It’s hard to believe but Oscar time is upon us again and this morning the Academy tossed out their list of this year’s nominees. As is always the case, there were a handful of surprises, several frustrations, and some things that simply didn’t make sense. As I do every year, here are a few random thoughts about this year’s Oscar nominations.

• First off, please never use this method of announcing the Oscar nominations again. It felt terribly messy and splotched together. C’mon Academy. Most of us aren’t complicated people. Just give us the nominations.
• Meryl Streep? Seriously? As I asked on Twitter, was she nominated for her performance in “Florence Foster Jenkins” or for her Golden Globes speech? Her automatic spot at the Oscar’s Best Actress table is getting ridiculous. Don’t get me wrong, she is good in “FFJ” but far from Oscar worthy. Worse than that she knocks out other actresses who are much more deserving. Sigh…
• Spinning off of that, the Amy Adams snub is egregious. Yes it happens every year, but Adams is so good in “Arrival” and most people have rightly recognized that. How she misses out on an Oscar nomination is baffling. I guess someone had to fall on the sword for Meryl.
• Tom Hanks again misses out on a Best Actor nomination. I loved his performance in “Sully” but I’m not really surprised he fell short. But here’s an interesting tidbit – Hanks hasn’t been nominated in this category since 2000! Think about all of his performances yet nothing since “Cast Away”. Interesting…
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson surprised many by winning the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. That won’t be the case come Oscar night. His “Nocturnal Animals” cast-mate Michael Shannon got a nomination instead. I’m fine with that.
• It was really nice to see movies like “Lion” and “Hell or High Water” get several prominent nominations. Neither will win in the big categories, but their inclusion is encouraging.
• Absolutely nothing for Whit Stillman’s brilliant “Love & Friendship”. Not surprised but I did hold out a little hope. It didn’t even make a dent in the Costume Design category. Sigh…
• Speaking of “Love & Friendship”, it would have been great to have seen Kate Beckinsale get a nomination. It was never going to happen, but she certainly deserves it. But at least they got Meryl in there.
• “Suicide Squad” is now an Oscar-nominated film. Let that sink in for a second.
• I did pump my fist for “A Man Called Ove”. It’s a wonderful movie that not only received a Best Foreign Language nomination but also in Makeup and Hairstyling. That makes me happy.
• So NINE Best Picture nominees. Not EIGHT and certainly not TEN. But NINE. Sure, okay.
• Martin Scorsese’s “Silence” didn’t get much attention. It did grab a much-deserved nomination in cinematography, but as a whole it was ignored. That’s a shame. I wonder if enough voters have seen it considering its insanely limited release schedule? Then again it isn’t a film aiming for attention. Whatever, all the more reason for me to consider it the first great movie of 2017.
• And get this – as IndieWire pointed out, “Passengers” has more Oscar nominations than “Silence”. Excuse we while I go lay into oncoming freeway traffic.
• The Best Actor category fell right in line with nearly everyone’s projections. Looks to be a showdown between Casey Affleck and Ryan Gosling. I still thing Denzel Washington deserves it the most.
• “La La Land” lands 14 Oscar nominations. 14! That ties it with “All About Eve” and “Titanic” for the most all-time. Big showings like this sometimes turn people off, but you won’t hear me complain. Damien Chazelle has crafted something truly special.
• I’ve already heard some people touting the success of last year’s #OscarsSoWhite campaign, but how true is that? The Oscars aren’t the big issue. They are simply a reflection. If anything we should look at the studios and the opportunities they give. This year’s nominees reflect what is hopefully a meaningful change in that area.
• Speaking of which, congrats to Bradford Young, the first African-American ever to be nominated in the cinematography category. His work on “Arrival” is some of the best of the year. It’s well-deserved recognition.
• Looks like “Zootopia” is an easy pick to win Best Animated Feature. I’ll remain in the tiny minority who aren’t fans of it…a tiny, tiny minority.
• Sticking with that category, I’m surprised that “Finding Dorey” didn’t get a nod. Did they even think of how that will effect my little girl?
• No, “Deadpool” didn’t get a nomination. No, Ryan Reynolds didn’t get a nomination. No, neither deserved nominations.
• But “Sing Street” did deserve a nomination especially in the Best Original Song category. I’m still rooting for “La La Land” there, but how can “Drive It Like You Stole It” not find a place in the conversation?
• Some people are calling Viggo Mortensen’s Best Actor nomination a surprise. Maybe so but he is very deserving. “Captain Fantastic” was such a fresh, unique and unpredictable movie. That’s a great way of describing Viggo’s performance as well. Love seeing him nominated.
• I’m not going to start a protest but “Captain America: Civil War” didn’t even get a technical nod? Superheros have a tough go at Oscar time.
• I’m glad to see so much love for “Hacksaw Ridge”. The film earned six nominations from the Academy including Best Picture, Best Lead Actor, and Best Director for Mel Gibson. It won’t win much of anything but it’s great to see the recognition as well as the forgiveness.
• Thrilled for Viola Davis. What an electrifying performance in “Fences”. Here is an interesting note – she becomes the first African-American actress with three nominations. Bravo.

