Sundry Sunday :: an “I went there for you” 6 list

“I went there for you” lists are lists of actors who I appreciate so much based on one or more performances that I will literally go out of my way to view one or more other performances of theirs.  This is sometimes rewarding; this is sometimes disastrous.  But hey.

6. Nathan Fillion

Nathan Fillion.  Geeky god-king of the Whedonverse.  Someone I have never not enjoyed.  I appreciated Nathan for Firefly and for Dr. Horrible, and because of my appreciation for him, followed him to Super and Castle, the latter of which is seen above and which I admit that I am woefully, heinously behind in (approximately season two, because I just keep getting distracted with other projects).  I realized that I had already seen him in Slither, which was directed by James Gunn just like Super was; I had watched that just because I enjoy campy-ass, morbid horror semi-comedies, but that works as well.  He is just delightful.

5, 4. Lea Michele and Matthew Morrison

As I have before mentioned, I was basically a Spring Awakening groupie.  I still love it with all my heart.  I naturally found Lea through that, and thought she sang pretty and such.  I saw the original cast of The Light in the Piazza, too, and I absolutely was in love with Matthew Morrison in it, singing so beautifully in Italian all over the place.  So naturally, when I heard all that while ago that they were going to be in a singing television program together, I went “YAY!!” and prepared to fangirl.  Glee, seen above, is one of those “I went there for you” moments that I am now… mildly regretting, though, for the reasons I’ve mentioned before; also, it sucks that I don’t really like… well, a lot of the characters, but I really don’t like Rachel that much, and I really don’t like Will that much, and while Lea gets to sing all the time, Matt doesn’t get to show off what he can actually do.  I miss when he sang in Italian and sustained notes and it was lovely.

3. Dichen Lachman

I love her more every time I see her face.  I fell for Dichen because of Dollhouse, obviously (just like I fell for… most of the cast that I hadn’t already fallen for already).  But I’ve followed her now to two different places: Torchwood: Miracle Day and now the US Being Human, seen above.  I’d never watched Torchwood before, I’d never watched Being Human before, but that’s just how it is.  I didn’t really love Torchwood (I hear that I would enjoy the original more, so I’m not ruling it out in the future), and I admit that I watch her Being Human episodes on my laptop and just do other things in other tabs until I hear/see her scenes come on, but I do love her.  Even when it’s something I do not otherwise care about whatsoever.

2. Patrick Fugit

Surprise!  This is a predictable list, yes.  After falling in love with him in Almost Famous, I proceeded to follow Patrick Fugit to Saved, to Bickford Schmeckler’s Cool Ideas (which is an example of psychic going there for someone, too, since my much-loved Fran Kranz is there t00), to The Amateurs, to Wristcutters: A Love Story, seen above, to We Bought a Zoo, to Cinema Verite… yeah.  Everywhere.  But the thing is, I’m usually not disappointed.  A lot of those aren’t my favorite movies like Almost Famous is, but I don’t dislike any of them.  And I always love him.

1. Summer Glau

But my darling Summer… takes me to places I regret going sometimes.  Firefly was what made me love her, too, and I didn’t follow her to Dollhouse because I was already there, but I obviously regret nothing about that experience; it’s… well, a lot of the rest.  It’s following her to The Cape, seen above; I think I used that picture back in the day when I tried to put the most positive spin I could on my Cape-watching experience, because really, aside from the one girl who was on Deadwood who I decided was my Nolanized Harley Quinn, the above scene is kind of one of the only things I remember about that show.  I tried so hard to enjoy myself with it, but I couldn’t even finish it, and that’s saying something considering my compulsion to finish everything I begin.  It’s following her to Deadly Honeymoon, which I tumbled about that once and… well, yes.  I didn’t mind following her to Alphas, that I liked fairly well; I still haven’t actually watched that show aside from her episode, though I know I should (more with the time constraints).  But it’s not as unfailingly successful, following her places.  Which is a shame, because she tries to make the best of everything no matter where she ends up, and that’s admirable.

