There are movies and then there's porn and then there's something in between — movies that are all about sex. The films on this list technically all have plots, but those plots are also mostly focused on the characters wanting to have sex (or not having enough sex or having sex with the wrong people). It's hardly a surprise that they're rated R (and some even scored an NC-17 rating), since they unapologetically depict some intimate sexy scenes.
For anyone interested in watching the movies, there's a little something for everyone. Some of the movies are hilarious tales of people attempting to lose their virginity. Others are enchanting romantic stories of lovers meeting. And others explore what happens to marriages when there are affairs.
It's quite the array to choose from, but all of them have that one thing in common — sex. Who's having it, who wants it, and who's not getting enough. Keep scrolling for our downright sexy watch list.
'Henry & June'
In 1990, this movie became the first one to receive an NC-17 rating for its depictions of sex and nudity. The story was based on writer Henry Miller's life with his wife, June, after the couple moved to Paris and entered into a love triangle with a French writer. Henry was an author known for his candidness about sex, so he probably would have gotten a kick out of the NC-17 rating.
'Love'
The French stereotype of threesomes continues in this movie. It follows an American man named Murphy who's living in Paris. He soon finds himself in a sexually charged romance with a woman named Electra. But when they invite their attractive neighbor into the bedroom, things quickly get complicated.
'The 40-Year-Old Virgin'
After going without sex for his entire life, 40-year-old Andy (played by Steve Carell from The Office) is encouraged to lose his virginity by his friends. His wild and chaotic attempts to do so make for a hilarious movie. Paul Rudd, Seth Rogan, Leslie Mann, Elizabeth Banks, and more round out this funny cast.
'Friends with Benefits'
Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis star in this film as a pair of friends who decided they could hook up without any of the feelings. So a majority of this movie is just about them having great and uncomplicated sex. But we can all guess what eventually happened — yep, they developed feelings for each other.
'Blockers'
It's a bit of a cliché that teenagers have sex on prom night, and that's what this hilarious film is all about. Three high school friends make a pact to all lose their virginity that night. But things get complicated when their parents find out and try their best to stop the hookups before they happen.
'American Pie'
Before Blockers came American Pie. In this film, four boys make the pact to lose their virginity by prom night. This movie was basically two hours of explaining how teenagers think about sex all the time. And it's hard to forget the infamous scene where Jason Biggs' character attempted to have sex with an apple pie.
'Fifty Shades of Grey'
It's impossible for this film to not have made this list. Fifty Shades of Grey started out as erotic fanfiction about Twilight, but with some name and detail changes, it became its totally own thing. And it introduced the mainstream world to the inner world of BDSM. Fifty Shades was just the first film in the trilogy of sex-based movies.
'Blue Is the Warmest Color'
Another movie with an NC-17 rating, this one depicts the romantic relationship between two women — a French teen and an older art student she meets in a bar. There are some pretty sexy scenes in the film, but some viewers complained that the male gaze of the director is felt too strongly.
'Sex Tape'
Trying to spice things up in their marriage, Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel's characters decide to make a sex tape. They try out every position in The Joy of Sex and film the whole thing. But when they discover that they may have accidentally leaked their tape to the internet, they have to destroy it before they're exposed to the world.
'Risky Business'
In this classic '80s movie, a young Tom Cruise gets his house to himself when his parents go on vacation. After dancing around in his underwear a bit, he almost immediately hires an escort for the evening. But when he can't afford to pay her fee, he turns his home into a brothel to raise the cash.
'A Good Day To Be Black & Sexy'
This movie combines six short stories about sexuality within the Black community in Los Angeles. Written, produced, and directed by Dennis Dortch, it sought to break down stereotypes about Black people in relationships. One Variety critic praised it for being "a worldly, knowing look at adult affairs."
'Duck Butter'
It's the ultimate experiment: Two women decide to spend a full day together having sex every hour on the hour. They enter the day feeling jaded by their own failed relationships, but when the 24 hours are up, they may feel quite differently about love and romance. Originally the film was supposed to be about a man and woman who conduct this intimacy experiment, but that was later changed.
'The To Do List'
Brandy Klark (Aubrey Plaza) spent her high school years working hard to get into a good college. Now she wants to fit all her missed sexual experiences into one summer. What's a studious teen to do? Make a to do list, of course. She writes down all the different sex acts and gets to work checking them off.
'Eyes Wide Shut'
There's little plot to this movie outside of the sexual scenes. It stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as a couple struggling to make things work. When Kidman's character reveals that she's had fantasies about another man, Cruise's character becomes upset. He visits an underground sex cult of sorts and soon finds himself in over his head.
'Don Jon'
Jon (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is totally addicted to porn, and it's messing with his dating life. But when he meets a beautiful woman named Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), he tries to move past his addiction and be fully with her. But the pull of his sexual fantasies may prove to be too much for this couple.
'She's Gotta Have It'
This Spike Lee classic puts the female character in the driver's seat. Nola isn't sure what she wants most out of a relationship, so she decides to take some guys for a test drive. Soon, she's engaging in relationships with three different men, and still trying to make up her mind. It's a powerful exploration of female sexuality.
'Superbad'
Another teen movie obsessed with virginity — Superbad follows two nerdy high school guys who want to kickstart their sex lives before college. But as they head off to the party of their lifetimes, things go from bad to worse on their journey to sex. The cast of this film is legendary, with the likes of Emma Stone, Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and more.
'Sex, Lies, and Videotape'
The title pretty much says it all, doesn't it? The movie follows Ann and John, a married couple without much of a sex life, mostly due to the fact that John is cheating with Ann's sister. But things get even more complicated when John's old friend comes to town with his video camera. He wants to get tape of women talking about their sexual desires — and he interviews Ann and her sister.
'Y Tu Mamá También'
The title of this movie means "And Your Mother, Too." The story follows two 17-year-old boys who are obsessed with sex (as most teen boys are). When they take a road trip from Mexico and meet a charming older woman, they soon find themselves in a love triangle that will change the course of their lives forever.
'Body of Evidence'
Madonna stars in this movie about a millionaire who dies while having sex with a much younger woman. She's soon charged with his murder, but things get complicated when the attorney begins a sexual relationship with the woman he's put on trial. With Madonna in the lead role, it's no wonder she achieved such a sex symbol status.
