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Gloria (2013)
100%
#1
Critics Consensus: Marvelously directed by Sebastian Lelio and beautifully led by a powerful performance from Paulina Garcia, Gloria takes an honest, sweetly poignant look at a type of character that's all too often neglected in Hollywood.
Synopsis: An aging divorcee (Paulina García) embarks on an intense affair with a man (Sergio Hernández) she picked up at a [More]
Directed By: Sebastián Lelio
Pillion (2025)
100%
#2
Critics Consensus: A remarkable directorial debut by Harry Lighton, Pillion is an unconventional romance that soars thanks to its nonjudgmental perspective and knockout performances.
Synopsis: A timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive. [More]
Directed By: Harry Lighton
Moonlight (2016)
98%
#3
Critics Consensus: Moonlight uses one man's story to offer a remarkable and brilliantly crafted look at lives too rarely seen in cinema.
Synopsis: A look at three defining chapters in the life of Chiron, a young black man growing up in Miami. His [More]
Directed By: Barry Jenkins
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
97%
#4
Critics Consensus: A singularly rich period piece, Portrait of a Lady on Fire finds stirring, thought-provoking drama within a powerfully acted romance.
Synopsis: In 1770 the young daughter of a French countess develops a mutual attraction to the female artist commissioned to paint [More]
Directed By: Céline Sciamma
Parallel Mothers (2021)
96%
#5
Critics Consensus: A brilliant forum for Penélope Cruz's talent, Parallel Mothers reaffirms the familiar pleasures of Almodóvar's filmmaking while proving he's still capable of growth.
Synopsis: Two women, Janis and Ana, coincide in a hospital room where they are going to give birth. Both are single [More]
Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar
The Handmaiden (2016)
96%
#6
Critics Consensus: The Handmaiden uses a Victorian crime novel as the loose inspiration for another visually sumptuous and absorbingly idiosyncratic outing from director Park Chan-wook.
Synopsis: With help from an orphaned pickpocket (Kim Tae-ri), a Korean con man (Ha Jung-woo) devises an elaborate plot to seduce [More]
Directed By: Park Chan-wook
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)
96%
#7
Critics Consensus: In his feature directorial debut, Steven Soderbergh demonstrates a mastery of his craft well beyond his years, pulling together an outstanding cast and an intelligent script for a nuanced, mature film about neurosis and human sexuality.
Synopsis: Ann (Andie MacDowell) is trapped in a sexually and emotionally unfulfilled relationship with her husband, John (Peter Gallagher), a successful [More]
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
Body Heat (1981)
96%
#8
Critics Consensus: Made from classic noir ingredients and flavored with a heaping helping of steamy modern spice, Body Heat more than lives up to its evocative title.
Synopsis: Shyster lawyer Ned Racine (William Hurt) begins a passionate affair with Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner), wife of a wealthy Florida [More]
Directed By: Lawrence Kasdan
Hit Man (2023)
95%
#9
Critics Consensus: A deceptively dark thriller that's also loaded with laughs, Hit Man is an outstanding showcase for leading man Glen Powell -- and one of the most purely entertaining films of Richard Linklater's career.
Synopsis: Oscar-nominated director Richard Linklater's sunlit neo-noir stars Glen Powell as strait-laced professor Gary Johnson, who moonlights as a fake hit [More]
Directed By: Richard Linklater
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
95%
#10
Critics Consensus: Call Me by Your Name offers a melancholy, powerfully affecting portrait of first love, empathetically acted by Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer.
Synopsis: It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century [More]
Directed By: Luca Guadagnino
Weekend (2011)
95%
#11
Critics Consensus: It may be a chamber piece but Weekend's revelations on modern sexuality expand far beyond the modest setting.
Synopsis: A gay man's (Tom Cullen) weekend-long encounter with an artist (Chris New) changes his life in unexpected ways. [More]
Directed By: Andrew Haigh
Belle de Jour (1967)
95%
#12
Critics Consensus: The radiantly filmed Belle de Jour entrances even as it resists easy interpretations.
Synopsis: Beautiful young housewife Séverine Serizy (Catherine Deneuve) cannot reconcile her masochistic fantasies with her everyday life alongside dutiful husband Pierre [More]
Directed By: Luis Buñuel
Carol (2015)
94%
#13
Critics Consensus: Shaped by Todd Haynes' deft direction and powered by a strong cast led by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Carol lives up to its groundbreaking source material.
Synopsis: Aspiring photographer Therese spots the beautiful, elegant Carol perusing the doll displays in a 1950s Manhattan department store. The two [More]
Directed By: Todd Haynes
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
94%
#14
Critics Consensus: Lust and violence collide to powerfully pulpy effect in Love Lies Bleeding, a well-acted addition to writer-director Rose Glass' growing body of exceptional work.
Synopsis: From Director Rose Glass comes an electric new love story; reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious [More]
Directed By: Rose Glass
Passages (2023)
94%
#16
Critics Consensus: Elevated by a remarkable Franz Rogowski performance, Passages adds another smart, deeply humanistic film to director/co-writer Ira Sachs' estimable filmography.