–your fangirl heroine.

Superlative Sunday :: the 2012 Golden Globes and how I feel about them

By show/movie, to simplify.  With things that only got one win, but that I haven’t seen, listed at the end; things I haven’t seen, but got more than one win, I’ll usually have something to say regarding.

The Descendants (Motion Picture, Drama; Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama [George Clooney])
I… haven’t seen this.  I keep telling myself that I’m going to, but then I decide that I’m not in the mood for a serious movie about an inspirational for-all-intents-and-purposes-single-at-the-moment-as-per-his-wife’s-coma father and a teenage daughter with attitude and some other things.  My tastes don’t always run that way.

The Artist (Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical; Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical [Jean Dujardin])
Also haven’t seen this (it’s not to my town yet, all right?  Our independent theater doesn’t have that many screens, and they usually get things on the late side of timely).  And sure, I’d have picked others in both categories (I mean, I have… weird Bridesmaids feelings, but that’s a lot to do with the marketing, and I don’t know if it was winworthy, but 50/50 was adorable) but I’m sure it’s deserving.  This does bring up the point of the “Comedy or Musical” category being… odd.  From what I can see, this isn’t a wholly comedic film.  But it’s got dancing?  My Week With Marilyn also doesn’t look particularly funny.  Not all musicals are funny, Golden Globes and other award shows.  Just because there’s music doesn’t mean it’s automatically lighthearted and silly.

Beginners (Supporting Actor [Christopher Plummer])
I don’t think I can actually say how much this movie surprisingly made me really, really happy.  I’m not one for romance, usually (and I’ll admit I mostly watched it becaues Ewan McGregor is good business and I love Melanie Laurent with all my heart) but it actually managed to win me over.  And Christopher Plummer’s performance was brilliant and heartstring-tugging, if you’re one whose hearstrings get tugged on.

Hugo (Best Director, Martin Scorcese)
So deserved.  Please let this continue to happen.

Homeland (TV Series, Drama; Actress in a TV Series, Drama [Claire Danes])
Is right at the top of my “I’m going to sit down one day when I have nothing else to do and watch all of this immediately” list, I swear.  I saw part of the first episode, and I was interested, but we just forgot to keep up (we have so many other things to do).  I will say that I’m sure it was well-deserved, even if I was rooting for Boardwalk Empire to take it again, and the periodical flashes over to the Homeland table made me happier than any other table, period.  For this very important reason:

Oh, Morena, who… may be why I originally intended to watch Homeland in the first place, but it seems like an interesting show in its own right, too.

Mildred Pierce (Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for TV [Kate Winslet])
I’ve said it before, and hopefully I won’t have to say it again.  I had serious Mildred Pierce problems, but I love Kate always, so I wasn’t too upset.

Game of Thrones (Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV [Peter Dinklage])
Keep on winning the awards, man.  I’m okay with this, he’s brilliant and definitely the only one in the category I actually cared about.  (Cinema Verite was good, really good, really really [okay so my Patrick Fugit was in that, too] good, but Tim Robbins played such a d-bag that I couldn’t root for him.)

American Horror Story (Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV [Jessica Lange])
Someday soon, Kelly Macdonald had better win something, because she’s brilliant, and she keeps getting nominated, but she doesn’t win, ever, and I understand why, but still.  Jessica Lange was also brilliant on this show, as messed up as it really was, as ridiculous as it could be, and I wouldn’t have pegged her for being the winner, but she did a nice job, so I’m not complaining.

 

The Iron Lady
My Week With Marilyn
The Help
Boss
Modern Family
Episodes
Enlightened
Modern Family
Downton Abbey
Luther

–your fangirl heroine.

