That's right, fellas. Our "Manliest" feature is back. For the last two years it has been the most popular article of the year. This year we're ranking the "Top 20 Manliest Movie Characters" of all time. The New Man editorial staff got together and came up with the toughest, coolest and most beastly characters in film history. We're splitting the feature into two parts this week. Working from the bottom up, we're hitting  nos. 20-11 today, and on Thursday we'll get to the top 10. We hope you guys have fun checking out the list.

20. Charles Morse: The Edge
Anthony Hopkins' role as Charles Morse, a billionaire stranded in the wilderness with a guy he suspects is sleeping with his wife, is one of the most memorable of his legendary career. The reason Morse makes our list is partly because of the myriad ways he manages to stay alive in the wilderness—but mostly because he fought with a bear. Also, he makes Alec Baldwin look like an idiot, which is always fun.

We Wish We Had: Morse's survival skills—this guy makes Bear Grylls look like a whiny Scottish teenager.

Best Quote: Charles Morse [After successfully fighting a bear]: "For all my life, I've wanted to do something that was, um, that was unequivocal."
Robert Green: "Well, Charlie, I certainly think this qualifies."

Spiritual Take-Away: Men learn the most about themselves and what they're capable of when they're pushed to the edge.

19. Ripley: The Alien series
Lest we be suspected of sexism, we decided to include a woman on our list of manliest movie characters. What woman could compete with Sigourney Weaver's Ripley? There have been a lot of horror/survival movies over the years, but none of the characters in them can match Ripley's cool bravado in the face of (and we mean that literally!) some of the scariest creatures ever to hit the big screen. Plus, she's handy with a flame thrower. This woman deserves her place on this list.

We Wish We Had: That exoskeleton thing she uses to fight the alien.

Best Quote: Ripley: "I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
Burke: "Whoa, whoa—wait a minute. This place has a substantial dollar value attached to it."
Ripley: "They can bill me."
(from Aliens)

Spiritual Take-Away: You'd better know where you're going to spend eternity because you could get there sooner than you think.

18. Lt. Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Gettysburg
Although a number of stars populated the 1993 Gettysburg film and portrayed iconic Civil War generals, it was Jeff Daniels as Union Lt. Col. Chamberlain who absolutely stole the show. The idealism and integrity Chamberlain displays in the first half of the movie are outmatched only by his steely courage at the battle of Little Round Top. When needed, he inspires troops with poignant speeches or orders terrifying bayonet charges. The fact that the film character pretty accurately portrays the real man is a testament to how great Chamberlain was.

We Wish We Had: The ability to make inspiring speeches at the drop of a hat.

Best Quote: Chamberlain: "Bayonets!"

Spiritual Take-Away: Sometimes we have to fight for what we believe in.

17. Jack Ryan: Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger
Author Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan has been portrayed by several actors, but we feel Harrison Ford's take on the CIA analyst is the only one worth highlighting (don't even mention Ben Affleck). Ryan is a highly intelligent, well-educated paper pusher who hides an incredible toughness and spirit beneath his analyst exterior. He'll jump into the middle of a terrorist ambush to fight back and save lives or tell off the American president simply because it's the right thing to do. And nobody can capture Ryan's latent flintiness like Ford, who will appear again on this list for some other manly characters.

We Wish We Had: The lop-sided grin—what other CIA analyst has a smile that can melt women?

Best Quote: The President: "How dare you come in here and lecture me!"
Ryan: "How dare you, sir!"
(from Clear and Present Danger)

Spiritual Take-Away: Sometimes the right thing is the hardest thing to do.

16. Frank Dux: Bloodsport
In a career filled with manly roles, none is more beastly than Jean-Claude van Damme's turn as Frank Dux, the martial artist who competes in the secret and deadly Kumite tournament. Faced with the prospect of taking on a variety of the world's best fighters, van Damme proves his mettle yet again. He takes on the unbeatable Chong Li despite being blinded by cocaine thrown in his eyes by the dirty Thai fighter. If you know another movie character who can perform a devastating, picture-perfect jump kick to the head while blind, we'll put him on this list.

