World’s 10 best places to live

1. Vienna
Quality of life index: 108.6 (base is 100)2008 rank: 2City infrastructure ranking (index): 18 (101.9)Source: Mercer 2009 Quality of Living











2. Zürich
Quality of life index: 108 (base is 100)2008 rank: 1City infrastructure ranking (index): 14 (102.6)
Source: Mercer 2009 Quality of Living Survey








3. Geneva
Quality of life index: 107.9 (base is 100)2008 rank: 2City infrastructure ranking (index): 35 (99.2)
Source: Mercer 2009 Quality of Living Survey










4. (tie) Vancouver, Canada
Quality of life index: 107.4 (base is 100)2008 rank: 4City infrastructure ranking (index): 6 (105)
Source: Mercer 2009 Quality of Living Survey






5. (tie) Auckland, New Zealand
Quality of life index: 107.4 (base is 100)2008 rank: 5City infrastructure ranking (index): 243 (98.1)
Source: Mercer 2009 Quality of Living Survey

6. Düsseldorf, Germany
Quality of life index: 107.2 (base is 100)2008 rank: 6City infrastructure ranking (index): 6 (105)

S

7. Munich
Quality of life index: 107 (base is 100)2008 rank: 7City infrastructure ranking (index): 2 (106.5)
Source: Mercer 2009 Quality of Living Survey

11 Places Where Your Dollar Goes Farther

11 Places Where Your Dollar Goes Farther
The world’s economy has been struggling over the past year, and one consequence has been that many countries have seen their currencies fall versus the U.S. dollar — which means American travelers are getting a bigger bang for their buck. Here are some of our favorite destinations where your dollar is going further — and farther — than

The Seychelles (Seychellois rupee, 103 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): These 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar, are an eco-tourist’s paradise. Seabirds, giant tortoises and other wildlife are abundant, and the island nation’s coral reefs have earned world renown. More than five dozen beaches dot the principal island, Mahé, alone. Traffic on La Digue consists mainly of bicycles and oxcarts; go here for unhurried, traditional island life.

Iceland (Icelandic krona, 61 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): This Nordic nation had spectacular economic troubles last year, but this means Ohio-sized Iceland now is luring tourists with great deals. If you do nothing else here, make sure you take part in the national pastime of bathing in outdoor geothermal pools, popular even in snowstorms. In the summer, enjoy midnight golf at one of 50 courses. The Golden Circle region includes the beautiful Gullfoss waterfall as well as Thingvellir, the site where Iceland’s chieftains formed what’s referred to as the world’s first parliament in 930.

Ukraine (Ukrainian hryvnia, 60 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): East meets West in this former Soviet republic, which a millennium ago was the base of the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Kyiv, also known as Kiev, is home to stunning art and architecture, including gorgeous churches and other religious edifices. The Crimea is famous for health resorts, mineral waters and wines, while the Black Sea — featuring the French-flavored city of Odessa — is usually swimmable till October.

Zambia (Zambian kwacha, 53 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): Victoria Falls, flowing from the Zambezi River on the border with Zimbabwe, is said to be the largest waterfall in the world; certainly it’s one of the most breathtaking. In northern Zambia lies the southern reaches of Lake Tanganyika, the world’s longest freshwater lake, which was once thought to be the source of the Nile. Animal-viewing opportunities are abundant here, and dozens of safaris can introduce you to leopards, hippos, elephants, zebras and giraffes.

Russia (Russian ruble, 45 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): The world’s largest country by area has more to see than is possible on most trips, but many of the most interesting and historic attractions are concentrated in Moscow, the current capital, and St. Petersburg, the former one. While in Moscow, be sure to see Red Square, the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Bolshoi Theatre. In St. Petersburg, take in Peter the Great’s Peterhof palace, often called the “Russian Versailles,” and the incredible museums of the Hermitage.

