25 Film Couples with the Worst Chemistry

Yikes. After compiling my list for what I considered to be the film couples with the best chemistry, I decided to publish its counterpoint with the worst. Again, I decided to stick to romantic chemistry (or at least, the goal of romantic chemistry) and focus on films where the romantic relationship was a huge part of the film's plot. Warning: bad chemistry ahead.

In Chronological Order:


1. Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) - Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan

Supposedly, this movie is supposed to be about two people so attracted to each other that although they're incompatible in almost every way, they can't keep their hands off each other and just have to go to the bone-zone all the time. Except, Johnson and Dornan look so bored in this movie that you begin to wonder if this movie is just about two strangers with Asperger's. For a film centered on sex, the lack of sexual chemistry between these two is so startling that watching this film leaves you bored to tears and uncomfortable during any of the love scenes. Not exactly the message you were going for, huh, E.L. James?


2. Man of Steel (2013) - Amy Adams and Henry Cavill

UGH. First of all, although I love Amy Adams and think she is a talented actress, she was all wrong for the role of Lois Lane. Second of all, there is no chemistry between these two, so much so that it is painful. What should have been a fun, sexy, repertoire between a spunky journalist and a good 'ol boy from Kansas ended up being two people just reading lines to each other. Each has shown that they can have great chemistry with other actors (see The Tudors for Cavill and American Hustle for Adams), but in this disappointing take on the Superman legend, they both emitted as much sparks as a bathtub.

3. Harry Potter films (2001 - 2011) - Bonnie Wright and Daniel Radcliffe

Yeesh. I'm sure Harry Potter fans were disappointed when J.K. Rowling ended up throwing Harry and Ginny together, particularly when we realized that the actors portraying them had no chemistry. I mean none. These two are as believable together as a washcloth and a doorknob falling in love, and it actually hurts the emotional punch of the movies. When you realize that Harry is going to end up with his best friend's boring and mousy sister, you start to care less about his life and how things will turn out since you're already disappointed that he's going to marry someone he seems to merely tolerate.





 4. Water for Elephants (2011) - Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson

An epic, historical love story of passion and perseverance... That's what this story was apparently about. Not that you would ever know it watching its film adaptation. Reacting to each other like tired ghosts, Pattinson and Witherspoon are so mismatched that you feel as if even the actors are uncomfortable. And they probably are since only a few years ago, Pattinson played Witherspoon's son in Vanity Fair (2004). Opting for the popular heartthrob of the moment and at the time, a career-teetering actress with some years left in her, the casting directors of this bore failed to hire actors who could sell this movie.



5. The Tourist (2010) - Angelina Jolie and Johhny Depp

Take note: just because two actors are beautiful and talented does not mean they will automatically have chemistry. Case in point: The Tourist.  I've watched HGTV shows with more excitement.
 

6. Spider-man 3 (2007) - Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire

I honestly don't think these two were bad in the first two Spider-man films, but by the time this crap sequel came out in 2007, I think these two were sick of each other. Practically yawning through this massive miss, Dunst and Maguire float through this abomination like two bored teenagers who are so over each other that they can barely hold a conversation. Wonderfully, that only helps make this movie even more miserable as we begin to lose any interest or investment in how their relationship turns out and just pray for the film to end with some grace. It doesn't.

 7. The Holiday (2006) - Kate Winlset and Jack Black

Are these two believable as friends? Absolutely. They seem like they genuinely enjoy each other's company and can have a good time. But are they believable as lovers? F*** no. It's a little unfair and maddening to me that Cameron Diaz's character gets Jude Law - with whom she has great chemistry - for a love interest and Kate Winlset's gets schlubby Jack Black. Yeah, he's a nice guy and all, but they don't share any sexual or romantic rapport at all and it only brings down what is otherwise a cute romantic comedy. Their kiss? It's so uncomfortable and awkward that thankfully the director made it quick.



8. Failure to Launch (2006) - Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey is one of those actors who often has good chemistry with co-stars; probably because he seems like a genuinely cool and likeable guy. But in this romantic comedy, not even his charm can create a connection with Parker. This film could have been better had the casting directors chosen another leading lady to spar with McConaughey, because it's just not there with the Sex and the City alumna. Truthfully, I don't get the appeal of Parker period, no matter what she's doing. She's unattractive, whiny, kind of irritating and not that talented. Are we surprised this pairing flopped?



