Happy New Year!

2010 has been the best year yet. 2011 is going to be even better!

I love new beginnings, don't you?

Announcing: The Crooked Shoe Awards

If you have been perusing any of the millions of movie review websites and blogs out there, you have surely seen an end-of-the-year "Top Ten" list or two. Well, here at Crooked Shoes, I'm not just doing a list of my ten favorite movies of the year...oh no, I'm doing a whole awards show...well, awards posting...let's just call it an "awards shindig." I'm going all out for this because I really, really, really enjoy honoring the very best of cinema every year, while hopefully reminding you of a few forgotten gems in the process. The only problem is that, because I have no access to advanced screenings or screener copies (and because I live in Hole-in-the-Wall, Nowhere...which, by the way, isn't close to any of the however many thousands of theaters showing Black Swan right now), there is simply no way for me to compile a complete list of the year's best by the beginning of 2011, when I haven't been able to see so many of the awards favorites. So, I haven't exactly set a date for when I will be announcing the winners of the highly-coveted and oh-so-pretty (read: completely nonexistent) Crooked Shoe Awards, but rest assured, it should be sometime around Oscar night, if not a few weeks after. While you wait, I'm still going to be reviewing movies (A whole new year of movies is about to begin!), talking about dance (lots of goodies to come), and sharing my opinion right here at Crooked Shoes. Also, just so you know what to expect, I have included below a list of the eight categories my awards shindig will be covering (as well as descriptions of some). Check it out!

Night of the Demons (2010)

Directed By: Adam Gierasch

Starring: Monica Keena, Shannon Elizabeth, Diora Baird, Michael Copon, & Edward Furlong

MPAA Rating: R

My Rating: 4 / 10

It isn't must-see horror cinema, but 1988's Night of the Demons is a fun-as-hell fright flick that is perfect for a Halloween party or late-night movie marathon. And, unlike many movies, I didn't really mind seeing it remade. Why? Because a remake, if done right, could have been just as much fun as its predecessor. I mean, it isn't like the formula was terribly hard to update. Gratuitously naked women + prank-loving demons + creepy haunted house = a good night of horror. Right...right...right? The cast seemed flawless for such a film. Headlined by Monica Keena, Diora Baird, and Shannon Elizabeth (straight-to-DVD horror vixen Tiffany Shepis also appears in a limited role), it seemed almost impossible for the filmmakers to go wrong from there. Alas, they do and quite badly. The remake, unfortunately, substitutes good old-fashioned movie fun for a lot of uninspired gore gags that are all filmed so jerkily and edited so shoddily that even they don't have the effect the filmmakers desired. Throughout the movie, I felt only one emotion, and it was the one feeling that a remake of Night of the Demons should never, never, never elicit: complete boredom.

Easy A (2010)

Directed By: Will Gluck

Starring: Emma Stone, Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Dan Byrd, & Thomas Haden Church

MPAA Rating: PG-13

My Rating: 8 / 10

Every star has that one movie that marked his or her transition from star to star (cue jazz hands). For Superbad scene-stealer, Emma Stone, that movie is Easy A. It is the movie where she finally steps up from supporting player to leading lady, and she does it with undeniable charm and razor-sharp comedic timing. Of course, let's face it, even when she was a supporting character in such films as The House Bunny and the aforementioned Superbad, she was always the cinematic stand-out, showcasing so much potential that she seemed to be destined for a big breakout role. I'm pleased to say that Olive, Easy A's sharp and witty heroine, is the perfect character for Stone. Wise beyond her years and yet super sexy, Olive seems to have been written specifically with Stone in mind. I cannot put into words how refreshing it is to see a young actress who is so talented and yet so apparently grounded. Emma Stone doesn't need to court paparazzi or "sex up" her public persona in order to stay relevant; she does it by just being a really great actress and choosing good roles.

Merry Christmas, Guys and Dolls

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

Directed By: Lisa Cholodenko

Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, & Josh Hutcherson

MPAA Rating: R

My Rating: 9 / 10

Having a family is hard. It doesn't matter if you are a straight couple with no children, a single mother with one child, or a gay couple with two children, there will always be complications. Despite religious leaders and politicians insisting that the best environment for a child contains a married man and woman, that is an over-simplification of the bonds that form among anyone who exists together as a family. Talk to any married person or to anyone who has children, and they will all tell you, "It is hard." The Kids Are All Right is not really about the difficulties of families, however, despite spending a great deal of time dealing with them. Instead, it is more about all of the things that make these difficulties worth while. Painting a beautiful and painstakingly authentic portrait of a modern family from California, the film tells the story of Nic and Jules (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, respectively), partners who had two children, Joni and Laser (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson, respectively), thanks to an anonymous sperm donor. Each of the women gave birth to one of their children, making Joni and Laser half-siblings who share a biological father.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Directed By: Edgar Wright

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jason Schwartzman, & Kieran Culkin

MPAA Rating: PG-13

My Rating: 10 / 10

This is why you shouldn't prejudge a movie. When Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was in theaters, I was convinced that it wasn't my type of movie. Because of that, I flat-out refused to spend $10 to see it in theaters...a decision that disappoints me now. Why, you ask? Well, because Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is exactly the kind of movie I love: endlessly funny, surprisingly intelligent, and visually innovative. In a time when most movies set out to be point-and-shoot narratives with no style and no personality, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is two of the most original and unique hours of film you'll see this year. Director Edgar Wright has made some good, funny movies in the past (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, etc.), but this movie, a cinematic adaptation of a popular graphic novel series, is doubtlessly his masterpiece. It tells the story of the titular Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) who must defeat the seven evil ex-boyfriends of his new girlfriend, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), if he wants to date her.

This Should Warm You Up.