Sex scenes that actually add to the work

[soren7550]

The first that comes to mind is Mass Effect, between FemShep and Kaidan in particular. You're on your way to stop Saren and Sovereign. If you fail, life as everyone knows it is over. If you're wrong, you'll be court marshaled, tried for treason (among a whole lot of other things), and likely executed. If you're right and successful, you'll save the galaxy... and maybe still court marshaled. Things aren't looking so good for you.
You've been developing a relationship with Kaidan throughout the game, gotten to know one another, gone through loss with him, won battles, uncovered conspiracies, all while traveling the galaxy. He points out how a whole lot of people aren't going to survive no matter what the outcome is, and in the grand scheme of things, they don't matter. However to them, in that small moment of time, they're all that matters.

It's nice and sweet, and it isn't even gratuitous (despite what some people would claim).

 

[VoidWanderer]

The one that most readily springs to mind is Blue is the Warmest Colour.

There were a lot of sex scenes, and they all added to the story, but for the sake of conciseness we'll just discuss the "big" one, where Adele and Emma first have sex. Yes, it was seven minutes long, and yes, it was extremely graphic. But it didn't indulge in the male gaze, it didn't pander to the audience, and it wasn't meant to titillate. It was simply two people having sex. They're young, madly in love, and Adele's discovering her homosexuality: of course they fuck each other's brains out, because that's what young, in love people do.

I liked that movie but utterly loathed the sex scenes, which I found to be some of the most boring things ever filmed and that's a list that includes Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny. One of the main problems with them is that the entire rest of the movie is filmed in close-ups of the characters, which creates a sense of connection with them and gets the viewer to empathise with Adele, but when the sex scenes start the camera pulls back (to the director's POV maybe?), any connection is immediately lost and you may just be watching two random women unconvincingly fuck for what feels like an eternity.

And that's the second problem. Even as someone who has never had lesbian sex in his life I can tell that those scenes bear no resemblance to reality. The first time they have sex not only is Adele an instant expert but they go through about twenty different positions in one night, many of which are extremely acrobatic and clearly done for the benefit of the camera, which makes sense given that the director's influence for these scenes was porn (seriously). The strange thing is though that I wouldn't even describe the sex scenes as pornographic, as porn has a focus (to titillate), but the combination of pornographic aesthetic and attempt to avoid titillation on the directors part leaves them without any purpose whatsoever. In the end they're nothing.


As far as good sex scenes go I'd recommend both Stranger by the Lake and In the Realm of the Senses, the latter of which used a great number of real sex scenes to explore Japanese culture.

I remember reading an article about the two actresses. Apparently the director took DAYS to film the 10 min sex scene, in that circumstance, it detracts from the context. They said it was hell performing that scene.

In terms of the OP, the first time we see Cersei and Jamie bang in the tower. It highlights their desire for each other and secrecy, hence why Jamie shoved Brann from the window.

 

[TheRiddler]

Y'know, people ask the question all the time: "Why has no one made a porn film with a great story?" My answer is always the same: "They totally did! It's a 1980 German film featuring hardcore gay sex."

Said people generally start avoiding me...

The movie's called Taxi Zum Klo. The main character is named Frank Ripploh, and the whole film follows him through the difficulties (and benefits) of being a gay man in 1980's Berlin. Seriously recommended if you're fairly open-minded and looking for something different.

 

[NeutralDrow]

That kind of thing is honestly what I look for if I'm playing a visual novel with sex in it (which isn't all of them, I have to keep reminding people). I don't think I've seen a VN where the sex scenes are universally story-enhancing (though Katawa Shoujo and Kana: Little Sister come close), but it's done relatively well overall in games like Da Capo, Fate/Stay Night, A Drug That Makes You Dream, Crescendo...hell, I'd even throw Heart de Roommate in there, assuming we ignore the Tomoe scenes (which aren't bad or shoehorned, just kind of unexpected).

I'd also say the same about Tsukihime, but mainly because I have the mutant superpower of looking past awkward writing.

but she has also informed me of the sex scenes, which are kinda god awful. Apparently they come out of nowhere, are massively OOC and involve two of the characters getting into a threesome with a third one, where the third one's consent is questionable at best. Needless to say, these scenes did nothing but detract from her enjoyment of the game.

Um...there was only one scene like that. Granted, I can't defend it in any but the most minor ways, and it's the first and arguably the worst sex scene in the game (out of seven total, with one other candidate for worst), but it's kind of unfair to compare it to the ones in the game's final route. Or even the one later that same route, which is pretty much a straight-up expression of love between two characters who've been building up to it.

