You’ve probably noticed it while scrolling through Netflix or sitting in a darkened theater lately. Cinema is getting significantly less shy. For about a decade, it felt like big-budget movies had become weirdly sterile, almost like they were afraid of human touch. But things are shifting. Movies with sex in them are making a massive comeback, and it isn't just about the shock factor anymore. It’s about storytelling that feels real, messy, and grounded in the actual human experience.
Honestly, we went through a weird "Puritan" phase in Hollywood. Between the rise of PG-13 superhero franchises and the cautiousness of the early streaming era, intimacy was often edited out to ensure the widest possible global audience. It was business, basically. If you wanted to sell a movie in every international market without a hitch, you cut the bedroom scenes. But audiences are starting to push back against that "Barbie-doll" version of reality.
People want to see themselves on screen. And people, for the most part, have sex.
The Evolution of Intimacy on Screen
It’s easy to think of "adult content" as a modern invention, but cinema has been grappling with this since the silent era. Look at the pre-Code 1930s. Films were incredibly suggestive until the Hays Code slammed the door shut for decades. Then came the 1970s—the "New Hollywood" era—where directors like Mike Nichols and Bernardo Bertolucci pushed every boundary imaginable.
Think about Last Tango in Paris. It was controversial, sure. It was also a massive cultural moment that forced people to talk about power dynamics and grief.
Fast forward to today. We aren't just seeing "sex for the sake of sex." We’re seeing the rise of the intimacy coordinator. This is a huge shift in how movies with sex in them are actually made. Ten years ago, actors were often left to "figure it out" on set, which was awkward at best and predatory at worst. Now, it’s choreographed like a stunt. It’s professional. Experts like Ita O'Brien (who worked on Normal People) have fundamentally changed the industry. By making the set safer, the performances actually become more believable. They look less like "acting" and more like real life because the performers feel secure.
Why "The Voyeurs" and "Poor Things" Matter Right Now
Take Poor Things, for example. Yorgos Lanthimos didn’t include those scenes just to get an R-rating. They are central to Bella Baxter’s discovery of her own agency. The sex is funny, awkward, and experimental—exactly like the character herself. It’s a narrative tool.
Then you have something like The Voyeurs on Amazon. It leans into the "erotic thriller" genre that basically died in the late 90s. For a while, if you wanted that kind of tension, you had to go back and watch Basic Instinct or Fatal Attraction. But streamers realized there is a massive, underserved market for adult-oriented dramas that don't involve capes or multiverses.
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It’s about the vibe.
The "New Sincerity" vs. The Male Gaze
We have to talk about how these scenes are shot. Traditionally, movies with sex in them were filmed through the "male gaze." You know the drill: slow-motion shots focusing on specific body parts, designed primarily for the viewer’s arousal.
That’s changing.
Female directors like Celine Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire) or Greta Gerwig have introduced a different perspective. It’s less about "looking at" a body and more about "feeling" the connection. In Portrait of a Lady on Fire, the intimacy is built through lingering glances and the sound of breathing. It’s intense. It’s arguably sexier than a graphic blockbuster because it builds a psychological bridge between the characters.
- Challengers (2024) is a perfect example of this. It’s a movie where the sex is mostly "off-screen," yet the entire film feels like it’s vibrating with tension. It uses tennis as a metaphor for foreplay.
- Saltburn took a much more provocative, "shock" approach. It used nudity and transgressive acts to comment on class and obsession. It wasn't "pretty," but it was effective.
Sorting Fact From Fiction: Is It All Real?
One of the most common things people Google when they watch movies with sex in them is: "Is it real?"
The short answer: almost never.
In the history of mainstream cinema, there are very few "unsimulated" exceptions. You’ve got Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac, where body doubles and CGI were used to overlay real acts onto the lead actors. There's 9 Songs. But in 99.9% of Hollywood productions, what you're seeing is a combination of skin-colored "modesty garments," clever camera angles, and a lot of prosthetic makeup.
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Actors use what are called "c-strings" and "pasties." There are literally entire kits involved. It’s about as unsexy as it gets when the cameras aren't rolling. The lighting is harsh. There are 40 crew members standing around eating craft services.
