THE DECADE’S SEXIEST
Blue Valentine, Carol, Tulip Fever + More
With 2019 ending and a new decade on the horizon, let’s take a moment to look back at some of the sexiest movies of the last decade.
2010: Blue Valentine
This Derek Cianfrance drama about the breakdown of a relationship created trouble with the MPAA. It landed an NC-17 rating when Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling shot a scene with them performing 69 on each other. After push-back from the cast, the MPAA reversed the NC-17 to an R. There were no edits to get that R rating.
2011: Shame
This Steve McQueen drama about a sex addict’s life unravelling with the unexpected arrival of his sister introduced the world to Michael Fassbender’s member and we were stunned. The man is hung, so is it really any surprise that Shame wins the 2011 spot on our list? This movie isn’t all fun and games, but it is definitely sexy.
2012: Anna Karenina
Why are affairs so sexy? Perhaps, it’s illicit desire that draws us to them. Whatever it is, this Joe Wright adaptation of the Tolstoy novel is as sexy as they come. Keira Knightley stars as the titular Anna who, bored with her husband, enters into a highly charged, erotic affair with the alluring Count Alexei Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).
2013: Blue is the Warmest Color
This critically-acclaimed movie from Abdellatif Kechiche raised eyebrows when it was reported that the film contained a 30-minute long, graphic sex scene between leads Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos. The scene was cut down to 12 minutes, but it remained graphic. To add to the realism, prosthetic molds of the actress’ vaginas were used.
2014: Nymphomaniac
This Lars von Trier movie about a nymphomaniac who recounts her sexual escapades sure caused a lot of jaws to drop. The unrated film includes scenes on par with porn. In fact, the scenes are so graphic, von Trier used porn stars as body doubles. He filmed the adult performers engaging in intercourse and then digitally swapped their heads with those of the cast.
2015: Carol
Why is Cate Blanchett a lesbian icon? Is it because of this Todd Haynes film? She plays the wealthy and mysterious Carol Aird who falls in love with shopgirl, Therese. No, she was popular among lesbians before, but this film certainly cemented her status. Of course, the sexiness of this film is also because of Blanchett’s costar, Rooney Mara.
2016: The Handmaiden
This erotic love story directed by Park Chan-wook is nothing short of a masterpiece. It’s filled with twists and turns that you don’t expect and a beautiful love story between Kim Tae-ri and Kim Min-hee. While Chan-wook is straight and was known for his graphically violent, macho films before this project, he made one of the most beautiful lesbian love stories ever.
2017: Tulip Fever
While this Justin Chadwick directed movie cannot be considered the most successful movie on this list, it deserves to be included because of how NSFW it was. Seriously, a trailer for this movie was banned from TV for its graphic sex. Yeah, you read that right, the trailer for this Alicia Vikander and Dane DeHaan movie could not be shown on TV.
2018: Disobedience
In recent years, Rachel Weisz has discovered her lesbian side and it all started with this movie. Set in an Orthodox Jewish community in London, this Sebastián Lelio movie follows Ronit (Weisz) who returns for her father’s funeral after being shunned from the community. There, she reconnects with old love Esti (Rachel McAdams) and the women find themselves falling back into old ways.
2019: Hustlers
What could be sexier than a story about strippers? How about a movie starring Constance Wu and Jessica Lopez as a pair of strippers who con customers out of loads of money? This 2019 film directed by Lorene Scafaria, based on a true story, is just that. Of course, the award for sexiest scene has to go to Lopez’s pole dance routine.