 

[Majinash]

I'll say the Gantz anime. The scene I remember was akward and uncomfortable, which fit perfectly with the current situation and the overall theme of the anime. It wasn't one of those scenes where they pan up and just play some naughty sounds, there was legit sex on scene, but it wasn't explicit in any way. Also it wasn't a rape scene, so we get to avoid that whole can of worms.

 

[Alcamonic]

Even while I haven't seen it, I heard that the sex scenes add a lot into the movie "A Serbian Film".

Edited: Serbian, not Siberian!

 

[MrHide-Patten]

Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Revenge had a memorable sex scene in it. Granted I don't think it was one that was mean't to make the audiance "comfortable", if it's aim was to be unsettling it certainly did the job right. Much cognitive dissonance was had that day.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

The ones where one of the characters ends up dying?

 

[Flatfrog]

I always thought the sex scene in 8 Mile was rather brilliant. It had a kind of frantic intensity to it that felt very real and characterful.

The problem with most sex scenes is that they spend too long. For narrative purposes, all we really need to know is that they've had sex, and it's rare that we need more than that. On the other hand, a kiss and fade can feel awfully coy. The ones that manage to get that balance right can be great.

There was an interesting attempt to do something with this in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In one episode when she's in that early stage of a new relationship where all you want to do is fuck and fuck and fuck, they end up caught up in a haunting, and their passion literally makes the whole house turn into a jungle with all kinds of crazy and scary things happening. It's a bit crap, in all honesty (mostly because Sarah Michelle Gellar was increasingly looking like a skeleton at the time) but it was a valiant try, especially for a network show aimed at young people.

 

[Mr_Spanky]

Even while I haven't seen it, I heard that the sex scenes add a lot into the movie "A Siberian Film".

DONT FOR FUCKS SAKE DONT. I don't consider myself a man easily tormented by works of fiction but "A Siberian Film" is in a class of it's own. Quite simply the most horrifying, disturbing, gut wrenching and unpleasant film I have ever seen. And no don't watch it because I've said bad things and it's piqued your interest - forget you ever knew that name. I'm fucking serious. I honestly wish to god I could erase my having seen it from my memory.

The sex scenes do "add" to it yes. But only in the sense that they add to what becomes a vomit inducing level of violence and degradation.

Anyhoos . . . .
OT: The sex scene in Terminator I thought was very well done. Added a lot to the tragic quality of the movie and it seemed like it really fit as far as I'm concerned. Far too many sex scenes seemed to be crammed in (no pun intended - honest) for no good reason and just seem utterly redundant.

 

[ViridianV6]

American Beauty, though I'm not sure if it counts.

Without them the movie would completely lack substance.

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

Even while I haven't seen it, I heard that the sex scenes add a lot into the movie "A Siberian Film".

DONT FOR FUCKS SAKE DONT. I don't consider myself a man easily tormented by works of fiction but "A Siberian Film" is in a class of it's own. Quite simply the most horrifying, disturbing, gut wrenching and unpleasant film I have ever seen. And no don't watch it because I've said bad things and it's piqued your interest - forget you ever knew that name. I'm fucking serious. I honestly wish to god I could erase my having seen it from my memory.

The sex scenes do "add" to it yes. But only in the sense that they add to what becomes a vomit inducing level of violence and degradation.

Anyhoos . . . .
OT: The sex scene in Terminator I thought was very well done. Added a lot to the tragic quality of the movie and it seemed like it really fit as far as I'm concerned. Far too many sex scenes seemed to be crammed in (no pun intended - honest) for no good reason and just seem utterly redundant.

Oh wow, what's A Siberian Film? Sounds really cool, might try it out since that movie A Serbian Film!!!!! was so vile and disgusting.

/overly sarcastic grammar nazi act

OT: Crap, I browsed through my whole DVD collection of tv shows and movies, and couldn't think of one that hasn't already been mentioned. Berserk is probably the most prominent one.

I'll say the Gantz anime. The scene I remember was akward and uncomfortable, which fit perfectly with the current situation and the overall theme of the anime. It wasn't one of those scenes where they pan up and just play some naughty sounds, there was legit sex on scene, but it wasn't explicit in any way. Also it wasn't a rape scene, so we get to avoid that whole can of worms.

I guess it was different in the anime then, because from the manga I got the feeling it was totally gratuitous, and had nothing to do with the characters being in a confused and frightful situation, but rather because the main character saw a hot chick and got horny. There might be more under it if I read it again and thought about it more, but since the manga was a downward spiral from chapter ~100 onward, I'm not gonna bother.

