The erotic thrill is a back-alley bastard child of noir, pulp, and Hitchcockian cynicism; this is one of the film’s most indulgent and trashy genres, though not without its benefits. It revolves around the union of sex and death, combining seduction, deceit, and aggression into a sumptuously delicious cocktail that enables us to explore our most primal animal instincts while remaining healthy. But they are not just about the sex (although they are a lot about the sex); the best erotic movies weave their heinous affairs into thrilling mysteries and dramatic tales. 

This may sound such as the old “I read it for the articles” excuse, but Playboy has always had great articles, and erotic thrillers are founded on intriguing stories. If you’re looking for ways to spice up your relationship with your partner, you’ve come to the right spot. A nice dinner is nice, but a romantic evening in the bedroom could be even nicer. How do you go about doing that? Go to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or YouTube and queue up several erotic movies for a sizzling romantic night, and CHILL! 

20 Enticing Erotic Movies to Stream Right Now in 2022

1. 365 Days 

Let’s start with the film that has the entire world talking. The film is strange and glamorizes physical bonding, based on the very first novel in a trilogy by Blanka Lipiska. Don Massimo Torricelli is played by Michele Morrone. The film Anna-Maria Sieklucka has a bad storyline, but if you’re in the mood, it’ll do the trick. Massimo, a mafia boss, kidnaps Laura and offers her 365 days to fall in love with him and 365 Days. The storyline is sleazy and packed with pornographic sex scenes, as bizarre as this is.

2. Addicted 

Addicted is a steamy and one of the best erotic movies on Netflix based on Zane’s best-selling erotic fiction novel of the same title. The film, which stars Sharon Leal, Boris Kodjoe, and Tyson Beckford, follows the story of a gallerist named Zoe Reynard, who does have a wonderful life. When a gallerist has an affair with a skilled painter, she jeopardizes her family and her thriving career. Things take a turn for the worse as she begins a series of one-night stands and affairs. Nymphomania is a hidden torment for Zoe. 

3. Call Me 

This gritty little film is new to me, but it is a lot of fun. The classic creepy prank call trope is turned on its head in Call Me. When a woman receives an explicit call from what she believes is her lover, she goes to a bar to meet him. She goes to the bathroom because her boo is nowhere to be found and witnesses a horrible crime. This is a genuinely grimy and fantastic little film, with Patricia Charbonneau in the lead and Steve Buscemi making an early appearance! 

4. Swimming Pool

Charlotte Rampling is a national icon, and in this sensual summer thriller, she shines. To make progress on her latest novel, an author (Rampling) travels to her publisher’s villa. That should be the perfect break for her, however, her plans are thwarted when a young woman (Ludivine Sagnier) arrives, claiming to be the daughter of the publisher who had sent her there. This is a truly excellent addition to the erotic thriller canon, as it is sexy, weird, unreal, and awesome.

5. Knock Knock 

Eli Roth uses a traditional erotic setup, two lost gorgeous strangers knocking on a door as the foundation for his concept that every guy, no matter how good, will cheat despite their aversion to admitting men go out of their way to find it, but the majority will have to wait for it to fall into their laps. However, if the opportunity arises, it is like a man to have sex with those that are ready. You may disagree with that stance (as I do), but Knock Knock would still be a great deal of fun.

6. Elle

In the French-language debut, Elle, Paul Verhoeven returns to form with a stiffening return to action. Elle is a daunting psychological portrait as well as an erotic movie, and it was one of the most highly discussed films of last year. It is a movie that flirts, remaining elegant and elevated thanks to Isabelle Huppert, who shines in every scene with one of the most powerful film performances ever. There would be plenty of intimate sex moments in Elle’s life, however, this will not be one of them.

7. Fifty Shades Series 

Fifty Shades of Grey was rage, a successful trilogy novel that became part of everyone’s bookshelf and was later made into major motion pictures. The film stars Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey, a millionaire man who falls in love with Anastasia Steele, a college student. They are attracted to each other, which leads to a relationship. However, they don’t have the same equation as other couples. The three-part film immerses you in the BDSM universe. Bold sex and nude scenes abound in the film.

8. Eyes Wide Shut

The film Eyes Wide Shut, featuring Tom Cruise (as Dr Bill Hartford) and Nicole Kidman (as Alice), is an intense erotic mystery. The film, directed by Stanley Kubrick, circles around Tom Cruise, a doctor in New York. When his wife expresses an urge to be with someone else, events take a strange turn. This sets him on an uncharted path leading him to a secret sex cult and one of their meetings, where he soon realizes he is in over his head. 

9. Basic Instinct 

Basic Instinct is a neo-noir erotic movie directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas, released in 1992. If you haven’t seen Basic Instinct, you haven’t seen the twisted and dark erotic talk. San Francisco’s police department’s Detective Nick leads a brutal murder interrogation into the death of a rick Rockstar Johnny Boz in the thriller. Catherine, his girlfriend, is the prime suspect. When Nick becomes romantically invested with Catherine, the tables are turned.