Hungary (Hungarian forint, 41 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): At the heart of the land of the Magyars is Budapest, on the banks of the Danube. It was once the capital of the far-ranging Austro-Hungarian Empire, and still is widely considered one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Highlights include Buda Castle, the former seat of Hungarian kings; the neo-Gothic Parliament building; and Europe’s largest synagogue. Hungary has a 2,000-year-old spa tradition, peppered over the years by Roman and Turkish influences; the tradition remains strong today, with hundreds of mineral springs and public baths dotted across the country

Colombia (Colombian peso, 37 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): This South American country has had a reputation for violence, but these days the urban areas are prime tourist destinations. A must-see is the capital, Bogotá, whose highlights include the Plaza de Simón Bolívar, laid out by Spanish colonists, and the Zona Rosa, lined with trendy shops and delectable dining establishments. Also worth a visit is the lovely Caribbean city Cartagena; attractions include the home of Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez, whose book “Love in the Time of Cholera” takes place in an unnamed city much like this one.

Romania (Romanian lei, 35 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): You will scarcely find a country more filled with history, in the form of elegant fortresses, traditional villages and age-old churches. In Bucovina in northeast Romania, you’ll find “painted monasteries,” whose exterior walls are decorated with colorful 15th- and 16th-century frescoes. Castles from across the centuries dot the countryside, including Peles Castle, in southern Romania, and Bran Castle, popularly considered the home of Dracula. Elegant Bucharest is a sophisticated modern center with a thriving nightlife.

Chile (Chilean peso, 34 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): Occupying a long, narrow strip of land on the Pacific side of South America, Chile has one of the widest ranges of latitude and landscape of any nation in the world. The northern section consists primarily of the Atacama Desert, one of the world’s driest regions. Farther south is the capital, Santiago, and the Chilean wine country (Chile is the world’s fifth-largest wine exporter); the Lake District, home to emerald forests; and the backpacker’s paradise of Patagonia. Far to the west of mainland Chile lies Easter Island, the easternmost outpost of Polynesia.

Jamaica (Jamaican dollar, 32 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): This lush tropical island south of Cuba is the picture of laid-back Caribbean culture: steel drums, reggae music and white-sand beaches perfect for swimming and sunbathing. Dine on island fare here: Jerk chicken, seafood chowder and roast pork loin are popular and tasty. Besides the capital, Kingston, some of Jamaica’s most exciting destinations are Montego Bay, Ochos Rios, Negril and the Blue Mountains.

Turkey (Turkish lira, 26 percent decline versus U.S. dollar): Straddling Europe and Asia, Turkey is a crossroads of cultures: The nation has more Greek ruins than Greece, more Roman ruins than Italy, and a wealth of artistic and architectural treasures from the Christian and Islamic eras. There are also great natural wonders here too, notably the spectacular geological formations of the Cappadocia region: Its inhabitants once lived in caves, and visitors today can stay in cave hotels.

Green Living: Managing 12 Green Guilts

You should...you shouldn't...you can't...so much guilt about going green! One of our green experts, Katherine Tiddens, takes the hard line, while another, Lori Bongiorno, shows how to compromise. Just do something!

Green Guilt #1

I hate the light from those new energy-saving bulbs. I just can't bring myself to give up the warm glow of incandescent bulbs.
The hard truth: You have to. The savings in energy are enormous. Trading just one incandescent for a compact fluorescent (CFL) prevents the emission of over 400 pounds of greenhouse gases. -Katherine Tiddens
The compromise: All compact fluorescents are not created equal. The quality of light varies a lot. The Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org) has a great online lightbulb guide that helps you choose the right size, shape, color, and brightness for you. If you try a few and you still don't like the quality of light, put the bulbs in places you don't spend a lot of time in, like a basement or a hallway. -Lori Bongiorno

Green Guilt #2

I'm too lazy to wash out every jar to make it recycle-ready. Sometimes I recycle them dirty — or just throw them away.
The hard truth: When you're doing the dishes, pour some of the hot, soapy water into your lightly scraped jar, put the lid back on, and give it a couple of good shakes. For mayonnaise, that should do the trick. For peanut butter or jam, let it soak — by the time you've finished the dishes, you should be able to clean it easily. -KT
The compromise: The real problem is peanut butter jars because they're so hard to get clean. Throw them in the dishwasher. Everything else is a quick rinse. Not everything you recycle has to be pristine. -LB

