So often when we watch movies about sex and sexuality, it is depicted through the eyes of the man. About how he feels, his sexual experience, his POV. Indeed the women are mostly reduced to serving the male fantasy. Everything about her sexuality is from the male perspective, even down to how she orgasms. Only in movies are sexual acts clean, neat and always end together in a crescendo of orgasmic sounds, after which the man will roll off her, and miraculously still be wearing his boxers, while the woman sits there bare naked. Occasionally movies venture into the unknown territory of the sexuality of a woman, but these movies never quite become the hit that they could be, often times just grazing on the outskirts of the Indie film world. Below are four movies that deal with the subject of female sexuality – overtly or not:

Hysteria (2011)

Sure, this is mainly a rom-com and you can just about guess who the main character, Mortimer, a charming, open minded Doctor, ends up with (hint: It’s Maggie Gyllenhaal). But I do love the topic at hand. This is a mostly true story about how vibrators came into being. You see ladies, the women of yesteryear didn’t experience the sexual freedom we now claim so easily. In fact, up until the 20th century, women were thought to have “no natural sexual urges to speak of,” and if one did in fact get this pesky sexual urge, then one was diagnosed as having Hysteria. And what is the cure for hysteria? Why to get rubbed out at your doctor’s office of course. I love how the men of that era seemed absolutely clueless about female sexuality – of course one might argue, it’s almost the same in current times, but trust me, at least now most men will admit that a woman has sexual urges and that it is all a natural part of life. Sure, this movie is your usual brand of feel good movie that comes out of this genre, but for shits and giggles it is a fun watch.

Shortbus (2006)

This movie was quite the joy ride. Sure it deals with a medley of different sexualities but one in particular stood out, because I believe (and correct me if I’m wrong), it is one of the first times that a woman who couldn’t orgasm was portrayed in a movie. Not only that said woman was also a sex therapist. So here she was giving advice to other couples while never actually experience the very thing she talks about.

Secretary (2002)

If you were thinking of watching 50 Shades of Grey, watch this instead. Both movies feature a steely Mr. Grey who is into BDSM. But only one movie actually does it right. James Spader, looking all kinds of hot, and the ever-pleasurable Maggie Gyllenhaal, who features on our list again, explore the nature of a BDSM relationship. I especially love this film because it doesn’t make fetishes out to be only the domain of the mentally unstable (although to be fair, Gyllenhaal’s character appears to be emotionally damaged, but then again who isn’t to some extent?). Gyllenhaal’s Lee Holloway appears to blossom from the relationship, rather than be horrified by it, as is the case in 50 Shades.

Nymphomaniac (2013/14)

This Lars von Trier film is a long one, released by volume just this year in the US. The thing about this film is, yes it deals with sex, the main character is a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac. But it doesn’t try suggest that her nymphomania a product of a bad childhood or other trauma. Instead, sex is used as sex. Because sex feels good. In fact the only person judging the main character, Joe, is Joe herself. Powerful and strong, the film presents itself to you and leaves you to draw your own conclusions about whether or not Joe is indeed a ‘bad person’ as she so insists she is throughout the movie. Definitely worth watching.