Synopsis: Celebrated filmmaker Ira Sachs (Love is Strange) makes a breathtaking return with PASSAGES, a fresh, honest and brutally funny take [More]
Directed By: Ira Sachs
The Duke of Burgundy (2014)
94%
#17
Critics Consensus: Stylish, sensual, and smart, The Duke of Burgundy proves that erotic cinema can have genuine substance.
Synopsis: Two entomologists (Sidse Babett Knudsen, Chiara D'Anna) play ritual games of dominance and subservience. [More]
Directed By: Peter Strickland
Out of Sight (1998)
94%
#18
Critics Consensus: Steven Soderbergh's intelligently crafted adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel is witty, sexy, thoroughly entertaining, and a star-making turn for George Clooney.
Synopsis: Meet Jack Foley, the most successful bank robber in the country. On the day he busts out of jail, he [More]
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
Stranger by the Lake (2013)
94%
#19
Critics Consensus: Sexy, smart, and darkly humorous, Stranger by the Lake offers rewarding viewing for adult filmgoers in search of thought-provoking drama.
Synopsis: Franck falls in love with Michel, an attractive, potent and lethally dangerous man. [More]
Directed By: Alain Guiraudie
The Last Seduction (1994)
94%
#20
Critics Consensus: Like Body Heat, The Last Seduction updates film noir techniques for a modern era, imbuing this erotic film with '90s snark.
Synopsis: Looking to escape her unhappy marriage, villainous femme fatale Bridget Gregory (Linda Fiorentino) convinces her husband, Clay (Bill Pullman), to [More]
Directed By: John Dahl
Anora (2024)
93%
#21
Critics Consensus: Another marvelous chronicle of America's strivers by writer-director Sean Baker given some extra pizzazz by Mikey Madison's brassy performance, Anora is a romantic drama on the bleeding edge.
Synopsis: Sean Baker's Palme d'Or winner ANORA is an audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Mikey [More]
Directed By: Sean Baker
Ex Machina (2014)
92%
#22
Critics Consensus: Ex Machina leans heavier on ideas than effects, but it's still a visually polished piece of work -- and an uncommonly engaging sci-fi feature.
Synopsis: Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) a programmer at a huge Internet company, wins a contest that enables him to spend a [More]
Directed By: Alex Garland
In the Mood for Love (2000)
92%
#23
Critics Consensus: An exquisitely shot showcase for Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung that marks a somber evolution of Wong Kar-wai's chic style, In the Mood for Love is a tantric tease that's liable to break your heart.
Synopsis: In 1962, journalist Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) and his wife move into a Hong Kong apartment, but Chow's [More]
Directed By: Kar-Wai Wong
Yes, God, Yes (2019)
92%
#24
Critics Consensus: Natalia Dyer's charming performance -- and writer-director Karen Maine's sensitive work -- will leave audiences saying Yes, God, Yes to this coming-of-age dramedy.
Synopsis: A Catholic girl finds herself having tempting thoughts after an AOL chat turns unexpectedly racy. [More]
Directed By: Karen Maine
The Watermelon Woman (1996)
92%
#25
Critics Consensus: An auspicious debut for writer-director Cheryl Dunye, The Watermelon Woman tells a fresh story in wittily irreverent style.
Synopsis: An aspiring black lesbian filmmaker researches an obscure 1940s black actress billed as the Watermelon Woman. [More]
Directed By: Cheryl Dunye
Boogie Nights (1997)
91%
#26
Critics Consensus: Grounded in strong characters, bold themes, and subtle storytelling, Boogie Nights is a groundbreaking film both for director P.T. Anderson and star Mark Wahlberg.
Synopsis: In the San Fernando Valley in 1977, teenage busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) gets discovered by porn director Jack Horner [More]
Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson
My Golden Days (2015)
91%
#27
Critics Consensus: My Golden Years is a complex, well-acted coming-of-age drama.
Synopsis: A middle-aged anthropologist (Mathieu Amalric) reminisces about family, school adventures, a student trip to the USSR and the love (Lou [More]
Directed By: Arnaud Desplechin
Titane (2021)
90%
#28
Critics Consensus: Thrillingly provocative and original, Titane reaffirms writer-director Julia Ducournau's delightfully disturbing vision.
Synopsis: Titane: A metal highly resistant to heat and corrosion, with high tensile strength alloys, often used in medical prostheses due [More]
Directed By: Julia Ducournau
Y tu mamá también (2001)
90%
#29
Critics Consensus: Led by a triumvirate of terrific performances, Alfonso Cuarón's free-spirited road trip through Mexico is a sexy and wistful hymn to the fleetingness of youth.
Synopsis: The lives of Julio and Tenoch, like those of 17-year old boys everywhere, are ruled by raging hormones, intense friendships, [More]
Directed By: Alfonso Cuarón
A Royal Affair (2012)
90%
#30
Critics Consensus: A Royal Affair is a lavish and sumptuous costume drama with a juicy story to back it up.