Green Guilt #3

can't give up bottled water — it's so convenient. And I will not drink tap water!
The hard truth: Install a filter under your sink at home, and lobby to have one installed at work. Buy a wide-mouth stainless-steel or BPA-free plastic bottle with a removable lid; wide-mouth bottles are easier to clean. If you find yourself at an event with plastic cups, use your bottle for wine or whatever. At the airport, carry it empty past security and then fill it from a water fountain. -KT
The compromise: You don't have to give up bottled water completely, but limit it to when you're on the run. Otherwise, carry a reusable bottle. I like the stainless-steel bottles from Klean Kanteen because they come in so many different sizes. -LB

Green Guilt #4

I confess, sometimes I hide dead batteries in the bottom of my trash bag. I can never figure out the recycling days in my town.
The hard truth: This is a big deal. Don't put anything in the garbage that you wouldn't want in the food you eat, the water you drink or swim in, or the air you breathe. Billions of batteries are sold every year, and many contain heavy metals and corrosive acids that pollute the air, soil, and water. Some are more difficult to recycle, so visit earth911.com and find a recycling site near you to dispose of them safely. -KT
The compromise: Recycling is getting easier: Whole Foods takes batteries back. So does Ikea. Go online and type in "recycle batteries" and you'll see so many new places. And use rechargeable batteries whenever you can. They're recyclable, too, but they last so much longer. -LB

Green Guilt #5

I can't imagine cleaning without paper towels. You can't launder cloth towels every time you use them, and I hate wiping a counter with a used towel. It doesn't feel clean.
The hard truth: Buy just one roll to keep on hand for really gross cleanups, and use it like gold. Cut up old cloth towels, or buy a large stack of bar towels from a restaurant supply store. The idea is to have towels that aren't attractive, so you won't hesitate to use them. Wash them only when you have a full load. Use hydrogen peroxide-based bleach if needed. -KT
The compromise: You don't have to give them up completely, just use fewer. Microfiber towels are great for everyday use. They last for hundreds of wipe-ups, and they're lint-free. For a full housecleaning, use cloth towels — I use old T-shirts — and throw them in the laundry with any load. -LB

Green Guilt #6

I need air-conditioning. I sleep better, I feel better. I'm not above leaving it on all day while I'm at work, so I come home to a comfortable temperature.
The hard truth: Air-conditioning uses a lot of energy. You can lower the temperature indoors dramatically by switching to CFL lightbulbs. Ceiling fans, double glazing, and cross-ventilation will all help. If you're building or renovating, consider alternative ways to cool your house: careful siting, trees and plantings for shade, installing a geothermal cooling system underground. -KT
The compromise: I have to say: Suffer for 10 minutes! Turn the AC on when you get home! If you really can't, then raise the temperature to 80 degrees while you're gone. Or put your air-conditioner on a timer so that it goes back on just before you get home. -LB

Green Guilt #7

I just can't make myself tote around a thermos for my coffee. What's wrong with using a paper cup, like I always do?
The hard truth: Unfortunately, you're not alone — 130 billion paper cups are used in North America each year. They're usually coated, so they can't be recycled or composted. If you work in an office, get a coffeepot and have everyone bring a mug. If you travel by car, sorry, there is no excuse for not carrying a commuter mug. -KT
The compromise: Well, paper is better than Styrofoam, but a mug is best. You could use the same paper cup for your morning and afternoon coffee. I'm not saying to use it all week, but if you use just one cup a day, that will cut your use considerably! -LB

Green Guilt #8

I like to be toasty. Putting on socks and three sweaters just doesn't do it for me. l keep the thermostat cranked up even while I sleep.
The hard truth: My first response is that you can either put on a sweater now, or freeze in the dark when we run out of fossil fuels. There are easy ways to warm your house without cranking up the heat. Check for drafts, caulk around your windows and doors, and make certain that your attic and walls are well insulated. And be sure your heater is running at maximum efficiency. -KT
The compromise: Use a timer on your thermostat to make sure the house is warm when you're there, and the heater isn't working so hard when you're not. If you don't have one, buy a programmable thermostat. Every degree you turn it down makes a difference, about one percent on your bill. -LB

