In the interest of objectivity, the criteria:
Objective – the scene MUST have a point. It may be about connecting the characters that will eventually be connected or to establish a specific and important point in the actors’ characterization. It cannot be put in there just because.
Cinematography – if it has no good lighting, no good camera angle, that’s porn.
Direction – if the blocking, setting, acting and details are something we’ve seen before, that’s porn.
Buy you’re not even reading this… fine, here is the list.

10. The Last Tango In Paris

Starring: Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci

One of the most controversial films of all time and the sex scene was a minor player in it.

Brando portrays an American widower who starts a relationship with an engaged French woman. The movie ignited so much controversy because of it dealt with the issue of violence and emotional torture. The sex scene between Brando and Schneider is a culmination of all these themes. Several governments were forced to reevaluate their censorship just because of this film.

The film, in fact, got an X-Rating in the U.S. Imagine that!

9. 300

Starring: Gerard Butler and Lena Headey
Director: Zack Snyder

300 has always been recognized for its special effects and rightfully so. That movie will forever be remembered as a breakthrough in special effects but we also must not miss the story of King Leonidas’ love for his wife Queen Gorgo that made this film even more powerful. So powerful, in fact, that after watching the 893,459,304,385 sex positions they did, those weren’t quite enough.

8. Risky Business

Starring: Tom Cruise and Rebecca De Mornay
Director: Paul Brickman

Risky Business launched, what was to be, one of the most successful actors of all time, Tom Cruise. The dancing with only his shirt and socks on will forever be embedded in our memory. The movie also launched the sex career of someone else or should I say, something else – the train. You all have to admit, while looking at some train, you once said “Gawd, I wish I could do it here.”

7. Sex Lies and Videotape

Starring: James Spader and Andie MacDowell
Director: Steven Soderbergh

The film was written by Soderbergh in eight days in a yellow pad during one of his long trips… and that’s how you make a classic.

So, Ann (MacDowell) is married to John (Peter Gallagher) but is unhappy and sexually repressed. John asked his friend Graham (Spader) to live with them. Graham, as it turns out, videotapes women telling stories about their sexual life or sexual fantasies. It turns out, Graham is impotent when having sex with someone else. The only way he achieves gratification is by watching the tapes alone. Ann learns about this.

Repressed sexual desires plus years of no sex plus natural attraction. And that’s how you make a classic sex scene.

6. My Bestfriend’s Girlfriend

Starring: Kate Hudson and Dane Cook
Director: Steven Soderbergh

Bet you didn’t see this one coming.

This is one of those love scenes that is just fun. You wouldn’t mind all of your friends with you when you watch it because it’s fun. But fun in that Kate Hudson naked kind of way.

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• Top 10 Most Important Movie Scenes of All Time Part 2
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