9. King Kong (2005) - Naomi Watts and Adrien Brody

*Shudder* What the hell was Peter Jackson thinking when he ok'ed this pairing? Sadly, he might not have realized that he had reached the pinnacle of his career with Lord of the Rings, when he opted to go with the "hot-right-now" actors of the day in order to remain relevant. Oops. Watts and Brody are barely believable as friends let alone lovers and the chemistry is so absent that you forget that their relationship is even in the movie. Honestly, she has more chemistry with the CGI King King.

 

10. Fantastic Four (2005) - Jessica Alba and Ioan Gruffud

There are a lot of things wrong with this movie, but casting these two as a couple is definitely one of the weirdest missteps. Ignoring the fact that casting Jessica Alba as a scientist is like casting Denise Richards as a nuclear engineer, there's very little interesting interaction between these two. Their relationship merely becomes a bothersome and boring aspect of the story that is already bogged down with weird sub-plots and a weak premise to begin with. Alba may have been the IT Girl at that time, but she's not much more than a hot body and a pretty face, and I'm pretty sure Gruffud felt that way.

11. Batman Begins (2005) - Katie Holmes and Christian Bale

You know you're bad when they replace you with Maggie Gyllenhaal. Sadly, one of the only weaknesses of the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy is the casting choices for Batman's love interests. But this one is by far the worst. Holmes is never particularly interesting or compelling in her roles but she's flat-out annoying in the first of this great series. And she and Christian Bale have absolutely no chemistry, so much so that you wonder if they even know each other. Bale has more chemistry with Michael Caine for God's sake.


 12. Bewitched (2005) - Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell

WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA???? Casting Nicole Kidman as Samantha the Witch was a great plan but then Nora Ephron decided to cast Will Ferrell as her romantic counterpoint. WHY? We may never know the answer to this question, although it still baffles us when Ephron had such a winning streak before with her romantic couples (Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, Julie & Julia). Unfortunately, let's just try to forget this and pretend that these two never tried to act like they were in love.

 


13. Star Wars Episodes II and III (2002-2005) - Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen

Christ... Let's start with the fact that George Lucas almost destroyed his own masterpiece with this poorly written prequel trilogy. Then let's mention that what is supposed to be an epic love story that spawns almost all of the events of the original, is so bad, so unbelievable, and so painful that we wonder if perhaps Luke and Leia were products of a science experiment. Because there is no way these two wanted to have sex with each other. While both actors try as hard as they might to create some kind of believable romance between Anakin and Padme, their sh***y script and their really bad lack of chemistry can't save the day. It's like watching a dog fall in love with a tree and you just want to avert your eyes.

 14. Gigli (2003) - Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck

I know this is shocking. Who seemed more in love in 2003 than Jenny from the Block and Ben Affleck? Well, apparently every other couple on the planet. Not only is the premise kind of irrational and offensive - since when is Ben Affleck able to turn lesbians straight? - but the relationship is laughably unbelievable, so much so that their sex scene is painful. This is no Out of Sight. This is pure garbage.


15. The Room (2003) - Tommy Wiseau, Juliette Danielle, Greg Sestero

Does this even warrant commentary?  Watching these actors relate in this "love triangle" is like watching a horrific train wreck. And that's why it's so damn funny.


16. From Justin to Kelly (2003) - Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini

This movie might have been written by middle schoolers. No joke. So it doesn't help that the producers thought it'd be brilliant to cast the American Idol and her runner-up as the leads of this botched, embarrassing joke of a movie. The romance between these two is not only unbelievable but also borderline disturbing as they seem to relate to each other like brother and sister more than anything else, which makes it all the more confusing and creepy that they dated in real life. Hopefully, they're just horrible actors.


17. The Truth About Charlie (2002) - Thandie Newton and Mark Wahlberg

Okay, this movie is bad period. But while I can support the casting of Thandie Newton (who is criminally under-used in my opinion), why Marky-Mark? Wahlberg is a poor choice for the romantic lead and it's very uncomfortable to watch these two "fall in love" because they have as much chemistry as two goats. Although, depending on the goats, who knows.  Still this snooze fest could have at least been more interesting if they had cast a worthy lead for Newton.