Green Guilt #9

I've used the same "toxic" cleaning products all my life. I love the smells. They make me think "clean." I don't believe organic cleansers work as well.
The hard truth: For countertops, cutting boards, bathroom surfaces: Spray with hydrogen peroxide, 3% solution, followed by plain vinegar. It's all you need to kill all household germs. -KT
The compromise: That's a big one. But the smell you love is ammonia and other toxic chemicals. Make the move gradually. Pick one product, like window cleaner, and try new ones until you find one you like. There are a lot of good choices from Seventh Generation, Ecover, and Biokleen. And remember that our grandmothers used stuff straight out of the pantry — baking soda, vinegar — and it worked. -LB

Green Guilt #10

I have a great market tote, but never remember to bring it with me when I go shopping.
The hard truth: Why don't you buy a couple of bags that fold into small packets that fit in your purse or pocket? I keep a crocheted string bag in my purse. The main thing is to have something you feel good carrying. Many people aren't comfortable carrying a bag with an eco message. But do start carrying some kind of bag, and it'll soon be so automatic, you won't think twice about it. -KT
The compromise: If you live in the suburbs, keep a few in your trunk. If you're in the city, get the tiniest ones and keep them in your handbag. I love ChicoBags because they come with their own mini-tote. If you still find yourself at the market without your tote, don't despair: It's not so much the bags as what you do afterward. Use them for trash instead of buying trash bags. Then you're getting two uses out of one. -LB

Green Guilt #11

can't start the day without a long, hot shower. It's my vice. I admit, I took the water saver out of my showerhead so I'd have the strongest possible water pressure.
The hard truth: There are great low-flow showerheads, and using one will save 15 to 25 gallons of water per day, depending on how many people shower. You'll also save on energy and hot water bills if your hot water tank is well insulated and the proper size for your home. Don't stop there: Install low-flow toilets and aerators in all your faucets, and you'll do even more to offset your morning shower. -KT
The compromise: I hear you. It's my vice, too. Compromise by taking shorter showers. That's what I do. -LB

Green Guilt #12

I love coming home to lights in the foyer and living room. It's so welcoming, and my house looks so warm and pretty. Is it really such a crime?
The hard truth: It is a problem. There are timers that will turn the lights on just before you get home, or when it starts to get dark in the evening. Some have sensors to turn off the lights when a room has been empty for a certain period of time. -KT
The compromise: No, but it's an easy thing to get over. The bigger issue is that we all have to make choices. Maybe you learn to live with leaving just one light on — and maybe you switch to a CFL in that light to make a bigger difference. -LB

Most Important Inventions of the Next 10 Years

Most Important Inventions of the Next 10 Years
Things are looking pretty bleak right now. But, the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention.

Innovation from Recession:

BusinessWeek asked several futurists, including Futurist.com's Glen Hiemstra, consultant David Zach, and author Howard Rheingold, to describe what they'd like to see arise from the current downturn. Notably, our experts didn't think of innovation merely in terms of products or services. These ideas will change the way humans interact with the earth — and with each other.

Ocean-Driven Hydropower:

Till now, hydropower has mostly been generated at dams. Now, turbines around the world are being designed to harness the power of the ocean. Blue Energy Canada is close to commercializing a turbine that captures energy from ocean currents, and already has purchased power agreements in India, Indonesia, and New Zealand. With a set of subway-size floating turbines, Pelamis Wave Power is converting wave power into electricity off the coast of Scotland.

Miniaturized Medical Equipment:

Truly tiny implants that can test, diagnose, and even alert doctors to problems with their patients will replace costly routine visits. Researchers in the Netherlands say they've developed a pill that can be loaded with medicine and programmed to travel to a specific part of the body to unload it. A pen-size device is being developed at the University of Texas that can detect skin cancer without the need for a biopsy.

