The Saturday Seven: Sexiest Men Alive

There is something about seeing a handsome, well put-together guy that can just make your day. Throw in an air of confidence, a dash of charisma, a warm smile and nice manners and it's a perfect package. Gents with all those traits are not as common as one would imagine. These guys do seem to exist on the silver screen. Since the Golden Age of Hollywood, there is a long history of actors that consumed the attention of the paparazzi and mainstream media alike. At the risk of looking like a teeny-bopper blog, this brings me to another tantalizing, titillating and exciting edition of: The Saturday Seven: Sexiest Men Alive
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#1 Brad Pitt

Readers of this blog may already know that I find Brad Pitt to be the cat's meow...first rate...primo, well you get the picture. I've always thought Brad was terrific, but when I ran into him at the Palm Springs Film Festival last year I was impressed by his "presence". If you have never met Brad Pitt, I should tell you he has major star quality and wow is he hot. I surprised myself at how "taken" I was by him. At age 43 he looks better than ever. His new "Oceans Thirteen" film is on my list to see for sure. Incidentally, he's much better off with Angelina Jolie than Jennifer Aniston in my opinion.

#2 Matt Damon

I've aways thought Matt Damon was a great looking guy. Early films like "Mystic Pizza", "Chasing Amy", and "School Ties" established himself as an up-and comer. Later favorites included "The Talented Mr Ripley", "Oceans Eleven", "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy". I just saw "The Good Shepherd" and really enjoyed his performance as Edward Wilson, heading up the early CIA organization in the WWII time frame. At 36, Matt still has a clean, fresh face and seems like the kind of guy you'd like to meet for lunch. I'm hoping he gets out to Palm Springs again soon. He was last in town with other Hollywood buds this past November but at a private house he rented.

#3 George Clooney

He may be somewhat of a wacko-liberal, but I must admit, I enjoy his acting, and he is a good looking guy. His early days on television's "ER" caught the attention of the American public. He successfully transitioned to the big screen and had a string of films that established him as a Hollywood mover-and-shaker. Personally, I liked "The Perfect Storm" and of course the "Oceans" series. George Clooney looks great in jeans or a tuxedo and has a definite air of confidence. At the age of 46, he looks much better than say, Harrison Ford who has aged badly. Harrison is cool, but geez, he looks rough. George still has the suave well-tanned sophisticated look without looking like George Hamilton!
#4 Daniel Craig

Despite the fact that I like to keep this a family blog (safe for all readers) and not show any skin, this is hands-down my favorite photo of Daniel Craig, as James Bond in the 007 film "Casino Royale". Although largely an unknown in the USA, when he was initially chosen as the new Bond there was an outcry. Once people saw him on screen, he knocked it out of the park. Daniel Craig is definitely not handsome in a traditional way-he has a "rough-and-tumble" way about him. All I can say is that I think he is an excellent 007 and he is the first Bond to wear a pair of Speedos.

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#5 Jude Law

I always thought Jude Law to be nothing more than another skinny British actor. But when I saw the film "The Holiday" (with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslett and Jack Black), I thought he was great. He was mysterious at first, and in the end turned out to be a sensitive, loving father. A few years earlier, I remember him catching my eye in "The Talented Mr Ripley, but he was overshadowed of course by my #2 entry, Matt Damon in that film. Jude has a certain "je ne sais quoi" about him, but he has a magnetism and a killer set of piercing eyes. I think he is under-appreciated in Hollywood.

#6 Jesse Metcalfe

At 29, Jesse Metcalfe has barely had enough time to establish a career. After a few stints on TV shows like "Smallville" and "Passions" he went on to film "John Tucker Must Die", which attracted modest attention. However, his role on TV's "Desperate Housewives" as the hunky John Rowland catapulted him to the spotlight among young girls and frustrated women alike. You have to admit, he is a great looking guy. I've not met Jesse yet, but he runs with a Hollywood crowd that comes to the desert to relax in the hot mineral spring spa resorts. Perhaps the Desperate Housewives show will have a cast wrap party in Palm Springs next season and I can meet him then!
#7 Jake Gyllenhaal

The Godson of actress Jaime Lee Curtis, Jake Gyllenhaal has been acting longer than most people recall. Incidentally, I ran into Jake (and Jaime Lee) at the Hollywood premiere of "Brokeback Mountain" in LA. In fact I sat in front of Jake in the theatre. Roles in "October Sky" and "The Day After Tomorrow" earned him recognition and praise as a newcomer. Certainly his role in Brokeback was courageous. A straight actor playing the role of a straight guy who has a fling with another guy is a very risky endeavor. I was impressed with his ability to handle a difficult role in a controversial film. Jake isn't the best looking guy out there, but he earns points for his casual style and shy demeanor.
Bonus: Will Smith

I have always liked Will Smith. First of all, he is my age, just a few days younger in fact. He is a hard worker and has a great attitude. Fatherhood is important to him, and he seems to be relatively stable in his marriage to Jada Pinkett. I've always like his music (even though I am generally not a rap fan). After his run on TV's "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air", he quickly racked up a series of really excellent fims, such as: "Men In Black", "Enemy of the State", "Legend of Bagger Vance", "Ali", and "Pursuit of Happyness", among others. A friend of mine has had dinner with Will and confirmed that he is truly a really nice, genuine guy. So Will makes it to my traditional bonus entry for this Saturday Seven post.

-Rick Rockhill