Synopsis: A young queen falls in love with her physician, and they start a revolution that changes their nation forever. [More]
Directed By: Nikolaj Arcel
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
88%
#31
Critics Consensus: A beautiful, epic Western, Brokeback Mountain's love story is imbued with heartbreaking universality thanks to moving performances by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Synopsis: In 1963, rodeo cowboy Jack Twist and ranch hand Ennis Del Mar are hired by rancher Joe Aguirre as sheep [More]
Directed By: Ang Lee
Zola (2020)
88%
#32
Critics Consensus: Zola captures the stranger-than-fiction appeal of the viral Twitter thread that inspired it -- and announces director/co-writer Janicza Bravo as a filmmaker to watch.
Synopsis: "Y'all wanna hear a story about why me & this bitch here fell out? It's kind of long but full [More]
Directed By: Janicza Bravo
Challengers (2024)
88%
#33
Critics Consensus: With its trio of outstanding performers volleying their star power back and forth without ever dropping the ball, Challengers is a kinetic and sexy romp at court.
Synopsis: From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force [More]
Directed By: Luca Guadagnino
Titanic (1997)
88%
#34
Critics Consensus: A mostly unqualified triumph for James Cameron, who offers a dizzying blend of spectacular visuals and old-fashioned melodrama.
Synopsis: Two young lovers from different backgrounds meet and fall in love on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the unsinkable R.M.S. [More]
Directed By: James Cameron
From Here to Eternity (1953)
88%
#35
Critics Consensus: It has perhaps aged poorly, but this languidly paced WWII romance remains an iconic, well-acted film, featuring particularly strong performances from Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift.
Synopsis: At an Army barracks in Hawaii in the days preceding the attack on Pearl Harbor, lone-wolf soldier and boxing champion [More]
Directed By: Fred Zinnemann
Blue Valentine (2010)
87%
#36
Critics Consensus: This emotionally gripping examination of a marriage on the rocks isn't always easy to watch, but Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling give performances of unusual depth and power.
Synopsis: Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams) live a quiet life in a modest neighborhood. To the casual observer, everything [More]
Directed By: Derek Cianfrance
2046 (2004)
87%
#37
Critics Consensus: Director Wong Kar-Wai has created in 2046 another visually stunning, atmospheric, and melancholy movie about unrequited love and loneliness.
Synopsis: A train in a futuristic landscape takes passengers to a place where they can recapture their memories, a place from [More]
Directed By: Kar-Wai Wong
Thelma & Louise (1991)
87%
#38
Critics Consensus: Driven by ride-or-die chemistry between Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon while director Ridley Scott provides scorching visuals fit for a postcard, Thelma & Louise is a feminist adventure that's equal parts provocative and rollicking.
Synopsis: Meek housewife Thelma (Geena Davis) joins her friend Louise (Susan Sarandon), an independent waitress, on a short fishing trip. However, [More]
Directed By: Ridley Scott
Bound (1996)
87%
#39
Critics Consensus: Bound's more titillating elements attracted attention, but it's the stylish direction, solid performances, and entertaining neo-noir caper plot that make it worth a watch.
Synopsis: Sparks fly when Violet (Jennifer Tilly) sets eyes on Corky (Gina Gershon) in an elevator. Violet is the girlfriend of [More]
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989)
87%
#40
Critics Consensus: This romantic crime drama may not be to everyone's taste, but The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is an audacious, powerful film.
Synopsis: When churlish mobster Albert Spica (Michael Gambon) acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring [More]
Directed By: Peter Greenaway
Love & Basketball (2000)
86%
#41
Critics Consensus: Confident directing and acting deliver an insightful look at young athletes.
Synopsis: Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) are two childhood friends who both aspire to be professional basketball players. Quincy, [More]
Directed By: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Black Swan (2010)
85%
#42
Critics Consensus: Bracingly intense, passionate, and wildly melodramatic, Black Swan glides on Darren Aronofsky's bold direction -- and a bravura performance from Natalie Portman.
Synopsis: Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina whose passion for the dance rules every facet of her life. When the company's [More]
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky
Mulholland Dr. (2001)
84%
#43
Critics Consensus: David Lynch's dreamlike and mysterious Mulholland Drive is a twisty neo-noir with an unconventional structure that features a mesmerizing performance from Naomi Watts as a woman on the dark fringes of Hollywood.
Synopsis: A dark-haired woman (Laura Elena Harring) is left amnesiac after a car crash. She wanders the streets of Los Angeles [More]
Directed By: David Lynch
Disobedience (2017)
84%
#44
Critics Consensus: Disobedience explores a variety of thought-provoking themes, bolstered by gripping work from leads Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola.
Synopsis: New York photographer Ronit Krushka flies to London after learning about the death of her estranged father. Ronit is returning [More]
Directed By: Sebastián Lelio
Swimming Pool (2003)
84%
#45
Critics Consensus: A sensual thriller with two engaging performers demanding our undivided attention.
Synopsis: When uptight British writer Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) has difficulty with her new detective novel, her publisher, John Bosload (Charles [More]
Directed By: François Ozon
Splitsville (2025)
84%
#46
Critics Consensus: A classic farce with very modern relationship dynamics, Splitsville spreads the comedic wealth across its well-balanced ensemble.
