The Lover (1992. Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud)
Indochina (Vietnam, to be specific) in the 20's. The muggy banks of the Mekong river. A languid pace in the delivery. Sweaty sex between two unlikely characters: a 16 year old French woman and an older Chinese business man. Hotness.
In the Realm of the Senses (1976. Director: Nagisa Oshima)
Released in 1976, In the Realm of the Senses illustrates intense intimacy and extreme sexual chemistry between two beings. It artistically weaves us through alternating moments of serenity, delight, anticipation, and repulsion. If you want to see what abandonment in the act and addiction to sex truly look like, not to mention unapologetic close-ups, watch In the Realm of the Senses. As a side effect, it might also make you want to lay around in a kimono and sip on tea all day. Just be prepared to wince at the end, just a little.
Kama Sutra: a Tale of Love (1996. Director: Mira Nair)
Everything about Kama Sutra is sensual. The storyline is worthy of its two hours, sure, but what is extraordinary about this movie is that it is aesthetically stunning. The mysterious music transports us into a state of trance where we can almost smell the oils and taste the betel nuts. Plus, come on, it is about Kama Sutra! Watch it, and you might learn a thing or two about the art of seduction.
Urotsukidoji - Legend of the Overfiend (1989. Director: Hideki Takayama)
I used to watch this movie when I was 18. A lot. It is of the Hentai genre. Hentai, which can mean "perversion" in kanji (Chinese characters used in modern Japanese writing), is by definition extremely explicit and sometimes very violent. The dialogues are not what you'll want to watch this movie for, but rather to explore your reaction to sexual violence on screen and establish whether or not it turns you on (absolutely no judgment here). Just be warned that you might end up encountering demons wailing their multiple penis-shaped tentacles in an effort to take over the world.
Immoral Sisters: Blossoming (1994. Directors: Ito Maju, Iwata Roku)
And associated prequels and sequels. This is for those of you who want to savor hentai without a side of tentacles. Immoral Sisters further confirms Japan's obsession over school girls in itty bitty uniforms and fantasies about applying their strict hierarchical and societal rules in very compromising positions. This includes some forcefulness and school headmasters abusing their position of power to do the nasty with students, who act like they don't like it. Except they really , really do. That being said, God bless the Japanese for bringing Pornime into our world.
For my ladies who love the ladies. I consulted with a trusted advisor who recommended the Crash Pad Series, a series based on queer porn film The Crash Pad. It self-proclaims as being the "home to authentic queer sexuality" and offers "real dyke porn, lesbians, femme on femme, boi, stud, genderqueer and trans-masculine performers, transwomen, transmen, queer men and women engaging in authentic queer sexuality, whether it is with safer sex, strap-on sex, cocksucking, kink and bdsm, gender play and fluidity, and always-authentic orgasms." The full monty.