 

[Mr_Spanky]

Even while I haven't seen it, I heard that the sex scenes add a lot into the movie "A Siberian Film".

DONT FOR FUCKS SAKE DONT. I don't consider myself a man easily tormented by works of fiction but "A Siberian Film" is in a class of it's own. Quite simply the most horrifying, disturbing, gut wrenching and unpleasant film I have ever seen. And no don't watch it because I've said bad things and it's piqued your interest - forget you ever knew that name. I'm fucking serious. I honestly wish to god I could erase my having seen it from my memory.

The sex scenes do "add" to it yes. But only in the sense that they add to what becomes a vomit inducing level of violence and degradation.

Anyhoos . . . .
OT: The sex scene in Terminator I thought was very well done. Added a lot to the tragic quality of the movie and it seemed like it really fit as far as I'm concerned. Far too many sex scenes seemed to be crammed in (no pun intended - honest) for no good reason and just seem utterly redundant.

Oh wow, what's A Siberian Film? Sounds really cool, might try it out since that movie A Serbian Film!!!!! was so vile and disgusting.

/overly sarcastic grammar nazi act

I can't honestly decipher the message you're giving here - even with the sarcasm quote. If I've just been flamebaited then, yes with a passion I have. If not though could you explain to me exactly what the what?

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

I can't honestly decipher the message you're giving here - even with the sarcasm quote. If I've just been flamebaited then, yes with a passion I have. If not though could you explain to me exactly what the what?

As in, the film you're talking about is called A Serbian Film, not A Siberian Film. Bit of a difference in geography there.

The IMDB page for A Serbian Film [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1273235/?ref_=nv_sr_1]

I assume that's what you're talking about.

 

[Mr_Spanky]

Even while I haven't seen it, I heard that the sex scenes add a lot into the movie "A Siberian Film".

I can't honestly decipher the message you're giving here - even with the sarcasm quote. If I've just been flamebaited then, yes with a passion I have. If not though could you explain to me exactly what the what?

As in, the film you're talking about is called A Serbian Film, not A Siberian Film. Bit of a difference in geography there.

The IMDB page for A Serbian Film [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1273235/?ref_=nv_sr_1]

I assume that's what you're talking about.

Oh fuck. My bad. Yeah i definitely misread that. No idea about what "A Siberian film" is about. *Backs out of conversation as gracefully as possible* . . . *Knocks over chair on the way out* . . . Fuck.

 

[Conner42]

I'm not sure if it's really a sex scene, but that one scene in Her...I think that was the first time I thought a sex scene added to the story. I mean, it's suppose to be like a sex scene but it's not really...ummm, you'll just have to watch it to understand what I meaning, but, for a scene that could have been a joke, it's actually a pretty well-played emotional moment.

 

[Alcamonic]

Even while I haven't seen it, I heard that the sex scenes add a lot into the movie "A Siberian Film".

I can't honestly decipher the message you're giving here - even with the sarcasm quote. If I've just been flamebaited then, yes with a passion I have. If not though could you explain to me exactly what the what?

As in, the film you're talking about is called A Serbian Film, not A Siberian Film. Bit of a difference in geography there.

The IMDB page for A Serbian Film [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1273235/?ref_=nv_sr_1]

I assume that's what you're talking about.

Oh fuck. My bad. Yeah i definitely misread that. No idea about what "A Siberian film" is about. *Backs out of conversation as gracefully as possible* . . . *Knocks over chair on the way out* . . . Fuck.

I will just go and admit I'm the idiot here. I obviously meant A Serbian film. Will edit my first post.

 

[michael87cn]

I was going to say they can't add to works until you brought up Berserk and I remembered actually loving that moment....

I don't know what to say now! I haven't really enjoyed any sex scenes other than that one.

 

[brtt150]

The concept of sex needing to be entwined with the narrative is always amusing. Particularly in movies that are solely meant to be for entertainment. People have sex. It's as normal as breathing and eating but no one questions gratuitous dinning scenes. Even if it's solely done for titillation, it still has a point and that is people enjoy sex. They like having it and they like watching it. Oh, I found OP's monocle.

 

[Reynaert]

Lars von Trier's Antichrist comes to mind. The sex scenes are not sexy in this movie. Definitely worth a watch. It is a bit dark and brutal though, so beware.

Also Mulholland Drive by David Lynch has a (in)famous sex scene. Now that is a good movie.