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I love watching movies, but lately I’ve been too much of a hermit to actually go out to the movies – except for that week in October where I actually managed to see not one but two movies: Inglourious Basterds (awesome!) and Fame (more like, “Lame”) because my mom was in Holland and I got the car and driver all to myself – so mostly I only watch movies on DVD (and sometimes online too).

Now you may have seen these movies, you may not – but here are some of the movies I’ve seen in the past week or so, and my take on them:

One/ The September Issue, 2009, documentary.

If you don’t like or even care about fashion, you may not enjoy this documentary as much as I do, but I live and breathe fashion so I truly enjoyed this one. Anna Wintour has always been such an enigma in the fashion world, what with her being the inspiration for the character Miranda Priestly in the popular book-turned-movie The Devil Wears Prada, and she’s the one woman that can make all those big-named fashion designers tremble at the mention of her name, so it’s a treat to finally see the “real” her in this documentary. And surprisingly enough, she’s not the dictator is 5-inch Louboutin heels as most of us imagined her to be. In “The September Issue” you see her as the true visionary; she was the one who came up with the idea of putting celebrities in the cover of fashion magazines, and she continues to nurture up-and-coming designers (like Thakoon, for example) because she sees something in them that no one can see just yet. She’s ruthless all right, and often times she stressed out and frustrated her subordinates like her Creative Director Grace Coddington who has worked in Vogue for 40 years (yes, four-zero) with her decisions but in the end, if she weren’t that ruthless, Vogue wouldn’t be the number one fashion magazine in the universe. Her decisions may not please everyone, but she can see beyond what most people see and that’s her true strength. I recommend you to watch this movie if you love fashion, work in a magazine or a leader of some kind. The fact that Ms Wintour can have such charisma without having to raise her voice is something all leaders should learn from.

Two/ Julie & Julia, 2009, biography/comedy.

I got this movie especially for my mom, because she loves to cook and to chronicle her adventures in the kitchen in her blog. I didn’t expect to like it too much but surprisingly enough, I do enjoy it. Amy Adams is so endearing as Julie Powell, she’s such an amazing actress and she could very well be the next Merryl Streep. And of course Merryl Streep is Merryl Streep, she’s always amazing in any role and this was no exception. I had no idea who Julia Child was (I’m sometimes unabashedly ignorant when it comes to certain things, and I don’t like to cook) until I heard about this movie, but apparently she was pitch-perfect as the infamous cook. However, make sure you have enough snack to munch on while watching the movie because all the food will surely make you hungry.

Three/ Spread, 2009, drama/romance.

I only watched this movie for Sebastian Stan, because I think he’s a great actor and he’s also really really hot, and I have to say I was pretty disappointed. First, he only appeared for about 10 minutes in the whole movie and second, this movie feels more like Ashton Kutcher’s vanity project than anything. I think it tries to be deep but it falls short due to a weak plot and half-baked storyline. American Gigolo it is not. But if you like Ashton Kutcher and want to see him naked, a lot, you can definitely give this movie a try.

Four/ The Hangover, 2009, comedy.

There is a reason why this R-Rated comedy did so well in the box office, it is THAT hilarious. The premise of this movie is simple: four guys went to Vegas for the ultimate bachelor party, and they woke up in the morning with a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet, a missing groom and having no recollection whatsoever of the crazy night they just had. What ensued later was a series of hilarious events as they try to locate their missing friend, and remember the night before. Look out for cameos by Mike Tyson and the always funny Ken Jeong. If you’re a fan of Swingers, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed with this one.

Five/ The Ugly Truth, 2009, romantic comedy.

This movie has all the makings of a successful romantic comedy: dashing but womanizing leading man, beautiful but neurotic leading lady, a fake orgasm at the dinner table, and the classic man vs woman debate. But the problem with it is just that. It’s so damn predictable. We know from the get-go that Katherine Heigl’s character will fall in love with Gerard Butler’s character and they’d live happily ever after (sort of), and sorry if I spoil it for anyone who hasn’t seen this movie yet, we get exactly what we expected. However, it is pretty entertaining to see Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler go at it. I’d say watch this movie without any expectations and you’ll be quite entertained. But no, you won’t get more than that.

