Role Call: Reese Witherspoon

Mira Nair's glittering adaptation of the William Makepeace Thackeray novel sure looked pretty, but that's about all it had to offer. Even sweeping, panoramic views of Georgian-era English countryside couldn't save this film from falling from grace, or boost Reese Witherspoon's sadly personality-deflated heroine, Becky Sharp.—Youyoung Lee

From his signature opening line (''Hello, I'm Johnny Cash'') at concerts to his iconic black attire, Cash lived life with style. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter was constantly in the public eye, whether it was for his drug use or his advocacy of prison reform. James Mangold's take on the Cash legend delves deep into the ups and downs of his rise to fame, and Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon's harmonious covers of Cash's tunes are worth the price of admission alone. — Saba Mohtasham