3D Printing:

It has been around for a while, but 3D printing, in which three dimensional object is created by layering and connecting successive cross sections of material, is becoming more affordable, which in itself will unleash a host of new inventions and applications, pushing beyond prototypes and models. Scientists have been experimenting using the technology to reconstruct human tissue.

Even Smarter Apps:

Mobile applications can already identify what song is playing, point you to a nearby restaurant, or manage your social networking utilities, but that was just the start. The relatively low cost of entry and the speed at which an app hits or misses creates a environment ripe for breakthrough innovation. What's next could be the first big business to arise from the downturn.

Next-Generation Bio-Fuels:

The first round of biofuels caused a spike in global food prices. Now companies are developing the next generation from non-edible sources. Scientists at ADM (ADM) are creating cellulosic ethanol from corn stalks, and other companies are experimenting with switchgrass, woodchips, and the tropical grass miscanthus.

Electric Avenues:

While Detroit struggles, would-be automakers are getting in on the action, with a host of electric vehicles now in various states of readiness to roll. Shai Agassi's Better Place is proposing a network of stations where drivers of electric cars can exchange dying batteries for ones freshly charged. For its part, GM's (GM) Chevy Volt is due in 2010.

Truly "On-Demand" Entertainment:

As entertainment technologies converge, we're better able to watch, listen, or read anything we want any time we want. The Netflix Player by Roku streams an ever-growing library of Netflix and Amazon content directly to the TV. Apple TV offers both shows and movies for purchase or rental. Open-source media software, Boxee, aims to run on all third-party streaming boxes and plans to release its own box, too. Soon, these systems won't only be for the alpha geeks.

Nanotech Computing:

In Chicago, two separate teams recently made breakthroughs that dramatically shrink the size of electronics. One team's new transistors allow for processors that will make silicon chips seem gigantic. The other came up with film material that can store the equivalent of 250 DVDs on the space of a quarter.

Cure for Cancer:

Huge advances are being made that could some day eradicate cancer, AIDS, brain tumors, prostate cancer, and other diseases. Nanotech medicine provides a more targeted delivery to cells than chemotherapy or other treatments, which means doctors can lower dosages to minimize side effects.

Liva a coment

Top 10 Romantic Movie Moments

How many of you dread Valentine's Day? For those not happily coupled up, it's just a painful reminder that either you don't have a significant other or, even worse, you have a lousy one who lets you down. Who needs that kind of disappointment?

But it's not really the silly cards and ubiquitous boxes of cheap chocolates that we yearn for on V-Day. It's the fantasy that something wildly romantic could happen to us like it does -- where else? -- in the movies.

Silver-screen affairs may be a dangerous standard to apply to real-life romance -- but we watch these films and want these feelings for ourselves, no matter how unattainable or poignant they could be. So in honor of Valentine's Day -- and especially for those who are alone or disgusted by the "Hallmark holiday" pressure -- we present our top 10 romantic movie moments. And remember, we're talking about moments, not romantic movies themselves (as you'll see by our first choice) ..
10. Goodfellas (1990)
Yeah, we know your reaction: "Goodfellas"? Didn't you say romantic movies? How on Earth did that land on this list? Easy... Ray Liotta and Lorraine Bracco's courtship is quite simply one of the sexiest in all of cinema. Director Martin Scorsese got how hot it is when a man realizes a good-looking woman cares enough to be angry with him, chiefly in the beginning of an attraction. So when Liotta's Henry Hill skips a date with Bracco's Karen, she hauls her car right up to him and chews him out in front of his friends: "You got some nerve standing me up!" Liotta's narration of remembering how, at that moment, Karen looked like Elizabeth Taylor only underscores the fires burning between these two. And the glances they share are so viscerally exciting you get goose bumps. It also doesn't hurt that Liotta never looked so good in all his life (you understand why Karen's nuts for this guy) and of course, the first date he eventually takes her on (remember the long tracking shot through the back of the night club right up to the front table?) is amazing. Seriously, for one second, you'll forget about the mobster hanging on a meat hook, or the wig salesman stabbed and stuffed in the trunk. No... really... you will.

