There is a wide range of movie genres out there, each made to cater to the interest of the public. However, not every masterpiece makes a mark on the audience, which can lead to some of them slowly fading away into oblivion. Even in the movie industry, survival of the fittest also takes place. When talking about erotic movies, competition can be tough, especially when scenes are similar to one another. Additionally, another factor that can make a movie distinct from others is the plot it revolves around on.
If you’re wondering what kinds of erotica films become timeless, here is a short compilation of the most unforgettable films of all time.
Are Erotica and Pornography the Same?
The quick answer to that is no, it isn’t. Although there are similarities such as explicit content and various sensual scenes, there are aspects that make them distinct from one another. One, Erotica is considered an art expression. This means that it not only aims to turn on an audience but to send a message as well hence the long time it takes to brainstorm how to execute it properly. Pornography, on the other hand only has a common goal which is to generate money and bring pleasure to its consumers. Another difference that has continuously been pointed out is how pornography portrays women; it does more harm than good especially in segments when they are subjected to too much violence.
Now that we have pinpointed a few of the similarities and differences between erotica and pornography, let’s talk about the top erotic movies that exist—so far.
Top Erotic Movies With Unforgettable Plots
1. Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, this Mexican erotic movie directly translates to “And Your Mother Too”. During the weekend after its first premiere, the movie bagged more than $2.2 million, which is the extra reason why it was also premiered in the United States for a limited time a year later. Judging by the title itself, it’s giving some major MILF vibes, right? But, that’s not quite how the story goes.
Y Tu Mamá También starts with the introduction of two best friends, Tenoch and Julio. At the start of the movie, a few sex scenes are already shown. With their girlfriends off to enjoy an overseas trip, both boys grab the opportunity to do what they want—including living the single life. As the movie progresses, it shows how they meet Luisa, a married woman in her 20s who is unhappy in her marriage. During their first encounter, they bring up the subject of traveling to the beach, which is later considered by Luisa after finding out what her husband did behind her back. At different parts of the movie, she has sex with the two boys, separately and with the three of them pleasing each other. For the whole 100 minutes of the movie, the three embark on a road trip that is filled with love, lust, truth, and life-changing moments.
What makes this erotic movie unforgettable is how the cast was able to deliver and act according to their roles. Additionally, it also explores one’s sexuality, which is shown in one part of the movie where Tenoch and Julio make out with each other and wake up naked beside each other. With a perfect balance of friendship, lust, and uncovering each other’s dirty laundry, how the movie is concluded gives the viewer a melancholic feeling, especially once the sad twist is revealed.
2. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Although this movie is an adaption of a 1997 short story, Brokeback Mountain quickly made its way to being one of the top erotic movies in the industry because of its excellent screenplay. Directed by Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee, this is one of the most controversial movie premieres of 2005 due to its genre. Regardless of the various criticisms it got from conservative and religious groups, it earned a total of $178.1 million from all around the world which surpassed its initial budget of $14 million. After years of fighting for its significance in the movie industry, it was finally selected for preservation by the National Library of Congress in 2018.
The movie is set in 1963 when the main characters Jack and Ennis worked as cowboys herding ship at Brokeback mountain. The buildup of the plot thickens as a night of heavy drinking turns into having sex with each other. While initially in denial of what happened between them, their relationship starts to progress and bloom into an emotional and sexual bond. However, things take a turn when Ennis gets married and Jack moves on with his life in a different place. But this is not how love is supposed to end. Years later, Jack and Ennis meet each other again and nothing has changed between the flame that they have with each other. Both bursting with desire, one thing leads to another and they give in to their feelings. As an erotic movie, it tackles the issues of homosexuality during 1963, as well as the depths that love can take you to.
Detailed, sensual, and vulnerable, the movie explores sexuality on a different level. Apart from the vivid sex scenes in the movie, it alemphasizes on queers and what it means to be one. If there is such thing as a happy ending, this movie may or may not have one. The decision is left to the audience, whose perceptions will be different from one another. Truly, this is a timeless classic that will always be one of the best go-to erotica movies.
3. Nymphomaniac (2013)
Compared to the two movies discussed earlier, this erotic movie leans more toward the darker side of erotica. From the title itself, “Nymphomaniac” is used to describe a woman with excessive or unhinged sexual desire. Directed by Lars von Trier, this European movie is divided into two versions or volumes, each filled with escapades and adventures about sex. The movie earned $13.5 million from the premiere of the first volume, and $4.9 million in the second one.
