Over the last few days I’ve been looking back at the best acting performances from the crazy past year. The supporting categories are done and now we move to Lead. We begin by looking at the women who gave an impressive variety of performances to consider. As before, narrowing them down to five was no easy task, but those are the rules. So without further delay here are my top choices for Lead Actress.

Honorable mentions: Elizabeth Moss (“The Invisible Man”), Tamara Lawrance (“Kindred”), Sarah Megan Thomas (“A Call to Spy”), Clare Dunne (“Herself”), Rosamund Pike (“Radioactive”), Julia Garner (“The Assistant”), Bethany Anne Lind (“Blood on Her Name”), Catherine Deneuve (“The Truth”)

#5 – Diane Lane – “Let Him Go”

Not only are too few people talking about “Let Him Go”, but too few people are talking about Diane Lane’s terrific lead performance. She plays a mother who has buried her grief following the loss of her son some years earlier. Lane brings a disarming sincerity to her character but also a quiet intensity that really shows itself when things heat up in the final act. I’m a big fan of “Let Him Go” and Lane is a big reason why.

#4 – Jessie Buckley “I’m Thinking of Ending Things”

I’m guessing it’s a challenge for anyone who stars in a Charlie Kauffman film. This role is particularly tricky and Jessie Buckley is certainly up for the task. It’s not like we needed further proof that she was a great actress. But watching her navigate Kaufman’s dense dialogue and unconventional storytelling was pretty mind-blowing. It’s hard to say too much without spoiling things, but suffice it to say Buckley’s beguiling performance is crucial in sucking the audience into Kaufman’s offbeat vision.

#3 – Vanessa Kirby – “Pieces of A Woman”

Here is another movie about grief and another absolutely crushing lead performance. This may be the biggest eye-opener of 2020. Vanessa Kirby loses herself in the role of a woman shattered following a devastating loss. She must find a way to pick up the pieces while finding her true self in the process. It’s heavy stuff, but Kirby handles it with sensitivity and brings an authentic emotional weight to every scene. It’s a stunning performance.

#2 – Carey Mulligan – “Promising Young Woman”

Carey Mulligan is one of the most consistent actresses working today. She never gives a bad performance. But her performances show more than just acting chops. They show she possesses an incredible range. Never was that more true than with “Promising Young Woman”, a film that sees Mulligan stretching herself in several different directions and absolutely killing it. It’s a potent, playful, and powerful character who Mulligan perfectly embodies.

#1 – Frances McDormand – “Nomadland”

It’s no surprise when Frances McDormand gives a great performance. It is a surprise when you see what may be the best work of an already standout career. In “Nomadland” McDormand gives the most natural and grounded performances I saw in 2020. She’s so in-tune with the film’s unique real-world rhythm and captures the very essence of the heartfelt story writer-director Chloé Zhao is telling. I was blown away by McDormand and a third Academy Award would be well deserved.

One more category to go. Tomorrow we wrap it up with the Lead Actors. As always, please leave you thoughts in the comments section below.

Technically this isn’t the “first glance” of the upcoming historical social drama “Judas and the Black Messiah”. Warner Brothers dropped an eye-catching teaser back in August. But today we got a meatier look at this much talked about film based on the life of Fred Hampton, chairman of the Black Panther Party in the late 1960’s. The movie is very much a 2021 release but it’s being positioned for a big Oscar run due to the weird COVID-affected changes in awards season deadlines. Whatever you call it, it’s sure to get a lot of attention once it premieres.

The film is directed, co-produced, and co-written by Shaka King and features a sparkling cast. While not always the most effective at bringing emotion to his characters, Daniel Kaluuya’s quiet intensity looks to be a good fit for Fred Hampton. Lakeith Stanfield, an actor full of charisma and with a pretty dynamic range, plays William O’Neal, a petty criminal turned FBI informant who betrays Hampton to a rabid US government. Together they make for a magnetic duo. The film looks intense, immersive, and insightful.

“Judas and the Black Messiah” premieres February 1st at Sundance before opening February 12th in theaters and on HBO Max. Check out the new trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Yesterday I began my reflection on the best acting performances from the turbulent 2020. I began with the Supporting Actress category and if you missed it you can read it HERE. Today it’s the men’s turn and just like the women they were several truly stand-out performances. Narrowing them down to five was no easy task, but those are the rules. So here we go with my top choices for Supporting Actor.