Spoiler Alert Saturday :: my thoughts on We Bought a Zoo

Five things I usually despise:
1. Inspirational “based on a true story” movies
2. Inspirational animal movies
3. Inspirational single/widowed dad movies
4. When movie audiences audibly go “awwww”
5. Soundtracks that involve a song sung by a man in a high-pitched, incomprehensible voice

Five things that will get me in the door anyway:
1. Patrick Fugit
2. Patrick Fugit
3. Patrick Fugit
4. Patrick Fugit
5. Cameron Crowe directing Patrick Fugit

This may be the most overtly fangirl movie review I’ve put up in a while, but nobody (who isn’t Fran Kranz, Summer Glau, or Christina Hendricks) can uniformly melt me into a puddle of fangirl want like Patrick Fugit.  Eight years and counting.  My crush on him has lasted longer than… most real life relationships I know that aren’t belonging to parents.

Yes, I understand that he had… not that much screen time.   I understand that We Bought a Zoo was a movie about Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson and Matt Damon’s children.  But it’s been approximately five years (since Wristcutters) since I actually got to see my Patrick on a big screen, and I couldn’t resist.  Even though the first time I saw the trailer to this movie, and didn’t see Patrick in it, I shot myself in the head with a fingergun.  Inspirational anything movies make me want to crawl into a hole and never emerge, a lot of times.

But.  I’m not sure if it’s because I was in a happy place, or because it was actually sweet, or because there are times when I can become a total sap for a minute before reverting to my usual morbid self, I actually did think it was a nice movie.  “Nice” isn’t a very apt descriptor, but it’s an appropriate one, I think.

The audience in my theater did audibly go “awwww” multiple times.  Usually at Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), and I’ll admit that was well-founded.  Even if it’s a plot device that’s getting tired, I can’t deny that the adorable little girl’s presence is a guaranteed way to make people smile.  And this particular little girl was especially adorable.

Also pretty adorable was Lily (Elle Fanning).  In a different way, but damned if she’s not an endearing adolescent.  She’s got one of those infectious smiles, and she wasn’t acting too young or too old, so that’s nice.  Even if sometimes I was rolling my eyes (the “I love you” scene between her and Dylan [Colin Ford], for example, because really) she didn’t seem like a “Hollywood” adolescent.  She seemed like someone who’s actually that age.

And Matt Damon was fine.  Like usual, I don’t have anything particular to say about his performance.  He got done what he needed to.  The hallucinations of dead wife sequences were a little much, and the dancing in the kitchen one made me think about The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood for some reason, but it was okay in the end.  Thomas Haden Church was good, too.  He’s good at being That Other Guy There Talking To The Main Character.

Scarlett Johansson… is a serviceable actress who does what she needs to, and damn if she’s not cute.  And I really liked that they only kissed the once and acknowledged that it wasn’t going to be a relationship right away because of it.  That felt like a real people thing to do.

My Patrick… well, for one I’m convinced that his character, Robin, was totally dating that girl with the flapper haircut who also worked at the zoo, or at least they flirted.  I loved his one little silly interaction with Johansson’s Kelly; that it was just banter, plain and simple, nothing weird about it.  If the inspector (who was a d-bag, and I hated him) had been a woman, and had been eyeing him up, she would have bantered with him in the same way.  He was so capable and helpful and friendly and, like always with him, I felt like he knew more about everyone than they did about themselves.  (He’s really good at that.)

Basically.  It was cute, it was sentimental, it was based on a true story (and I heard someone behind me go “ooh, field trip!” in all seriousness, and I just shook my head, because cute sentimental movies draw in an audience that I don’t wanna watch movies with, I like when it’s late enough that we’re the only ones in the theatre, or close to, and we don’t have to listen to a ton of other reactions from people, but hey), and despite this I didn’t hate it.  It was pretty good.  Which is probably to do with Cameron Crowe, who is commendable always.  (Except for Vanilla Sky.  But let’s not get into my Vanilla Sky problems.)

–your fangirl heroine.

Fictional Friday :: have you ever imagined what a live-action, twentysomething Peanuts movie would be like?

Well, I apparently have.  And my friends and I, we’re the kind of people that make our cocktails and cupcakes and sit around amidst piles of Christmas tree ornaments that we really should be using to decorate and discuss things like this.  And, of course, I thought you all would be interested to see how it would play out here!

