In a world inundated with content, movies don’t scandalize people like they used to. Filmmakers have been pushing boundaries for decades, but now it is almost impossible to compete with the myriad horrors of the internet. But as standards around violence and language continue to loosen, sex has nearly vanished from big-budget cinema (the romantic leads in last year’s “Twisters” didn’t even kiss).
You can chalk it up to changing audience tastes or the hope to make movies marketable in more conservative foreign markets. It is a disappointing trend because movies about sex—messy and problematic as they might be—still go a long way toward fostering healthy conversations about sex.
Last year, I explored the disappearance of big-screen intimacy in the digital age while discussing Joanna Arnow’s “The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed.” A dark comedy about a woman navigating the ennui of unfulfilling BDSM relationships, Arnow cleverly subverts the typical cinematic approach to BDSM, portraying it as a routine part of life rather than a marker of societal alienation.
Arnow’s ability to challenge our expectations of BDSM narratives speaks to how deeply filmmakers have mined the subculture over the years. Dark romantic comedies like “Secretary” and “Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!” use BDSM to depict unconventional yet loving relationships. Thrillers like “Crash” and “The Night Porter” watch their characters process trauma through the lens of BDSM. Meanwhile, mainstream hits like “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “9 1/2 Weeks” use it to titillate their audience.
Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a screwball erotic thriller opening at The Triplex this week, continues to normalize these narratives while retaining their allure. The story of a tech CEO (Nicole Kidman) who risks her career and family by entering a submissive relationship with a younger intern (Harris Dickinson), “Babygirl” subverts your expectations of this dynamic while keeping its leads grounded in their humanity. Reijn doesn’t pass judgment on her characters, but instead presents a nuanced exploration of how desire can coexist with ambition and domesticity.
By telling stories like these, films make the most intimate aspects of our lives less daunting. They invite us to embrace our full selves and, hopefully, share them with the world.
Now Playing
“A Complete Unknown”
The story of how Bob Dylan transformed into a defiant icon.
James Mangold, director of “Walk the Line,” brings the electric true story of Bob Dylan to the big screen in “A Complete Unknown.” Timothée Chalamet stars and sings in this depiction of Dylan’s transformation from an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota to the defiant icon who changed music forever.
Continues this week!
“Nosferatu”
A chilling take on the horror classic from the director of “The Witch.”
Robert Eggers, the visionary director behind “The Witch,” “The Lighthouse,” and “The Northman,” reimagines the original horror classic with “Nosferatu.” Featuring an all-star cast of Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Bill Skarsgård, and Willem Dafoe, this stunning adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” is a chilling, visually striking masterpiece that cements its place among the greatest takes on the iconic tale.
Continues this week!
Coming Soon
“September 5”
A gripping thriller that examines the shifting ground of journalistic ethics, “September 5” puts you inside the control room that captured one of history’s darkest days. Peter Sarsgaard portrays legendary producer Roone Arledge in this depiction of the ABC Sports crew that covered the murder and abduction of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics in real time.
Starts January 17.
“The Brutalist”
Director Brady Corbet (“Vox Lux”) creates a towering cinematic tribute to the immigrant experience in “The Brutalist.” The story of brilliant architect László Tóth (Oscar winner Adrien Brody), who comes to America after surviving the holocaust and struggles to achieve the American dream while realizing his architectural masterwork. A Golden Globes winner for Best Picture, Actor, and Director, “The Brutalist” is a sweeping cinematic epic that needs to be seen on the big screen.
Starts January 24.