Honorable mentions: Leslie Odom, Jr. (“One Night in Miami…”), Ethan Hawke (“The Truth”), Orion Lee (“First Cow”), Alan S. Kim (“Minari”), David Strathairn (“Nomadland”), Robert Pattinson (“Tenet”), Johnny Depp (“Waiting on the Barbarians”)

#5 – Bo Burnham – “Promising Young Woman”

“Promising Young Woman” was a movie full of surprises. One of them was Bo Burnham who played an old college friend and potential love interest to Carey Mulligan’s Cassie. It’s a tricky role and Burnham brings humor and personality to a character who could have been utterly forgettable. Instead he plays a significant part in building up the film’s big final act punch.

#4 – Aldis Hodge – “One Night in Miami…”

He may not be the one mentioned most out of this film’s stellar ensemble, but Aldis Hodge maintains a commanding presence even though he’s the quietest of the film’s four stars. Hodge’s Jim Brown speaks volumes through subtle gestures and cutting expressions. And when he does speak, Hodge brings a quiet intensity that you can’t turn away from. I loved his performance and I wish more people were talking about it.

#3 – Frank Langella – “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

Several performances from Aaron Sorkin’s story of the Chicago 7 are being talked about this awards season. But few are mentioning screen veteran Frank Langella who is so devilishly good playing corrupt Judge Julius Hoffman. The 83-year-old Langella is so believably cold and devious and he makes the film’s court scenes sizzle with tension. It’s an incredibly convincing performance that will likely make your blood boil.

#2 – Kingsley Ben-Adir – “One Night in Miami…”

Yes, here’s another performance from Regina King’s terrific “One Night in Miami…”. Kingsley Ben-Adir is stunningly good playing a conflicted Malcolm X at a pivotal crossroads in his life. Ben-Adir brings a compelling balance to Malcolm X, tackling his self-righteousness but also his clear-eyed conviction. Sure, this could be considered a lead performance. But with such a brilliant ensemble it’s hard to single out one as a “lead”. Whatever you call it, Ben-Adir drives the film with his unforgettable portrayal.

#1 – Bill Murray – “On the Rocks”

I’m always up for a Bill Murray performance. In “On the Rocks” Sofia Coppola gives him a character who is perfect for Murray’s infectious charms. Think about it, he plays a breezy and shamelessly wealthy charmer; a bonafide playboy with gender sensibilities better left in the 1970’s. Yet Murray makes this character seem so earnest, authentic and utterly irresistible. Of course he’s really funny too. I loved this performance so much.

That’s it for Supporting Actors. See you tomorrow as we move to the lead performances. And be sure to share your thoughts on my picks so far.

One thing’s for sure, as much as we would like to, none of us will ever forget 2020. But today isn’t about focusing on the bad. This is the time when I celebrate the very best from the movie year that was. Despite its many setbacks, 2020 gave movie fans plenty to enjoy. Over the next few days I’ll be focusing on the actors and actresses, highlighting the best work from each of the four major acting categories. Like any normal year there have been so many memorable performances worth considering. But for me these are the best. So let’s get to it starting with the Supporting Actress category.

Honorable mentions: Stana Katic (“A Call to Spy”), Yuh-jung Youn (“Minari”), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (“The White Tiger”), Helena Zengel (“News of the World”), Ellen Burstyn (“Pieces of a Woman”)

#5 – Margo Martindale – “Blow the Man Down”

Here’s a performance that has stuck with me since first seeing “Blow the Man Down” earlier this year. Margo Martindale instantly captures your attention as a brothel owner in a small seaside fishing village. The shady character is interesting on her own but Martindale brings loads of charisma, some dark humor, and a quiet menace. This is a movie full of rich performances but Martindale’s is the most unforgettable.

#4 – Glenn Close – “Hillbilly Elegy”

While I still feel “Hillbilly Elegy” has its share of issues, I absolutely loved everything about Glenn Close’s performance. She plays the abrasive matriarch of a rural low-income brood; a thorny and world-weary character who’s far from squeaky clean but does her best to keep her troubled family together. This is one of those incredible two-pronged performances that features both stellar acting and a stunning physical transformation. I loved it.

#3 – Amanda Seyfried – “Mank”

In “Mank” Amanda Seyfried plays Marion Davies and brings warmth and humanity to a figure mostly known for being the mistress of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. It’s not a big role but Seyfried lights up the screen, bringing an energy and confidence that shatters the popular Hollywood blonde stereotype. Seyfried shows off her welcomed smarts and adds a complexity to Davies that makes her much more than some big shot’s side project.