Synopsis: After Ashley (Adria Arjona) asks for a divorce, good-natured Carey (Kyle Marvin) runs to his friends, Julie (Dakota Johnson) and [More]
Directed By: Michael Angelo Covino
Atonement (2007)
83%
#47
Critics Consensus: Atonement features strong performances, brilliant cinematography, and a unique score. Featuring deft performances from James MacAvoy and Keira Knightley, it's a successful adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel.
Synopsis: This sweeping English drama, based on the book by Ian McEwan, follows the lives of young lovers Cecilia Tallis and [More]
Directed By: Joe Wright
I Am Love (2009)
81%
#48
Critics Consensus: It stumbles into melodrama, but I Am Love backs up its flamboyance with tremendous visual style and a marvelous central performance from Tilda Swinton.
Synopsis: At a dinner -- during which her husband, Tancredi (Pippo Delbono), learns that he and his son Edoardo Recchi Jr. [More]
Directed By: Luca Guadagnino
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
80%
#49
Critics Consensus: A beguiling tragicomedy, Vicky Cristina Barcelona charms with beautiful views of the Spanish city and a marvelously well-matched cast.
Synopsis: Americans Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) arrive in Spain for a summer vacation at a friend's (Patricia Clarkson) [More]
Directed By: Woody Allen
Live Flesh (1997)
80%
#50
Critics Consensus: Live Flesh surveys the fallout from an act of violence with a mature melodrama that sees Pedro Almodóvar working in surprisingly restrained form.
Synopsis: Victor (Liberto Rabal) goes to meet Elena (Francesca Neri) for a date. Elena, uninterested, tells Victor to leave the apartment [More]
Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar
Shame (2011)
79%
#51
Critics Consensus: Boasting stellar performances by Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, Shame is a powerful plunge into the mania of addiction affliction.
Synopsis: Successful and handsome New Yorker Brandon (Michael Fassbender) seems to live an ordinary life, but he hides a terrible secret [More]
Directed By: Steve McQueen
Take This Waltz (2011)
79%
#52
Critics Consensus: Featuring excellent work from an outstanding cast, the bittersweet drama Waltz proves that in the right hands, a familiar tale can still ring true.
Synopsis: A young woman (Michelle Williams) is torn between the husband (Seth Rogen) that she loves and a new man (Luke [More]
Directed By: Sarah Polley
Magic Mike (2012)
78%
#53
Critics Consensus: Magic Mike's sensitive direction, smart screenplay, and strong performances allow audiences to have their beefcake and eat it too.
Synopsis: By day, Mike (Channing Tatum) makes ends meet any way he can -- handyman jobs, detailing cars or designing furniture. [More]
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
Secretary (2002)
78%
#54
Critics Consensus: Maggie Gyllenhaal impresses in this romantic comedy with a kinky twist.
Synopsis: Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a young woman with a history of severe emotional problems, is released into the care of [More]
Directed By: Steven Shainberg
High Art (1998)
78%
#55
Critics Consensus: A surprisingly sultry performance from Ally Sheedy elevates High Art from pretentious melodrama to compelling -- if still a little pretentious -- romance.
Synopsis: Syd (Radha Mitchell), a low-level editor at a photography magazine eager to establish herself, discovers her neighbor is the once-celebrated [More]
Directed By: Lisa Cholodenko
Nymphomaniac: Volume I (2014)
77%
#56
Critics Consensus: Darkly funny, fearlessly bold, and thoroughly indulgent, Nymphomaniac finds Lars von Trier provoking viewers with customary abandon.
Synopsis: Joe, a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who is discovered badly beaten in an alley by an older bachelor, Seligman, who takes her [More]
Directed By: Lars von Trier
Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025)
77%
#57
Critics Consensus: Weaving a visually sumptuous web of musical intrigue, Kiss of the Spider Woman showcases beauty in tragedy through wondrous performances by Jennifer Lopez, Tonatiuh Elizarraraz and Diego Luna.
Synopsis: Dreamgirls and Beauty and the Beast director Bill Condon returns to the movie musical in this dazzling Technicolor-hued fantasy. Valentín [More]
Directed By: Bill Condon
Desert Hearts (1985)
77%
#58
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A New York professor (Helen Shaver) divorces her husband and has an affair with another woman (Patricia Charbonneau) in 1959 [More]
Directed By: Donna Deitch
The Threesome (2025)
77%
#59
Critics Consensus: A bittersweet rom-com that occasionally waffles as much as its characters in how mature it wants to be, The Threesome balances out into a sweetly shaggy film with standout performances from Zoey Deutch and Ruby Cruz.
Synopsis: One fateful night, the stars appear to align for Connor (Jonah Hauer-King), a kind and unassuming young man, as his [More]
Directed By: Chad Hartigan
Babygirl (2024)
76%
#60
Critics Consensus: Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson memorably smolder together in Babygirl, with writer-director Halina Reijn's clinical gaze keeping this sexually frank thriller more provocative than prurient.
Synopsis: A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much [More]
Directed By: Halina Reijn
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
76%
#61
Critics Consensus: Kubrick's intense study of the human psyche yields an impressive cinematic work.
