Coral Amber

Every week I spend quality time with guys who are impossibly good looking, brave, funny, and charming... too bad I have to share them with millions of other girls. There are a plethora of McDreamy and McSteamy men on tv to tempt female viewers. I thought I would share some of my favorite tv guys that are flying under the radar.

Men in Charge
Agent Seely Booth, Bones. He's number one with a bullet. Besides being good looking and charming, FBI Agent Booth feels ferociously protective towards his partner, Dr. Temperence Brennen. When Brennen was shot at by a serial killer, Booth wouldn't let her out of his sight and ended up getting blown up by a bomb meant for her. If that wasn't enough, I could always rely on him to stop by with late night Chinese food to cheer me up after a bad day.

Captain Malcolm Reynolds, Firefly. Captain of the space ship Serenity, Mal carries a gun and can the man take a beating or what? In a mere half a season he's gotten punched, knifed, shot multiple times, burned, tortured (complete with ear removal), drugged, run through with a sword, and killed (but he got better). He's also pretty confident, getting away with wearing a dress or a fancy suit (earning the nickname "Captain Tightpants"). He does what's right and what he believes in while still being little bit naughty. I know it would never work out between me and the emotionally withdrawn space captain. But I can't help it. I even dreamed about him once. He's just so... stirring.

Sheriff Jack Carter, Eureka. Jack is quick on his feet and has an easy smile. He just seems like a nice honest guy who would follow through if he said he would fix something I was complaining about, like a leaky faucet or a parking ticket.

Bad Bad Boys
Any of the Winchester men, Supernatural. These guys are heating up spine chilling situations week after week. Take your pick between cute younger brother Sam, steamy older brother Dean, or the intense father (with the gorgeous eyes) John. Sure, fighting demons is hard work, but it's fun too and those guys are extra cute when they smile.

Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. It took a long time for the bleach blond vampire to grow on me, but you can only resist the sexy smirks for so long (I'm a sucker for a good smirk). I actually didn't totally fall for him until the very last episode of Angel. Knowing he would probably die that night, he spent his last day on earth reading his own poetry at an open mic bar. I melted like ooey gooey ice cream.

Smart is Sexy
Jack Hodgins, Bones. Jack is a brilliant scientist, heir to a large fortune, and completely adorable. Jack has had many shining moments like the time he emerged from the decontamination shower in just a towel or his romantic kiss with Angela on the swing set, but he recently shined when he was buried alive by a serial killer and used his brains to escape. He also enjoys conspiracy theories and hospital pudding.

Mohinder Suresh, Heroes. It's really hard to choose from all the great guys on Heroes. It was a tough race between Mohinder and Hiro, but I have to go with tall, dark, and seriously smart. Oh, and the accent doesn't hurt either.

Just Regular Guys
Richie Velch, The Class. Playing on my weakness for red heads, Richie is sarcastic, sweet, and pretty screwed up. He totally won me over with his heartfelt love for Lina and the speech about magnesium and water. The character is probably not my ideal guy, but it this case I might be a bit more drawn to the quality of the acting.

Stosh "Piz" Piznarski, Veronica Mars. Cute, naive, and willing to go bowling just to hang out with a girl he likes. I just can't help but go "awwww." He's a better catch than some of those other jerks on the show. So far he's admitted when he did something stupid and was as nice as possible to a girl who he wasn't into. I also have a feeling that Piz has a strong side that will come out when Veronica needs it the most... something about the way he blew off Logan. Oh, and the crazy dancing; I love that he's not afraid to make a fool of himself to help save people!

Bear Grylls, Man vs. Wild. I know, I know. I shouldn't put people from a reality show on this list (especially ones that are married), but this guy jumped in a frozen lake and then stripped down to his British flag boxer shorts. Then he took those off too and I've never seen any one so cold look so hot. Couple that with the fact that he could save us if we were stranded somewhere and he's on the list.

Great guys are often underappreciated, so if any of these faces are new to you check them out on tv or dvd. With the amount of television I watch, my expectations have probably been ruined for real guys, so leave a comment let me know your favorite tv guys or girls. It will make me feel better about having so many tv boyfriends.

Posted by coral at 02:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

Stranger than Fiction stars Will Ferrell as Harold Crick, a lonely IRS agent that begins to hear a female voice narrating his life. The voice not only has intimate knowledge of his actions and thoughts but foretells his imminent death. Harold is understandably upset when he hears this and seeks help from a friend, a psychiatrist, and eventually a professor of literature played by Dustin Hoffman.

Harold hopes to find the source of the mystery narrator or, at the very least, the plot of his story before his untimely demise. He begins changing aspects of his life in hopes of thwarting the narration, but throughout the movie even the audience isn't sure if he's in a comedy or a tragedy.

Each character was both quirky and realistic and so well cast that you can't help but like them. Harold seems to be afflicted with minor Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that has him counting everything from his toothbrush strokes to the bathroom tiles. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays an anti-establishment bakery owner getting audited by Crick. Emma Thompson plays the novelist with writer's block trying to think of the perfect death scene, and Queen Latifah plays her assistant calmly pushing the novelist towards her deadline. Marc Foster has done a dream job of directing them all. Will Ferrell shows his strength as an actor, not just a comedic actor. He is real and vulnerable without losing his comic muscle.

I also loved the thoughtful effects that went into the movie. In the opening title sequence Harold's OCD is given some mathematical visual effects that pop up around him as he goes about his daily business and his counting. His wristwatch is even given odd lights and sounds that turn it into a minor character.

The movie was shot entirely in Chicago thanks in part to Zach Helm, the screenplay's writer, going to DePaul University in the 90's. The great thing about the background scenery is that it is textured and nuanced, without the sweeping views of skylines and the Grant Park fountain that have ended up being cliched stock images. The real Chicago is seen through bus windows as they move over bridges. Even the camera angles make you feel like you are moving realistically through the actual city, not just a scenic landscape.

Lastly, the music played in the movie is both subtle and sweet. It's a mix of old and new tunes that blend into the movie's scenes without jarring the audience. Thought and care went into placing the songs so the scenes just felt right, without any extra thought on the part of the audience. In one scene, Harold is strumming an acoustic guitar with his eyes closed, playing the only song he's learned, and once again it feels real and is a perfect pick for the unsure hero.

This movie is a charming gem that had my laughing and crying in equal measure. Not only was it interesting and entertaining, but it toys with the idea of a worthwhile life and death. It has the simple enticing character of movies like Amelie or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I feel Stranger than Fiction is the most refreshing movie I've seen in a long time. If this review felt like a love letter to a movie, it was, because that movie is a love letter to anyone who enjoys a fun, thoughtful film.

Posted by coral at 02:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)