#2 – Yeri Han – “Minari”

While there are a couple of supporting performances from “Minari” that will probably get more Awards season chatter, I keep coming back to Yeri Han and her delicate, soulful portrayal of a struggling wife and mother. Han gives us someone who earnestly wants to support the ones she loves but finds herself captive to her husband’s audacious dreams. It’s such a gentle yet potent role and Han handles it with exactly the right tone and temperature.

#1 – Juliette Binoche – “The Truth”

This may be a bit of a cheat because it’s a pretty meaty role, but I’m still picking the Juliette Binoche’s work in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “The Truth”. Needless to say I love this performance which sees Binoche playing the daughter reckoning with who her mother really is. It’s a perfectly tempered performance; one that shrewdly conceals her character’s sentiments before eventually letting them surface. Not through one big attention-getting scene, but carefully over the course of the film. And Binoche, known for being natural and authentic, is the perfect woman for the role.

So this wraps up the supporting actress category. See anything you agree or disagree with? I would love to hear it in the comment section below.

Last week I shared my Top 20 films of 2020 (you can check out that list HERE). In keeping with tradition, this week I’m looking the other way. More specifically, today I’m sharing my picks for the 5 worst movies I had the displeasure of seeing. I almost skipped it this year considering we had enough bad news out of 2020 as it is. But who takes these things seriously anyway? So here we go. Enjoy….I guess.

Before I get into 2020’s five biggest stinkers, here are a few of the year’s bigger disappointments:

“Palm Springs” – After hearing so many positive things I eventually convinced myself to watch “Palm Springs”. What I got was a fairly cool idea draped in the same old Andy Samberg routine. No thanks. [REVIEW]

“The Personal History of David Copperfield” – Dev Patel starring in this Charles Dickens classic? How could it go wrong? Well, this good-looking but incessantly chatty adaptation rushes through the story often glossing over details and characters. It left me exhausted. [REVIEW]

“Wonder Woman 1984” – While I still gave this a positive review (barely), I can’t overstate how let down I was by this sequel. It was such an erratic mess and fell short of its predecessor narratively, visually, tonally and so on. Sigh. [REVIEW]

Now on to the worst movies I saw in 2020:

#5 – “Love Wedding Repeat”

Netflix had a lot of really good movies last year. This mind-numbing “romantic comedy” isn’t one of them. This mess plays like an R-rated Lifetime Original flick and a “Four Weddings and a Funeral” knock-off. The movie does sport a very handsome cast and they try their best. But some spotty chemistry and dreadfully uneven humor undermines everything else. Its not romantic and it’s certainly not funny. It’s kind of like a wedding cake – beautifully decorated but bland and tasteless. [REVIEW]

#4 – “The New Mutants”

Many people wondered if “The New Mutants” would ever see the light of day. Might have been better if it hadn’t. The film is a perplexing and frustrating slog that lacks all of the energy and thrills of the superhero genre. It plays around with horror but you can’t scrape together a single scare or the slightest bit of tension. Instead it’s more akin to a bland YA drama turned into a mediocre television pilot for The CW. Even the visuals are boring and uninspired. [REVIEW]

#3 – “Artemis Fowl”

This $125 million Disney disaster was clearly intended to launch a franchise. Well, it’s safe to say you can rule that out. “Artemis Fowl” lacks every bit of the awe and wonder a fantasy adventure needs. It’s full of bland cookie-cutter characters and woefully bad dialogue. And if you like dry, cold information dumps then this is the movie for you. Nothing stands out or leaves a meaningful impression. And while young children may get a kick out of it, it’s not a world I ever want to revisit. [REVIEW]

#2 – “Disturbing the Peace”

I love Guy Pearce and will watch pretty much anything he does. That’s why it pains me to put “Disturbing the Peace” on this list. But this small indie action flick absolutely earns its spot. I can completely buy Pearce playing a small town marshal, but he seems bored and totally uninterested. It makes sense. I’m sure the cheap production, the cliche-riddled script, the appallingly lame dialogue, and the embarrassingly bad ‘villains’ was tough for him to endure. It certainly was for me. [REVIEW]

#1 – “The Wrong Missy”

I have to admit, I knew going into “The Wrong Missy” that I wasn’t about to see an Oscar contender. But I wasn’t expecting something so abysmal. This stunningly bad David Spade flop features everything I hate about these kinds of comedies: dumb juvenile ‘humor’, off-putting raunch, lazy punchlines, and dense unpleasant characters who quickly wear out their welcome. This really is bottom-rung comedy that’s content with regurgitating the same junk that Sandler, Spade, and their buddies have given us time and time again. [REVIEW]

So there they are. What do you think of my list? I’d love to hear your thoughts and your picks in the comment section below.