Synopsis: After Dr. Bill Hartford's (Tom Cruise) wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, [More]
Directed By: Stanley Kubrick
People We Meet on Vacation (2026)
76%
#62
Critics Consensus: People We Meet on Vacation is a breezy adaptation that boasts charming leads in Tom Blyth and Emily Bader, delivering a romantic endeavor worth staying for.
Synopsis: Free-spirited Poppy (Emily Bader) and routine-loving Alex (Tom Blyth) have been unlikely best friends for a decade, living in different [More]
Directed By: Brett Haley
Die My Love (2025)
74%
#63
Critics Consensus: A frenzied depiction of a common but oft-ignored experience, Die My Love might be too stylistically mannered to fully connect but gifts Jennifer Lawrence with one of her most vivid roles yet.
Synopsis: A portrait of a woman engulfed by love and madness. [More]
Directed By: Lynne Ramsay
The Housemaid (2025)
74%
#64
Critics Consensus: A sly throwback to the lurid thrillers that used to dominate multiplexes, The Housemaid cleans up nicely thanks to its wicked sense of fun and a delightfully unnerving performance from Amanda Seyfried.
Synopsis: THE HOUSEMAID is a wildly entertaining thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, based on the best-selling book. From director [More]
Directed By: Paul Feig
The World to Come (2020)
74%
#65
Critics Consensus: The World to Come is made from ingredients that will be familiar to fans of period forbidden romance movies, but they're given fresh life thanks to an excellent cast.
Synopsis: In this powerful 19th century romance set in the American Northeast, Abigail (Katherine Waterston), a farmer's wife, and her new [More]
Directed By: Mona Fastvold
Young & Beautiful (2013)
73%
#66
Critics Consensus: Ozon may not explore his themes as fully as he should, but Young & Beautiful poses enough intriguing questions -- and features a strong enough performance from Marine Vacth -- to compensate for its frustrations.
Synopsis: Isabelle (Marine Vacth), a 17-year-old student, loses her virginity during a quick holiday romance. When she returns home, she begins [More]
Directed By: François Ozon
Fallen Angels (1995)
96%
#67
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An assassin (Leon Lai Ming), his boss, an entrepreneur (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and two women cross paths in Hong Kong after [More]
Directed By: Kar-Wai Wong
She's Gotta Have It (1986)
94%
#68
Critics Consensus: With She's Gotta Have It, Spike Lee delivered his bracing first shot across Hollywood's bow -- and set the template for the groundbreaking act to follow.
Synopsis: Beautiful Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) can't decide what kind of man she wants to date, so she decides to [More]
Directed By: Spike Lee
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
91%
#69
Critics Consensus: Stylish, seductive, and clever, Stephen Frears' adaptation is a wickedly entertaining exploration of sexual politics.
Synopsis: The Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) and the Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich) display the petty jealousies and jaded insouciance [More]
Directed By: Stephen Frears
The Big Easy (1986)
89%
#70
Critics Consensus: Loaded with atmosphere and drenched in the sizzling chemistry between Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin, The Big Easy remains one of the strongest -- and steamiest -- thrillers of the 1980s.
Synopsis: Colorful drama, set in New Orleans, about the relationship which develops between a young police lieutenant and an uncompromising female [More]
Directed By: Jim McBride
In the Realm of the Senses (1976)
84%
#71
Critics Consensus: Sexual taboos are broken and boundaries crossed In the Realm of the Senses, a fearlessly provocative psychosexual tale.
Synopsis: A former prostitute (Eiko Matsuda), now working as a servant, begins a torrid affair with her married employer (Tatsuya Fuji). [More]
Directed By: Nagisa Ôshima
House of Tolerance (2011)
84%
#72
Critics Consensus: An atmospheric study of the world of brothels, House of Tolerance digs beyond the corseted courtesans and lingers like the languid days it depicts.
Synopsis: A young woman begins a new life at the Apollonide bordello, a high-class brothel in Paris. [More]
Directed By: Bertrand Bonello
A Good Day to Be Black & Sexy (2008)
80%
#73
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In six vignettes from Los Angeles, the subject of sexuality and relationships within the black community shatters stereotypes about black [More]
Directed By: Dennis Dortch
Betty Blue (1986)
78%
#74
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A would-be writer (Jean-Hugues Anglade) falls for an unpredictable woman (Béatrice Dalle), then he slowly realizes that she is going [More]
Directed By: Jean-Jacques Beineix
The Piano Teacher (2001)
75%
#75
Critics Consensus: Though it makes for rather unpleasant viewing, The Piano Teacher is a riveting and powerful psychosexual drama.
Synopsis: Erika Kohut teaches piano at the Conservatory in Vienna. In her early forties, she lives at home, cooped up with [More]
Directed By: Michael Haneke
Lust, Caution (2007)
73%
#76
Dirty Dancing (1987)
73%
#77
Critics Consensus: Like its winsome characters, Dirty Dancing uses impressive choreography and the power of song to surmount a series of formidable obstacles.