18. On the Line (2001) - Emmanuelle Chriqui and Lance Bass

Okay, just because Bass is gay does not mean he can't have chemistry with a female actress. See Rock Hudson and Doris Day. Rather, I think it's because Bass and Chriqui are as interesting as sacks of potatoes that they have such appalling chemistry. In this sad attempt to bank on NSYNC's fame and teen fan-base at the time, we end up getting a "romantic comedy" so pathetic, so unbelievable, so dull, so lame that From Justin to Kelly starts to look fun. Honestly, there's more spark in Justin Timberlake's and Chris Kirkpatrick's end credits gag than this entire movie.


19. Forces of Nature (1999) - Sandra Bullock and Ben Affleck

There's good 'ole Ben Aflleck again, except this time in an incoherent, weird, and bizarre romantic comedy that isn't even remotely romantic. Sad, yes. Strange, yes. Uncomfortable, yes. It is all of these things probably because the relationship between these two is so poorly written and so unbearable that even if they had chemistry (they don't), this movie would still suck. What this film was trying to go for, I'll never know.


20. Six Days, Seven Nights (1998) - Anne Heche and Harrison Ford

No. Just no. Why? Why didn't someone stop this? Why was this made? Why did Harrison Ford say yes? This film could have easily been at least sexy with a better pairing with hot chemistry (can we see a remake with Chris Hemsworth or something?). But instead, this film chose to pick one of the strangest pairs cinema has seen. Both actors have had good chemistry with other co-stars. But this? What the f**k, Gus?


21. Basil (1998) - Claire Forlani and Jared Leto

Oh, you haven't seen this movie? Good, don't. Jared Leto is hot as ever but watching him try to romance Forlani is like watching a rag try to romance a corpse. Even if her indifference is part of the plot, it's still painful.


22. My Best Friend's Wedding (1997) - Cameron Diaz and Dermot Mulroney

This movie... ugh... is so frustrating for so many reasons, but one of the most infuriating is the fact that no one can buy that Mulroney is in love with Diaz. You end up rooting for the insecure and fickle Julia Roberts to ruin his relationship merely because she is more believable with him. How retarded is that? No one is likable in this movie and the relationship between Mulroney and Diaz is so uncomfortable that you can't understand why they're marrying. They barely seem to like each other. Hard fail for a "romantic comedy."


23. Sabrina (1995) - Julia Ormond and Harrison Ford

Look, I get it. Harrison Ford was hot once. He was the man in Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Witness, etc. But he even knew he did not belong in this weak remake alongside... Julia Ormond. Prepare to be baffled as these two actors try to act like they're falling love and only convince you instead that everyone should have skipped this and just taken a vacation because it's not believable and no one is buying it.


24. I Love Trouble (1994) - Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte

Walk away slowly...


25. Out of Africa (1985) - Meryl Streep and Robert Redford

Remember what I said about The Tourist? Just because two actors are talented and beautiful does not mean they'll be good together. The first case is this film. In this over-hyped and overrated bore of a film, not even the usually dependable Streep and Redford can save this "love story" from being the weakest and lamest romance you'll see in a few decades. The sad part is too that in real life this relationship tanked because he was actually gay. Yeah.

So, what did you think? Who did I leave out? Who did you agree with or disagree with? Let me know!

Movie Review Madness: Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

I don't know about you guys, but I've been tired of the slew of crappy movies that have seemed to inundate cinema for the past few years. Hence, I have been on a constant hunt for good new movies, and unsurprisingly, most of those have come from independent or foreign filmmakers. Don't get me wrong, I love blockbusters. The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, The Avengers, etc. I love action/adventure and fluffy fun too. But it's been rare these past few years to find as many great, original blockbusters and studio films as there used to be (it seems all the original work is going to television). So, to independent films I turn. And in the case of this film by relative newcomer Sean Durkin, I was right.

Martha Marcy May Marlene is an intelligent, emotional, and carefully crafted drama about a young woman who leaves her "home" and reunites with her older sister with whom she has not spoken in two years. Lucy (Sarah Paulson) is confused when her sister, Martha (Elizabeth Olsen), immediately begins acting strange: sleeping all the time, having fits, spouting weird philosophy and walking into her sister's bedroom when she and her husband are having sex. Overwhelmed with Martha's paranoid and evasive behavior, Lucy is at a loss as to what has caused this change in her sister. Fortunately for the audience, through flashbacks, we see that Martha had become involved in a cult in the Catskill Mountains.



Run by the enigmatic Patrick (John Hawkes), this commune-like cult draws Martha in until she begins to experience and witness terrible betrayal and violence. These experiences haunt her constantly as she struggles to acclimate to normal life with her sister again but the task is daunting when one considers the kind of life Martha was leading.