10. In the Cut 

Jane Campion’s visually spectacular and brutal thriller is a must-see. As Frannie Avery, a teacher who becomes embroiled in a horrific murder investigation, Meg Ryan leads this dark pursuit of desire. The hot detective, played by Mark Ruffalo, promotes the entanglement. In the Cut is a dark joy that is much more radical and transgressive than any of the erotic movies on this list.

11. Bound 

This lesbian neo-noir cult classic marked the Wachowskis’ feature debut. Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly star as struggling lovers who devise a get-rich-quick plan that lands them in the middle of a mob war. This ultra-low-budget neo-noir is super chic, sleek, and queer as hell. So, put this one at the head of your to-read list and prepare to fall in love with Tilly and Gershon all over again.

12. Cruel Intentions 

Cruel Intentions was indeed a lurid, poppy gateway to the erotic movie genre for an age of filmgoers. Cruel Intentions, a revamped retelling of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 18th-century historical novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, does have a different tone than the typical erotic thriller – not because of the prep-school environment and teenage illusion cast, however, it also is themed on a different strain of DNA than your typical Noir-based erotic thriller.

13. Lust Stories 

The stories of intimacy, sex, and the dynamics of love are told in this series of four short films by prominent Indian filmmakers. The stories all concentrate on the viewpoint of Indian women in the fields of love and sex, from a romantic affair gone wrong to the exploration of self-pleasure. Netflix’s Lust Stories is an anthology featuring stories of relationships through various individuals, directed by Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, and Karan Johar. Generations, castes, socioeconomic status, and upbringing are all represented. 

14. Body Heat 

Body Heat is a landmark erotic movie and is one of the best neo-noirs ever put on film, directed and written by Lawrence Kasdan (of Raiders of the Lost Arc and Star Wars fame). Body Heat starts with an illegitimate love affair, the kind which consumes you and keeps you melted in your lover’s hands, as does almost everything in the movie. It’s all rotting hot heat, painted in a palette of reds and oranges amid a summer extreme heat so sticky that your glasses could fog up just from looking at it. If you’re looking for movies like Fifty Shades of Grey on Netflix, this is one of the best ones to go for.

15. The 4th Man 

The 4th Man was Paul Verhoeven’s last movie in the Netherlands before moving on to Hollywood big-budget inauthenticity with Robocop, Starship Troopers, Showgirls, and Total Recall. Also, though we associate him with subversion, nothing in his filmography compares to the 4th Man. It portrays sex as mind-numbing, but still too transient and physiological to inform a full identity. What makes up your personality is what’s between your shoulders, and not what is between your legs.

16. Secret Things 

Long before much of American mainstream erotica, the French developed a more intimate way of kissing, and they’ve also pioneered film sexiness that doesn’t necessarily punish women for having sex. Secret Things starts with a woman (Coralie Revel) masturbating to an opera on a stage, which sets the tone for the rest of the film. If you only remember one scene from Fifty Shades of Grey, it was possibly Anastasia and Christian’s body contract scene, where she takes ownership of her sexuality in a business context. Secret Things is a better film with more psychologically fascinating sex and self-pleasure than that scene.

17. Angel Heart 

What further could you ask for in a genre-bending neo-noir than sex and Satan? Angel Heart was known as The Exorcist (“The abduction of the human soul”) meeting Chinatown (“The secret of the human mind”), and that’s fairly true, but Angel Heart does have a lot of extra blood-soaked screwing. Angel Heart was initially given an X-rating before Parker cut 10 seconds of sexy business from an, especially outrageous sex scene with Lisa Bonet. However, without those extra shots of Rourke’s buttocks, the movie is still enjoyable and steamy, and it creates such a huge mess at the intersection of sex and violence that it has gained cult status.

18. Dream Lover 

Thanks to this incredible 1993 black widow story, James Spader is back on our list. Madchen Amick is the ruthless woman who seduces Spader and vows to drive him insane. Amick is a delight to watch as a femme fatale, displaying her talent. Dream Lover is a classic romantic ’90s watch, and Spader is as hot and unkempt as you would like him to be. Dream Lover is an allegory about the pitfalls of love and sex, as are several recent movies. These films give a lesson: when you meet the lover of your dreams, the reward is risk, deception, and death, not joy.

19. The Boy Next Door 

To be honest, this film is not especially erotic or exciting, but it is a lot of fun. Jennifer Lopez plays a bored housewife, seduced by a young man who becomes deeply obsessed with her in this Lifetime-style drama. In one of Hollywood’s classic comedy moments, her certainly 30-something teenage beau even buys her a “first version of The Iliad.” 

20. Careful What You Wish For 

With this ridiculous and exciting contemporary offering, I’ll bring things to a close. This 2015 romantic thriller, along with The Boy Next Door, is among our lamest entries. Nick Jonas portrays a moody adolescent who spends the summer with his parents. He fell for his hot young wife while working on his neighbour’s boat, Yachting Thriller! In this twisty and sometimes funny film that wouldn’t look out of place on Lifetime, crimes and suspense abound… that’s a compliment, by the way.

Netflix, Prime Video, Hotstar, and others are turning up the heat as we approach spring 2021. While it might still feel like winter outside, the streaming platform is heating up. Both erotically charged thrillers and dramas, movies with red-hot romance, and more are included in this list of erotic movies now available online.