10 Favorite Stories of 2010: Dixon's Picks

As 2010 shambles to its snowy end, many of us will take stock in our actions over the past year. What we achieved, what we failed to do and how we might take those lessons to build a brighter new year. Or, in my case, how I can hopefully write an article next year about Jake Gyllenhaal's penis being cast in a role traditionally held by an Asian penis, and how the resultant movie made me cry no less than 5 times. Here in no particular order are my favorite ten stories from 2010. Enjoy!

· Shia Says Sorry For Indiana Jones 4

While he wasn't the only one who fessed up to his film sucking, Shia LeBeouf's mea culpa was particularly refreshing to write about. Terminators or Titans who Clash come and go, but Indiana Jones is a particularly beloved movie franchise and to have Shia admit that they hadn't done right by it went a long way to repairing the relationship between filmmakers and audience. I particularly liked his dig at Spielberg, where he said essentially, "C'mon you're Steven Spielberg, your track record will allow you to admit you made a stinker!"

· How Terrible Movies Are Born

I read the words "McG is attached to direct a 300-style film about Christopher Columbus and his discovery of America," and something inside of me snapped. Or died. Or snapped and then died.

· Jake's Junk Examined

I came home to a snowy Ohio a few days ago. As I dropped my bags, my mom asked, "So how have you been doing?" I've been writing stories about what is and is not Jake Gyllenhaal's dick, mother. Now, let's hurry or we'll miss Midnight Mass.

· Glee Is the New Heroes

Glee had a pretty gruesome autumn -- the one-two punch of the Britney tribute episode and the Rocky Horror episode made me fear for the future of the show. It's gotten slightly back on track thanks to episodes like "Duets," but I still worry about its Heroes-ification, with its haphazard plot developments, its out-of-character behavior and stories lines that will dropped suddenly only to be picked up again without warning several episodes later. We'll see what the second half of the season holds in store.

· How Harry Potter Comes To Be

Getting a peek into J.K. Rowling's creative process was both delightful and illuminating. Not only does she plan out every last detail, regardless of whether it makes it to the page or not, but she does it on a scrap piece of paper! She's got more money than the Queen but still scratches it out on a notebook you can pick up at Tesco.

· Bedbugs! Bieber! Matt Damon!!

No matter what the year, no matter what the season, it will always, always be a pleasure to puncture the inane, supercilious writings of New York Times TV critic Alessandra Stanley. Bonus points: she gives birth to the absolute worst, most convoluted metaphor I've ever seen in a professional paper.

· To Infinity And ::sob!::

For my money, Toy Story 3 was the best movie of the year and compiling the best boo-hoo moments from it was a work of teary pleasure.

· The Last Airbender's Race War

M. Night Shyamalan's latest cinematic stinker had troubles even before it unspooled a single reel in the theaters -- his casting of white actors in roles that were assumed to be Asian stuck in the craw of a lot of folks. I wasn't sure where I stood, but there was certainly a spirited discussion to be had.

· Sympathy For the Vampire

I'm a bit of a bleeding heart, a soft touch for nearly every sob story I come across. And when I read an interview with Robert Pattinson explaining he was a bit bored with the Twilight Saga and looking forward to it ending, well, I felt for the poor, sparkly bastard.

· Jeff Zucker's Deal With Satan Concludes

I just don't like Jeff Zucker at all. Does anyone?