Six/ The Broken Hearts Club, 2000, romantic comedy.

For an unconventional romantic comedy with a lot of heart and truth, I suggest you scour your favorite DVD store for a copy of this movie. Written and directed by Greg Berlanti, the man behind Everwood and Brothers & Sisters, this movie is about a group of gay men in Los Angeles who tries to deal with being gay, loneliness, commitment-issues and self-image, in other words, being human. This movie is probably the first “gay” movie that depicts them as real people, instead of “noble, suffering AIDS victims, the friends of noble suffering AIDS victims, sex addicts, common street hustlers and stylish confidantes to lovelorn women” as Howie so eloquently puts it. This is like the gay version of Sex and The City with a lot more heart and a lot less cliche. I recommend you give this movie a try, even if it’s only to ogle Timothy Olyphant, Zach Braff and Dean Cain in their younger days.

Seven/ Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen, 2009, action.

If you haven’t seen both this movie and District 9, do me a favor: watch this first. Not because it’s better, because it’s much worse and if you’ve seen District 9 first then you won’t be able to actually finish watching this movie without falling asleep or dying from boredom. And I’m not exactly exaggerating. District 9 was so amazing that it kinda ruined all other alien-robot type movie for me, and no amount of Shia LaBeouf in all his “LaBeouf”-ness can convince me to continue watching this movie (I gave up after 39 minutes and 20 seconds). I just realized why I had to suffer through screaming children running up and down the cinema steps when I saw the first Transformers movie, this franchise is so not for anyone over 15. Sorry, Shia. You’ll always be a hottie to me, I just can’t watch this one.

Eight/ Twilight, 2008, drama/romance.

Yes, I know I’m aboard the Twilight-bashing bandwagon, but I decided that I have no right to make fun of something if I don’t at least try to watch it first, so after much hesitation, I saw the movie a few days ago. And, I still don’t understand the phenomenon that is Twilight. I haven’t read the book series, so maybe that’s the reason for the fan-demonium, but the movie alone just doesn’t explain why everyone seems to be going insane for these vampires. I thought the plot was weak, the acting was mediocre (I’m so disappointed, Kristen Stewart, I know you’re better than this) and Edward, the one that teen girls all over the world fall madly in love with, is kinda pathetic and whiny. There’s a reason why 17-year-old boys shouldn’t have that kind of superpower, they’ll just whine about it instead of using it to be awesome. And I had a big problem with the sparkling. Call me old school, but I like my vampires to be living in old mansion, sleeping in coffins and burning in sunlight. Give me Gary Oldman or Alexander Skarsgard any day.

Nine/ The Assassination of A High School President, 2008, comedy.

I didn’t expect much from this movie when I bought it, to be honest. It was just another indie movie that I had to buy because I’m a sucker for anything indie. But I was pleasantly surprised. It’s funny, smart and it has a lot of good moments. It’s no Charlie Bartlett, but it’s up there in the entertaining department. I thought Mischa Barton was actually good in this role and not annoying or pathetic as she usually is in The OC or her short-lived CW comeback show The Beautiful Life. And Luke Grimes, who we may know better as William Walker’s illegitimate son Ryan in Brothers & Sisters, showed some real good acting. Of course the gem of the movie is Bruce Willis, who is so seriously funny that you can’t help but laugh out loud whenever he enters the scene. No harm in giving this one a try.

So those were the 9 movies that were playing in my DVD player in the past week or so. If you’ve seen them, let me know what you think.

xoxo

Binky Bee

Picture Perfect

I had my first photography lesson on Monday. My brother-in-law is a photographer, and while he’s learning English from me, I thought I’d enlist his help in teaching me photography.