Sean Durkin does an incredible job creating an atmosphere of fear and mistrust, directing his actors to near perfection in locations of simultaneous isolation and intimacy. Slow-burning but effective, Durkin focuses on the emotional journey of Martha herself as we go through her painful memories with her. And unlike lesser filmmakers, Durkin does not fall prey to a one-dimensional portrait of Martha or the cult. There is a sense of realism that pervades throughout the film, helping the audience see how this could happen, how a person would react to normal society after such an experience, and why Martha struggles with mixed feelings over her relationships. Durkin is not interested in portraying a glossy, political drama about a sexy cult a la Jonestown or David Koresh. Instead he gives us a wonderfully human moment, a glimpse into what a single individual can experience in a cult.



The real revelation is this film, however, is Elizabeth Olsen. Light-years beyond her famous older twin sisters, Olsen gives an amazing performance as Martha. Masterfully capturing the various emotions that Martha experiences throughout her journey, Olsen encapsulates the role completely and lets us see - often without words - what Martha is feeling. She's a deft actress and while the whole cast is great, she gives the film its emotional punch. I enjoyed watching her every second and was amazed by her nuanced and mature performance.

Overall, it's a great film: well-written, creatively directed, and filled with wonderful performances. It's a tough subject and not everyone will enjoy watching such a psychological drama, but it's a great example of some of the original and honest film-making that Hollywood can provide. I would definitely recommend this movie and I would say that if you enjoy cerebral, nuanced, but powerful dramas, you'll enjoy this gem.

Grade: A-

Best Chemistry: 30 Couples with the Best Chemistry (Romantic)

Chemistry. It can either break or make a movie. Just think how bad chemistry has ruined some films and their plot-lines (we're looking at you, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman) and some films have become better because of their actors' chemistry (think Ocean's Eleven and the rapport between George Clooney and Brad Pitt). For this list I looked at romantic film couples and narrowed down a list of thirty couples who made their characters' love stories completely believable and sexy. Their chemistry was so good that we enjoyed watching them and could all buy that they were falling for each other.



30. Keira Knightley and Matthew McFadyen - Pride & Prejudice (2005)

For a film like Pride & Prejudice - an adaptation of a classic romance - if you don't have a couple with chemistry, you're screwed. Luckily, Knightley and McFadyen had a slow-burning and quietly intense chemistry that sizzled underneath their proper English manners. The sexy but appropriately restrained chemistry between these two talented actors fits their characters perfectly because a believable evolution of dislike to love is allowed to take place. Without good chemistry, this film would have failed, but Knightley and McFadyen's rapport is very satisfactory.Watch them.



29. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy - Before Sunrise (1995)

As two people travelling across Europe and happening upon each other one night, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy (who would contribute to the trilogy's scripts), had to be believably attracted to each other. But Delpy and Hawke were beyond believable. It is easy to see how friendship and then love develops between these strangers because of their great chemistry. Bonus: watching their chemistry grow and evolve over the next twenty years in Before Sunset and Before Midnight adds a level of authenticity and maturity to their encounters that has yet to really be rivaled. Here's some proof of that authenticity.



28. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal - When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Aptly considered one of the best romantic comedies of all time, When Harry Met Sally succeeds partially because of the great and comfortable chemistry between its two leads. While their chemistry may not be as sexy or intense as other couples' on this list, it is clear that Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan enjoyed working together and had an easy, believable friendship. Watching the two grow as friends, best friends, lovers, and eventually husband and wife, is a pleasure like that of watching two close and dear friends fall in love.



27. Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line (2005)

Like the couple they were portraying, Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon had to have an intense and believable connection that would continuously draw them together. Thankfully, they did and this connection helps raise Walk the Line to another level. As Johnny and June Carter Cash, Phoenix and Witherspoon convince the audience that these two musicians were made for each other, so much so that their love lasted through marriages to different people, addiction, infidelity, and every heartbreak in the music industry. That connection is no more clear than in their scenes together like this one.



26. Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh - Gone with the Wind (1939)

Although Leigh allegedly hated working with Gable (he apparently had horrid breath and liked young Mexican girls), that dislike might have helped fuel their chemistry. To this day, many consider Gone with the Wind as one of the greatest romances and its staying power is in large part due to the emotional and heated rapport between its leads. Even if that rapport was based in some hatred, there's a reason that they say hate and love are close cousins. No one can ever deny the electricity between these two.



25. Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas - Romancing the Stone (1984)

Turner's and Douglas' professional relationship worked so well that they would go on to do three movies together. But in this fun Robert Zemeckis adventure romance, this is where the relationship began. As two of the hottest stars of the '80s, it's not surprising that Turner and Douglas would have good chemistry. But their chemistry is so good that it adds a wonderful balance of sexy romance to the high-flying jungle adventure and comedy. Fun, light, and unabashedly funny, this movie scores as a romantic adventure with two very sexy leads.



24. Colin Farrell and Q'Orianka Kilcher - The New World (2005)

Although Q'Orianka Kilcher was 14 at the time that she filmed this poetic drama with co-star Colin Farrell (who was close to 30), their chemistry is undeniable. Tender, sensual, and heartbreakingly passionate, it is an emotional and erotic experience to watch these two fall in love, even with just the sweetest and most innocent of caresses. That connection is so intense that it only makes it that much harder to watch as John Smith leaves and Pocahontas begins life with her eventual husband, John Rolfe. This is intimacy in its most naked form.



23. Nicole Kidman and Jude Law - Cold Mountain (2003)

Despite only sharing a handful of scenes in this Cold War epic, Nicole Kidman and Jude Law do an amazing job of conveying their characters' passion for each other because of their intense chemistry. I mean that kiss alone is enough to convey the kind of passion that could withstand an entire war.



22. Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper - American Hustle (2013)

This is an interesting relationship on this list, since Adam's Sydney Prosser cons Cooper's Richie DiMaso as part of her scheme with lover and partner, Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale). Still, although Sydney is never really in love with Richie the way he is, their chemistry is still very apparent. The chemistry is so intense actually that there are moments when the audience wonders whether or not Sydney will really leave Irving for the permed FBI agent. This scene definitely makes you wonder.



21. Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke - Reality Bites (1994)

There are always couples that despite it all, can't stay away from each other. This is certainly the case for Ryder's Lelaina and Hawke's Troy, two Gen X adults who try to fight their connection for almost the entire movie, and with good reason. Lelaina is dating a nice, albeit boring, guy (director Ben Stiller) and Troy can never keep a job or a relationship. But despite all their emotional baggage and their respective attempts to self-sabotage their lives, these two characters cannot deny the intense spark that sizzles between them. That spark is so believable because of Ryder's and Hawke's undeniable chemistry.



20. Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

In this smart and taut adaptation of the Swedish crime bestseller, Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist don't seem like an obvious couple. And they certainly aren't. But one of the reasons that I believe David Fincher's version is superior to the original Swedish one (go ahead, bring on the arguments) is because of Mara's and Craig's chemistry. Comfortable, easy, and quietly intense, their rapport is so believable and so sweet that it relieves the audience to see Lisbeth connect so well with a kind and good man after her horrific experiences. Plus, it's very sexy.



19. Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson - Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Once upon a time, Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson were a couple in real life and all literary nerds were ecstatic. Sadly, the marriage didn't last but their work did and their undeniable chemistry was most apparent in Branagh's wonderful adaptation of the Shakespeare play. As one of the classic and original couples who evolve from mutual hatred to mutual love, it's so much fun to watch these two banter, bicker, and realize their love for each other that it does sadden the audience to know that the two actors didn't stay together. But at least we can watch their wonderful and hilarious chemistry forever in this delightful romantic comedy.



18. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

In this funny and honest dramedy, Lawrence and Cooper both give fantastic performances as two people suffering with heartbreak and mental illness. But what gives this film so much heart is the relationship that develops between these two, and the chemistry that makes that relationship so believable. That chemistry is clear in the friendship that the two actors seem to have since filming the movie and especially as their characters progress from acquaintances to dance partners to friends to lovers. We can believe that these two help heal each other because of the emotional progression that evolves between them, and the spark that was always there in the first place.



17. Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley - Willow (1988)

In this underrated George Lucas/Ron Howard fantasy, the chemistry between Kilmer and Whalley was so intense that they ended falling madly in love and marrying. The marriage didn't last but that doesn't detract from the fact that these two were clearly smitten with each other, a fact that helps make it believable when enemies Sorscha and Madmartigan start to fall in love. It's the kind of chemistry that's so good you almost feel as if you're spying when you watch them. Spy a little bit here.



