Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Naomi Watts and Laura Harring share the honor for the hottest girl-on-girl love scene in legitimate cinema. In David Lynch’s puzzler Mulholland Dr., the scene is filled with passion and it introduced movie audiences to Watts, one of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses. An aspiring actress (Watts) and a woman who can’t remember her past (Harring) together explore the bizarre side of Los Angeles. The scene is arguably the sexiest six minutes filmed in the last five years. The passionate lip lock and the stunningly beautiful actresses serve as a strong mood enhancer best saved for a special night. —

Pablo Saldana

Boogie Nights (1998)

Dirk Diggler is a star; he is a big, bright, shining star in the pornography-packed film Boogie Nights. A movie about porno films is going to be filled with sex, and Boogie Nights delivers. Some of the scenes are awkward, clumsy and embarrassing, while others are downright dirty. Most of the cast appears naked at some point in time, including Julianne Moore, Heather Graham and Mark Wahlberg. Basically, Boogie Nights is a porno with a really good plot. No pizza delivery boys here. — Lori Bartlett

8 Mile (2002)

The film 8 Mile does not scream “sex” upon first thought. That said, it does have one steamy, though brief, love scene. Jimmy “B-Rabbit” Smith is played by a rather sexified Eminem, and he is instantly attracted to Alex (Brittany Murphy) upon meeting her. When Alex comes by the metal plant where Jimmy works, the sparks start to fly, literally and metaphorically. The two escape to a discrete corner to have their way with each other. Not a particularly graphic scene, but the chemistry between Eminem and Murphy makes the scene feel a little X-rated — L.B.

Secretary (2002)

Secretary tells the story of a shy girl who is just escaping the confines of a mental health facility after a severe “cutting” incident. The steamy love scenes in Secretary are made unique with a healthy dose of S&M and spanking. In the film, the depressed girl quickly stops her self-mutilation when her affair becomes more frequent and dirtier. In a strange way, these sexploitations become the characters’ saving graces, and beneath the bondage and strange devices, she discovers what love is. Secretary takes your average coming-of-age story and throws in plenty of T&A to keep audiences’ attention solely on the screen. — P.S.

Bad Education (2004)

In the film Bad Education, there is no one defining sex scene. The NC-17 film is saturated with highly sexual language and themes. The main character, who is coming of age and discovering his sexuality, uses his good looks to attract men and enjoys dressing in drag. As you can guess, most of the explicit sex scenes are homosexual in nature and graphically shot. There is no softening of the edges in this harsh tale for the audience’s comfort. It is, however, a masterfully directed and crafted film. — L.B.

Monster’s Ball (2001)

An overly intense and tragedy-filled film, Monster’s Ball has an equally intense sex scene between an unlikely pairing. I say unlikely because of Halle Berry’s obvious beauty and Billy Bob Thornton’s, well, hidden beauty. The scene features a distraught Berry seeking pleasure by any means necessary. Thornton is happy to oblige and provides much-needed sexual healing in a graphic, yet uncomfortable sex scene. Berry’s acting in the scene surely contributed to her winning an Academy Award. — L.B.

Young Adam (2004)

This is a film that caused a minor controversy when star Ewan McGregor made it clear that he wouldn’t stand behind a film where his “member” was cut out to appease stateside audiences. Shot in dark tones and surrounded with the mysterious appearance of a dead woman’s body, Young Adam follows a drifter with a questionable past. In the movie, Joe (McGregor) has his way with most of the film’s washed-out looking female leads, but throughout it all, he’s hiding something. Young Adam was not worth all the headlines, as the scenes are masterfully filmed and the particular appearance of “little McGregor” is too short to be caught by the casual viewer. — P.S.

Orgazmo (1997)

A satirical look at the porn industry from South Park co-creator Trey Parker, Orgazmo is filled with sex, laughs and dildos. Mormon Joe Young (Parker), looking to raise a few extra bucks for his impending marriage, gets suckered into accepting a role in a lowbrow porn flick. Ridiculous premise aside, Orgazmo is a satisfying watch that will leave viewers yelling “stunt cock,” along with many of the film’s other memorable lines. The most crowd-pleasing X-rated scene comes when Orgazmo is forced to make love to T. Rex, a portly woman weighing in at an estimated 300 pounds. And the supporting laughs come from his sidekick Choda Boy, who comes equipped with a rubber penis attached to his mask. — P.S.

Closer (2004)

While Closer doesn’t have a specific love scene, the film is entirely about four individuals who sleep with one another and engage in very dirty conversations about sexual politics. Clive Owen and Julia Roberts exchange enough words to make the most sexually liberal viewer squirm just a tad. Natalie Portman is a stripper in what seems to be an artsy and sophisticated gentlemen’s club. This movie, comprised of four breathtaking actors doing and saying some very naughty things, doesn’t have a single solitary love scene. Closer is the best film about sex that does not feature a single frame of action. — P.S.

Not Another Teen Movie (2000)

When thinking about sexy movies, Not Another Teen Movie is probably not at the top of the list. But based on sex scenes alone, the graphic handling of teen sex in this film is surely unforgettable. The opening scene of Janey Briggs pleasing herself with an oversized apparatus to the fuzzy outline of her eternal crush on television gets instantly etched into memory, as does the Cruel Intentions-esque flirtation between brother and sister. This film is a comical commentary on the edited sex in usual teen flicks. — L.B.

Contact Pablo Saldana and Lori Bartlett at oraclemontage@yahoo.com