Synopsis: Baby (Jennifer Grey) is one listless summer away from the Peace Corps. Hoping to enjoy her youth while it lasts, [More]
Directed By: Emile Ardolino
Saltburn (2023)
72%
#78
Critics Consensus: Emerald Fennell's candy-coated and incisive Saltburn is a debauched jolt to the senses that will be invigorating for most.
Synopsis: Academy Award winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) brings us a beautifully wicked tale of privilege and desire. Struggling [More]
Directed By: Emerald Fennell
Sex and Lucia (2001)
71%
#79
Critics Consensus: Beneath the gratuitous nudity lies a complex and visually striking movie.
Synopsis: After learning that her boyfriend, Lorenzo (Tristán Ulloa), a talented but troubled writer, may have committed suicide, the beautiful Lucía [More]
Directed By: Julio Medem
Newness (2017)
71%
#80
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In Los Angeles, two millennials navigating a social media-driven hookup culture begin a relationship that pushes both emotional and physical [More]
Directed By: Drake Doremus
Shortbus (2006)
69%
#81
Critics Consensus: The sex may be explicit, but Mitchell integrates it into the characters' lives and serves the whole story up with a generous dose of sweetness and wit.
Synopsis: John Cameron Mitchell's SHORTBUS explores the lives of several emotionally challenged characters as they navigate the comic and tragic intersections [More]
Directed By: John Cameron Mitchell
The Pillow Book (1996)
68%
#82
Critics Consensus: The Pillow Book is undeniably sensual and visually ravishing, but the film's narrative lacks the hypnotic pull of its imagery.
Synopsis: A Japanese model (Vivian Wu) who likes lovers to adorn her body with calligraphy falls for an erotic Englishman (Ewan [More]
Directed By: Peter Greenaway
Closer (2004)
67%
#83
Critics Consensus: Closer's talented cast and Mike Nichols' typically assured direction help smooth a bumpy journey from stage to screen.
Synopsis: Alice (Natalie Portman), an American stripper who has moved to London, meets Dan (Jude Law) on the street. While looking [More]
Directed By: Mike Nichols
Spring Breakers (2012)
67%
#84
Critics Consensus: Spring Breakers blends stinging social commentary with bikini cheesecake and a bravura James Franco performance.
Synopsis: College students Candy (Vanessa Hudgens), Faith (Selena Gomez), Brit (Ashley Benson) and Cotty (Rachel Korine) are short of the cash [More]
Directed By: Harmony Korine
Intimacy (2001)
66%
#85
Critics Consensus: Acted out with both physical and psychological nakedness by its two leads, Intimacy is an unflinchingly honest look at alienation.
Synopsis: A man (Mark Rylance) wants to know more about the nameless woman (Kerry Fox) with whom he has weekly trysts. [More]
Directed By: Patrice Chéreau
Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) (2015)
66%
#86
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Two young girls turn their after-school hangouts into group hook-ups and start a swinging party craze in their school. [More]
Directed By: Eva Husson
Wild Things (1998)
65%
#87
Critics Consensus: Wild Things is a delightfully salacious, flesh-exposed romp that also requires a high degree of love for trash cinema.
Synopsis: When teen debutante Kelly (Denise Richards) fails to attract the attention of her hunky guidance counselor, Sam (Matt Dillon), she [More]
Directed By: John McNaughton
Crash (1996)
65%
#88
Critics Consensus: Despite the surprisingly distant, clinical direction, Crash's explicit premise and sex is classic Cronenberg territory.
Synopsis: "Crash" is about the strange lure of the auto collision, provoking as it does the human fascination with death and [More]
Directed By: David Cronenberg
Wild at Heart (1990)
65%
#89
Critics Consensus: One of director David Lynch's more uneven efforts, Wild at Heart is held together by his distinctive sensibilities and compelling work from Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern.
Synopsis: After serving prison time for a self-defense killing, Sailor Ripley (Nicolas Cage) reunites with girlfriend Lula Fortune (Laura Dern). Lula's [More]
Directed By: David Lynch
Querelle (1982)
65%
#90
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In a French bordello, a young sailor meets a murderer who also is his supposed brother. Based on Jean Genet's [More]
Directed By: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Bitter Moon (1992)
64%
#91
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An alcoholic writer (Peter Coyote) in a wheelchair recalls his sexy wife (Emmanuelle Seigner) for an English aristocrat (Hugh Grant) [More]
Directed By: Roman Polanski
The Reader (2008)
63%
#92
Critics Consensus: Despite Kate Winslet's superb portrayal, The Reader suggests an emotionally distant, Oscar-baiting historical drama.
Synopsis: Michael Berg (David Kross), a teen in postwar Germany, begins a passionate but clandestine affair with Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet), [More]
Directed By: Stephen Daldry
Something New (2006)
60%
#93
Critics Consensus: Something New tackles serious questions about race and interracial relationships with genuine appeal and an alluring romance that develops as naturally as the plot.
Synopsis: Career-minded Kenya McQueen is set up on a blind date with architect Brian Kelly, but backs out when she realizes [More]
Directed By: Sanaa Hamri
The Hunger (1983)
60%
#94
Critics Consensus: Stylish yet hollow, The Hunger is a well-cast vampire thriller that mistakes erotic moments for a satisfying story.