I will begin by saying that this would be a film about the Peanuts characters as twentysomethings.  We didn’t discuss what would have taken place in their lives between their cartoon childhoods and now; we did discuss that the guy from Wilfred would maybe play Snoopy, for obvious dog reasons, but nothing was really finalized.  And Woodstock was even vaguer.  The adults would still woh-woh-woh-woh, but they’d be played by adult actors: Allison Janney, Seth MacFarlane, people with a sense of humor.

Now, the main cast:

As Charlie Brown himself, we have (of one of my friends’ suggestions, not my own) Patrick Fugit.  Because we figured real life Charlie Brown wouldn’t just have three strands of hair.  Patrick can do self-deprecating and not flashy and still a reasonable focus of a story.

As Linus van Pelt, we have Jim Parsons, of Big Bang Theory fame.  This was a suggestion of one of my friends, also, and it’s a wonderful one.

As Lucy van Pelt, we have Kat Dennings.  ‘Cause Zooey Deschanel just isn’t snarky enough, but it had to be one of the two of them.

As Sally Brown, we have Vanessa Bayer, late of Saturday Night Live.  (You know.  She’s the featured cast member who gets to be hilarious and adorable, or straight-manning and adorable.)  She’s just got that cute little round face and giant smile, and she’s not too cool to be Sally.  ‘Cause really, Sally’s a teensy bit of a dork.  Originally I was thinking Kristen Bell, but then I realized I was thinking Veronica Mars era Kristen Bell, who was adorable, but is not present tense, so.

As Peppermint Patty, whose last name is apparently Reichardt, we have Clea DuVall.  Or, as described by my friend, “you know.  That one girl, she was in The Faculty and she was invisible on that one episode of Buffy, and –” “OH YEAH,” I immediately interrupted.  Weirdly enough, I’d actually had that thought not three days prior to this discussion: I wasn’t casting in my head, but I was watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving like the sap I am (this happened Thanksgiving weekend) and I thought “Clea DuVall would be an epic Peppermint Patty.”

As Marcie, who doesn’t have a canonical last name, we have Ellen Page, here seen in Whip It just to remind you of what she’d look like with glasses on her face.  (Precious.)

As Schroeder, who is also sans last name, we have Jonathan B. Wright.  We wanted a blond who actually possessed musical talent, and while I don’t know about Jonathan B. Wright’s specific piano skills?  He’s got a musical background.  So that counts for something.  Schroeder was the hardest to cast.

As Pig-Pen, who doesn’t even have a proper name name, we have Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Because Pig-Pen grew up nice.  And he’s probably some scruffy hipster now, being all wise in the corner.

As Franklin, we have Damon Wayans Jr., aka “that one guy who was in the pilot of New Girl, then vanished, and is Damon Wayans’ son.”  Yep.

As the little redheaded girl, we have Emma Stone.  See, and this is where my generation is confused.  Because Freida is the only redheaded girl who appears in A Charlie Brown Christmas, but apparently there was a different redheaded girl?  I’m just going with it and saying she’s Freida, because Freida was actually there.

You’re welcome.

–your fangirl heroine.

Sundry Sunday :: my first 5 not-real life man and girlcrushes

5. Charlie, the narrator of The Perks of Being a Wallflower
And I refuse to have feelings for movie-him, Logan Lerman him.  I never really had a clear picture of book Charlie, but I loved him.  Legitimate deep love.  I’m almost afraid to read the book again, just because I remember loving it and loving him so much.  It was perfect for that time of my life, and I want to keep it perfect in my heart.  But I have always loved the awkward ones, yes.

4. Shawn Ashmore

Here seen with Anna Paquin in X2, because, really… that’s the only context in which I ever had a thing for him.  Sweet little Bobby Drake, who is… not so much my type anymore, but back in the day, I thought he was really cute.  (Also, this is one reason why I disliked X-Men: The Last Stand.  I hated that they had to go and screw with Bobby/Rogue, which was totally my jam for a while there.  I hated that they had to go and screw with them as individuals and as a pair.  I don’t know a damn thing about comic Bobby, but movie Bobby… even if it was implausible, I loved him and Rogue at first.)