16. Richard Gere and Julie Roberts - Pretty Woman (1990) and Runaway Bride (1999)

In both of these rom-coms, Roberts and Gere light up the screen with their wonderful chemistry. In some ways both plots are slightly unbelievable - she's a prostitute and he's her millionaire john then she's a commitaphobe who has made a name for herself by bailing from three weddings and he's the reporter hoping to expose her - but in each film, the attraction and friendship between these two is so apparent that each story becomes a little more believable.



15. Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas - Desperado (1995)

Some actors on this list seem to chemistry with several of their co-stars. Antonio Banderas is one of them, and there's a reason for that. In this fun Robert Rodriguez action film, Banderas and Hayek - who are easily two of the sexiest people who have ever walked the planet - set the screen on fire with their heated and spicy love affair. From the infamous kiss above to their famously sexy sex scene which still has the power to make most of us thirsty, the chemistry is not just there; it's boiling.



14. Alicia Vikander and Mads Mikkelsen - A Royal Affair (2012)

If you haven't seen this Danish period piece, stop reading this and watch it. This is an engrossing and turbulent historical drama about Danish King Christian VII's wife Caroline Mathilde and her historically significant and emotionally resonant love affair with Enlightenment teacher Johann Friedrich Struensee. It's a heady and tragic drama that pulls at the heartstrings, especially because Caroline's and Johann's love for each other is so believable. Lighting up the screen with their intense and potent chemistry, they can't help but make us root for them to have a happy ending.



13. Susan Sarandon and Kevin Costner - Bull Durham (1988)

You might have heard about this classic baseball romance, and if so, probably because the great KFC (Kevin F****** Costner) is sexy as hell. That sexiness is partially due to the great chemistry between him and co-star Sarandon whose character, Annie, has made it her mission to train minor league players in the art of love. But Annie meets her match in Crash Davis and the pair really heat things up when they finally hook up. Even though this movie famously brought Sarandon and Tim Robbins together, it's the chemistry between Sarandon and Costner that wins the day.



12. Madeleine Stowe and Daniel Day-Lewis - The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

For an action adventure about the French-Indian War, this is one hell of a love story. Managing to be more romantic than most romances, this awesome Michael Mann drama becomes a romantic epic through the relationship of Hawkeye and Cora (Day-Lewis and Stowe). We become emotionally invested in their futures and their survival as we watch these two fight for their lives and fall hopelessly in love. What could have been a side story that no one really cared about (especially since Cora dies in the original novel) becomes the emotional focal point of the film. That is all due to the incredible chemistry between Day-Lewis and Stowe whose passion for each other is so believable that we can't help but fall in love. It's so hot that they don't even need words.



11. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio - Titanic (1997)

Yeah, you knew it was coming... Say what you want about this dramatic epic (some of us still love it) but you can't deny that Winslet and DiCaprio made a great couple. Good friends to this day, the two beautiful actors stole audiences' hearts back in 1997 because of the believable and lovely chemistry that they shared. It would have been hard for this movie to succeed so much if the main leads hadn't had any chemistry, but Winslet and DiCaprio go above and beyond in a way that makes it that much harder when they are forced to part ways. (RIP Jack)



10. Kevin Costner and Madeleine Stowe - Revenge (1990)

You probably haven't seen this tragic crime drama about a man who falls in love with his crime kingpin friend's wife because most people haven't. And frankly, the movie isn't great. But what is great is the blistering chemistry between Stowe and Costner, who star as the two forbidden lovers. Watch it for the sex scenes alone (they are aplenty) which were all improvised under director Tony Scott's blessing and wickedly hot. Don't believe me? Watch and tell me I'm wrong.



9. Eva Green and Daniel Craig - Casino Royale (2006)

In his many years on screen, James Bond has had many, many women. But what sets Vesper Lynd apart from all the others is the fantastic chemistry between Craig and Green. From the moment the pair appear on screen, it's apparent that there's sparks. Those sparks only grow as the relationship between Bond and his first female match develops emotionally and physically until it feels as if Bond will finally get a happily ever after. If you know that this great 007 flick is based on Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, you know that doesn't happen, but at least we get to see this couple for a little while.



8. Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford - Star Wars (1977-83)

One of the classic film couples... Thank God George Lucas made Luke and Leia siblings; otherwise, we would have never gotten to see the best couple in this space odyssey unfold. Antagonistic towards each other well into the second film, The Empire Strikes Back, things begin to change when space's bad boy and Princess Leia begin spending some alone time together. Cue a sexy kiss and the world's pimpest line ever and you've got a classic Hollywood romance. And the reason that romance worked? Fisher's and Ford's spot-on chemistry.



