My daughter says, “Perhaps icons should die young. That way they can remain forever beautiful.”

Me, “You mean like Marilyn and Princess Diana?”

My daughter, “Yes.”

Me, “I don’t know that the icons would agree with you, but I know what you mean. When someone famous dies in the prime of life, he or she is forever frozen in time.”

Some people are luminous.  Whatever else Marilyn Monroe was, she was luminous.  She had that unique, ineffable, hard-to-describe appeal.  As did Diana, James Dean, Heath Ledger… So it’s a little ironic, and quite tragic, that the late Heath Ledger’s lover and the mother of his child plays Marilyn in this movie.  Michelle Williams is very good, and luminous in her own way, but she’s still Michelle Williams acting the part of Marilyn Monroe.  It’s the eyes, I think.  Marilyn’s eyes spoke volumes – an entire world in a single glance.

My daughter and I then discussed the quality of luminosity.  When a luminous person is on the screen, you can’t help it, your eyes are riveted on that person.  They are very few in number.

My daughter and I asked each other, “Who has it?”  Our number one pick?  Angelina Jolie.  Number two, Brad Pitt, especially in A River Runs Through It, Legends of the Fall, and Interview with the Vampire.  Scarlet Johansson can be luminous at times, other times not.  Milla Jovovich. Rachel Weisz.  Jennifer Lawrence for certain.

Speaking of Heath Ledger and his luminous quality… I can’t remember a more luminous, heartbreaking scene than Ennis Del Mar at the end of Brokeback Mountain… “Jack… I swear…”

It’s in the eyes, I think.  It’s the eyes that make me believe.

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You know, I’ve never been a huge fan.  Why not?  I don’t know.  I liked The Great Gatsby well enough.  Didn’t love it.  In reading Fitzgerald, it’s always seemed to me that the author, in truth, has only disdain for his characters.

He’s like a god, creating a world, populating it, writing the fates of its inhabitants, all the while remaining far above – not benign, not indifferent.  Rather, Fitzgerald laughs at his creation and his creatures.  Maybe it was the time in which he lived, the fashion of writers back then… I don’t know.  I only know I hear the author’s cynical laughter hiding in plain sight behind his words.

I just finished a book of the F’s short stories, one of which is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  I have no idea how I missed this book during my Jazz Age fascination as a teen, but I did.  I loved the movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.  Yes, I’m aware a lot of reviewers had issues with the film, but I couldn’t look away for 166 minutes.  That’s why I decided to read the story.

Here’s what I have to say – the movie is a million times better.  Thank you, screenwriters, for fleshing out this short, cynical, detached piece on our miserable failures as human beings.  Thanks for taking a meaningless story and imbuing it with meaning.  You gave it flesh and blood and a poignancy it lacked in the original telling.

Good job, writers!

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So Cindy Spencer Pape tagged me and now I have to figure out how to do this boyfriend blog!  Like Cindy, it’s tough because I am so stuck on my one and only, but…that doesn’t mean I can’t fantasize!

We all have our favorite book boyfriends and now you have the chance to create one just for yourself and your fantasies! How do you play? Fill out the quiz bellow, post a picture of sexy man and tag five (5) other book addicts to do the same. Don’t forget to pop to their blogs as let them know they have been tagged!
Once tagged… you have to do the same, grab the button, answer the questions, and keep it rolling! But don’t forget the picture of the sexy man! It doesn’t have to match your fantasy man, just a little eye candy for the rest of us… heheheee!

1.  Hair style and color:

I likes ‘em dark and handsome!  Gerard Butler is one who does it for me despite his short hair – love long hair on a guy too.  Anything I can thread my fingers through is okay with me!

2.  Eye color and facial features:

Oh…be still my heart!  Daniel Craig, a manly man!  ‘Nuff said!

3.  Height and body type:

Sean Connery.  Long, lean and athletic.  The perfect man.

4.  Visible age:

Gorgeous at any age!  Thank you Mr. Pitt.

5.  Bangability:  OMG!  My husband might have a fit!  Any of the above plus:

Clive Owen.  Yummo!

6.  Human or other:

Go Wesley Snipes!  Too hot to handle.  Blade….

7.  Paranormal skills:

Take me…take me now, Wolverine!

8.  Interests:

Love horses, love men on horses, love Tom Selleck.

9.  Habitat:

Sorry, Angelina.  Here we go again – Brad, in A River Runs Through It.  Montana, fly fishing, wilderness, love and loss.

10.  Special skills:

Must look good in a kilt!

And because I’m a sucker for him, I’ll add one more man just for the hell of it:

Oh Eric…

So, I’m tagging Fran Lee, Mia Watts, Stacy Espino, Katalina Leon, and C.J. Black.

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