3. Anna Paquin

Man, I adored her.  First in X-Men, and I will disclaim that I also do not know anything about comic Rogue, so I thought movie Rogue was adorable (then, as mentioned, the third film came along, and I got cranky with everyone, but I will still defend the Rogue of the first two films forever)… then Almost Famous happened in my life.  D’awww.  Polexia is my girl.  Everything about her is precious.  Anna in general is darling.  And much as I appreciate the pretty blonde Anna of nowadays, I really do miss the adorable slightly awkward brunette Anna of back then.

2. Zooey Deschanel

Again, Almost Famous.  Again, I prefer her brunette, though she’s a cute blonde too (i.e. Elf, my first exposure to her).  She’s just such a dear, and I’ve always been charmed by her.  I just can’t imagine not thinking she was wonderful.

1. Patrick Fugit

Remember how I mentioned that my top three first crushes topped my eye color lists?  Well, yep.  Patrick Fugit (here seen as William in Almost Famous) will top every list he possibly can, ever.  He is still my type.  I’ve got a ridiculous crush on William as a character, I’ve got a ridiculous crush on Patrick in any context. He just makes me d’awww like very few people can, and I doubt that will ever change.

–your fangirl heroine.

Sundry Sunday :: and to round it out, 6 actors and actresses with gorgeous green (or hazel) eyes!

(I have enough to split it into multiple posts, but I feel like I should draw the fun out.)

6. Maggie Siff

Using this Mad Men photo ’cause it highlights her beautiful eyes so nicely.  In a way, green eyes are the most subtle: they’re not immediately piercing like blue, or smoldery and dark like brown, but they’re soft and subtle and so striking when you look closely and Maggie’s are a perfect example.

5. Emma Stone

Emma’s eyes are that green that’s so light that at first you think it might be blue, or blue-ish, but then you look closer and go… oh, they’re green, and gorgeous.  Yep.

4. Timothy Olyphant

I’d actually been thinking I’d include him on the brown eyes list for a while, but then I took a closer look: they’re really more hazel.  There’s some green in there for sure.  And being in possession of hazel eyes myself, I applaud this.  Also, I like having a reason to stare at his face like a creeper fangirl.

3. Emily Browning

Emily Browning’s eyes were practically their own character in Sucker Punch, hence my including a picture from the film instead of a real-life photo of her (there were plenty that were striking, but).  I swear I won’t turn this into an opportunity to once again defend the hell out of that film (which I could) but — damn, baby/Baby.  Those are some mind-numbingly pretty eyes.

2. Jewel Staite

(Excuse for that picture to be used?  What?  Of course not.)  Jewel’s eyes are sometimes of a decidedly darker green, almost hazel, but that’s the fun of green eyes.  Differing shades!  And they’re still beautiful.

1. Patrick Fugit

Oh, hello, my longest-term mancrush ever.  (I sort of love that my three longest-term crushes each represent a different eye color group and have topped all of these lists.)  Really, it isn’t fair for someone to have such lovely piercing warm beautiful tenotheradjectives eyes.

–your fangirl heroine

Fictional Friday :: 10 cross-canon crack friendships that should be.

I am the weirdo who thinks about things like this, yes.  This could very well be cross-posted to Whedon Wednesday, yes.  Literally half of these include Firefly folk, yes.  I am shameless, yes.

10. Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant, Deadwood) and Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion, Firefly/Serenity)
They’d be those awkward non-bro bro friends that sometimes get in arguments but have each other’s back.  They wouldn’t always match politics to a T, but Mal would appreciate having someone on the inside of the law occasionally, and Bullock would let Mal’s criminality slide ’cause it’s sometimes morally upstanding and whatnot, and that’s what matters more.  They’d get together for a drink and make faces about women and Bullock would tell Mal to be more respectful of Inara ’cause he’s a gentleman like that and hey, he knows some whores, she’s no whore, she’s a classy lady.  And they’d have epic tight pants/suspenders/sexy wound parties.  Basically.

9. Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens, Deadwood) and Nandi (Melinda Clarke, Firefly)
(Deadwood and Firefly go together well in my head, okay?)  Sort of like Joanie and Maddie, except for Nandi wouldn’t be a double-crossy “awesome, I’mma go ahead and set it up so there’s murdering going on here” bitch.  Nandi would totally be someone that Joanie could turn to, especially re: being weird about ~the life~.  Nandi would remind Joanie to respect herself, and Joanie so needs that.

8. Penny (Felicia Day, Dr. Horrible) and Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men)
No, seriously.  Peggy needs girlfriends that don’t wanna be her girlfriend.  Penny needs girlfriends.  They both need someone to bitch and moan at about the disparities in the world and/or workplace.  Penny would stop by for frozen yogurt lunches, Peggy would help Penny write her resume, they could give each other good advice impartially, because they’re both the sort of person that can be much more practical re: others, probably.  Penny: “So I met this guy…  [tl;dr]“  Peggy: “…you’re dating a man whose pseudonym refers… to his penis…?  Really?”  Penny: “I know, I know.”  They both have that certain girl next door je ne sais quoi about them.

7. William Miller (Patrick Fugit, Almost Famous) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel, Gilmore Girls)
The literary/music/awesome things conversations alone would be epic.  Rory would lend her mom whenever William just needed to gtfo and away from Elaine, William would lend his to help Rory do college applications and things.  And when Christopher came to visit, ever, he’d totally take William out with them.  “You ought to date my daughter, lol.”  Awkwardface, then William: “…we’re just best friends, that’s more than enough.  Dating would be… weird.”  William would send Rory some of the ashtrays and stuff he stole from hotels, Rory would be jealous, William would give Rory advice about living out of a suitcase and a bus.  Amazing, I think so.

6. Hoban “Wash” Washburne (Alan Tudyk, Firefly) and Topher Brink (Fran Kranz, Dollhouse)
They’d be those two kids who were just so weird and geniusy in school that nobody else knew what the hell to say to them, so even though they were different sorts of geniuses, they’d band together.  And then everyone else would be blinded by their sheer awesome and the Hawaiian shirts and argyle sweater-vests next to each other.  They’d never shut up, ever; they’d try to tell each other about flying and neuroscience and just get distracted by dinosaurs and sarcastic cat posters and ridiculous sentences that defied the rules of conventional grammar in favor of superior awkward geek grammar.  Then Zoe or Bennett (because in the land of this nonsense, she didn’t get a bullet in her brainpan k?) or Mal or Adelle or whoever would walk in the room and have no idea what they were talking about and chuckle and roll their eyes and stuff.

5, 4.  River Tam (Summer Glau, Firefly/Serenity) and Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch, Harry Potter) OR Drusilla (Juliet Landau, Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel)
CRAZY PARTY!!!  River and Luna would wander around sans shoes saying things that made no sense to anyone and yet made perfect sense in whatever weird way.  Luna would make River some ridiculous vegetable jewelry (probably not earrings, she doesn’t have her ears pierced I don’t think, or at least she doesn’t wear earrings, but maybe a necklace or a bracelet or something — OH MY GOSH YES, friendship bracelet of crazy).  River would just ~know~ about the magic thing, even though she’s technically a Muggle she sort of isn’t so she’d figure a lot of it out, and it would drive her crazy that there wasn’t a proper explanation for most of it.  They’d be all vague and floaty and yet straight-forward as hell with each other.
River and Dru?  Well.  Like I said, CRAZY PARTY.  Dru would totally dress River up like a giant life-size doll and say sympathetic vague things about how it’s not fun to be psychic.  River would sigh and roll her eyes and remind Dru consistently that she’s not bothered by blood whatsoever.  Simon, meanwhile, would be over in the corner being all adorably paranoid about River’s making friends with a psychotic vampire, and River would just shrug it off.   “She can take care of herself, gēgē~”  Besides, she’d add, Dru thinks she’s too adorable and brilliant to attack.

