Hollywood.com has put together a pretty awful Top 10 Steamy Movie Kisses list. Is the kiss in Hitch really one for the ages?!

At number 7 on the list is the rain kiss from Garden State. This is what they have to say:

Tragic moments allow people to let their guard down and often tend to bring them together. And when it happens in the middle of a rain storm, it actually makes it all so much more romantic–i.e., they’re so “in the moment” they don’t even notice the downpour. This is something everyone should experience at some point in life. Not just the movie people!

Personally, even though that kiss was set up as THE defining moment of the film, I’ve always disliked it a little. Not a lot, just a little.

Maybe its because of how staged it feels. Maybe its the abyss scream. Or maybe its just the awkwardness of the 3rd wheel.

In fact, I think I like every other kiss in the film more than I do that one.

My favourite kiss is probably the one in the bath tub. There’s genuine emotion and intimacy, making it feel like a real glimpse into life as opposed to the rain kiss where I was basically waiting for “aaaand cut!”.

Bonus points for kissing his nose.

This kiss is also great because not only is it a really sad moment featuring one of Natalie’s better cries, it also captures a very real moment. When (and this is from memory as I can’t find my copy) Natalie tries to kiss him and make him stay he initially pulls away but does so a bit too early. As he realizes this he goes in for the kiss too late and ends up kissing her, bonus point time, on the nose. I’m not sure if that was intentional or a happy accident but its a lovely mirrored payoff to the bath tub scene.

Okay, this kiss is just as much of a typical movie moment as the rain kiss but the song is so good and fits so perfectly that I can’t help but love it.

But of course, the very best kiss in Garden State, without a shadow of a doubt, is…

Hot stuff!

😉