Diksha Sundriyal
If entertainment industries around the world know anything, it is that sex and porn sell. Unlike television, where, until the advent of streaming services, networks were reluctant to put out risqué content save for some notable exceptions, the big screen has always been the place to explore, experiment, and push the boundaries. For a filmmaker who knows what they are doing, depicting sex is just one puzzle piece of their film. Some movies do a great job of weaving the sex part with their core themes and delivering an exhilarating watch to the audience. Here’s the list of steamiest movies on HBO Max that depict sex and nudity in a meaningful way.
15. There Is No I in Threesome (2021)
‘There Is No I in Threesome’ was initially developed as a documentary. Filmmaker Jan Oliver Lucks started to make the film with his then-fiancée about their open relationship. However, that relationship ended while they were halfway into making the documentary. The painful conclusion of the relationship, combined with the frustration about the unfinished project, gave Luck a severe bout of depression. Fortunately, he found a solution to at least one of those problems, which makes up the ending of ‘There Is No I in Threesome.’ To know what the solution is, you can stream the film here.
14. Je Tu Il Elle (1974)
‘Je Tu Il Elle’ or ‘I, You, He, She’ is a thought-provoking art-house LGBTQ-drama film directed by Chantal Akerman. The plot of this French-Belgian film revolves around a young woman named Julie, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and sexual exploration. As she navigates through her desires and emotions, the audience witnesses her encounters with various individuals that shape her understanding of intimacy and identity. This captivating narrative stars Delphine Seyrig as Julie, Jan Decorte as Joseph, and Henri Storck as Jean.
This film stands out among others for its explicit depiction of sexuality, which pushes boundaries and challenges societal norms. However, it is essential to note that these scenes serve a purpose in exploring themes of personal liberation and emotional connection rather than simply catering to titillation. If you appreciate artistic storytelling that delves into complex human experiences, ‘Je Tu Il Elle’ can be intriguing. You can check out the film here.
13. Working Girls (1986)
To be termed “fascinating” by film critic Roger Ebert is a huge deal, which is why ‘Working Girls’ has become a must-watch. Directed by Lizzie Borden, this independent drama follows college graduate Molly and her peers who work at a posh brothel in New York City. While focusing on Molly, who is a lesbian and maintains her emotional distance from her customers, we get to see the relationship dynamic among the girls who work at the brothel and its culture and politics as well. Like in any other business, here, too, there is competition and envy. Borden gave us a true-to-form brilliant feminist film that paved the way for the compelling portrayal of sex workers in Hollywood movies. ‘Working Girls’ stars Louise Smith, Ellen McElduff, Amanda Goodwin, Deborah Banks and Liz Caldwell. You can watch the film here.
12. Looking: The Movie (2016)
Directed by Andrew Haigh, ‘Looking: The Movie’ is a poignant conclusion to the acclaimed HBO series. The film reunites the tight-knit group of friends—Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Dom (Murray Bartlett), and Agustín (Frankie J. Alvarez)—as they return to San Francisco for a wedding. Delving into love, friendship, and self-discovery themes, the movie follows Patrick’s journey to find closure and navigate his complex relationships. With its authentic portrayal of LGBTQ+ experiences, ‘Looking: The Movie’ delivers a heartfelt and satisfying resolution, showcasing the growth and resilience of its characters. You can watch the movie here.
11. Desert Hearts (1985)
Directed by Donna Deitch, ‘Desert Hearts’ is adapted from the 1964 lesbian novel ‘Desert of the Heart’ by Jane Rule. The film explores the romantic relationship between 35-year-old English professor Vivian Bell, whose divorce process is ongoing, and Cay Rivers, brought up by Frances Parker, Cay’s father’s mistress. Vivian and Cay meet at Francis’s guest house, where Vivian is staying. While Vivian is hesitant about her attraction towards Cay, the latter is a free spirit and has already been in relationships with women, much to Frances’ chagrin. But after Vivian and Cay share a passionate kiss, things start to change. ‘Desert Hearts’ raised many eyebrows with its depiction of a fully-fledged lesbian sexual relationship and remains one of the first de-sensationalized lesbian films in mainstream Hollywood. It stars Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau, and Audra Lindley. You can watch it here.
10. Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ is the final part of the Magic Mike trilogy. Starring Channing Tatum as Mike Lane, the film follows Mike, who has left his stripper job and is bartending in Miami after his business fails to flourish. However, he is given a chance to make some money by Maxandra Mendoza (Salma Hayek), a wealthy socialite, by choreographing a special dance production for her theater’s upcoming play. The question is: Does Mike have the same spark that earned him the title “Magic Mike”? True-to-form steamy, sexy, and at times even erotic, ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ is a necessary addition to any steamy movie list, thanks to Tatum’s onscreen charm and Hayek’s voluptuousness. You can watch the film here.
9. Emmanuelle (2024)
Audrey Diwan’s erotic drama ‘Emmanuelle’ certainly qualifies as a sexually graphic movie in the sense that it showcases a woman’s sexual desires as penned by Emmanuelle Arsan in her classic novel. Noémie Merlant plays Emmanuelle, who lands in Hong Kong to assess an establishment as she is a quality control inspector for a luxury hotel chain. Her endeavors inside the hotel are what we get to see, including her sexual urges, which seem to influence how she interacts with her “subjects.” She is attracted to a man named Kei Shinohara, finds a sexual reawakening in the local escort Zelda, and shares a sexual tension with hotel manager Margot, whom she seemingly hates. All these aspects of Emmanuelle’s sexual appetite are given shape in the film in a bingeable fashion, with Noémie Merlant doing a good job in the titular role. You can watch the movie here.
8. Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989)
In ‘Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!’ Antonio Banderas portrays Ricky, a psychiatric patient who gets released from the facility he was in. He subsequently decides to seek out Marina Osorio, an actress and former porn star. She and Ricky met and had sex when she was a resident of the same facility as Ricky due to her drug issues. Ricky appears before Marina and tries to impress her, but it is soon revealed that she doesn’t remember him. Ricky then tries to show her how much he loves her by kidnapping her and keeping her captive at her own home. You can check out the film here.
7. Belle de Jour (1967)
‘Belle de Jour’ is a French film that primarily follows Séverine Serizy, a homemaker. She is sexually frustrated, often fantasizing about domination, sadomasochism, and bondage. She refuses to have sex with her husband, though they seem to love each other. During a vacation at a ski resort, Séverine and her husband Pierre encounter Henri Husson and Renée. Husson doesn’t take much time before making it clear that he is sexually attracted to Séverine when they are alone. The film explores Séverine’s past, and it is heavily implied that she was sexually abused when she was a child. After learning that one of her friends now works at a high-end brothel, Séverine is drawn toward that world, where a madame gives her the titular nickname. You can stream ‘Belle de Jour’ here.
6. Gia (1998)
Jolie delivers one of her best performances as supermodel Gia Carangi in the biopic ‘Gia.’ As the story begins, Gia arrives in New York from Philadelphia to be a fashion model and instantly garners the interest of Wilhelmina Cooper, a Dutch-American model turned agent. As Gia rapidly climbs to the top and becomes one of the first supermodels in the industry, she begins suffering from depression and bouts of loneliness. It only gets worse after Cooper’s death, and she starts using cocaine and heroin. You can stream the film here to discover what eventually happens to her.
5. Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Rose Glass’ ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ is an R-rated amalgamation of sweat, steam, and blood. Starring Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian, the film revolves around gym manager Lou (Stewart) and ambitious bodybuilder Jackie (O’Brian), who fall for each other towards the film’s beginning. Their romance gets more hardcore, and so do their lives, thanks to Lou’s criminal family. Soon, the two lovers find themselves stuck in a web of crime and on the run with blood on their hands. Engaging and packed with an unlikely chemistry between lust and violence, ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ is a steamy thriller that delivers just fine. You can watch it here.
4. Behind the Candelabra (2013)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, ‘Behind the Candelabra’ is a biographical film that centers around the relationship between pianist Liberace (Michael Douglas) and his young lover Scott Thorson (Matt Damon). The film drew inspiration from Thorson’s 1988 memoir, ‘Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace.’ In ‘Behind the Candelabra,’ Thorson meets Liberace through Hollywood producer Bob Black. The film depicts the ten years they spend together in each other’s company before their relationship falls apart due to Liberace’s interest in other men and Thorson’s drug problems. You can watch the movie here.
3. The Piano Teacher (2001)
The cinematic adaptation of the 1983 namesake novel by Elfriede Jelinek, ‘The Piano Teacher,’ tells the story of Erika Kohut, a 30-something piano teacher who lives with her domineering mother. Her years of sexual repression have made her sadomasochistic and prone to self-mutilation. She encounters engineer Walter Klemmer, who loves to play the piano. He develops feelings for her and applies to be a student at her music conservatory. Erika seduces Walter and uses him to explore her sexual desires, all the while rapidly losing her grasp on sanity. If you want to know what happens further, you may watch ‘The Piano Teacher’ here.
2. Babygirl (2024)
Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson explore a sexually-charged boss-intern dynamic in Halina Reijn’s erotic thriller ‘Babygirl.’ The film follows Romy Mathis, a married woman who is the CEO of a company with an utterly dissatisfied sex life. An encounter with the handsome Samuel, an intern at her company, resurfaces her sexual desires, and the two soon embark on an intense forbidden affair. Samuel becomes the dominant one, with Romy gladly taking on the submissive role. However, whatever is happening between them cannot go on forever. Or can it? To say that ‘Babygirl’ is steamy would be lowballing since Kidman and Dickinson take “things” to a whole new level. You can enjoy it with your partner right here.
1. Love & Other Drugs (2010)
Set during the rise of Viagra in the late 1990s, ‘Love & Other Drugs’ explores the romance between pharmaceutical representative Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Maggie Murdock (Anne Hathaway), his new patient. However, Maggie’s medical condition served as a wedge in their relationship, with both trying their own ways to handle the situation. While this gives rise to the emotional aspect of the movie, ‘Love & Other Drugs’ doesn’t hold back from depicting the steamy nature of the relationship between Maggie and Jamie, especially when it begins “casually.” There are nude scenes, there is hardcore sex, it’s all rather graphic, but not in a way that makes you uncomfortable. The movie is directed by Edward Zwick and can be watched right here.
Read More: Adult Movies on HBO Max
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