3. Bennett Halverson (Summer Glau, Dollhouse) and Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays, Glee)
Imagine the cardigans and neuroticism parties that would ensue.  They’d drink tea and, like, organize stuff, and they’d be talking about work in the world’s vaguest terms but it’s okay because they’re both just ~private~ that way and even despite that they’d vaguely hit on guy talk sometimes and it would be so amazingly awkward but so, so good for the both of them to have someone to talk to.  Bennett would give Emma the world’s most technical OCD advice, and repeatedly tell her she isn’t crazy in that amazing muttery way, at which point Emma would remind Bennett that she isn’t either, and then there would be more tea to drink.  They could totally trade cardigans, too, and it would be beautiful.

2. Irene Adler (well, in the most recent movie Rachel McAdams, but bookverse, too, Sherlock Holmes) and YoSaffBridge (Christina Hendricks, Firefly)
Literally I had this idea while writing my midterm in my British literature class this last week, and it took all of my willpower not to flip to the last page of my blue book and scribble IRENE & YOSAFFBRIDGE WOULD BE THE BEST BUDDIES EVER.  Or allude to the fact that Irene could so very much marry men for the fun of conning the crap out of them sometimes, who knows.  They’d be those best friends that always compete with each other over everything.  “Well I just stole some guy’s historical laser pistol and oh yeah he was my husband and stuff!”  “Well I just blackmailed a king and it was fantastical!”  Even though they’d also be giggling and swapping these stories in detail and trading Conning Men tips and stuff.

1. Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal, Donnie Darko) and Alice Kingsleigh (…going with Mia Wasikowska, Alice in Wonderland)
CRAZY PARTY, PART TWO!  Imagine the magic of two people with possibly imaginary bunny friends and possible quasi-schizophrenia rambling together about nonsense.  They could have fun angsty teenager moments of “AUGH SOCIETY IS SO LAME” and silly moments of “LOL BUNNY” and everything in between.  This may or may not have been the pair that inspired this list in the first place, just sayin’.

–your fangirl heroine.

Fictional Friday :: Top 11 fictional men I am smitten with

Canon-sorted, and yes.  I realize this officially makes me a superdork, but I have an easier time admitting attraction to fictional men, I’m pretty sure.  This is not me being desperate.  This is also not a call-out for men who think they’re like any of these things to pop out of the woodwork at me.  This is just me admitting what everyone thinks about, yet most people don’t necessarily blog about.  And that is because I am not ashamed.  Again, I couldn’t narrow it to just ten, but really, the grouping is at fault for that.

11. Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam, Sons of Anarchy)
And someone so isn’t my usual type.  I have no idea why, but then again maybe I do.  He’s a badass, he’s loyal, and he does pull-ups without his shirt on a LOT.  Charlie Hunnam also has an amazing real life accent, but that’s neither here nor there.  Jax is the kind of guy who you know has your back, the sort who would kill for the people he loves (and has) and while I don’t intend on being in life or death situations ever, it’s still sort of nice to know.

10. Mark Cohen (kind of always, but mostly by Adam Kantor in the closing cast of Rent)
Although I do love me some Anthony Rapp, Adam Kantor is… well, for shallow reasons, closer to my age.  I don’t know, I sort of just love Mark in theory, but I guess he’s the face I put to “my” Mark now.  I just want to hug Mark every time I see, or listen to, or think about Rent.  He’s a sweetheart, and he deserves love too, dammit.  And aw, glasses.  Chunky yet non-hipster glasses.  (I guess they could be hipster, but he doesn’t wear them that way.)

