awards, it’s the inspiration behind two Panic! At the Disco songs. Huh.
Below Her Mouth (2016)
2016’s Below Her Mouth is a steamy story about coming out, queerness, relationships, and how hot women who can fix a roof are.
Secretary (2002)
Before there was Fifty Shades of Grey, there was 2002’s The Secretary. When a young woman (Maggie Gyllenhaal) takes a job as a secretary for a demanding lawyer (James Spader), she has no idea that she’s about to embark on a full-time sub/Dom relationship.
Cruel Intentions (1999)
Two manipulative and wayward step-siblings (Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe) make the ultimate bet to see who can seduce the headmaster’s daughter (Reese Witherspoon) before the start of a new term.
Jamón Jamón (1992)
Penélope Cruz’s film debut, in Bigas Luna’s 1992 romantic tragicomedy Jamón Jamón, sees her take on the ultimate meddling mother-in-law (Stefania Sandrelli), who hires a young bullfighter (Javier Bardem) to seduce her away from her boyfriend (Jordi Mollà).
Duck Butter (2018)
In 2018’s Duck Butter, two young women (Alia Shawkat and Laia Costa), dissatisfied with the modern dating scene, decide to spend 24 hours together in the hope that they can find genuine connection and intimacy. Honestly, can you think of anything more sapphic?
Cam (2018)
Cam, 2018’s erotic psychological horror, explores identity, perception, and how social media and the internet impact our understanding of ourselves. The film follows Alice (Madeline Brewer), an ambitious cam girl, who wakes up one day to discover that she’s been replaced on her show with an exact replica of herself.
Bound (1996)
Lesbians! Committing! Crimes! Do we need to say more? Okay, fine: in Bound, the Wachowski sisters’ (of Matrix fame) 1996 directorial debut, ex-con Corky (Gina Gershon) and her lover Violet (Jennifer Tilly) concoct a scheme to steal millions of stashed mob money and pin the blame on Violet’s crooked boyfriend Caesar (Joe Pantoliano). How’s that?
The Duke of Burgundy (2014)
In The Duke of Burgundy, a 2014 British erotic drama, a woman (Chiara D‘Anna) who studies butterflies and moths tests the limits of her relationship with her lesbian lover (Sidse Babett Knudsen), with whom she’s involved in a 24/7 sub/Domme relationship. We’re sensing a theme with these films.
Knife+Heart (2018)
In Knife+Heart (2018), a sexy horror-thriller set in 1970s Paris, gay porn producer Anne (Vanessa Paradis) tries to get back with her lover, Loïs (Kate Moran), but ends up making an ambitious film with a flamboyant actor (Nicolas Maury). Oh and there’s a bunch of murders, too.
Chloe Bowen is Cosmopolitan UK’s former Features Intern. She holds undergraduate and masters degrees in journalism, and ever since joining the Cosmo team, Chloe writes about everything from sex and dating to mental health, culture, body image and books. In her spare time, she’s likely to be cooking up tasty vegan food, in a yoga class, binge-watching crime documentaries or going on long walks with an over-priced oat milk flat white.
Lois Shearing is Cosmoplitan's Former Senior Sex and Relationship Writer. They have been writing about sex, sexuality, gender, politics, and relationships for almost ten years. Their writing on these topics has appeared in Mashable, The Independent, Metro, The Advocate, and Byline Times, among others. In 2021, they published their first book, Bi the Way with JKP. They are currently working on two other books, set to be published in 2024. In a previous life, they worked as a content marketer and content writer for various tech start-ups. They continue to be interested in the tech sector and its impact on our lives, relationships, and work, with particular regard to the ways AI will shape our relationships in the future. Outside of work, they are deeply passionate about queer community organising, and run the only support resource for bisexual survivors of sexual violence in the UK: the Bi Survivors Network. You can find them on Instagram and X.
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