There’s been a fairly significant decline in the number of erotic thrillers produced over the course of the last few decades, as it seems like modern audiences are more averse to sexually explicit content in cinema. What’s surprising is that many of the most acclaimed drama shows of the 21st century, such as The Sopranos and Game of Thrones, are able to put out sexually graphic moments without receiving any backlash. The genre may not be as popular because young audiences are continuously drawn to sequels, prequels, and adaptations, and seem to have less interest in seeing completely original stories.
The erotic thrillers that have succeeded in recent years are those that feel relevant, as they address modern themes such as capitalism, political corruption, gender roles, and existentialism. Here are the ten best erotic films of the last 25 years, ranked.
10
‘Fair Play’ (2023)
Directed by Chloe Domont
Fair Play is a brilliant examination of the competitive nature of capitalism that centers on two young traders at a prestigious firm that fall in love with one another. Although the film acknowledges that being in such an intense environment on a regular basis can lead to romantic tension, it also suggests that any relationship that is built on sustained competition is bound to result in disaster.
Fair Play features some of the most shocking sex scenes in years, and goes all out with a truly riveting ending. It’s rather unfortunate that the film was picked up by Netflix in the aftermath of its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, as it had the potential to be a legitimate box office hit that revived interest in the genre. To see it get lost within Netflix’s vast array of titles is a real shame.
Watch on Netflix
9
‘Bad Education’ (2004)
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Bad Education is one of the best films directed by Pedro Almodóvar, a filmmaker who has never been averse to taking on controversial and explicit content. Although Almodovar is best known for creating dark comedies and entertaining melodramas, Bad Education is a twisty noir thriller that examines the horrific abuse of children within the Catholic Church.
Bad Education is able to be both very revealing and absolutely compelling, as Almodovar uses more than a few clever framing devices to mask the true identities of some of his characters. Although it is rare to see a film that is so explicit receive any sort of mainstream distribution, Bad Education was actually a relatively successful achievement, as it currently ranks as the second highest grossing NC-17 rated film of all-time at the global box office, right behind Ang Lee’s World War II thriller Lust, Caution.
Rent on Apple TV
8
‘Youth’ (2015)
Directed by Paolo Sorrentino
Youth was a great film about the challenges that come with being an aging artist that featured one of the greatest performances in Michael Caine’s entire career. Although Caine would continue working for another full decade before he finally retired officially, Youth gave him a very reflective role as an aging composer who is asked to come back for one final performance.
Youth examines how hard it can be to look back at youthful memories with any optimism, and features some surrealist sequences that have become the signature touch of writer/director Paolo Sorrentino. While the collision of tones might not be what some audiences expected from a music drama about an aging group of characters, Youth is a far more emotional, darkly hilarious, and surprisingly thought-provoking film than what its premise may have suggested that it might have been.

Youth (2015)
Watch on Max
7
‘Spring Breakers’ (2013)
Directed by Harmony Korrine
Spring Breakers is one of the most outrageous films of the 21st century, and might be the single best thing that Harmony Korrine has ever made. While Korrine has often been criticized for being a filmmaker that puts more emphasis on style than he does on story, Spring Breakers was able to encapsulate a moment in popular culture with an inventive blend of sex, drugs, crime, and pop music.
Spring Breakers is deeply satirical of the way that beauty standards are perceived by the media, but can also be quite disturbing when it gets into its crime storyline. Although the aggressive manner in which Spring Breakers inserts itself may not be for everyone, it is certainly worthy of significant admiration that Korrine was able to remain so true to the very strange artistic vision that he had in his mind.
Rent on Apple TV
6
‘Little Children’ (2006)
Directed by Todd Field
Little Children is a powerful drama about the lurking darkness beneath an idealized version of an American suburban community, as it unpacks how people are often quite resistant to speaking about what truly excites them. Although there was a chance that a film as ambitious as Little Children would be less than a sum of its parts, it was able to succeed because of the brilliant performances; both Kate Winslet and Jackie Earl Haley ended up receiving Academy Award nominations for their brilliant work.
Little Children can seem very cynical about the cruelty that people are capable of, but Todd Field is a skilled enough filmmaker that he is able to occasionally insert clues that point to a more optimistic portrayal of humanity. The film is very erotic but not exploitative, as it intends to show the realities of adult relationships in a way that is painfully honest.

