Unfortunately for the newly deceased cottontail and fortunately for the blossoming relationship between Chantal and her guitar-wielding crush, the Malachuck family's cat was a born killer.

The bridge my daughter and I are crossing ...

Developing a mathematical model for predicting murders in Philadelphia.

by Brian Howard

What You Say

She was Thoreau in a peasant dress.

by Bruce Schimmel

On Dec. 22, City Paper sat down with the mayor for a brief Q&A. Nutter was polite, of course, but inscrutable as ever.

When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.

In lieu of actual work, we decided instead to use this space for a trip down memory lane, a recap of those things from 2009 that we choose to remember, or would like to forget.

Good money after bad.

by David Faris

by Isaiah Thompson

by E. James Beale

On the opposite end of Two Street, Muse Gallery is hosting a show just as larger-than-life as anything you'll see in the Fancy Brigade.

Family | Mew Gallery | Netflix streaming services | Marc Rubin

Jan. 6-17, $25-$30, Act II Playhouse, 56 E. Butler Ave., Ambler, 215-654-0200, act2.org.

by Mark Cofta

Thu., Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m., $52.50-$67.50, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-7650, keswicktheatre.com.

by Shaun Brady

Some of the year's best movies were distinguished by their simplicity, their focus on quiet moments and almost invisible gestures.

Send repertory film listings to molly.eichel@citypaper.net.

The year's standout films recognized the downside of change, or at least the trepidation that accompanies a history still in the process of being written.

For the first time this year, U.S. domestic movie revenues topped $10 billion. Much of the U.S. output was loud and aimed at young male consumers. But some filmmakers were doing something else.

by J. Edward Keyes

In a restaurant scene increasingly dominated by paeans to the "authentic" or the highly specific, Tellez's multi-culti grab bag is refreshing, delicious and fun.

Welcoming the new year with a flute of bubbly should be fun, not stressful. Here's a plan for every situation.

Get Out!

by Erin Mae Szrankowski

Green Eggs Café | Zavino | Shank's Pier 40

No NYE plans? No problem.

by A.D. Amorosi

Not to be a crepe hanger, but I thought we'd get out of 2009 without any more lousy stuff happening.

Wed., Jan. 6, 13, 20 and 27, 6:30 p.m., $125, Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610-527-4008, brynmawrfilm.org.

by Julia West

Sat., Jan. 2, 10 p.m., $15-$20, Marathon Grill, 929 Walnut St., 267-278-4596.

by Josh Middleton

Sat., Jan. 2, 11 a.m., $1-$10, Walking Fish Theatre, 2509 Frankford Ave., 215-427-WALK, walkingfishtheatre.com.

by Josh Middleton

Thu., Dec. 31, noon, free, Laurel Hill Cemetery, 3822 Ridge Ave., 215-228-8200, thelaurelhillcemetery.org.

by Julia West