Even in films that feel incredibly raw, like Blue Is the Warmest Color, the actors have spoken at length about how grueling and technical those scenes were to film. Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux later criticized the director, Abdellatellif Kechiche, for the excessive number of takes. This highlights a darker side of the industry’s history—the fine line between "artistic realism" and exploitation. This is exactly why the aforementioned intimacy coordinators are now mandatory on most major sets.
The Streaming Effect and Global Ratings
Streaming has basically killed the "straight-to-DVD" stigma. Back in the day, movies with sex in them that weren't "prestige" Oscar bait were relegated to the dusty back corners of a Video Hut. Now, they sit right next to the latest Disney movie on your home screen.
Netflix’s 365 Days or Bridgerton (while technically a series) showed that "thirst" drives data. Big time.
However, there’s a catch. Different countries have vastly different rules. A movie that gets a 15 rating in the UK might get an NC-17 in the US. The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) is famously more lenient with violence than with nudity. You can blow a hundred heads off in a movie and get a PG-13, but show a consensual sexual act for more than five seconds? You’re looking at an R or NC-17, which limits where the movie can be advertised.
This creates a weird incentive for directors to "edit around" the sex.
Breaking the Taboo: It’s Not Just About Romance
We often associate intimacy in film with "romance," but some of the most powerful movies with sex in them use these scenes to depict trauma, power, or loneliness.
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Take Steve McQueen’s Shame. Michael Fassbender plays a man struggling with sex addiction. The scenes aren't meant to be enjoyable for the audience. They are bleak. They are repetitive. They show a man who is fundamentally "empty" trying to fill a void. By showing the mechanics of the act without the emotion, McQueen tells us everything we need to know about the character’s mental state.
Similarly, in Moonlight, the brief moment of intimacy on the beach is the emotional fulcrum of the entire movie. It’s not about "action"; it’s about a moment of safety in a world that is otherwise violent and cold.
How to Find Quality Adult-Oriented Cinema
If you’re tired of the "sanitized" version of movies and want something with more depth, you have to look beyond the top 10 list.
- Follow Directors, Not Just Actors. Filmmakers like Park Chan-wook (The Handmaiden) or Luca Guadagnino understand how to film desire. They treat it as an art form.
- Check International Films. European and Asian cinema often have much more mature approaches to sexuality. They don't treat it as a "big deal" or a "taboo" in the same way American cinema sometimes does.
- Look for the "A24" or "Neon" Labels. These indie distributors often pick up films that the major studios are too scared to touch. They prioritize the director’s vision over "broad appeal."
What’s Next for Intimacy in Film?
We’re moving toward a middle ground. The "no-sex" era of the 2010s is dying, but the "exploitative" era of the 80s and 90s isn't coming back either. What we’re left with is something more intentional.
Movies with sex in them are becoming more diverse—representing different body types, sexualities, and dynamics that were previously ignored. We're seeing more focus on consent and communication within the scenes themselves. It turns out that watching two people actually talk about what they want can be just as compelling as the act itself.
So, next time you're watching a film and a "steamy" scene comes on, don't just look at it as a distraction. Look at what it’s telling you about the characters. Is it showing you their vulnerability? Their need for control? Their joy?
Take Action: Diversify Your Watchlist
To truly appreciate how modern cinema handles these themes, stop relying on the algorithm.
- Research the "New Erotic Thriller" movement. Search for titles from the last three years that specifically utilize intimacy coordinators; you'll notice the chemistry often feels more authentic.
- Compare eras. Watch a "sex-heavy" movie from the 90s (like Basic Instinct) and then watch a modern equivalent (like Fair Play). Notice the difference in power dynamics and how the camera treats the female lead.
- Support Indie Theaters. Small-scale dramas are where this kind of storytelling lives. If we want movies that reflect adult reality, we have to show up for them when they aren't "superhero" sized.
The return of intimacy to the big screen isn't a "moral decline"—it's a return to human-centric storytelling. It's about time movies started acting like adults again. By understanding the craft behind these scenes, you can better navigate the landscape of modern entertainment and find stories that actually resonate on a deeper level.
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