Little Children
Little Children (2006) is a drama film directed by Todd Field, following the intertwined lives of several suburban families. The narrative explores themes of infidelity, identity, and societal pressure, centering on the illicit affair between Sarah, a disenchanted housewife played by Kate Winslet, and Brad, an equally dissatisfied husband portrayed by Patrick Wilson. Their growing relationship unfolds amid a backdrop of personal crises and community tensions.
- Release Date
-
October 6, 2006
- Runtime
-
137 Minutes
Rent on Apple TV
5
‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ (2019)
Directed by Celine Sciamma
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is quite simply one of the greatest love stories ever put to the screen, and certainly served as proof that Celine Sciamma is one of the best filmmakers working today. While it was unfairly snubbed of an Academy Award nomination for Best International Feature because France instead chose to submit Les Miserables as its official selection, Portrait of a Lady on Fire has continued to earn acclaim in the years following its initial release, and was even listed in the Sight & Sound magazine’s list of the 100 greatest films ever made.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a film where the phrase “every frame is a painting” truly applies, as any isolated shot taken from a random moment in the story could be heralded as a terrific achievement in blocking, coloring, and visualization in its own right.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Marianne is a young painter in 18th century France who is given the task of painting a portrait of Héloïse for her wedding, without her knowing. Spending her days observing Héloïse and her nights painting, Marianne finds herself getting closer and closer to her model.
- Release Date
-
September 18, 2019
- Director
-
Céline Sciamma
- Cast
-
Adèle Haenel
, Noemie Merlant
, Valeria Golino - Runtime
-
120 minutes
Watch on Hulu
4
‘Poor Things’ (2023)
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Poor Things is one of the strangest box office success stories in recent memory, as Yorgos Lanthimos was able to adapt a very obscure science fiction satirical novel and turn it into a hit that grossed over $100 million at the global box office, and even earned Emma Stone her second Academy Award win for Best Actress a few years after her initial win for La La Land.
Poor Things is a creative reimagining of the Frankenstein story that shows the degree to which society is unwilling to accept women that have confidence in their autonomy. Although the visual effects, costumes, makeup, and production design are all excellent, it’s the incredibly brave performance by Stone that allows Poor Things to simultaneously be absolutely hilarious and shockingly moving. Mark Ruffalo is also excellent as an absolute imbecile in a hilariously despicable performance that earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination.
Watch on Hulu
3
‘Disobedience’ (2017)
Directed by Sebastian Lelio
Disobedience is a challenging examination of the issues that LGBTQ relationships face in the midst of religious fundamentalism, and manages to be open to new ideas without directly criticizing anyone’s system of beliefs. Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams give emotionally charged performances as two Jewish women that had a relationship when they were younger, and are now forced to assess what they mean to each other as they meet again later in life.
Disobedience is a very patient film that takes it time to build up to its romantic moments, which ends up allowing them to have a greater impact. Although it was incredibly brave that both Weisz and McAdams were willing to take a chance on such challenging material, it was befitting of a film about characters that are at odds with the cultural norms that are expected of them.
Watch on Max
2
‘Y Tu Mamá También’ (2001)
Directed by Alfonso Cuaron
Y Tu Mamá También is one of the best films of the 21st century, and certainly a masterpiece that put Alfonso Cuarón on the map as one of the greatest living filmmakers. Although Cuaron would later earn acclaim for his stellar sequel Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, his emotional science fiction thriller Children of Men, his outer space epic Gravity, and his intensely personal childhood drama Roma, it is likely that Y Tu Mamá También is the film that he will be best remembered for.
Y Tu Mamá También is one of the few films that captures how exciting and terrifying it can be to be young, and was able to showcase the diversity within Mexico’s various subcultures. The erotic drama genre can often be dismissed as one filled with “guilty pleasures,” but Y Tu Mama Tambien is a transcendent masterpiece that is remembered as a true work of art.
Watch on Hulu
1
‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)
Directed by David Lynch
Mulholland Drive is quite simply one of the greatest films ever made, and serves as an encapsulation of why David Lynch was such a special artist. While Mulholland Drive is filled with so many subtle details and surrealist moments that make it infinitely rewatchable, the film is at its core an analysis of the way that women are abused and cast aside by Hollywood.
Mulholland Drive began as a television pilot that was rejected by networks before Lynch decided to transform it into a feature length film. While it is a film that contains more than a few references to classics from the Golden Age of Hollywood, Mulholland Drive invented a new form of cinematic language that has since been endlessly replicated, but never improved upon. There was truly never any other filmmaker like Lynch, and it seems unlikely that there ever will be again.
Watch on The Criterion Channel
Source link