The upside of learning photography from a real photographer: he’s really passionate about it – so his passion is contagious and I feel like I can be a great photographer as well. (Not likely, but let’s just dream for a moment)

The downside of learning photography from a real photographer: he’s a stickler for the rules. He won’t teach me with a digital camera, instead he made me learn how to use my mom’s old Pentax camera from the 70s, with films and everything.

I didn’t even know that they still sell films this day and age, but they do. And let’s just say, learning photography the non-digital way is a LOT harder. First, I have to think about diaphragm and speed, and there’s no cheating. If I want to shoot a moving object, I have to really be careful and capture the moment in just the right time so it won’t be blurry and shaky. And I have to calculate the speed and all. It’s not easy, especially since I’m kind of Mathematically challenged.

He also gave me a ton of reading materials that he expects me to read and understand before our second lesson, and they’re very technical. Everything about the camera is discussed – including which camera is used for what purpose, lenses, lighting, etc, etc, etc. I’m still not sure I’ve mastered the art of putting the film in and taking it out, to be completely honest.

It also doesn’t help that I’m a little over-ambitious and picked my uncooperative cat as my first subject. I was hoping for a cute picture of her, like this one I got from FFFFound!:

Err… let’s just say, my cat refuses to stay still and look that cute for a long period of time. So what happened was, she kept moving and I kept yelling from behind the lens: “Damn it, Miu Miu (that’s her name), stay still!”

Not that she listened. After getting tired of trying to photograph my cat, I turned to still objects to make my job a little easier. I took pictures of my shoes.

The result however, is still unknown, since I have to wait for my brother-in-law to develop the film first. And for someone as impatient as I am, the wait is killing me! I keep checking my email to see if he has developed, scanned and sent them to my email.

And no, he hasn’t to this day, so I have no idea if I was successful in taking at least one good picture.

I’m not hoping to become a photographer, I’m quite happy being a writer, even though every now and then I’d be frustrated with writer’s block.

However, I do hope with the lessons, one day I’d get to post my own pictures here and I can capture the moments that inspire me on my own, instead of always relying on someone else’s talents.

And, the one benefit of taking photography lessons is I’m starting to get the idea for my new novel, the one I’ve abandoned mid-way thanks to the writer’s block.

I haven’t started writing again, but I see the sentences forming in my head – and I’m sure soon enough I’ll have what I need to begin again.

And that is why sometimes it’s good to find another creative outlet. At the very least, you’ll have something to take your mind off the frustration of not being able to write.

So thank you everyone, for suggesting me to do this. I’ll dedicate my new novel to all of you… once it’s finally finished, of course.

xoxo

Binky Bee

Smile, It’s Friday

It’s the weekend! Which means, no more dragging yourself out of bed in the morning, showing up to work just to sit behind the computer all day and listening to mindless chatter of the person in the cubicle next to you, or driving in peak hour traffic. It’s time to have fun.

I don’t know what your plans are this weekend, but I just thought of a few fun things to do on the weekend – and even though I may end up not doing any of it… I thought it’d be good to put it out there. Just in case.

Here’s my weekend suggestions:

One/ Spend the day in bed with a loved one.

It doesn’t have to be your “significant other”, but I think instead of going out doing the same things (movies, dinner, clubbing, etc), it can be fun just to chill in bed – even if it’s only with your cat. Pop in a DVD and just get lost in an “alternate reality”. May I suggest my favorite movie at the moment, 500 Days of Summer?

Two/ Go record/CD shopping and then play the music out loud in your room.

There are a lot of good music that just came out recently. My favorite TV show Glee has just released its soundtrack filled with good music sung by the cast (with special guest star Kristin Chenoweth). Staying in the soundtrack genre, despite my hatred of everything Twilight (in the exception of the gorgeous Kristen Stewart, who will remain an indie queen in my eyes), I have to admit that the New Moon soundtrack album is actually pretty great. It’s got great songs by artists I love like Death Cab For Cutie, Lykke Li, The Killers, Muse and Thom Yorke among others. It’s like indie heaven.

