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The year in film offered moviegoers an array of characters to cheer for and cringe at. This year’s list of notable heroes and villains includes a sadistic mutant, a selfless boy scout, a devoted father and a distorted mother. And Charles Dickens’ iconic character Ebenezer Scrooge earns both accolades and ridicule.

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CalMatters is a Sacramento-based nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. It works with more than 130 media partners throughout the state that have long, deep relationships with their local audiences, including Embarcadero Media.