Most Controversial Movie Sex Scenes of the Decade (2000-2010)

In Hollywood, there is no shortage of sex scenes (fictional or otherwise.) But every once in a while you'll run across a scene that for all intents and purposes just doesn't sit quite well. Situations intended to tantalize sometimes have a strange way of repulsing. Gratuitous nudity and "blue humor" are par for the course for most raunchy comedies. Filmmakers sometimes discover that pushing the boundaries of decency has a profound effect on the way their films are ultimately received. Through the use of sex, these films have made some pretty significant statements about mankind. While there are perhaps dozens of examples, here are a few of the decade's biggest on-screen sexual shocks...

Storytelling (2001)

Independent films always seem to find ways to push the envelope. Director Todd Solondz tells the darker story of suburbia in this 2001 film. There are tons of material to shock and provoke. But the sex scene between Selma Blair and Robert Wisdom will make you flinch. The scene is already uncomfortable to watch. But what's more uncomfortable is the stream of "N-word" laden obscenities that Wisdom has Selma Blair repeating throughout the scene. See the uncensored (unshielded) version to get the full effect.

Irreversible (2002)

Those of you who aren't exactly into French fare may have skipped over this 2002 film. Starring drop-dead sexy Monica Bellucci, Irreversible contains one of the most controversial sex scenes known to man. A brutal nine-minute rape scene serves as the catalyst in this violent foreign flick. Sensitive stomachs beware...

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

For the first time in mainstream film history, an explicit homosexual love scene stunned audiences. Two of the industry's hottest hunks (Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger) signed on to play undercover lovers. The love affair between these two rustic characters sparked plenty of controversy. Their first rough-and-tumble sex scene inside the tent on Brokeback Mountain is pretty intense for anyone's eyes.

Anatomy of Hell (2004)

We all know that movies from France have a tendency to be a bit-ahem-unabashed in their depictions of sex. But this film by director Catherine Breillat goes completely over the top. A heterosexual woman hires a gay man to watch her intimately for four days. The two engage in all sorts of intimacy-building activities, including close-up shots of lovemaking during menstruation. If that scene doesn't make you feel icky, then the "tampon/teabag" scene will surely do the trick. ~Shudder~

Antichrist (2009)

This strangely exotic, yet intense little film features Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg in a pretty riveting opening love scene. The intimacy itself isn't so shocking (save for the live penetration shot) as is the death of their toddler son while the two are busily engaged in their erotic pursuits. If not for the beautifully filmed black-and-white flesh sequences, this one might have been a little hard to watch. Kinda...

Notes on a Scandal (2006)

Cate Blanchett is the naughty minx in this quiet, emotional thriller. You can't tell who seduced whom in this film--- student or teacher. Today's news is filled with plenty of cases featuring oversexed 30-something (or older) women seducing their pre-teen sons' friends. This movie pays homage to just about any of those news headline-making stories. You'll feel particularly weirded out by the frenetic and clumsy outdoor love scene in which Sheba (Blanchett) and her student Steven get "acquainted" by the train tracks. Eww.

Hounddog (2007)

Dakota Fanning is Lewellen, a 12-year old Elvis fanatic. This movie takes a bit of patience and an open mind to really get into. But surely, the hoopla surrounding Hounddog (produced by Robin Wright Penn) has everything to do with Lewellen's painful-to-watch rape that occurs on the eve of Elvis Presley's big arrival. Rape scenes are already difficult to stomach. But it is Fanning's convincing performance that makes this one particularly sickening.

The Brown Bunny (2003)

Chloe Sevigny has caught plenty of flack for this daring role. Sevigny, cast as Daisy performs a live oral sex act on actor Vincent Gallo (who also directed, wrote, and produced the movie.) The plot itself is pretty awkward and bleak. But the conclusion of The Brown Bunny gives new meaning to the phrase "Un-Happy Ending..."

SOURCES:

www.filmsite.org
www.netflix.com
www.amazon.com