Three/ Curl up in bed or on the couch with a cup of coffee and a really good book.

Feel free to substitute “coffee” with “tea” or “hot chocolate”, if you’re not into caffeine.

Four/ Sleep in.

It’s the weekend. You have every excuse to enjoy a 10, 12-hour sleep. I say go for it. Especially if you’re single with no kids. Sleep is a luxury you can’t afford not to enjoy.

Five/ Clean out your closet or room.

Even if you’ve got someone doing it for you (either you have maids or you live with your mother, or both like me), it’s always good to edit out all the junk from your closet or your room. Nina Garcia of Project Runway fame taught me that in her book “The Little Black Book of Style”. It’s a chance for you to be your own fashion editor.

Six/ Go to a party or club with your girl friends and get ready together.

This one’s not for the guys, unless you’re the kind of guy that likes to get dressed together with other guys (no judgment here, I’m all for it!). But one of the fun things about going out with your girl friends is the getting ready together part. Four girls cramming in a small bathroom, trying on each other’s clothes, who says you can’t do those things once you’re an adult?

Seven/ Go out and play in the rain.

I just did this very thing an hour ago. I put on my rain boots and went to the back patio to dance in the rain. There’s something so liberating about it. Give it a try. I also suggest blasting Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” while you’re doing it.

Eight/ Invite your best friend to have a sleepover and just do crazy girly things all night long.

Again, who says you can’t do this once you’re an adult? Relive your teenage years and just have fun with your BFF, and this time you can actually consume some alcohol without sneaking around! Play movie montage and try on the most ridiculous costumes, give each other facials or manicures, or even a makeover. Just don’t crank call your ex – that’s just a little too childish, even for me.

Nine/ Take a drive somewhere, anywhere.

This is something that my mom and I do all time time when we’re bored during the weekend. We’d just get in the car and drive. Well, she drives – I navigate. Destination unknown. We’d just drive and the destination will come to us after a while. It’s fun, spontaneous and, provided there’s no traffic jam, completely stress-free.

Ten/ Play dress up.

If you have no one to spend the weekend with, this is a great way to have fun all by yourself. Take out all your clothes from the closet – and start trying out different “looks” by the mirror. Take a picture if you want. And the best part is, you’ve got so many different outfit choices for Monday.

Eleven/ If it’s a nice day out, go to a park and have a picnic lunch.

You’ll get to enjoy a nice sunny day, get a tan and eat good food. Not to mention, it’s always fun to people watch in the park.

Twelve/ Go to the beach.

This is something I did all the time when I was living in Sydney, Australia. Sydney has so many great beaches that it’s always fun to drive out there with my friends and just hang out. Especially when we’re low on cash.

Thirteen/ Go shopping.

I know times are tough now, but I always believe in the old adage “When the going gets tough, the tough goes shopping”. And besides, you’re actually helping the economy by shopping. It’s been proven. I think.

Fourteen/ Go to a karaoke bar and sing your heart out.

Or in the case of my next door neighbor, have a really loud and tone deaf karaoke session in your living room. Yes, you’ll torture everyone within a 50-mile radius, but if you can’t be selfish on the weekend, when can you?

So what’s your plan for the weekend?

xoxo

Binky Bee

 

 

 

 

On The Street

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel

Here are some of my favorite “street style”, documented in photographs:

From The Sartorialist.

My fashion icon: Alexa Chung on the streets of London.

Another fashion icon: Rachel Bilson at LAX airport.

Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester on the streets of New York.

Her red carpet style may have been a lot of hits and misses, but I really love her personal, everyday style. Maybe she should fire her stylist.

I’m just saying. I am really craving for those jeans. And she looks cute in glasses.

Finally, Mark Ronson’s cutie ex Tennessee Thomas – in what appears to be a subway. Not sure this is truly “street style”, the photo seems to be from a magazine spread or something. But I love her style anyway.