9. Out of Sight (1998)
How much fun can you have in the trunk of a car? According to Steven Soderbergh's "Out of Sight," a whole lot! Of course, it helps if you're stuck with either George Clooney or Jennifer Lopez, who play a prison escapee and a federal marshal. A quintessential study of how opposites attract (even couples on opposite ends of the law), "Out of Sight" works like a modern screwball comedy, with its crackling wit and sexy cool. And we love that Soderbergh created something of a classic movie moment with this cozy scene, as Clooney's bank robber discusses movies with the hijacked Marshal Lopez, who's not supposed to be enjoying herself this much. The camera movement, music and chemistry between the stars are so overflowing, you almost forget they are, in fact, in a trunk. And though this is blissfully romantic, we advise you not to try this at home.
8. "Harold And Maude" (1971)
In "There's Something About Mary," Cameron Diaz's Mary called "Harold and Maude" the "greatest love story of our time." She may have been going too far ... but maybe not by too much. There's something to be said about oddball love stories, especially ones viewers have to be coaxed into understanding. The acting, brilliant direction (by Hal Ashby) and soulful songs (by Cat Stevens) here help produce the chemistry between 79-year-old Maude (Ruth Gordon), a life-force of whimsical energy and wisdom, and 20-year-old Harold (Bud Cort), a death-obsessed depressive. After meeting Maude at a funeral, Harold -- who enjoys shocking his mother with incredibly graphic but impressively fake suicide attempts -- experiences an awakening of not just amour, but of life itself. In this lovely scene, Harold has given Maude a coin charm punched with the words "Harold Loves Maude," something most people would cherish forever. But characteristic of Maude (and foretelling her later decision), she throws it in the water so they always know where it is. Harold's reaction is so surprised and sweet that you can't imagine Maude doing anything else with that charm. It makes you want to dunk every present you get into the bottom of a reservoir. How deep is your love?
7. "A Place in the Sun" (1951)


