No faithful movie about the Holocaust is going to be an easy watch. But they have long served as powerful reminders of unbridled human evil and they have testified to the resilience and bravery of many who suffered and died as a result of the atrocities. The upcoming Serbian historical drama “Dara of Jasenovac” tells a unique story from the Holocaust, one concentrated on the genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia. The film is directed by Predrag Antonijević and is the Serbian entry for Best International Film at the upcoming Oscars.

Antonijević and writer Nataša Drakulić tell their harrowing story through the eyes of a 12-year-old girl named Dara played by the expressive Biljana Čekić. With their country crumbling and the majority of local Serbs being rounded up, Dara along with her mother and two brothers are sent to Jasenovac concentration camp. The new trailer shows the horrors of the death camp but also a young girl’s willingness to give her all to survive. It’s tough material but the period design looks fantastic and its unflinching perspective looks powerful and immersive.

“Dara of Jasenovac” is set to premiere in the US on February 5th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Over the last few days I’ve been looking back at the best acting performances from the year 2020. Yesterday we began the Lead categories by looking at five incredible female performances. We wrap it up today with Lead Actor and without question there are some really strong contenders. So without further delay here are my top choices for Lead Actor.

Honorable Mentions: Tom Hanks (“News of the World”), George Clooney (“The Midnight Sky”), Jude Law (“The Nest”), Kevin Costner (“Let Him Go”), Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (“Farewell Amor”), Nnamdi Asomugha (“Sylvie’s Love”), Gary Oldman “Mank”)

#5 – Ben Affleck – “The Way Back”

So far during this awards season not enough people are talking about Ben Affleck’s soulful and deeply personal performance in “The Way Back”. Sure it’s a sports story about redemption, but Affleck doesn’t give his character easy outs nor does he allow for a Happily Ever After scenario. This is an honest look at alcoholism and you can see Affleck dealing with his own demons through the eyes of a broken high school football coach.

#4 – Chadwick Boseman “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

His character’s name may not be in the title, but Chadwick Boseman’s ambitious but deeply scarred Levee is clearly the movie’s heart. Boseman brings enough charisma to fill a room and he doesn’t allow the film’s occasional ‘staginess’ to hold him back. The movie carries the weight of being Boseman’s final big screen performance following his tragic passing. It’s also a powerful and sobering reminder of the immense talent he possessed.

#3 – Steven Yeun – “Minari”

Yet another amazing performance from this heartbreaking yet heartwarming family drama. Yeun is both the anchor and the glue in a role that should cement him as a solid leading man (for those who for some reason still had doubts). Yeun brings warmth and pathos to a character who certainly has his faults. But buried within his ambitions is the heart of a man trying to convince himself and his family to believe in the American Dream. Powerful work.

#2 – Riz Ahmed – “Sound of Metal”

I admit, I slept on this movie. But then I started hearing so many people talk about Riz Ahmed’s performance. I finally gave it a go and within 15 minutes I knew exactly why people were so enthusiastic. Ahmed gives what should be a star-making turn playing a punk rocker who loses his hearing and is forced to adjust to his new challenging reality. It’s a brutally honest and unflinching performance that has stuck with me since first seeing it.

#1 – Mads Mikkelsen – “Another Round”

This isn’t the first time Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen has topped one of these lists of mine. A bit of magic happens when he and filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg get together which is exactly what happened with “Another Round”. This is such a tricky role for Mikkelsen, taking a rather absurd idea on the surface and turning it into a deep, internal exploration of middle-age disillusionment. There’s humor, remorse, hope, and tragedy woven into this one phenomenal performance and Mikkelsen again proves himself to be one of our very best working actors.

And that wraps up this year’s look back at the best performances of 2020. What did you think of this list? Please leave you thoughts in the comments section below and lets do it again next year.

“Sometimes I feel like I’ve seen everything that’s going to happen. And it’s a nightmare.” That line of dialogue from “Cherry” really sums up the new trailer’s vibe nicely. This emotionally dense and dark-looking Apple Original reunites Tom Holland with the MCU’s Avengers architects Anthony and Joe Russo. But rest assured, judging by our first look this isn’t another playfully boyish Peter Parker type of character. It’s a much more serious role and Holland seems fully committed.

The trailer opens with 24-year-old Holland not stopping a bank robbery like his web-slinging MCU alter-ego but committing one. From there we see the domino effect of his troubled life – military combat, PTSD, opioid addiction, and crime. It’s heavy stuff and the movie doesn’t look to be taking any shortcuts. The big question is whether or not Holland can sell such a dramatic swing (no pun intended) in intensity and tone. He’s shown off an impressive range before so I’m thinking he can.

“Cherry” hits theaters February 26th and will stream on Apple TV+ on March 12th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

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.