Err… yeah, before you ask – I do have a thing for brunette girls.

xoxo

Binky Bee

 

 

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

The Man: “Why do you have so many pictures of people riding bicycles anyway? You can’t even ride a bike!”

Me: “Well, maybe my subconscious is telling me that I should learn! Maybe I will!”

The Man: “Ha! You do know that they don’t make tricycles for adults, don’t you?”

Me: “Shut up.”

Yes, I really can’t ride a bike. I tried to learn once when I was a kid, but then I fell and I didn’t want to try again because my sister – along with the nanny and the maids – laughed at me. I was a spoiled brat who didn’t like to be laughed at, so I just didn’t try.

But now I’m moving to the suburbs… or whatever passes for a suburb in this city. Anyway, my new house is tucked inside a cul-de-sac in this huge real estate just a little outside of the city. It’s adorable, the row of houses and the fact that they’re all so pristine and identical reminds me of Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane. But it’s also so far away from the main road. And since I can’t drive (there’s a lot of normal kid/teenager thing I missed out on… like learning how to ride a bike and how to drive), it means I need to depend on my mom or the driver to actually leave the cul-de-sac.

Unless I want to walk for miles, which in this kind of tropical heat could almost mean the death of me. Well, I exaggerate. I might just pass out.

So maybe I should really learn how to ride a bike, it seems the right thing to do to ensure that I don’t turn into a creepy shut-in once I move.

Easier said than done, though. I am so uncoordinated. I might fail miserably like Phoebe in Friends. It’s a very real possibility.

Nonetheless, my mom is thinking of buying a bike for my maid so she can get around the housing complex easily. Which means, soon enough I’ll be able to learn. Provided someone is patient enough to teach me.

However, The Man is right. He almost always is, but don’t tell him that.

I predict that even after my mom buys a bicycle, I will spend most of my days figuring out the cutest “riding a bike” outfit – and never really actually getting on the bike to learn.

Ah well, it’s the thought that counts, right?

“I want to ride my bicycle… I want to ride my bike…”

There’s a reason why Freddy Mercury wrote that song. Maybe he also wanted to learn to ride a bike like me?

Who knows?

Will I ever learn to ride a bicycle?

At this point, I doubt anyone can answer that.

Say It With…

Ah, the written words.

Ever since my writer’s block started, I find it hard to express myself through writing.

So I’m glad I found these pictures.

You know what they say:

If you can’t find the words to say how you feel…

Borrow someone else’s.

xoxo

Binky Bee

I Turn My Camera On

“I guess every girl goes through a photography phase. You know, horses… taking pictures of your feet.” – Scarlett Johannson as Charlotte in Lost in Translation.

I’m not a photographer, and I’m not good with the camera either. It’s one of those things I just don’t have the talent for.

But I do love photography.

I’m not great with art. I don’t know how to judge a painting, it’s all too confusing for me. I’m not really into sculptures either, unless the really obviously beautiful ones, like Michaelangelo’s David.

But I am always drawn to photography. I know how to tell if a “picture’s worth a thousand words”.

And ever since my writer’s block started, I suspected that I might be depressed, or stressed, or something. I can’t seem to express myself in writing, but I can express myself with images.

Lots and lots of images.

My mom – who is also my part-time therapist – advised me to make a collage, since she learned when she was getting her Master’s in Psychology that making collages are therapeutic.

And since I can’t actually take decent photographs (my hands tend to shake), I decided on the next best thing, grabbing photos off the internet.

I have to thank sites like FFFFound! and numerous photo blogs for helping me in my quest of self-healing, because through these sites, I found so many photographs that I am strangely drawn to – and after I put them together in various collages, I realize that they all have a common theme.

Gloom and doom.

That’s what my mom said anyway. I showed her my collages and she said, “Yep, you’re gloomy all right. Look at these photographs. You always choose these gloomy hues. Not the bright, fun ones.”