Synopsis: John (David Bowie) is the lover of the gorgeous immortal vampire Miriam (Catherine Deneuve), and he's been led to believe [More]
Directed By: Tony Scott
Henry & June (1990)
60%
#95
Critics Consensus: Henry & June celebrates sensuality and passion, though the portentous filmmaking drags it down by a large degree.
Synopsis: A literary love triangle is explored in this film, which was the first to earn an NC-17 rating. While traveling [More]
Directed By: Philip Kaufman
The Dreamers (2003)
59%
#96
Critics Consensus: Though lushly atmospheric, The Dreamers doesn't engage or provoke as much as it should.
Synopsis: In May 1968, the student riots in Paris only exacerbate the isolation felt by three youths: an American exchange student [More]
Directed By: Bernardo Bertolucci
Jason's Lyric (1994)
58%
#97
Critics Consensus: Jason's Lyric is a sexually charged film whose violent streak weakens or, depending on your perspective, supports the melodrama.
Synopsis: In a violent, drug-infested neighborhood in Houston, Jason (Allen Payne) dreams of something better. He works as a TV salesman [More]
Directed By: Doug McHenry
Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986)
58%
#98
Critics Consensus: 9 1/2 Weeks' famously steamy sex scenes titillate though the drama unfolding between the beddings is relatively standard for the genre.
Synopsis: Two strangers, Wall Street trader John (Mickey Rourke) and art gallery assistant Elizabeth (Kim Basinger), become involved in a new [More]
Directed By: Adrian Lyne
Malcolm & Marie (2021)
57%
#99
Critics Consensus: Malcolm & Marie's ambitions aren't always satisfactorily fulfilled, but its flaws are often offset by the strong chemistry between the film's stars.
Synopsis: Writer/Director Sam Levinson teams up with Zendaya and John David Washington for an achingly romantic drama in which a filmmaker [More]
Directed By: Sam Levinson
Basic Instinct (1992)
56%
#100
Critics Consensus: Unevenly echoing the work of Alfred Hitchcock, Basic Instinct contains a star-making performance from Sharon Stone but is ultimately undone by its problematic, overly lurid plot.
Synopsis: The mysterious Catherine Tramell, a beautiful crime novelist, becomes a suspect when she is linked to the brutal death of [More]
Directed By: Paul Verhoeven
Cruel Intentions (1999)
54%
#101
Critics Consensus: This darkly comic drama and its attractive young cast are easy on the eyes, but uneven performances and an uninspired script conspire to foil Cruel Intentions.
Synopsis: Annette (Reese Witherspoon) unwittingly becomes a pawn in Sebastian's (Ryan Phillippe) and Kathryn's (Sarah Michelle Gellar) deliciously diabolical wager of [More]
Directed By: Roger Kumble
Malena (2001)
54%
#102
Critics Consensus: Malena ends up objectifying the character of the movie's title. Also, the young boy's emotional investment with Malena is never convincing, as she doesn't feel like a three-dimensional person.
Synopsis: In 1941, Renato was 13 years old and although the world was at war, nothing ever happened in this sleepy [More]
Directed By: Giuseppe Tornatore
Anyone But You (2023)
53%
#103
Critics Consensus: Slick direction and a pair of tremendously watchable stars make Anyone But You a passably fizzy diversion despite a less than scintillating story.
Synopsis: In the edgy comedy Anyone But You, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like the perfect couple, but [More]
Directed By: Will Gluck
Chloe (2009)
52%
#104
Critics Consensus: Despite its promising pedigree and a titillating premise, Chloe ultimately fails to deliver the heat -- or the thrills -- expected of a sexual thriller.
Synopsis: Catherine and David Stewart (Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson) are a well-to-do couple living in a posh area of Toronto, but [More]
Directed By: Atom Egoyan
Unfaithful (2002)
51%
#105
Critics Consensus: Diane Lane shines in the role, but the movie adds nothing new to the genre and the resolution is unsatisfying.
Synopsis: Described by director Adrian Lyne ("Fatal Attraction") as "an erotic thriller about the body language of guilt." When Edward innocently [More]
Directed By: Adrian Lyne
How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
51%
#106
Critics Consensus: Angela Bassett gracefully breezes through a hot summer fling without much conflict or ado, leaving us wondering when -- or if -- she's ever getting that groove back.
Synopsis: Unlucky-in-love stockbroker Stella (Angela Bassett) jets to Jamaica with her gal pal Delilah (Whoopi Goldberg) for some fun in the [More]
Directed By: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Summer Storm (2004)
50%
#107
Critics Consensus: Strong performances and an inclusive approach to sexual awakening aren't enough to make Summer Storm a truly memorable coming-of-age story.
Synopsis: A teenager comes to terms with his sexuality and his feelings for his best friend over the course of a [More]
Directed By: Marco Kreuzpaintner
Romance (1999)
49%
#108
Critics Consensus: Romance is a slim look into a woman's sexual psyche, with sex scenes that slightly excite while exploring human emotions.
