The first film to be rated NC-17.  Literary types have more fun, especially if it's 1931 in Paris and one of you is Henry Miller and the other is Anaïs Nin.  Miller's wife June (played by Uma Thurman), has close to nothing to do with it, but calling it Henry and Anaïs was too weird, what with mispronunciations and all.  This movie emphasizes how scarce NC-17 films are: Universal released Henry and June in 1990.  The next NC-17 film Universal released was a decade and a half later, Inside Deep Throat (2005), a documentary.

A period Chinese spy thriller, and a good one, with a ton of tension and intrigue.  (Yeah yeah--and some steamy sex, mostly toward the end.)

That's right, despite the title, this hilarious and provocative documentary about the MPAA was rated NC-17.  Retaliation?  You be the judge.  Bravo to this film for not being hypocritical and re-editing for an R, a big "boo" for lying in the title--it is rated: the respectable NC-17.

This film surrendered its NC-17 and went out without a rating at all.  It's creepy as all get-out and not for everybody, grown-up or not.  Another ironic title--none of the characters is the least bit happy.  Their misery is both horrible and funny, and we're invited to sympathize no matter how awful their behavior.  The good news--it's all about sex.  The bad news--not the kind of sex that makes anybody feel good.  Happiness will make you think, so I say skip it and watch #6.

Wha?!  You're putting Showgirls on a list of "greatest" anything?  That's right, I'm applauding United Artists, who courageously attempted to broaden the acceptance of NC-17 films by opening this disaster in 1,388 theatres.  This is the only NC-17 film to ever be given wide distribution.  The result?  It destroyed Carolco Pictures and sealed the deal on NC-17 films, forever to be considered boxoffice poison.  This is the biggest backfire since Nixon shoved a microphone up his desk.  (Ironically, in a double turnaround, Showgirls is a major DVD hit and the largest grossing NC-17 of all time with over $20 million gross sales, and I mean gross.)

Here's some bondage from Pedro Almovódar, not to be taken seriously, about a stalker who ties up his victim in hopes she'll marry him.  (Don't try this at home, kids.  It doesn't work, trust me.)

Another delightful romp with Pedro Almovódar down a crooked road to goofy-ville.  Rape, incest, suicide and murder all presented with the same gleeful exuberance.  Almovódar is the king of NC-17, and proof that just because it's adult, it can be child's-play too. 

This film is a good argument why the NC-17 rating, or something like it, is necessary.  One of those rare films that treats adult subject-matter in an adult way, this may be Gregg Araki's best film, certainly his most accessible.  Even if you're not into gay sex, go ahead and enjoy the amazing plot and incredible performances.  Discuss: is the rating because of the explicit sex (there is none) or because it's gay sex?

Don't confuse this with that other Crash about LA people doing wacky LA things; this is the earlier David Cronenberg film about people who enjoy(?) a certain fetish.  Not a good first date movie, Crash may actually steer you away from sex and toward public transportation.  It features the go-to guy for kinky love, James Spader, and a great tag-line: "Fasten your seatbelt."

This Darren Aronofsky-directed movie is a case of The Double Dance. Originally tagged NC-17 for "intense depiction of drug addiction, graphic sexuality, strong language and some violence," (whoops--they left out "icky stuff" and "Ellen Burstyn looking nasty") it went to theatres as unrated, then to video in a slightly trimmed R version. You can watch the whole thing for free here.