If you weren’t locked away in a cabin all summer, chances are you’ve heard a thing or two about the hottest hotties of the latest summer blockbusters. What you might not know, however, is how these leading men are perfect for you. Are you a fan of men with accents? Men with soft sides? Men in spandex of any size, shape, or form? Chances are one of these movies holds the right sex-on-a-stick actor for you, if only as your on-screen crush. We believe that as back-to-school approaches, it’s best to take stock of the leading men who made our hearts skip a beat this summer so that the nonbelievers among us can finally buy those ticket stubs. We can learn a thing or two about the dream men we want in our lives from the movies (and we think we need to learn those lessons before we hit the campuses this fall, lest we lower our standards for drooling frat boys yet again). In the spirit of film appreciation, let’s revisit our favorite man candy movie moments of the summer, shall we?
IF YOU LIKE... the secretly sensitive type, you’ll love Mark Wahlberg in Ted
We’ve loved Marky Mark since the day he donned those Calvin Klein tighty whities. Okay, so we were too young to actually remember that, but the pictures don’t lie: the boy looked good. We ask ourselves this question: is it possible that a sensitive, perfectly-in-touch-with-his-emotions man could be hiding beneath those tough muscles and that even tougher Boston accent? Ted answers that question for us. Wahlberg’s performance won over James Madison University junior Olivia Lobdell, who says, “The Boston accent is to die for and he has a relatable sexiness. [He] seems like a funny, hot, average kind of guy, and it didn’t hurt that his best friend was a teddy bear.”
Wahlberg and his huggable BFF, Ted, remind us how much we love a man with a soft side, provided that soft side isn’t so soft that he goes running for thunder with every clap of lightning (the one weak moment of the trailer, we have to admit). Still, Wahlberg’s character is down to earth enough to remind us of our own boy toys and guy friends from school. “I remember sitting in the movies with my friends and realizing that I know a handful of guys who are just like Mark Wahlberg’s character, sans teddy bear,” says Kelsey Mulvey, Boston University ’14. The takeaway message? There might be more to that hunk of muscle sitting next to you in Philosophy 101 or stuffing his face at the jock table across the dining hall – you’ll never know until you give him a chance!
IF YOU LIKE... the protective/problem-solving type, you’ll love Christian Bale and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in The Dark Knight Rises
It’s a simple equation: what do you get when you put a superhero together with a lovely lady? The answer: a whole lot of mama-bear-style protection going on (except in this case, it’s more like a poppa-bear). As Batman, Christian Bale is the ultimate protector and problem-solver, fighting fiercely to save his city and, of course, his lovers. Because of his obvious superhero superiority (there’s something to be said for a guy who is capable of not only sweeping you into his arms, but also proceeding to fly away with you into the sunset on his bat wings), we had expected collegiettes to wax poetic about Christian Bale (whose pecs and scruff are undeniably – if ruggedly – irresistible, and who looked pretty darn good on that Batpod, if you ask us), but Joseph Gordon-Levitt stole the show. We don’t mind; JGL won us over in ’99 with his sweetly naïve Cameron in 10 Things I Hate About You, and his acting has since evolved to tap into a much darker side (bad-boy lovers, rejoice! He’s on his way!).
For those of us who aren’t Marvel fanatics, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is enticement enough to see the film. Kelsey explains, “Anyone I know can tell you that I have the biggest celebrity crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt... How could you not love him after (500) Days of Summer? So just seeing him in the previews was enough of an incentive to see the film!” Kelsey’s right, but don’t expect to see a meek, dumped, and depressed JGL here! As Annie Pei, a junior at the University of Chicago, puts it, “[I]f you watch every role he’s had since (500) Days of Summer, you’ll notice that he acts with this very optimistic quality, but mixed with the realization that the reality he, or in this case his characters, faces isn’t ideal. Because of that, he comes across as an extremely down to earth guy who will, ultimately, get the job done and solve the problem... he’s intelligent, he’s suave, he’s cool, he’s practical, and because of all this, I love him.” Hear, hear! And without spoiling the movie, we’ll just say that there’s a certain school bus scene that will have your heart melting over this protector’s nurturing instincts...
