Let's face it. Sex sells. That's why almost every motion picture and television show has some form of sex or mention of the intimate act every few minutes. It's become a staple in life, even if it's a bit uncomfortable to watch alone or with friends and relatives.
Sex is rampant in every genre from vulgar comedies to the latest horror sequel, and even in recent animated tv-shows. There's no escaping it. Most of the time, a sex scene can be smelled from a mile away, but there is only a handful of sex scenes that surprisingly erect themselves out of nowhere. Here are the 10 most surprising sex scenes in cinema.
Updated April 20th, 2020 by Mariana Fernandes: Sex has become an inevitable part of cinema over the past few decades. And while some are just ridiculously bad and do absolutely nothing in the name of moving the plot forward, there are plenty of examples that did the opposite. These scenes are unexpected, shocking, sensual - and they are everywhere. Because ten just wouldn't cut it, we dug deeper for some of the best sex scenes in movies you never saw coming.
Theodore/Samantha In Her
Joaquin Phoenix's memorable performance in Oscar-winning movie Her would've been memorable with or without the sex scene. The idea of a man falling in love with an operating system alone is enough to have audiences puzzled and critics cheering.
However, the addition of a sex scene - in an unusual way, as the entire relationships is - left everyone dumbfounded. Which is why it was so brilliant in the first place, adding an even more human dimension to a relationship that, by all s, shouldn't even be so.
Allie/Noah in The Notebook
This is one of those situations that one has to picture as if it were the very first time they were watching the movie. Yes, it became very much clear from the get-go that Rachel McAdams' Allie and Ryan Gosling's Noah were endgame.
But that doesn't make the sex scene that followed a fiery argument in the rain any less surprising. Especially when you take into the fact that Allie was very much engaged to another man before said scene took place. The Notebook remains one of the most iconic romantic movies of all time, with a surprising sex scene to go along with it.
Hazel/Augustus in The Fault In Our Stars
It's safe to assume that a fair share of people still have to wipe away the tears when they think about the blockbuster The Fault In Our Stars, based on the young adult novel penned by John Green. And if you're one of those people, worry not, because you are definitely not alone.
The love story between two cancer-stricken teenagers was as heartbreaking as it was sweet. No one expected to see Hazel and Augustus actually go all the way, but the great thing about this particular scene was how accurately it portrayed the awkwardness and fun of a situation we can all relate to - to some degree, of course.
Matthew/Isabelle in The Dreamers
While The Dreamers is considered to be pretty hardcore as it was, it still doesn't come any close to the original source material. Still, those who were not familiar with the book that inspired the movie were pretty taken aback by the sex scene between Mathew and Isabelle.
This included her brother watching and some pretty horrendous shock value, but that's what ended up defining the movie. Eva Green's performance here was award-worthy!
Rose/Jack in Titanic
Much like with The Notebook, the sex scene in Titanic is one that must be looked at through the eyes of a '90s movie-goer who is watching it for the first time and not a 2020 resident who has sex thrown in their faces on a daily basis, courtesy of marketing and the entertainment industry.
The chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet is burning hot. But a naked portrait followed by a steamy session in a car that's in a boat? No one saw that one coming. And it remains iconic to this day.
Nina/Lily in Black Swan
Darren Aronofsky wasn't making a family-friendly ballet with his 2010 Oscar-winning film Natalie Portman in a sticky situation that might not have been real.
Most of the film has these two colleagues at odds with each other, but in one scene, perfectly located at the 69-minute mark, has the two actresses engaged in an erotic entanglement that is highly memorable. If Kunis and Portman were a real-life couple, they'd be America's sweethearts.
Ennis/Jack in Brokeback Mountain
Ang Lee went from a highly stylized martial arts film with Jake Gyllenhaal, ended up having a special evening of whiskey, a campfire, and lovemaking that wouldn't quit.
It was the sex scene heard around the world in 2005 that brought the once-taboo subject to the forefront and ended up changing the movie landscape and winning numerous awards. This film and specific scene were ahead of its time and a game-changer.
Allen/Lucien in Kill Your Darlings
A little known 2013 film titled Daniel Radcliffe played Allen Ginsberg and Dane DeHaan played Lucien Carr in this jazz-infused drama.
There is a surprising sequence where Radcliffe recalled his Harry Potter days and used the Engorgio Charm and had a provocative sex scene with his friend Lucien. It was an unexpected turn of events in the film itself as well as this being one of the first films since Hogwarts for Radcliffe.
Beverly/Howard in Howard the Duck
In 1986, one of the writers of Howard the Duck to the big screen. It's become a cult classic since then for many reasons.
One of them being is the implied sex scene between the human Beverly and a duck named Howard, who just met. Dark Overlords traveling through space to destroy Earth, and a young Tim Robbins co-piloting a small plane was more believable than this affectionate little scene between two different species.
Maude Lebowski/The Dude in The Big Lebowski
In the The Big Lebowski, an unlikely couple end up talking about a fictional Metallica tour and family history after an unseen erotic sequence.
The Dude is the complete opposite of Maude Lebowski, who is a wealthy, elitist artist, who becomes infatuated with this likable dolt for less than 24 hours. The surprising part comes after when Maude relays to the Dude that she only did the deed with him in order to have a kid she could raise on her own. It was a cause for a spilled White Russian at the least.
