Bound Together
One couple’s insights into BDSM

Entertainment

The Best and Worst Kinky Short Films of 2023

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A woman staring intently at a man wrapping tefillin. From the 2022 short film Good Girl.
From Good Girl (2022).

CineKink, the annual kinky film festival based in New York City, was held in person this year for the first time since before the pandemic, but we were out of town when it happened. Fortunately, they aired all the films virtually earlier this month. Here’s our review roundup of the kinky shorts from the festival in alphabetical order. We also watched a full-length BDSM feature, which we review in brief at the end.

Krush the Wrestler, a documentary, was the best short of the bunch. Good Girl was also quite enjoyable and well made. Read on to see what we thought of the rest.

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BDSM Movie Review & Recap: Sanctuary

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close-up of a man and woman in tight embrace
NEON Cinema

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Sanctuary (2022), a taut psychological BDSM drama directed by Zachary Wigon, tells the story of Hal (Christopher Abbott), a wealthy hotel scion who attempts to call off his long-standing arrangement with his pro dom Rebecca (Margaret Qualley). But Rebecca isn’t willing to give him up without a fight, and emotional and physical chaos ensue.

As the latest entry into the BDSM film catalog, there’s a lot to appreciate about Sanctuary. It’s clear the filmmakers did their research and portrayed some authentic aspects of a kinky dynamic, even though it’s pushed over the top for the sake of the drama. Perhaps predictably, this is not the film to watch if you want pointers on how to conduct a healthy BDSM dynamic, but it does a number of things quite well if you view it through the lens of fantasy.

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Netflix’s Obsession: A Damaged Story about BDSM

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Man and woman about to kiss with the word Obsession below.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases made via one of the links below (at no additional cost to you). Note: this post contains spoilers. 

While much has already been written about Netflix’s four-part erotic thriller Obsession, the focus has been on the thin plot, overwrought music, and cringeworthy moments. But what about the BDSM and kink in Obsession that numerous click-baity headlines have mentioned? Just how kinky is this series? And is its portrayal of BDSM and kinky people authentic?

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18 Kinky Valentine’s Day Gifts

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A flogger arranged in the shape of a heart

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February is fast approaching, so without further ado, here’s our curated list of kinky Valentine’s Day gifts for the BDSM lovers in your life!

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The Best Examples of BDSM on TV

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Yasmin and Robert from Industry standing next to each other on treadmills
Yasmin and Robert in Industry. Photograph by Amanda Searle/HBO.

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Some of the best depictions of BDSM—specifically D/s—on TV appear in shows that aren’t about BDSM at all. And sometimes the D/s is so subtle to those who aren’t in the know that it escapes reviewers’ attention. But that’s part of what makes it so fun to spot if you are kinky! It’s like you and the writers are in on a little secret. In this post, we’ll explore some of the best examples of BDSM and D/s on TV that are hiding in plain sight.  

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The Only Kinky Movies You’ll Ever Need to See

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Man kissing the back of a woman's neck while woman is tied to a tree
Belle de Jour

Originally posted on August 5, 2018; updated on October 10, 2022. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases made via some of the links below (at no additional cost to you).

In recent years, there have been a slew of lists in mainstream media (usually timed with the release of yet another 50 Shades movie) identifying “the best BDSM movies” or movies that “do BDSM better than 50 Shades” (a pretty low bar, if you ask us). But do these roundups really represent the best kinky movies?

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The Scandalous Origins of “Story of O” 

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Story of O cover

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Most people who are into BDSM are familiar with Story of O, a novel about a woman who undergoes intensive training at a French chateau to become a sex slave. But the details of how this infamous book came about—and the woman who wrote it—are perhaps less widely known but just as intriguing.

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Movie Reviews: They/Them/Us & Love and Leashes

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Image of a seated, smiling Korean man in business clothes wrapped in bondage tape with a Korean woman in business clothes stands beside him holding part of the tape.
Promotional image for Love and Leashes

Note: This post contains spoilers.

It’s rare for even one mainstream movie about BDSM to be released in a given year, let alone two. But just within the past month, two such movies have come out: the American They/Them/Us and the Korean Love and Leashes. Both movies portray mentally stable people who happen to be into BDSM, male s-types, and one lead character who introduces the other to the lifestyle. That’s where the similarities end, however. And one film tackles the topic much more successfully than the other.

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Bound Together
One couple’s insights into BDSM