Arguably one of the most interesting genres of film is erotic cinema. These are the films that allow us to explore fantasy, romance and sensuality. But they're also the stories that show us the dark side of humanity, discussing themes that are at times disturbing.

Whether you're looking for an erotic neo-noir thriller, or a softly poetic erotic romance, (and based on the opinions of a writer who studied film at university) we've put together our guide of essential films to have on your watch list.

1. Secretary (2002)

Maggie Gyllenhaal plays a shy young woman who engages in self harm. As part of her recovery, she takes a new job with a demanding attorney. The two slowly develop a consensual BDSM relationship that transforms them both, offering a healing catharsis. It's sexy, heart-felt and surprisingly romantic in parts. Secretary is a film that didn't achieve commercial success but has grown to be a cult title that everyone should see at least once.

2. The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988)

Juliette Binoche, Daniel Day-Lewis and Lena Olin star in this movie based on the book of the same name. Set in 1960s Czechoslovakia against the backdrop of political unrest, this film follows a surgeon who is torn between two very different women. This is a film that explores sensuality, commitment, relationships and philosophy.

3. Babygirl (2024)

Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickson star in this Christmas film with a twist. A married and high-flying CEO, Romy begins a torrid affair with one of her younger interns. Their relationship begins explore to elements of dominance and submission, allowing Romy a new range of experiences and sexual satisfaction. But as the affair threatens to unravel her carefully constructed life, she has a choice to make. If you want to explore more, we have 10 more films just like Babygirl that you might like.

4. Wild Things (1998)

Matt Dillon, Denise Richards, Neve Campbell and Kevin Bacon lead this sexy thriller that leaves you guessing till the last frame. A high school counsellor at a prestigious school in Florida is accused of inappropriate behaviour. But as the truth becomes increasingly murky and the double-crosses begin to pile up, we're left guessing about who is really pulling the strings. This campy 90s flick is an undeniable cult classic.

5. 9½ Weeks (1986)

Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke star in this movie about a short but passionate love affair between a gallery worker and a Wall Street finance worker. It's a look at a relationship as it evolved through erotic power play, shifting between intoxicating intimacy and emotional manipulation.

6. Bound (1996)

This 90s sapphic tale stars Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly. The girlfriend of a mobster and an ex-con enter a clandestine affair all the while hatching a plot to rob $2 million from the mafia.

7. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)

It was the breakout film for Gael Garcia Bernal, directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Two teenage boys and a woman in her late twenties take a spontaneous road trip across Mexico. The three engage in a polyamorous relationship. As desire and jealousy simmer, the journey becomes an awakening—sexual, emotional, and political.

8. Fifty Shades of Grey (2025)

It was the film that put Dakota Johnson on the map. Anastasia is an literature student who receives the opportunity to interview Christian Grey, a wealthy businessman. The two slowly develop a relationship and Christian introduces her to the world of BDSM. The first instalment of a trilogy, Fifty Shades of Grey explore trust, consent and sexual fantasy.

9. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Stanley Kubrick's epic stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. After a party for elite New Yorkers, a doctor's wife revealed she nearly cheated on him. The revelation sends him on a journey through the sexual underworld of New York where he discovers a secret society that puts his life in danger.

10. Showgirls (1995)

Kyle MacLaughlan, Gina Gershon and Elizabeth Berkley star in this film that was critically panned but later achieved cult-status success. An ambitious stripper is determined to be a star. As she fights her way into a starring role in a Las Vegas show, she has to question her morals and relationships along the way.

11. Shame (2011)

Michael Fassbender plays a successful man that struggles with sex addiction. When his sister, played by Carrie Mulligan, arrived and reminds him of old wounds, his addition spirals out of control and his life slowly unravels around him. This erotic psychological drama is dark, intense and explores the ugly side of humanity.

12. Basic Instinct (1992)

When a crime novelist is implicated in a murder that suspiciously mirrors one of her books, a detective becomes slowly entangled in her web. Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone start in this cat-and-mouse-style erotic thriller that keeps you guessing until the end.

13. The Piano (1993)

In 19th-century New Zealand, a mute pianist played by Holly Hunter arrives for her arranged marriage to a wealthy landowner played by Sam Neil. As she adjusts to her new home half a world away, she finds comfort and unexpected romance with a rugged and almost brutish neighbour.

14. Nymphomaniac Volume 1 (2013)

A woman recounts her life of compulsive sexual experiences to a man, after he found her beaten in an alley. Her story spans adolescence to adulthood, exploring addiction, shame, consent and the search for meaning. Lars von Trier blends sexuality with philosophical inquiry. It's a dark tale that is not for everyone – disturbing, darkly funny, and uncompromising.

15. The Dreamers (2003)

Eva Green, Michael Pitt and Louis Garrel headline this movie set against the backdrop of the 1968 Parisian riots. An American student is ensnared in the intense, sensual world of a French brother and sister. Their shared fantasies, games, and boundaries blur as tensions escalate.

16. Body Heat (1981)

In this neo-noir erotic thriller William Hurt is low-rent lawyer whoe falls for a seductive married woman, played by Kathleen Turner. As their relationship spirals, it draws him into a plot of lust and murder. A film channels the sultry tension of 1940s thrillers with a modern edge; it’s steamy, atmospheric, and impeccably crafted.

17. Unfaithful (2002)

Diane Lane plays a married woman who begins a passionate affair with a young French man. As the relationship becomes increasingly obsessive, and her desire sees her making riskier and riskier choices, her family life is pushed to a crisis point. It's a story that is sensual, dark but also deeply human.

18. Original Sin (2001)

Angelina Jolie is a woman sent to Cuba for an arranged marriage with a wealthy businessman played by Antonio Banderas. While the two appear to initially fall deeply in love, passion and lies stir up secrets and deceit. All is not as it seems, and it may turn out deadly.

19. Call Me By Your Name (2017)

In the 1980s, a teenager played by Timothee Chalamet spends a summer in Italy discovering his sexuality. Eventually he falls in lover with an older, male grad student who comes to stay with his family. While their romance is fleeting, it is sacred, tender and absolutely heartbreaking.