9/8/7. Hoban “Wash” Washburne, Malcolm Reynolds, Simon Tam (Alan Tudyk, Nathan Fillion, Sean Maher, Firefly)
Yeeeahhh.  I realize I just listed everyone that isn’t the shepherd or Jayne.  BUT I CANNOT HELP MYSELF, OKAY?  I know that obviously Mal is the most manly, virile, and take-charge of the bunch, and mm, I do like his tight pants and suspenders, because I am shameless that way.  I’m not particularly sexually attracted to Wash, but he’s funny and charming and he likes dinosaurs and that has to count for something.  And maybe, maybe it’s just my inner Kaylee talking?  But Simon, awkward though he can be, well, I still have a soft spot for him.  For those moments when he isn’t a boob, and those moments when he has his shirt off, and those moments when he’s saving lives, and if someone is that devoted to someone, it means that even though it make take forever and a day to be comfortable expressing it, they could be that devoted to you, too.  I don’t know, I can’t really make up my mind which of them wins out entirely.  I do have to share Mal with a couple of others, and Wash with my mom, though, so hey, I guess that means Simon by default?  Which I am completely all right with, really.

6/5. Moritz Stiefel, Melchior Gabor (John Gallagher Jr., Jonathan Groff, Spring Awakening)
Yeah yeah.  Fangirl it up.  But, well, that whole soft spot for the awkward ones, it continues to be true.  And AUGH MORITZ, my tragic heartbreak love.  I think it’s sweet the way his hair sticks up and his socks are always falling down uneven.  And, uhm.  Melchior?  Well, he is such a radical.  I would also like to think that being aware of, you know, what sex is would prevent the awkward sexyquasirapeytime.  I like a man who thinks for himself, though.

4. Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant, Deadwood)
SWEET LORD.  This man is the one who required me to create a secondary category of attraction: a category affectionately known as the Timothy Olyphant category, the tall-dark-handsome-but-not-boring ones.  (Cause tall-dark-handsome alone isn’t enough to do it for me.  Some fictional men rely strictly on that, and they’re exceptionally dull.)  And, shallowly: that man can wear a damn pair of suspenders and an 1800s striped suit.  But, well, he’s got many redeeming qualities personalitywise too.  He’s loyal, and he’s honorable, and noble, and, yeah, like many of the others he is a badass.

3. Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World)
Even if he is a wannabe ladies’ man jerky jerk sometimes, I can’t help myself.  I’m all kinds of okay with his awkward and cute.  Especially when it balances out with a sudden take-charge, I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna stop being such a slacker attitude.  Especially when he pulls flaming video game swords out of his chest.  Just… all kinds of I’m okay with that, flaws and all.

2. Topher Brink (Fran Kranz, Dollhouse)
I’m pretty sure he’s almost perfect for me.  I mean, were he real and all.  But, gee whiz.  He’s smart, he rambles sometimes, he’s a total geek and unashamed of this fact, he wears sweatervests sometimes, oh yeah he’s a genius and all yet he’s totally in touch with pop-culture wackiness, he makes up words.  Despite the occasional amorality bouts, he has a heart in there, and sweet lord when it gets to the Epitaph!verse and he’s all crazy and damaged and whatnot, again with the wanting to give hugs.

(Funny story, pertaining to actors of these fictional men: the film Bickford Schmeckler’s Cool Ideas stars Patrick Fugit, which is why I first watched it, but upon realizing that Fran Kranz was also in it, I rewatched it.  And there’s a bit where they’re sitting on a bed talking about life.  And honestly?  I’m pretty positive I’d like to be right there on that bed between them.  Not even doing anything.  Just being sweet and talking, even.)

1. William Miller (Patrick Fugit, Almost Famous)
If Topher is almost perfect for me, William Miller is perfect for me.  He represents one of the only things that was true about me in the eighth grade that still holds true, maybe even more so.  He is passionate but not super-freaky about it.  He’s a writer.  He loves people deeply when he loves them.  He’s socially awkward at times.  He is willing to do just about anything for people he does love.  He has amazing taste in music.  He cares about his family, even if awkwardly at times.  He dresses adorably, and he too is a baby in his class.  I UNDERSTAND THAT SO MUCH.  I understand everything so much.  I’ve always, always been in love with him.  Before I had these feelings about anyone else.  Before there was real life infatuation there was William Miller.  It’s just truth.

–your fangirl heroine.