So there are a handful of random thoughts about this year’s nominations.  In case you missed it here is a full list of the nominees:

Best picture:
“Arrival”
“Fences”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“Hell or High Water”
“Hidden Figures”
“La La Land”
“Lion”
“Manchester by the Sea”
“Moonlight”

Best director:
Damien Chazelle – “La La Land”
Mel Gibson – “Hacksaw Ridge”
Barry Jenkins – “Moonlight”
Kenneth Lonergan – “Manchester by the Sea”
Denis Villeneuve – “Arrival”

Lead actor:
Casey Affleck – “Manchester by the Sea”
Andrew Garfield – “Hacksaw Ridge”
Ryan Gosling – “La La Land,”
Viggo Mortensen – “Captain Fantastic”
Denzel Washington – “Fences”

Lead actress:
Isabelle Huppert – “Elle”
Ruth Negga – “Loving”
Natalie Portman – “Jackie”
Emma Stone – “La La Land”
Meryl Streep – “Florence Foster Jenkins”

Supporting actor:
Mahershala Ali – “Moonlight”
Jeff Bridges – “Hell or High Water”
Lucas Hedges – “Manchester by the Sea”
Dev Patel – “Lion”
Michael Shannon – “Nocturnal Animals”

Supporting actress:
Viola Davis – “Fences”
Naomie Harris – “Moonlight”
Nicole Kidman – “Lion”
Octavia Spencer – “Hidden Figures”
Michelle Williams – “Manchester by the Sea”

Animated feature:
“Kubo and the Two Strings”
“Moana”
“My Life as a Zucchini”
“The Red Turtle”
“Zootopia”

Animated short:
“Blind Vaysha”
“Borrowed Time”
“Pear Cider and Cigarettes”
“Pearl”
“Piper”

Adapted screenplay:
Eric Heisserer – “Arrival”
August Wilson – “Fences”
Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi – “Hidden Figures,”
Luke Davies – “Lion” Luke Davies
Barry Jenkins – “Moonlight”

Original screenplay:
Mike Mills – “20th Century Women”
Taylor Sheridan – “Hell or High Water”
Damien Chazelle – “La La Land,”
Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou – “The Lobster”
Kenneth Lonergan – “Manchester by the Sea”

Cinematography:
Bradford Young – “Arrival”
Linus Sandgren – “La La Land”
Greig Fraser “Lion”
James Laxton – “Moonlight”
Rodrigo Prieto – “Silence”

Best documentary feature:
“13th”
“Fire at Sea”
“I Am Not Your Negro”
“Life, Animated”
“O.J.: Made in America”

Best documentary short subject:
“4.1 Miles”
“Extremis”
“Joe’s Violin”
“Watani: My Homeland”
“The White Helmets”

Best live action short film:
“Ennemis Interieurs”
“La Femme et le TGV”
“Silent Nights”
“Sing”
“Timecode”

Best foreign language film:
“A Man Called Ove,” Sweden
“The Salesman” Iran
“Tanna,” Australia
“Land of Mine” Denmark
“Toni Erdmann,” Germany

Film editing:
“Arrival”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“Hell or High Water”
“La La Land”
“Moonlight”

Visual effects:
“Deepwater Horizon”
“Doctor Strange”
“The Jungle Book”
“Kubo and the Two Strings”
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

Sound editing:
“Arrival”
“Deep Water Horizon”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“La La Land”
“Sully”

Sound mixing:
“Arrival”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“La La Land”
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
“13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi”

Production design:
“Arrival”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
“Hail, Caesar!”
“La La Land”
“Passengers”

Original score:
“Jackie”
“La La Land”
“Lion”
“Moonlight”
“Passengers”

Original song:
“Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” – “La La Land”
“Can’t Stop the Feeling” – “Trolls”
“City of Stars” – “La La Land”
“The Empty Chair”- “Jim: The James Foley Story”
“How Far I’ll Go” – “Moana”

Makeup and hair:
“A Man Called Ove”
“Star Trek Beyond”
“Suicide Squad”

Costume design:
“Allied”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
“Florence Foster Jenkins”
“Jackie”
“La La Land”

Each year I set aside time to examine and spotlight what I think are the best performances of the past movie year. In keeping with the upcoming Oscars I have adopted their format and for the last several days I’ve been highlighting the very best performances for each of the four acting categories. Today wraps it up with a look at the best lead actor performances. While not as strong as the women’s categories, there were still several to choose from. Here are my favorites.