The movie’s opening scene shows the main characters Seligman and Joe, where Seligman rushes to aid an injured Joe by taking her home and helping her recuperate. This is where the story starts. In Volume one, Joe starts a conversation with Seligman which later on leads to retelling the story of how she lost her virginity, how many men she had sex with, and how this is all rooted in her sexual obsession even during childhood. Here, she emphasizes how she had experienced true love, lust, and everything in between including things she isn’t proud of such as being a mistress and forcing married men to have sex with her. At one point in their conversation, she recalls the urge to have sex with several people during situations where she feels depressed such as her father’s confinement and death. Here, she preferred to cope with sadness by having sex with multiple people in the hospital. As Volume I comes to an end, Joe shares with Seligman that the only man she truly loved was Jerome, and the time finally came when they could be together. The only problem now is, she can’t feel anything despite the passionate sex. Filled with a lot of sex scenes, nude bodies, and vivid explicit content, Lars von Trier has indeed created a masterpiece that will leave the audience wanting more.
In Volume II of Nymphomaniac, Joe and Seligman have a heated conversation when Joe notices that Seligman doesn’t relate to her stories. Seligman quickly answers that his knowledge is enough, and reveals that he is a virgin. Once they settle down again, Joe proceeds to recollect the details of having a baby with Jerome but faces conflict as she does not feel sexual pleasure with him anymore. As a resolution to her problem, Jerome allows her to have sex escapades with other people which takes a sour turn once he starts to get jealous. This is where Joe tells her threesome experience and introduces K, a sadist, and the reason why she started to climax and orgasm again. From then on, the story continues with exchanges between each other leading to the moment where he found Joe injured in the snow.
What makes this movie an unforgettable one is the various twist and turns that you would least expect. Depending on how you interpreted the movie, the director leaves the ending to the audience. Sexual, sensual, and full of erotic scenes, this is one movie one really shouldn’t miss.
4. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Adapted from a novel published in 2011, Fifty Shades of Grey is an erotic movie that left a phenomenal impact on both its writers and readers. Written by E.L. James and put into film by Sam Taylor- Johnson, it offers a sensual and vivid visual of sex. The first movie alone bagged $569.7 million, which is more than tenfold its $40 million movie budget. The film series that follow this first movie are Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, both equally explicit and sensual as the first movie.
Fifty Shades of Grey starts by introducing the main characters, Anastasia “Ana” Steele and Christian Grey. Their first encounter happens when Ana fills in for her roommates’ place to interview Christian, whose interest is captured by her. This encounter is followed by a series of slow-burn moments that lead to confessions, dating, and the revelation that she is still a virgin. With everything out in the air, both decide to continue dating each other despite their initial reluctance of Christian upon realizing that Ana doesn’t match what he is looking for in a relationship.
The slow buildup of the movie escalates as Christian reveals that he engages in sexual bondage relationships, but only if the other party also consents to it. Considering that Ana is still a virgin, both decide to have vanilla sex without the use of any of Christian’s BDSM toys. The first movie adaptation ends with Ana reevaluating whether or not she wants her relationship with Christian.
In this second movie adaptation of the Fifty Shades series, things escalate to a more serious situation as traumas, secrets, and more sex scenes are discovered and done. With Ana away from Christian, he does everything in his power to win her back. However, childhood traumas and obsessed former submissives stand in his way. At one point in this erotic movie, Leila, Christian’s former submissive tries to hurt Ana only to be disarmed by Christian by being his dominant. This causes Ana to spiral into confusion as to where her feelings for Christian sit. With revelations after revelations from the past, this steamy erotic movie will surely leave its audience at the edge of their seats. Finally, in the third and final movie of the Fifty Shades series, more experimentation in the bedroom happens, along with Ana being pregnant and building her own family with Christian. Compared to the first two movies, Fifty Shades Freed offers a softer approach to the initially rough sex and relationship the two had.
5. 365 Days (2020)
Directed by Barbara Białowąs and Tomasz Mandes, this Polish erotic film bagged $9.5 million during its first premiere. Similar to what people can read in Wattpad books, the plot of the movie revolves around Laura and Massimo, wherein Laura is kidnapped and given 365 days to fall in love with Massimo.
The movie starts with a scene where Massimo survives gunshot wounds because he kept on thinking about Laura’s face from the moment he saw her. A few years later, after a long period of searching for Laura, they finally cross paths in Italy during the celebration of her 29th birthday. Before realizing what was happening, she was abducted and kept by Massimo in hopes of winning her heart. Despite his promise not to touch her unless she wanted to, they consistently tease and become sexually aggressive with each other. One highlight of this movie is their scene while taking a bath, where Massimo warns Laura not to tempt him, but she does so anyway. Filled with many sexual scenes partnered with music that will surely turn anyone on, the movie truly earned its spot as one of the top unforgettable erotic movies in the industry.
by Anna Luna
Mike M. Luster 