Synopsis: A woman (Caroline Ducey) has several affairs, trying to spark the interest of her lover (Sagamore Stévenin), a self-absorbed, male [More]
Directed By: Catherine Breillat
Sleeping Beauty (2011)
48%
#109
Critics Consensus: Sleeping Beauty's provocative premise and luminous art design is hampered by a clinical, remote presentation, delivering boredom and shock in equal measure.
Synopsis: A college student (Emily Browning) becomes a niche sex worker for a high-end brothel where customers pay to fondle her [More]
Directed By: Julia Leigh
Jennifer's Body (2009)
47%
#110
Critics Consensus: Jennifer's Body features occasionally clever dialogue, but its horror/comedy premise ultimately fails to be consistently funny or scary enough to satisfy.
Synopsis: A beautiful cheerleader (Megan Fox) gains an insatiable appetite for human flesh after a hungry demon takes control of her [More]
Directed By: Karyn Kusama
Cashback (2006)
47%
#111
Critics Consensus: An unlikable protagonist, messy editing, and gratuitous nudity might make audiences ask for their cash back.
Synopsis: Would-be artist Ben (Sean Biggerstaff) realizes he has an extraordinary way of dealing with the tedium of his dead-end job [More]
Directed By: Sean Ellis
Elisa & Marcela (2019)
47%
#112
Critics Consensus: While it may be visually attractive, Elisa & Marcela is an underwhelming melodrama that lacks passion and energy.
Directed By: Isabel Coixet
28 Hotel Rooms (2012)
47%
#113
The Voyeurs (2021)
45%
#114
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: After moving into a beautiful loft apartment in Downtown Montreal, a young couple (Sydney Sweeney and Justice Smith), find themselves [More]
Directed By: Michael Mohan
The Paperboy (2012)
45%
#115
Critics Consensus: Trashy and melodramatic, The Paperboy is enlivened by a strong cast and a steamy, sordid plot, but it's uneven and often veers into camp.
Synopsis: In 1969 Florida, reporter Ward Jansen (Matthew McConaughey) returns to his hometown to write a story about death-row inmate Hillary [More]
Directed By: Lee Daniels
Love (2015)
42%
#116
Critics Consensus: Love sees writer-director Gaspar Noé delivering some of his warmest and most personal work; unfortunately, it's also among his most undeveloped and least compelling.
Synopsis: Murphy (Karl Glusman) is an American living in Paris who has a highly sexual and emotionally charged relationship with the [More]
Directed By: Gaspar Noé
Kama Sutra (1996)
41%
#117
Critics Consensus: Kama Sutra refreshingly approaches sensuality from a female perspective, but audiences will be turned off by this romance's silly plotting.
Synopsis: In 16th-century India, Princess Tara (Sarita Choudhury) is raised alongside her maid Maya (Indira Varma). The two best friends turn [More]
Directed By: Mira Nair
Emmanuelle (1974)
38%
#118
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The wife of a French diplomat becomes involved in a series of sexual liaisons after joining her husband in Thailand. [More]
Directed By: Just Jaeckin
Deep Water (2022)
35%
#119
Critics Consensus: Viewers desperately seeking a new erotic thriller might find Deep Water worth a dip, but it's far from director Adrian Lyne's best work.
Synopsis: Based on the celebrated novel by famed mystery writer Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley), "Deep Water" takes us inside [More]
Directed By: Adrian Lyne
In the Cut (2003)
35%
#120
Critics Consensus: Director/co-writer Jane Campion takes a stab at subverting the psycho-sexual thriller genre with In the Cut, but gets tangled in her own abstraction.
Synopsis: An English teacher (Meg Ryan) has an affair with a detective (Mark Ruffalo), though she suspects him of murdering a [More]
Directed By: Jane Campion
Adore (2013)
32%
#121
Critics Consensus: Naomi Watts and Robin Wright give it their all, but they can't quite make Adore's trashy, absurd plot believable.
Synopsis: Two lifelong best friends (Robin Wright, Naomi Watts) each begin a steamy affair with the other's son, but trouble begins [More]
Directed By: Anne Fontaine
The Lover (1992)
28%
#122
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Set in 1920s colonial Indochina, a pretty, virginal French teenager meets a handsome Chinese playboy from a respectable family. Going [More]
Directed By: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
25%
#123
Critics Consensus: While creatively better endowed than its print counterpart, Fifty Shades of Grey is a less than satisfying experience on the screen.
Synopsis: When college senior Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) steps in for her sick roommate to interview prominent businessman Christian Grey (Jamie [More]
Directed By: Sam Taylor-Johnson
9 Songs (2004)
23%
#124
Critics Consensus: The unerotic sex scenes quickly become tedious to watch, and the lovers lack the personality necessary to make viewers care about them.
Synopsis: A man (Kieran O'Brien) reminisces about his steamy affair with an American woman (Margo Stilley) he met at a rock [More]
Directed By: Michael Winterbottom
Elles (2011)
22%
#125
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A journalist (Juliette Binoche) tries to balance the duties of marriage and motherhood while researching a piece on college women [More]
Directed By: Małgorzata Szumowska
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