Cashback (2006, UK)

Frozen Time Kiss

In this low-budget British romantic comedy, aspiring sketch-art student Ben Willis (Sean Biggerstaff) had the ability to freeze time (in his rich fantasy world). During his night job (due to his insomnia) in a London supermarket, he practiced freezing time, and fantasized about a quiet co-worker - blonde check-out clerk Sharon (Emilia Fox). She soon became his girlfriend, although they broke up over a minor misunderstanding (at the wrong moment in time, she witnessed his ex-girlfriend giving him a kiss at a party).

In the film's final scene during an exhibition showcasing Ben's artwork (titled "A Frozen Second"), Sharon was surprised that most of the displays were drawings or pictures of herself. He told her: "It's what you do with every single second that counts." After asking if she trusted him, he demonstrated to her, with a kiss, how time could be stopped.

Then he pulled away, and she asked: "What happened?" He said: "I need to show you something," and they walked toward the outer door, passing by frozen-in-time individuals. They went outside during a snowfall, where he took her hand and described (in voice-over) his ideas on love:

"Once upon a time, I wanted to know what love was. Love is there if you want it to be. You just have to see that it's wrapped in beauty and hidden away in between the seconds of your life. If you don't stop for a minute, you might miss it."

With time-frozen, they kissed each other again and again (in extreme close-up) within the fantastical scene. The camera panned upward into the dark sky.

In contrast, earlier in the film when he experienced his very first kiss with Sharon, he described how awkward it was:

"That first kiss - I've always made such a mess of it."

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

A Pirate's Betrayal Kiss

The second film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series of adventure-fantasy films again featured Pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), now in search of the Dead Man's Chest (holding Davy Jones cut-out heart was hidden).

Captain Jack returned after cowardly fleeing the Black Pearl in a longboat when his ship was in danger of being crushed by legendary Davy Jones' beast - the Kraken (a fearsome giant sea monster with tentacles). He was being hunted because of the unpaid blood debt he owed to Jones.

Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) breathlessly spoke:

"You came back. I always knew you were a good man."

As the few remaining crew members abandoned ship, expecting another attack from the beast, she then seemingly rewarded him for his loyalty by giving him a long, protracted passionate kiss. She backed him up against the mast of the Black Pearl.

Suddenly, a click was unexpectedly heard - she had used the kiss to deceptively distract Jack long enough to manacle him to the ship. She knew that the beast only wanted him when she confessed the beast's intentions to him:

"It's after you, not the ship. It's not us. This is the only way, don't you see?"

She added as she leaned in closer before pulling away:

"I'm not sorry."

Jack, with a seemingly proud smile on his face and rapt attraction to her, replied: "Pirate" - as if her betrayal claimed further kinship with him.

V for Vendetta (2006, US/UK/Germ.)

Masked Kiss

In this comic book fantasy from director James McTeigue, the futuristic and dystopian thriller told about a mysterious, verse-spouting vigilante and anarchistic freedom fighter code-named V (Hugo Weaving) - with a permanent Guy Fawkes mask (to cover his disfigurement).

His quest was to topple an oppressive and fascistic British government run by Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt), with a plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament on November 5th, 2020 - the anniversary of Fawkes' execution in 1605. He was regarded by the government as a terrorist.

Alternatingly protective and cruel, a terrifying, uneasy and inspiring relationship developed between V and his young protege - radicalized British Television Network production assistant Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) - a working-class girl whom he rescued during an attempted rape.

On the eve of V's revolution, she had returned to V's secret lair (where she had earlier been protectively kept for her own safety, and suffered a fake torture-interrogation). She listened to the song: "Cry Me A River" (sung by Julie London), when V asked her to dance with him ("A revolution without dancing is a revolution not worth having"). She agreed: "I'd love to." In his arms, she claimed she didn't know him: "I don't even know what you really look like" and she attempted to remove his mask. V stopped her: "Evey, please. There is a face beneath this mask but it's not me. I'm no more that face than I am the muscles beneath it or the bones beneath them." She respected his wish ("I understand").

As he left her, in an abandoned London Underground tunnel next to a train, she kissed him goodbye on his mask, before he left - and shortly before he was mortally wounded.

The film ended with Evey's remembrance of V after his death in her arms: "No one will ever forget that night and what it meant for this country. But I will never forget the man and what he meant to me."

Atonement (2007, US/UK)

Unbridled Kisses of Love - Misinterpreted

Director Joe Wright's adventure-war romance film told a story of two Tallis sisters in a wealthy and privileged English family:

• elder sister Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley)
• younger, 13 year-old impressionable Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan)

In the sexy library scene, Cecilia Tallis and her 'secret' boyfriend - servant/cook son Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) of the Tallis housekeeper - first physically expressed their unbridled erotic love for each other with passionate kisses and a confession of love.

Wearing a green backless dress that was hiked up, Cecilia was awkwardly positioned on a ladder up against a stack of books as they began to make love. They were interrupted by Cecilia's mistaken sister Briony, a budding and imaginative playwright.

