This is one of my last columns of the year before I take some time off for the Holidays with friends and family in San Francisco.
As I've done the previous two years in my role as news & politics editor at CL, I've taken this opportunity to get away from hard news for one post and be self-indulgent, posting my favorite books, music and movies of 2011.
When it comes to movies, let's be honest: Unless you're a professional critic, nobody has seen all of the movies for this year, and traditionally in the U.S. some of the most prestigious releases are saved for Christmas if not into January, so it's somewhat premature to publish such a slate at this time.
But 'tis the season for such lists, not in January! So, here are my 10 favorite films of the year, with the director listed next to the film:
This article appears in Dec 15-21, 2011.