We Wish We Had: The legs. The man has tree trunks for legs.

Best Quote: Dux: "Go for the gut. He's soft there."

Spiritual Take-Away: It's OK to abandon the army for an illegal, underground martial arts tournament. Wait … never mind.

15. Rocky Balboa: The Rocky series
Who could ever forget the lovable loser with the heart—and thick head—of a champion? Sylvester Stallone is another actor who could make this list multiple times, but its Rocky Balboa we keep coming back to as easily his best, most complicated and manliest character. Over the course of his marathon of movies, Rocky gets the girl, beats the unbeatable champ, suffers defeat and loses his mentor, befriends his old nemesis, and, finally, wins over the entire Soviet Union. He is the quintessential American hero, and he faces the gamut of a man's emotions during his journey. You can't get enough Rocky in your life (unless you're talking about Rocky V, which, as far as we're concerned, doesn't exist).

We Wish We Had: The theme song! No manly man has ever had a better theme song.

Best Quote: Drago: "He's not human. He's like a piece of iron."
(from Rocky IV)

Spiritual Take-Away: Unbridled tenacity can overcome a lot of obstacles.

14. Rick Blaine: Casablanca
One of the greatest movies ever made also features one of the manliest actors ever, Humphrey Bogart, in his greatest role. Bogey had one of the greatest stares in Hollywood history, and as Rick Blaine he plays a tough, calculating man who hides a heart of gold deep underneath. When his former love shows up again, Rick's life turns upside down. He's faced with the toughest choice of all: keeping the girl for himself or letting her go to a better, safer life.

We Wish We Had: Ingrid Bergman

Best Quote: Rick: "Here's looking at you, kid."

Spiritual Take-Away: No matter how far down someone seems to get, it's never too late for salvation.

13. Maj. Scott McCoy: The Delta Force
Well, you knew that Chuck Norris had to end up on this list, and what better Chuck role is there than Delta Force? It's prime Chuck. In this 1986 film, he plays Maj. Scott McCoy, the leader of a handful of military specialists who take out a plane full of terrorists. The action is over-the-top and intense, and all of Chuck's swagger is on display in all of his bearded glory. As chucknorrisfacts.com states: "Remember the Soviet Union? They decided to quit after watching the Delta Force marathon on satellite TV."

We Wish We Had: The beard, except nobody could pull it off as well.

Best Quote: McCoy: "Sleep tight, sucker."

Spiritual Take-Away: There's only one man who can take out planes full of terrorists and write columns for New Man.

12. Bruce Lee: Enter the Dragon
Here's another martial artist who had to make the list. Bruce Lee tops Chuck only because the one time they met on screen, Lee managed to take down the bearded beast. How many other men have defeated Chuck Norris in a fight? Not only that, but Lee's complete mental and physical control give you the impression that in a fight he's never in over his head, even when being attacked by a guy with a claw.

We Wish We Had: The amazing karate grunts, squeals and assorted sounds.

Best Quote: Lee: "Boards don't hit back."

Spiritual Take-Away: Don't mess with a guy whose movie character is named after him.

11. Creasy: Man on Fire
Yet another actor you knew had to make the list, Denzel is "the man" in pretty much every movie he's in. He's had a lot of awesome manly roles to choose from, but we went with the man we know only as Creasy—the washed-up ex-assassin who is charged with protecting Dakota Fanning. After Creasy, a bitter alcoholic, comes out of his shell and makes a connection with the girl, she is kidnapped, and he goes on a crazy revenge mission to get her back. Feeling bad for kidnappers is rare, but the things Denzel does in the second half of this movie (especially his creative placement of bombs) make you consider it.

We Wish We Had: The Denzel stare. Nobody is more intense.

Best Quote: Creasy: "Forgiveness is between them and God. It's my job to arrange the meeting."

Spiritual Take-Away: Don't kidnap people.

Part 2—which lays out our top 10—is coming on Thursday, so stay tuned! As always, feel free to e-mail your thoughts to us at newman@strang.com or chriglazier@yahoo.com.