Briony was so shocked that she subsequently wrongly accused Robbie of 'raping' her visiting young cousin Lola Quincey (Juno Temple) because of sexual misunderstanding - and altered their lives forever.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Young Crush Mistletoe Kiss

Young wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) experienced his first kiss in the fifth film of the series with girlfriend Cho Chang (Katie Leung) at Christmastime.

She pointed out the mistletoe above them and they enjoyed a simple, prolonged kiss.

Afterwards, Harry attempted to describe the kiss to his friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), who asked:

"Well, how was it?"

Harry gave a one-word description: "Wet."

Hermione asserted: "I'm sure Harry's kissing was more than satisfactory," and then described why Cho was recently sad and crying so much (and not because of the kiss). She was tearful because of her deceased boyfriend Cedric from the previous film, and other issues:

"She's feeling sad about Cedric and therefore confused about liking Harry and guilty about kissing him, conflicted because Umbridge is threatening to sack her Mum from the Ministry and frightened of failing her OWLs because she's worrying about everything."

Ron exclaimed: "One person couldn't feel all that. They'd explode."

My Blueberry Nights (2007)

Blueberry Pie/Cream Kiss

The conclusion of writer/director Wong Kar-wai's debut English-language feature film, a romantic drama, was a very moody scene.

Soul-searching, love-lorn loner Elizabeth or "Lizzie" (jazz singer Norah Jones in her acting debut), after a 300 day road-trip cross-country to mend her broken heart, was sleeping with her head resting on the counter of a NY cafe. She had frequently visited the same cafe before her almost year-long trip, where she had often come to eat freshly-baked blueberry pie after a nasty breakup. She had become acquainted with the diner's proprietor Jeremy (Jude Law), a Manchester England emigre.

She had started her trip months earlier there after Jeremy had kissed her. Now, she returned to the Manhattan cafe, where she discovered that Jeremy had reserved a counter stool for her during her absence.

He noticed left-over cream from her helping of a slice of blueberry pie a la mode below her luscious lips, and came close to kiss her (from a top view), in slow-motion - and she reciprocated this time.

In voice-over (as Norah Jones crooned the tune The Story), she explained how her journey had ultimately given her self-discovery:

"It took me nearly a year to get here. It wasn't so hard to cross that street after all. It all depends on who's waiting for you on the other side."

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)

"Just Kiss"

The third film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series of adventure-fantasy films began with pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) trapped in Davy Jones' (Bill Nighy) locker and needing rescue.

During a ferocious sea battle, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) proposed and was married to long-time love Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) by nefarious pirate Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) on the deck of the Black Pearl amidst swordfights. Barbossa had only seconds to say:

"You may kiss...Just kiss."

A few moments later, Will boarded the Flying Dutchman to retrieve the Dead Man's Chest, but was mortally stabbed in the heart by tentacle-faced pirate captain Davy Jones. Captain Jack was able to stab Jones' heart and kill him (using Will's hand). Legend had it that the person who stabbed Davy Jones' heart would become the next immortal captain of the Flying Dutchman - therefore, Will became his replacement (Will's heart was cut out of his body by his father "Bootstrap Bill" (Stellan Skarsgard) and placed in the chest). This allowed time for Elizabeth and Jack to escape, just as the Dutchman went down into a whirlpool.

Will was reborn and became the new captain of the resurrected Dutchman, destined to sail as its captain (with his father) for eternity, with the crew in human form.

He made love to Elizabeth (now Mrs. Turner) on his one day in 10 years allowed on land before saying a final goodbye and departure, and they promised to see each other again in a decade.

Elizabeth promised to keep Will's beating heart safe in the chest ("It's always belonged to you") - and they kissed one last time at the water's edge. He told her: "Keep a weather eye on the horizon."

The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Best Kiss of One's Life (So Far)

Nuclear reactor worker Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) saved the town of Springfield by throwing a doomsday bomb into an immense dome while driving a motorcycle with mischievous Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright).

After the explosion, he then reconciled with his wife Marge (voice of Julie Kavner), and as he drove out of town with her on his motorcycle, they shared a long kiss as the camera circled around them.

Marge sighed: "Mmm. Best kiss of my life."

Homer corrected her warmly, as they continued down the tree-lined road:

"Best kiss of your life so far!"

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Copy-Cat Upside-Down Kiss

Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) saved pretty blonde lab partner Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard) when he caught her falling from a 62-story New York skyscraper during an out-of-control crane building disaster. Afterwards, a "Key to the City" ceremony was held to honor the superhero.

During the ceremony, Spider-Man first appeared upside down on the stage - as the crowd encouraged:

"Kiss him, Kiss him!"

He agreed and gave Gwen permission:

"Go ahead, lay one on me...They'll love it."

She peeled back his face mask and smooched with him - not realizing that the well-publicized kiss would cause a significant rift between him and jealous long-time love Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) in the audience.

They had just imitated the famous, very-special kiss from the first film in the series that he had experienced in the rain with her.