#5 – Tom Hanks (“Sully”)

I think we have reached a point where many people take Tom Hanks performances for granted. He is expected to be good so people either overlook him or simple don’t muster the excitement come awards time. But that doesn’t change the quality of his work. “Sully” is yet another example of why Hanks is one of the tops in Hollywood. It’s a perfectly contained performance in tune with what the film and character needed.

#4 – Rolf Lassgård  (“A Man Called Ove”)

Watching Rolf Lassgård portray his cranky, curmudgeon of a character is simply a ton of fun. He manuevers through layers of the blackest comedy and the tenderest drama. Lassgård’s tough-minded performance carves its way through the story’s steady wave revelations. Many critics have called the film overly sentimental and manipulative. I found it to be both delightful and heart-breaking and that is in large part due to Lassgård’s great work.

#3 – Clive Owens (“The Confirmation”)

In one of the more underseen movies of 2016 Clive Owen plays a down-on-his-luck father trying to reconnect with his son. Bob Nelson penned 2013’s wonderful “Nebraska” and here he brings some of the same straightforward realism and prickly dark comedy. Owen has no problem fitting into Nelson’s character. At times he’s very funny, but Owen also keeps his character firmly grounded in the real world. It’s such a good performance that too many people missed.

#2 – Viggo Mortenson (“Captain Fantastic”)

Now here is a movie that came completely out of the blue. “Captain Fantastic” is an impossible picture to peg down, and even when you think you have it figured out the film becomes something dramatically different. But it works in large part due to Viggo Mortenson’s outstanding performances. It’s impossible to list every layer and complexity his character exhibits, but one thing is for certain – Mortenson loses himself in the role and the results are simply captivating.

#1 – Denzel Washington (“Fences”)

In a year rich with wonderful performances Denzel Washington’s work in “Fences” was still an easy choice for my #1 spot. That’s not a knock on the others. Washington is just that good playing a bitter, jaded man deeply bruised by his past. The film stays close to its stage roots which means lots and lots of dialogue. This allows Washington to showcase why he is one of the very best actors in the business. There are so many 2016 performances worthy of attention, but Washington soars on an entirely different level.

That finishes up this year’s look at the four acting categories. What did you think about this list? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Each year I set aside time to examine and spotlight what I think are the best performances of the past movie year. In keeping with the upcoming Oscars I have adopted their format and for the next several days I’ll be highlighting the very best performances for each of the four acting categories. Much like in the supporting category, women had a ton of fabulous performances to consider which made this tough to narrow down. Nonetheless these are my five favorites.

#5 – Sarah Paulson (“Blue Jay”)

In “Blue Jay” (the first of Netflix’s multi-picture deal with Mark Duplass) two high school sweethearts bump into each after years apart. Duplass and Sarah Paulson start by reminiscing over the past but soon open up painful old wounds. Paulson is a true highlight. Much of her performance features a considerable amount of improvisation but you never notice. She’s completely in tune with the material. A truly wonderful performance.

#4 – Amy Adams (“Arrival”)

It saddens me to see “Arrival” getting such little attention from the awards crowd, but one thing they have all recognized was the fine work from Amy Adams. In Denis Villeneuve’s cerebral science fiction thriller Adams takes the role of a linguist but (as the director himself said) first she is a mother. That adds an entirely different layer to the role which Adams handles with an understated beauty.

#3 – Rebecca Hall (“Christine”)

“Christine” tells the sad, tragic story of the final days in the life of news reporter Christine Chubbock. Rebecca Hall’s portrayal of Chubbock is unquestionably one of the year’s most unforgettable performances. Hall’s handling of depression, loneliness, and self-doubt is brilliantly agonizing. Hall gives every ounce of herself, physically and mentally transforming into a deeply troubled real-life character. It’s incredible work.

#2 – Emma Stone (“La La Land”)

I can finally say I am sold on Emma Stone. What a performance in this Damien Chazelle modern day musical. Channeling beats from the MGM musical heyday but with a real-world messiness, Stone acts, dances and sings her way through this uplifting yet bittersweet story. This had to be impossible to visualize, but Stone hits it with a full commitment to every task she is given. The results are magical.

#1 – Kate Beckinsale (“Love & Friendship”)

How, oh how, has Kate Beckinsale not been given the awards attention she so richly deserves for her superb performance in Whit Stillman’s “Love & Friendship”. It is such a tricky role. Beckinsale nails this wacky mixture of beautiful eloquence and casual toxicity. She’s both charming and appalling. I love the other performances I’ve mentioned, but there was nothing quite like Beckinsale.

Those are my picks for the five best lead actress performances. See something you agree or disagree with? Please let me know in the comments section below.

