Today I’m continuing my annual ritual of recognizing the very best performances from the movie year that was (you can see my Supporting Actress picks HERE). Now it’s time to shine the spotlight on the Supporting Actors. Just like yesterday, this is another really good category full of great choices from a variety of different movies. Narrowing them down to five wasn’t easy. Here we go…

Honorable Mentions: James Badge Dale (“Violent Ends”), Ethan Hawke (“Black Phone 2”), Paul Mescal (“Hamnet”), William H. Macy (“Train Dreams”), Miles Caton (“Sinners”), Delroy Lindo (“Sinners”), Michael Cera (“The Phoenician Scheme”), Chiwetel Ejiofor (“The Life of Chuck”), Andrew Garfield (“After the Hunt”), Stephen Lang (“Avatar: Fire and Ash”), Ralph Fiennes (“28 Years Later”), Christoph Waltz (“Frankenstein”)

#5 – Josh Brolin (“Weapons”)

When discussing “Weapons”, most of the awards season chatter has concentrated on Amy Madigan, and rightly so. But we shouldn’t forget what Josh Brolin brings to this fascinating chiller. He wasn’t the first choice for his role. But when Pedro Pascal was forced to back out, it opened the door for Brolin who shrewdly delivers a character driven by grief, anger, and determination. He’s such a key part of the movie’s success.

#4 – Jacob Elordi (“Frankenstein”)

After seeing Jacob Elordi’s phenomenal erformance as The Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein”, it’s hard to imagine that he (like Brolin above) wasn’t the first pick for the role. Yet by the end, he had erased any doubt by proving to be the perfect choice. He not only impresses with his physical transformation, but he gives an emotionally layered performance that’s hauntingly tragic and grounded in humanity. It’s a tricky assignment, and Elordi nails it.

#3 – Adam Sandler (“Jay Kelly”)

At this point it has been well established that if given the right material, Adam Sandler can deliver truly great performances. He gets the right material in “Jay Kelly”, and to no surprise, he gives another great performance. Mixing dry humor with drama, Sandler forms the beating heart of Noah Baumbach’s latest, earning our admiration, our empathy, and even a few laughs along the way. This is Sandler at his best.

#2 – Sean Bean (“Anemone”)

Good actors and actresses have proven that you don’t need pages and pages of dialogue to speak volumes. Case in point – Sean Bean in the criminally underappreciated “Anemone”. Bean shares most of his scenes with Daniel Day-Lewis which is no easy task. But he more than holds his own in a role that often requires him to simply be silent. Yet Bean conveys so much through his pain-filled eyes and cast-iron stare. It’s masterful work.

#1 – Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value”)

Whether he’s starring in a franchise series set in the galaxy far, far away or in independent features telling intimate human stories, Stellan Skarsgård always seems perfectly in-tune with the character he’s playing. Never has that been more true than in Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value”. Trier creates a fascinating character who could have easily fallen into an archetype. But in Skarsgård’s capable hands, we fully realize his complexity and texture. It’s the best supporting performance of the year, and not much out there comes close to it.

That wraps up the supporting actor category. Do you agree or disagree with my picks? Let me know in the comments below. And check back tomorrow as we put the lead actresses in the spotlight.