There's nothing quite like young, tragic love. And George Stevens' "A Place in the Sun" understands this perfectly. By adapting Theodore Dreiser's masterful novel "An American Tragedy" with two of the most heart-stoppingly beautiful people in cinema (Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor), Stevens immediately puts the viewer in the lovers' corner, no matter what they do. But it isn't just their looks that make you swoon; it's the chemistry and fragile performances, especially by Clift as the lonely, lovelorn man trying to make something of his life. In this dance scene, Stevens utilizes close-ups that obviously reveal the actors' beauty, but also how much they could say with their faces. Clift may be blurting out that he loves Taylor, but his pleading, poignant eyes reveal so many layers of desire, you know something is haunting him even if you don't fully understand the circumstances (he has just witnessed his pregnant girlfriend drown and, frantically in love with Taylor, he's chosen to do nothing about it). It's a dance macabre, but one of the most spine-tinglingly romantic of all time.
6. "Say Anything..." (1989)
Did Cameron Crowe know just how many boom boxes would be lifted in front of unsuspecting girls' windows when he made this little movie in 1989? Probably not... but he surely understood that countless men and women would relate to and fall in love with Lloyd Dobler, John Cusack's most iconic role. "Say Anything" stands out for simple yet oddly complex reasons -- chiefly that Lloyd is both a regular guy and an extraordinary one because he dares to be genuinely nice. Wow. There's a novel idea. Ask out the class brain and beauty (Ione Skye) and treat her well. And, if she dumps you because her psychotic father is overprotective? Well, lift that boom box high and blast the song that played while you were making love for the first time.
5. "The Philadelphia Story" (1940)
Oh, how glamorous Katharine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart make getting loaded... or rather, how would they put it? Sauced? Tight? Well, they are drunk anyway in a scene that's dreamy and tipsy and swoony. George Cukor's classic, sophisticated screwball comedy -- which also starred that dapper leading man, Cary Grant -- has the blue-blood Kate mesmerizing the working-class reporter Stewart, even if she's set to marry another man (who, of course, is not right for her). Hepburn's Tracy is continually called something of an ice goddess, but the tables are turned during this moonlight dip wherein Stewart utters lines that are music to her ears: "There's magnificence in you ... a magnificence that comes out of your eyes, in your voice, in the way you stand there, in the way you walk. You're lit from within, Tracy. You've got fires banked down in you, hearth-fires and holocausts ... you're made out of flesh and blood. That's the blank, unholy surprise of it. You're the golden girl, Tracy. Full of life and warmth and delight. What goes on? You've got tears in your eyes." Yes, we wou
4. "Punch-Drunk Love" (2003)ld too.
How we love the verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown, off-kilter, romantic comedy, "Punch-Drunk Love." No matter how you feel about Adam Sandler, he'll leave a lasting impression on you as Barry Egan, the Californian businessman and put-upon brother who falls for the ever-patient Emily Watson. So alien yet incredibly human is he in the movie, that he and director Paul Thomas Anderson frequently put the viewer into a state of Barry-phobia. It's perfectly illustrated in this scene in which Barry flies (for the first time) all the way to Hawaii just to see his beloved. His arrival is beautifully, though oddly scored to Shelley Duvall's "He Needs Me" from Robert Altman's "Popeye." Sandler, who had displayed talent before this, has never been so fantastically abstract, utilizing his scared-yet-angry-but-violent-little-boy persona with a darkness and sweetness that is simply sublime.
3. "Out of the Past" (1947)
We could list more than one Robert Mitchum movie that gets our pulses pumping. That bedroom-eyed, barrel-chested stud (and a splendid actor, even if he said he was sleepwalking most of the time) is such a perfect combination of swagger, drollness and romance that we have a hard time disliking him even when he plays a psycho (as in "Cape Fear"). We're allowed to like him in Jacques Tourneur's seminal, moody noir "Out of the Past" -- a film that pits Mitchum against the overwhelming charms of Jane Greer. She will prove to be a baddie, and in this famous scene, she's all but warning him to run away from her. But oh so lyrically, Mitchum murmurs, "Baby, I don't care." We're just speechless. And we really wish more people would utter that sentiment.
2. "The Apartment" (1960)
If you've never seen "The Apartment," we suggest you don't watch this clip. If you have, read on. Billy Wilder's Oscar-winning dark comedy laid the groundwork for the running-to-your-beloved scene so often copied in later films. Jack Lemmon, a too-nice office worker trying to climb the corporate ladder, is being used by his sleazy bosses for his apartment (they cheat on their wives in his cozy bachelor pad). He falls for one of the "other women" (Shirley MacLaine). Only she's not a floozy -- she's a flawed but ultimately warm human being. And she deserves to be treated with much more respect than Fred MacMurray is giving her. When she realizes that (duh!) the nice guy is better for her, she pulls the iconic movie moment of rushing to Lemmon with smiles and tears in her eyes. You saw it in "When Harry Met Sally" and you saw it in "Jerry Maguire." You even saw it, in a more hysterical form, in "The Graduate." But it's never been as powerful as in "The Apartment" -- especially when MacLaine's response to Lemmon's affirmation of amour is "Shut up and deal."
1. "Casablanca" (1942)

It almost seemed too obvious a choice -- but then, come on, it's "Casablanca," one of the greatest love stories ever told. But why is it so enduring? Well, not just because of Ingrid Bergman's sad-faced, pouty-lipped, dewy-eyed gorgeousness. Or Humphrey Bogart's soulful, heartbroken "of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world" performance. Not even for "As Times Goes By" -- a song that's so inexorably linked to "Casablanca" that it's impossible not to think about trenchcoats, fedoras and fez when you hear it. It's the story itself, of an exiled, cynical American (Bogart's Rick) who runs a club in World War II Casablanca, where he just happens to bump into his old flame (Bergman's Ilsa). What makes the story unique is the romantic conflict: Ilsa's husband is Resistance leader Victor Lazslo (Paul Henreid), a noble guy both Rick and the audience cannot possibly dislike, which sets up an ending that's as romantic as it is melancholy. Yep, Rick sends her packing with his "hill of beans" speech that still gets us, no matter how many times we watch it.
What is your favorite romantic movie moment?
Live a coment