Each year I set aside time to examine and spotlight what I think are the best performances of the past movie year. In keeping with the upcoming Oscars I have adopted their format and for the next several days I’ll be highlighting the very best performances for each of the four acting categories. Today we look at Supporting Actors. It was incredibly hard to whittle down, but these are my five picks.

#5 – Michael Shannon (“Nocturnal Animals”)

Talk about an actor with an incredible knack for stealing scenes. Michael Shannon is often the most captivating character on the screen. You could say the real-life Shannon is a touch unhinged – a quality that feeds into many of his fascinating characters. It’s certainly true for “Nocturnal Animals”. He hits every batty, off-beat note and as he often does, he steals every scene he shares.

#4 – Tom Bennett (“Love & Friendship”)

I literally can’t think about Tom Bennett’s performance in Whit Stillman’s brilliant “Love & Friendship” without laughing. Bennett’s lovable goofball offers up the film’s broadest comedy, but he also gives us some of the funniest scenes of the year. His bits on English peas and “Church-Hill” are pure comedy gold. It’s a lighter role than others, but no less impressive.

#3 – Kevin Costner (“Hidden Figures”)

And to think until I saw it I had no idea Kevin Costner was in “Hidden Figures”. Costner has long been a favorite of mine, an actor as reliable as they come. Here he brings a steady and obvious assurance to his role. His performance resembles a classic form of acting, not showy, but one that allows his veteran acting chops to do the heavy lifting. He was a highlight in a film filled with great performances.

#2 – Hugo Weaving (“Hacksaw Ridge”)

I’ve been surprised at how few people have talked about Hugo Weaving’s piercing performance in Mel Gibson’s “Hacksaw Ridge”. The very few comments I’ve read have been mixed, but I feel Weaving is both brutal and devastating as a father dealing with a truckload of emotional baggage. It’s deeply moving and reveals a side of Weaving I wasn’t expecting.

#1 – Dev Patel (“Lion”)

Here is an actor I’ve always enjoyed but who is rarely (if ever) considered a “leading man”. In “Lion” his performance is hard to categorize. It is a supporting role, but he is very much the lead in the film’s second half. He’s also a significant reason the movie has such an emotional pull. Patel takes his character through inner turmoil and conflict while never hitting a false note. It’s a captivating performance, and it’s good to see him getting awards season attention.

So there are my favorite supporting actor turns of 2016. We will look at the leads in the next few days. What do you think of these picks? What would have made your list? Let me hear it in the comments section below.

Each year I set aside time to examine and spotlight what I think are the best performances of the past movie year. In keeping with the upcoming Oscars I have adopted their format and for the next several days I’ll be highlighting the very best performances for each of the four acting categories. The ladies go first and we start by looking at Supporting Actresses. Last year was rich with quality supporting performances from so many talented actresses. It was tough to narrow down, but these were my standouts.

#5 – Lucy Boynton (“Sing Street”)

The more I watched her character in “Sing Street” the more I appreciated Lucy Boynton’s surprisingly nuanced performance. The role isn’t nearly as shallow as its first impression. Boynton deftly unwraps her character’s inner turmoil but she’s also a ton of fun playing within John Carney’s nostalgic, spirited 1980’s sandbox. As the film went on I loved the performance more and more.

#4 – Aïssa Maïga  (“The African Doctor”)

There are a number of scenes that demonstrate why I appreciate Aïssa Maïga’s performance in “The African Doctor”. But I particularly appreciate how she balances the numerous things thrown at her. She has her broader comedy moments, but she also deals heavily with frustration and resentment. In many ways she is asked to be the film’s conscience. Maïga handles it all with ease.

#3 – Octavia Spencer (“Hidden Figures”)

There are few performers with more natural talent for acting than Octavia Spencer. You never doubt what she brings to the screen regardless of the size of her role. This was never more true than in “Hidden Figures”. Her performance is so grounded in truth that you never question her character’s feelings or motivations. Even when the script is bit on-the-nose Spencer has you buying every second of it.

#2 – Nicole Kidman (“Lion”)

I had lost sight of Nicole Kidman’s brilliance as an actress. Silly me. Her performance in “Lion” served as a wonderful and welcomed reminder. There isn’t an ounce of glamor or show in what she does. Through her every scene Kidman remains quiet and understated yet she steadily brings an emotional heft. It’s a tricky role that many actresses would have milked dry. Kidman knows exactly how to play it and the results are astounding.

#1 – Viola Davis (“Fences”)

For my money there was never a competition for first place. From the moment I left the theater after seeing “Fences” I knew I had seen my favorite female performance of the year. Simply put Viola Davis is electrifying in what is close to being a lead role. Sharing this much dialogue and screen time with Denzel Washington may seem a bit intimidating, but Davis matches him line for line. It’s an absolute master class and anything short of the Oscar would be an insult.

So there are my picks out of a really strong category. What do you think? Please share your thoughts on this list and on what would have made yours.