The Cell (2000)

Hallucinatory, VR Kiss Inside a Comatose, Schizophrenic Serial Killer's Mind

Director Tarsem Singh's stylish and innovative sci-fi thriller (his first feature film) was a combination of a typical police procedural (The Silence of the Lambs (1991) or Se7en (1995)) mixed with a virtual reality gimmick, as in The Lawnmower Man (1992). As one of the researchers said of the risky VR journey, "It's like the old wives' tale where you die in your dream, you die in real life."

Child psychotherapist Dr. Catherine Deane (Jennifer Lopez) was called upon by the FBI, led by Agent Peter Novak (Vince Vaughn), to find a recently-kidnapped eighth victim, Julia Hickson (Tara Subkoff), who was about to be drowned in a "cell." Deane entered into the twisted, depraved and bizarre psyche and mental landscape of Southern California sado-masochistic serial killer Carl Rudolph Stargher (Vincent D'Onofrio) to confront his dreams - and discover his recent victim's whereabouts. His demented mind was represented by inventive, disturbing visuals.

Novak was compelled to enter Stargher's mind to search for a trapped Catherine (taken captive by Stargher, and wearing a neck collar and chain), to convince her that her VR hallucination wasn't real. She kissed him when he first appeared, although it appeared to be a seductive ploy and he was captured as well. Novak found himself struggling, bound and prone, as Stargher plaintively sang "Mairzy Doats" and disemboweled him with a large pair of scissors. His intestines were slowly pulled out and wound onto a rotisserie spit.

Chicken Run (2000, UK)

A Slap and a (Near) Kiss

The Aardman Animations clay-mation film was the studio's first feature-length film. It told of the plight of the doomed feathered inhabitants of a chicken farm.

"Hard-boiled egg" chicken heroine Ginger (voice of Julie Sawalha) rewarded American "Lone Free Ranger" Rocky's (voice of Mel Gibson) timely return with a tremendous slap. He had conned the chickens of Mrs. Tweedy's (voice of Miranda Richardson) Chicken Farm, fooling them into thinking he could fly and could teach them how, so that all could escape.

She angrily told him: "THAT'S for leaving!"

Then, Ginger softly cooed, as she drew him near to kiss:

"And THIS is for coming back!"

Their kiss was interrupted by the jolt of Mrs. Tweedy climbing up the Christmas lights rope attached to the plane that they were flying.

Later, after Mrs. Tweedy was disposed of, Ginger tackled Rocky to the ground and they kissed off-screen, as the rest of the chickens sighed: "Awwwwwwwwwwwwww..."

Coyote Ugly (2000)

Nervous, Steamy and Seductive Kisses

This popular PG-13 romantic comedy (with some drama) from director David McNally was a cross between Cocktail (1988) and Showgirls (1995), about finding the answer to one's big dreams in the big city.

Aspiring, blonde-haired 21 year-old songwriter/singer Violet "Jersey" Sanford (Piper Perabo) found she was desperate and broke. Her dire situation forced her to work as a bump-and-grind barmaid at a trendy hot bar named Coyote Ugly.

In the film's major sex scene, while explaining what nervous stagefright felt like, Violet seduced charming young Australian chef Kevin O'Donnell (Adam Garcia) amidst full-sized stand-up cardboard cut-outs of famous celebrities (Bill Clinton, John F. Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, etc.). She attempted to make him nervous ("the only way I can show you is to make you really nervous").

She playfully and slowly stripped down while talking about her racing heart and shaking body and how "everything gets a bit cloudy." She also described how she sometimes lost control:

"It's been known to last all night...it's excruciating!"

She then proceeded to kiss him, wearing only her bluish-purple tanktop and thong panties as she removed his shirt, and before long was making love to him with more sensuous kisses and nakedness (in the extended unrated version, often with a body double).

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000, US/HK/China/Taiwan) (aka Wo Hu Cang Long)

Numerous Small Passionate Kisses Before Death

Director Ang Lee's successful international film, a spectacular martial arts adventure, became the highest-grossing foreign-language film in American history.

The conclusion included the scene of the tearjerking death of heroic warrior and martial arts master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat). He was poisoned with a dart by arch-villain Jade Fox (Cheng Pei-pei) with the Purple Yin, who was lethally wounded.

Mu Bai delivered his final, long overdue declaration of his secret love for fellow warrior Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) with his last dying breaths:

"I've already wasted my whole life. I want to tell you with my last breath that I have always loved you."

His confession was followed by numerous small, passionate kisses, and a final romantic farewell, before he died in her arms:

"I would rather be a ghost drifting by your side as a condemned soul than enter heaven without you. Because of your love, I will never be a lonely spirit."

Quills (2000)

Fantasy Death Kiss

Director Philip Kaufman's erotic historical biopic told about the imprisonment of the dogged, notorious and manic Marquis de Sade (Geoffrey Rush) in an insane asylum. It also followed the controversial efforts of the asylum's head priest Coulmier (Joaquin Phoenix) to allow the Marquis to express himself and continue writing his salacious stories.

He was aided by one of the asylum's laundry girls named Madeleine (Kate Winslet), who helped by taking his dictation.

Madeleine was attacked and killed by one of the inmates of the Charenton Asylum for the Insane.

After her body was discovered, it was put on display with a very filmy cloth over it. The obsessed Coulmier pulled back the sheet and started to kiss and fondle her naked body.

He appeared to want to make love to her and climbed on top of her -- and then was startled when her eyes opened.

She kissed him and held him as they started to make love, until a pounding at the door awakened him from his erotic dream.