The conversation around sex in film took a surprisingly high-profile turn this year, didn't it? When Anora swept the Academy Awards, snagging Best Picture and a slew of others, it felt like a genuine moment. A film so steeped in the realities of sex work, and directed by Sean Baker, taking home such major accolades? It certainly suggested a shift, or at least a willingness from the Academy to acknowledge stories that have long been on the fringes.
Looking back at 2025, though, nothing quite replicated Anora's impact in terms of on-screen portrayals of sex. The bigger studio releases that featured it, like Sinners, often relegated it to a supporting role, something that added color but wasn't central to the plot. Films that did aim to put sex at their core, such as Die My Love or the musical adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman, struggled to gain traction with audiences. It seems the most memorable, and perhaps most impactful, explorations of intimacy were found in smaller, more niche productions.
We saw this with buzzed-about Sundance entries like Plainclothes and Twinless. Then there was Pretty Thing, a direct-to-streaming erotic thriller that brought Alicia Silverstone back into the spotlight, offering a stylish throwback to the genre's heyday. And for a truly gonzo experience, Anything That Moves delved into the giallo Italian horror subgenre. Interestingly, one of the most indelible scenes of the year wasn't necessarily erotic in the traditional sense, but rather deeply unsettling: the bizarre, internal fusion of characters played by Alison Brie and Dave Franco in Together. It’s a stark reminder that powerful cinematic moments can come from the profoundly strange, not just the conventionally hot.
Die My Love certainly came out of the gate with intensity. Within its opening minutes, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson are all over each other, set to a driving, almost aggressive soundtrack. The editing is rapid-fire, almost a nod to Russ Meyer, and Lawrence is fully committed, even in full-frontal scenes. The film uses this initial burst of passion as a setup for a story grappling with postpartum depression and psychosis, exploring the sexual divide that emerges between her character, Grace, and Jackson. Her unsatisfied libido becomes a focal point, leading to moments where she attempts intimacy when he's not receptive, sparking conflict. It’s a portrayal that could risk pathologizing her sexuality, but a more nuanced view allows for the understanding that her love of sex and her mental health struggles are intertwined aspects of her character, not necessarily cause and effect.
Lawrence herself mentioned on a podcast that she didn't use an intimacy coordinator for her scenes with Pattinson. She spoke highly of him, noting his lack of pervy behavior and his focus on their shared experiences as parents and partners. This kind of open communication, she suggested, removes the need for a coordinator, contrasting it with experiences where male actors can become offended if their advances aren't reciprocated, leading to a negative on-set atmosphere. Pattinson, by all accounts, was not like that.
In Kiss of the Spider Woman, the much-anticipated adaptation of the musical, the intimate scene between cellmates Valentin (Diego Luna) and Luis (Tonatiuh) felt, for many, like an anticlimax, especially given the film's box office performance. After a significant build-up, their initial hook-up is depicted subtly, with heavy breathing and backs turned. The real emotional weight comes later, when Luis is about to be released and asks Valentin for a kiss – a moment that feels earned and passionate. Jennifer Lopez, in a triple role, then launches into the title song, and we get a brief glimpse of the two men together. It’s a testament to how relationships, even atypical ones, can find their own rhythm, ending with bodies intertwined amidst a musical number.
Pretty Thing is a clear homage to the straight-to-video erotic thrillers of the late 80s and early 90s. Director Justin Kelly has crafted a stylish and effective film, elevated by Alicia Silverstone's engaging performance. She seems to relish her role, bringing a certain charm to the proceedings. It’s a solid example of the genre, proving that even with a familiar setup, a well-executed film can still captivate.