7. Michelle Pfeiffer and Mel Gibson - Tequila Sunrise (1988)

I get it. We all hate Mel Gibson now because he's a racist drunk (although Alec Baldwin is a homophobic drunk and he's not as hated; just sayin'), and this movie is pretty obscure now to most contemporary viewers. But it's worth a viewing, not only because it's a fun and entertaining drug and crime adventure, but because the chemistry between then-hot Gibson and always-hot Pfeiffer is smoking! Whether they're steaming up the hot tub or just bantering, the sparks fly and it's sexy as hell to watch the strait-laced Jo Ann surrender to the charming McKussic. Even this ask-out is hot.



6. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock - Speed (1994)

Speed 2: Cruise Control didn't just fail because it was on a boat (really?); it failed because Keanu Reeves didn't come back and Jason Patric came in for the sequel. Part of the reason this action thriller is so much fun is because of the playful and sexy chemistry between its two leads who go from complete strangers to lovers all in the course of a few hours. Elevating the film from Die Hard On a Bus to much more, Speed provides a satisfyingly sweet relationship that become emotionally investable and exciting to watch because of the connection Reeves and Bullock so obviously have. That ending still gets me and honestly, I'm still positive that the actors should have gotten together in real life.



5. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling - The Notebook (2004)

Again, an obvious choice, but a good one! The movie is really flawed and don't get me started on the emotional pornographer that is Nicholas Sparks (you will not see his movies on any of my best lists). But it's hard to deny that this romance has one of the best couples in McAdams and Gosling, whose chemistry was so insane that they went from enemies to lovers in real life. It's exhausting to watch this couple fight and break-up, make-up and break-up, etc., but that's because their passion is so overwhelmingly believable that none of it feels forced. And while the may have not lasted in real life, their connection will be on film forever.



4. Diane Lane and Olivier Martinez - Unfaithful (2002)

Poor Richard Gere... If your movie is going to revolve around a heated affair, the cheaters better have hot chemistry. Fortunately, Lane and Martinez went above the call of duty in this Adrian Lyne erotic thriller. Infamous for its wildly hot sex scenes, Lane and Martinez cannot help but make the audience sweat as they initially flirt and then quickly descend into an affair that's so hot that you have a hard time blaming her. From oral sex in the movie theater to reading some poetry in the bookstore, these two emit flames no matter what they're doing.



3. Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney - Out of Sight (1998)

Entertainment Weekly once asked George Clooney what his favorite scene to film was and he told them it was the infamous trunk scene with Jennifer Lopez in this sexy crime comedy. And it shows. It's probably never been more fun to watch a couple resist their attraction for each other than in this Soderbergh yarn that stands out frankly because of the chemistry between Lopez and Clooney. Like love or faith, chemistry is hard to describe concretely, but in this movie, it's so palpable that the audience can't help but fall under the spell. Thick and heady like fog or humidity, this pair's connection blinds you to everything else but the two beautiful people in front of you.



2. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt - Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

It was the movie that broke up a marriage and began Hollywood's most powerful - and beautiful - couple. Rumors had speculated for months before their action-adventure premiered in theaters that these two were involved, and those rumors only increased when we all saw that indeed, there was something for Jennifer Aniston to worry about. Jolie's and Pitt's chemistry is so smoking hot that it turns what would have been just another predictable action romp into a unforgettable game of cat-and cat that makes even the fights look sexy. What is so cool about this film ten years later, though, isn't just the chemistry, but the knowledge that this began a family and a Hollywood dynasty. Plus, it's fun to imagine that this is how they rumble in real-life. Is it voyeuristic now?



1. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio Banderas - The Mask of Zorro (1998)

Time after time, movie-goers have voted this couple as the sexiest of all time. I couldn't agree more. Even at 8 years old (yes, that is how old I was when I watched this movie in 1999) I responded to the blistering, smoldering heat that ignited between these two. Teasing the audience with moments of classic sensuality and playful naughtiness, Zeta-Jones and Banderas make even the most innocent of moments erotic. They're so believable as a couple that from the moment they set eyes on each other you're rooting for them all the way. And while we're ignore the existence of the heinous sequel, we'll never forget the fire that existed between them in this great movie. They're so hot they can't keep their clothes on.