“Pretty Woman” (1990)
When wealthy businessman Richard Gere and prostitute Julia Roberts finally sleep together in this modern Cinderella story, it’s not just about sex—they’ve started to fall for each other, and that just makes it even hotter.
“Fatal Attraction” (1987)
Even though Glenn Close and Michael Douglas‘ romance takes a turn for the (terrifying) worse, the sex scene that sets up the rest of the movie is epic: After a buildup of sexual tension and flirtation, married Michael Douglas finally acts on his attraction to Glenn Close, and the heat between them helps (sort of) explain why she becomes so obsessed with him.
“Mr. and Mrs. Smith” (2005)
Real talk: This is a mediocre action flick. But it’s also the film during which Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt fell for one another, leading to the demise of his marriage to Jennifer Aniston. So it’s no shocker that the sex scene between the two, who play married assassins, goes beyond basic acting—they definitely weren’t pretending to be mega-attracted to each other in this steamy scene.
“Last Night” (2010)
Why is it that scenes depicting forbidden sex always seem to be the hottest? In this romantic drama, coworkers Eva Mendes and Sam Worthington consummate a burning attraction that’s been slowly building up—in spite of the fact that Worthington plays a man who’s happily married to Kiera Knightly. The strip-tease pool scene is just a primer for what goes down in the hotel room afterward.
“Die Another Day” (2002)
James Bond films are known for having some of the best sex scenes in movies—not least because they tend to feature ridiculously attractive stars. When Pierce Brosnan seduces Halle Berry, who plays an NSA agent, you won’t be able to tear your eyes away from the screen.