Most of the Really Bright Stars in Our Sky Are

Most of the really bright stars in our sky are NOT among the stars that are very close to us. Why then do they look so bright to us?

A) we see them in crowded regions of stars, which give us the impression that the stars there are brighter than they really are
B) all the brightest stars are red, and red color is much easier to see against the black night sky
C) these stars vary in brightness (flashing brighter and dimmer) and are thus easier to notice
D) these stars are intrinsically so luminous, that they can easily be seen even across great distances
E) actually, this is just an optical illusion; all stars are really the same brightness