Erotic Encounters: The Best Movie Sex Scenes (Gay and Straight)

We’re in the midst of a queer media renaissance, with increasing LGBTQ rep in music, TV shows, and even anime. But movies still reign supreme as the ideal media for sexual expression. Why? Because of the sex scenes, of course!

There's something about a sex scene in a movie that can cause some particularly fluttery butterflies to dance around in your stomach. It's enough to be your sexual awakening, turn an actor into your lifelong heartthrob, or make you extremely uncomfortable when you watch it with your family because no one bothered to vet it for potentially awkward moments.

But like any erotic encounter, some just hit differently than the rest. So, we've done the rock-hard work of finding some of the best movie sex scenes so you can skip to all the good parts. 

15 of the best movie scenes to heat up your movie night

Get ready for some powerful sexual tension that, fortunately, leads to sex! Netflix and chill never felt so hot.

Here are 15 erotic moments from films that make us go, "Porn? Don't know her."

1. Moonlight

Moonlight gets all the accolades in the world for being a captivating, unforgettable tale about gay love. But it's also made us rethink what we want to do during a day at the beach.

One of the steamiest gay sex scenes on this list also happens to be a beautiful moment of vulnerability that's as artful as it is horny. And that's something to celebrate. Maybe with a hand job!

2. God's Own Country

Not to be outdone by Moonlight, God's Own Country holds its own as a place to explore some homoerotic feelings while getting down and dirty, only this time it's mud instead of sand. But even though this film can be downright filthy, it manages to balance these intense sexual feelings with a gripping, emotional story about love.

3. Ghost

We've gotta give credit where it's due: Even for a straight film, few sex scenes are as iconic as the one between Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore in Ghost. How many people signed up for pottery classes after this one, just hoping that they were going to get spooked into an orgasm by a hunky, overly-familiar poltergeist?

It wasn’t just us, right? It was? Fuck.

4. Wild Things

For those of you who like just as much kissing and heavy petting as you do hardcore porn, the sex scene in Wild Things is just for you. The pool scene between Denise Richards and Neve Campbell gets steamier than a hot tub.

This film provides the pinnacle of erotic lesbian movie sex scenes. And that's something to celebrate. Maybe with a vibrator!

5. Weekend

Weekend is yet another modern classic of gay cinema that reaches the apex of sex and sexual tension. Tom Cullen and Chris New give a completely new context to the idea of foreplay as they discuss their sexual experiences. It's porn for the mind and body.

This movie reminds us how important it is to live in the moment — especially if that moment involves an orgasm.

6. J'ai Tué Ma Mère

Nothing says “sex” quite like the French language, and nothing says “angst” quite like Canadian twinks. Mix the two together, and you get this extraordinarily nuanced and unique story about the complex relationship between mother and son, coming of age as a queer person, and, of course, those sneaky sexy feelings that pop up for every teenager.

This film's charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent outshine some of the sexier moments. If you haven't seen it yet, add it to your list, even if you aren’t seeking a substitute for hardcore porn.

7. Call Me By Your Name

You've used the peach emoji; now get ready for the real deal. Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer spend most of the run time pining after each other in this instant gay classic. But truthfully, if you ask anyone about this movie, they're only gonna talk about one thing: the peach scene.

What's the big deal, you ask? We suggest you see it for yourself. It’s graphic in a good way, but it's also beautiful and, frankly, not a bad way to use up some overly ripe produce.

8. Red, White & Royal Blue

We love movies that can seamlessly blend humor and romance. And we like them even more when they can teach us a thing or two about what it means to be a good bottom.

Although this gay-AF film is all about love and intimacy through a tale of political intrigue, it spends plenty of time reminding you that sometimes the sexiest thing is watching two hunky dudes undress and get it on in soft lighting. And we couldn't agree more!

9. Brokeback Mountain

You might be surprised this isn't higher on the list, given how insanely iconic it is for queer history. And we'll hand it to them: Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger really gave us an earth-shattering cinematic moment with the first Brokeback Mountain sex scene. But as blood cools and boners shrivel, the gritty, unlubricated realism of the situation sets in.

Truthfully, if you don't think about it too hard, this still deserves a spot as a pivotal moment for sex in cinema just for some of the passionate kissing alone. Just don't let a moment like this color any expectations for real sex, promise?

10. Portrait of a Lady on Fire

We love love, but we love daring love even more. That's what this French cinematic masterpiece evokes in its passionate scene. It's one of those classic moments for sex in cinema where it's a lot of "show, don't tell," which is already erotic enough. But add in some steamy lesbian intensity and ecstasy, and you know that it's making it on this list of sexy scenes.

11. Dirty Dancing

Patrick Swayze gets two entries on this list? I mean, you've seen him in these films, right? Granted, Dirty Dancing does take a ding for not having any physical sex in its sex scene, but the sexual tension when Jennifer Gray and Patrick Swayze dance is absolutely exhilarating. Watch this movie scene again and try to tell us this cult classic love story isn't a bean-flicking flick!

12. The Handmaiden

When it comes to lesbian sex scenes, this erotic South Korean thriller from acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-Wook offers everything you could ask for. What starts with a tender kiss in close-up quickly blossoms into a sexual smorgasbord of various positions, techniques, and toy uses. Unlike depictions of sapphic sexuality in many American films, the tender relationship between Sook-hee and Hideko takes center stage.

13. Fifty Shades Darker

If any films pushed the envelope for what kind of sex scenes could exist in mainstream media, you know it'd have to be the Fifty Shades series. But despite these movies being pigeonholed as a more kink-oriented sexual fantasy, plenty of scenes offer up the sensuality of a traditional romance novel.

Does it deliver the intensity we might expect (and desperately want) from a movie with “Fifty Shades” in the name? Perhaps not, but the unexpectedness of its tender moments makes for masturbatory movie magic!

14. Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2

This is another entry on the list that offers up a sexy climax without breaking YouTube’s terms of service. Although vampires and vaginas aren’t in everyone's wheelhouse, it certainly worked for enough people to merit multiple movies that are basically all mental foreplay and sexual tension.

It's not your average love story, and maybe that's what people like about it so much. But does it deliver the kind of hardcore intensity that makes you wish you hadn't worn panties? For some, absolutely. But you gotta like stoic, pouty expressions.

15. Wet Hot American Summer

We're breaking the norm again with this summer comedy classic. Wet Hot American Summer has heavy hitters like Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler showing off just how sexy it can be when you're a camp counselor.

Again, it's not exactly the world's hottest orgy happening on screen. However, it's definitely a camp film about camp that encapsulates how it feels to have youth, freedom, and summer on your side. And nothing conveys that better than the surprisingly tender (if tragically brief) scene between Bradley Cooper and Michael Ian Black.