Great. So I guess I can’t write because I’m depressed.

I have battled depression for years and years and so far I’ve been able to manage it quite well, but every now and then – it does come back to bite me in the ass, and lately, it’s been one of those days.

So what do I do?

Well, I take some anti-depressants (fuck off, Tom Cruise!) and try to get myself back to  normal.

I have to admit creating the collage does help a little. I’ve stored so many photographs in my hard drive, I think my computer’s a little tired now.

Will these collages help me write again?

I don’t know. I hope so.

Maybe one day I’ll make sense of them – and maybe they’ll make a great story or two.

Maybe.

 

Mirror, Mirror on The Wall…

I love looking at my reflection on the mirror. And it’s not just pure narcissism – tho it plays a big part – I always want to look in the mirror to check whether I look exactly as I want to look and make sure that nothing is out of place, unless I want it to be.

My attitude to mirrors gets me thinking sometimes, especially when I’m severely blocked like right now, whether I do the same thing when it comes to my soul. Do I look into “the mirror” of my soul as often as I do with my physical appearance?

I think I am a pretty introspective person. And I have an excellent memory – very detailed – I often say that my mind is a flypaper for useless information and unimportant details of my past, so I do reflect a lot. I think about things too much, The Man says that I over-analyze everything. And I’m also very hard on myself, as well as other people.

But I do admit, that I spend more time fixing what’s on the outside than the inside. I have to say, when I look in the mirror of my soul, I often like what I see too much that I don’t bother to try to fix the flaws and imperfections.

Hey, it’s human nature, isn’t it? To feel like they’re better than everyone else?

In the end, I think we’re all like the Evil Queen. We look in the mirror just to look for a confirmation of our beauty, instead of seeing what’s really there and doing something about it. We’re pretty harsh on ourselves when it comes to our outside appearance, but when it comes to the mirror of ourselves, we’d rather kill Snow White than to have it say that we are not the most perfect creature on earth.

And let’s face it, Snow White is a little pathetic. Maybe she deserves to die. ;p

Blank Pages

I still have writer’s block.

This is probably the longest writer’s block I’ve ever had… and I’m starting to worry.

Is it just lack of inspiration, or is it depression?

How long is this supposed to last?

Why can’t I write even a single interesting sentence?

What do I do now?

Suggestions and tips are welcome.

Desperate times…

Lead Me

What’s a TV show without its leading men?

Granted, I’m not usually one who gravitates toward the alpha males but when it comes to TV, I wholeheartedly adore them. And since I’m still severely blocked – despite finding the cause of my writer’s block, I still can’t seem to write even a single sentence – I thought I’d just do the next best thing… make a list.

And here’s a list of my favorite TV leading men:

One/ Michael Westen in Burn Notice.

Played by Jeffrey Donovan, this one spy managed to steal my heart unlike that other famous British spy because he is the perfect antithesis of everything that makes me not like James Bond. First, he doesn’t drive a flashy car. Second, he’s not some lothario who has a knack for picking up bimbos who turn out to be villains. And third, he knows how to make his own spy gadget, DIY MacGyver style, which means, he’s not only handy when it comes to unraveling global conspiracies – he can fix the dishwasher too. And we all love that in a man. Sure, his relationship with his mom tend to interfere with his spy-business but what man doesn’t have mother issues?

Two/ Chuck Bass in Gossip Girl.

Played by British import Ed Westwick, I don’t think he was meant to be a “leading man” when the show first started but now that the show is in its third season, this charming little devil has turned out to be more than just a teenage lothario and an unfaithful sidekick. Not only has he managed to make us fall completely and madly in love with him when he finally told Blair Waldorf that he loved her, he has also made the transformation from troubled bad boy to confident businessman so seamlessly and effortlessly in only a few episodes, proving that Chuck Bass never does things half-assed. That’s more Nate’s job.

Three/ Chuck Bartowski in Chuck.

Played by the always funny Zachary Levi, this one reluctant geeky spy has stolen my heart from the pilot episode and he continues to make me fall for him. He may not be the typical leading man with ruggedly handsome looks and an ability to kill a man with his bare hands (but now he may just be, since the second season finale ends with him suddenly knowing kung fu) but that doesn’t stop him from being the man of our dreams. He’s sweet, endearing and a little awkward – but that’s just part of his charm. Besides, don’t we all want our spies to be a little more down-to-earth and kooky? And the good news is, he’ll be back on our screens sooner than expected! Yippee!

Four/ Demetri Noh in FlashForward.

Okay, so he’s not exactly the leading man in this show but he might as well be thanks to Joseph Fiennes’ underwhelming performance as agent Mark Banford. Demetri Noh, played by Harold and Kumar’s John Cho, is the most interesting character by far – and not only because he knows he’s going to die. He’s complex and interesting and most importantly, human and believable. If you knew you were going to die in five months, wouldn’t you react the way he had reacted so far? And let’s face it, when he came out guns blazing at the end of episode 7, it was HOT! Now who’s praying that he actually manages to prevent the future from happening? (ME!).

Five/ Shawn Spencer in Psych.

There’s a reason why this character, played by James Roday, is torn between two very attractive women (one of which is played by his real-life girlfriend Maggie Lawson) right now. He’s brilliant. He may be a fake psychic but we all know he’s a great detective. And despite his knack for silly humor and obscure 80s references, he has proven to be a true leading man when he not only took a bullet but managed to play the hero in the fall finale of the fourth season. And he has great hair. Really, what more could you ask for in a leading man?

Six/ Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory.

He may be arrogant and is borderline Asperger’s, but you have to admit he’s truly a genius. Played by Jim Parsons, Sheldon Cooper is the anti-leading man but the one you’ll most likely fall in love with not because he’s such a sweetheart – exactly the opposite, you’ll love him because he’s eccentric, annoying, anal and incredibly funny. He prefers comic books than girls, he is a suspected android, he’s devoid of empathy and he really doesn’t like it when you sit on his part of the sofa – but let’s face it, we’d totally sit at his feet and listen to him ramble on about string theory any day.

Seven/ Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries.

True, technically he’s not the leading man but let’s face it, without this character, played by the impossibly sexy Ian Somerhalder, The Vampire Diaries would be a total snoozefest. Damon Salvatore, the evil, heartless, and violent bloodsucking resident of Mystic Falls, is what makes this show so good. He’s devoid of conscience, he’s rotten to the core but he does have a soft side that he only shows in rare moments. And when his younger brother is all tortured and Heathcliff-like over the state of his vampire-ism, Damon shows what being a vampire is all about: soulless fun. And let’s face it, evil vampires are always so much sexier!

Eight/ Don Draper in Mad Men.

Yes, he frequently cheats on his wife. And yes, he stole someone else’s identity and is basically living a lie. But who cares? He’s hot! Played by charismatic actor Jon Hamm, Don Draper is the ultimate “mad man” – he’s suave, well-dressed and has a commanding presence despite his underlying insecurity. He is the true leading man because despite his many, many faults, we find ourselves forgiving him over and over again. He’s Don Draper, damn it. He’s the reason why Mad Men is the show that everyone talks about these days. And if those eyes can’t win you over, I don’t know what will.

Nine/ Jonathan Ames in Bored To Death.

Yes, I do love a big-nosed Jew, get over it. But that’s not why I love this character that’s played to perfection by Jason Schwartzman. Jonathan Ames is a quirky oddball, and he knows it. He’s soft-spoken and slightly delusional, but that’s what makes him so hilarious. He’s also going through a writer’s block, like me, so I can totally relate. He always somehow finds himself in crazy situations without meaning to, and he’s still pining over his ex-girlfriend despite not having the balls to actually make a change and win her over. He’s the leading man that most leading men despise, but that’s exactly makes him a great leading man.

Now that you know my list, who do you think should be No. 10?