The final stop in my look back at the best performances from 2015 in the Lead Actor category. While I believe the women were the highlight of the year, there were still several top-notch performances from the gents. Once again they represent a wide and diverse range but each are deserving of recognition. So here are my five favorite lead actor performances of 2015.

#5 –  Tom Hanks (“Bridge of Spies”)

Regardless of the movie, regardless of the genre, regardless of the role, Tom Hanks is always going to give a good performance. This year he once again teams up with Steven Spielberg to play a character so perfect for him. His performance in “Bridge of Spies” could be called expected, maybe even a bit routine for him, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t fantastic work. Hanks is able to take the common man approach that he is so perfectly in tune with. He doesn’t hit a single false note and every conversation and interaction feels incredibly true. That’s one of the great things Hanks brings to every role he takes on.

#4 – Jean Dujardin (“The Connection”)

Jean Dujardin earned global attention back in 2011 for his phenomenal Oscar-winning work in “The Artist”. But prior to that and since then he has starred in a wide assortment of roles mainly in his home country of France. His latest came in “The Connection”, a wonderfully dense period crime thriller. Dujardin is superb as a naïve and enthusiastic head of an organized crime task force who is eventually burdened by the weight of his mission. The Frenchman is suave and confident but his performance isn’t one-sided. He also reveals a frailty and vulnerability that I absolutely loved.

#3 – Mark Ruffalo (“Infinitely Polar Bear”)

Mark Ruffalo is such an intriguing actor. He is always solid and dependable, but his performances are often recognized as relaxed and fairly safe. “Infinitely Polar Bear” offered Ruffalo a deep meaty role that required him to expand himself beyond what he has been known for. It’s tricky material that could have been completely undone if the performance was too big or too small. What we get is a perfectly modulated performance from Ruffalo. One moment it’s energetic and aggressive while being charming and gentle the next. And it is all done while capturing just the right tone for his character. Such strong and versatile work from Ruffalo.

#2 – Abraham Attah – “Beasts of No Nation”

There has been a long-standing debate when it comes to child actors. How much of their performance is true acting talent and how much is step-by-step directions from the filmmakers? It’s a valid question but by no means does it lessen the impact of what many of them do on screen. That’s why I have no problem putting Abraham Attah on this list. Attah was only 14 years-old when making “Beasts of No Nation” and he had no prior acting experience. That’s hard to believe after watching his gripping performance. The subject matter is incredibly intense and he’s asked to convey a brutally disturbing transformation from a young, innocent boy to a scarred, indoctrinated child soldier. He does so flawlessly.

#1 – Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant”)

Leo’s quest to get that elusive Oscar is hard to wrap my mind around. In a career plump with fine performances its surprising that he still hasn’t taken home a statue. I think that streak ends thanks to “The Revenant”.  In what was his most physically demanding role, DiCaprio dives headfirst into the blood, mud, and muck of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s violent frontier western. The amount of intensity Leo brings to his character is astonishing and watching him make his way through Iñárritu’s violent and depressing world clearly reminds us of the type of actor we are talking about. Leo could have easily won a couple of Oscar’s by now. But that aside, the Oscar should be his for the taking after this riveting performance.

That wraps up this year’s look at the best acting of 2015. Anything glaringly missing from this list? Agree or disagree? Please take time to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Another year, another Oscar controversy. Despite the frivolous nature of the whole thing I do love the Oscars. But without fail the Academy always manage to spark controversy either with their nominations or with their snubs. This year it comes in the form of diversity, or more accurately the lack of it in all of the major categories. This has given birth to a vocal Twitter protest movement called #OscarsSoWhite.

While the movement may be noble in purpose, some of the uses of it are ridiculous. Some have used it as a springboard for accusations of racism, boycotts, and all sorts of toxic rhetoric. Careless terms like “Whiteout” have been thrown around with no regard for the divisive nature of them. Some people have shown a much more intelligent but no less passionate approach to the lack of diversity. Their concerns are certainly rooted in the right place, but both responses have placed their sights on the wrong target. 

First there is no doubt that the lack of diversity among this year’s Oscar nominees is a worthy cause of concern. I’ll also say that I disagree with several of Oscar’s omissions. When listing my personal picks for the four major acting categories I chose three African Americans and one Puerto Rican who I believe gave fabulous nomination-worthy performances. There were definitely diverse performances that deserved recognition.

But here’s the problem. It could be said #OscarsSoWhite insinuates racism from the Academy. Often times fingers point to the “whiteness” of the Academy voters, a worthy topic for discussion but not an indicator of racism. Taco am is deplorable and any accusation or insinuation should be always be rooted in fact. This year’s lack of diversity in the Oscar field does not offer any factual basis for insinuations of racism.

Let’s examine that a little closer. Look at the names being mentioned as proof of an existing racial insensitivity. “Creed” seems to be film mentioned most. I loved “Creed”. The best movie surprise of the year. But does its omission from Best Picture point to a white-leaning Academy? As much as I love the film it finished just outside of my Top 10. The Academy chose 8 movies for Best Picture consideration. Therefore I (and many others) can name at least 10 films I believe to be better than “Creed”. And then there is this – I have seen seven of the eight films and there are no glaringly bad movies in the category. Therefore nothing looks intentionally biased in the Best Picture race.

What about Best Director? I love Ryan Coogler and I believe he is one of the best young voices in filmmaking. His work on “Creed” was astonishing. But does his omission from the Best Director category point to a white-leaning Academy? Just think of the other names that didn’t get nominated – Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg, Todd Haynes, Quentin Tarantino. Truth is this was an incredibly loaded category and good, compelling arguments could be made for each nominee and several others that didn’t make it.

What about the acting categories. Michael B. Jordan was excellent in “Creed” but does that invalidate the other tremendous performance by those nominated. Many have mentioned Samuel L. Jackson in “The Hateful Eight”, a good performance but similar to every other role he plays for Tarantino. Will Smith for “Concussion”? Remember when so many were shocked that he even got a Golden Globe nomination? There have been several criticisms of his performance particularly his odd accent. All reasonable reactions and none that point to a white lean.

What about other omitted films like “Straight Outta Compton”, what many call about 40 minutes of good movie. What about films like “Beasts of No Nation” (one of my favorites of the year), “Tangerine”, or “Chi-Raq”? All have good arguments but are they truly Oscar-type films? Does it surprise anyone to see them not receive nominations? If anything it points to an independent void in the Oscars, not an intentional racial one.

In the end you will still have folks like Spike Lee (who has already ignorantly called this year’s Oscars “Lilly White”) using the opportunity for self promotion and Jada Pinckett Smith calling for a full Oscar boycott by minorities. But neither of these approaches are aiming at the right target. Neither are looking in the right direction. They are too linear and reactionary. They failed to recognize or address where the true problem lies – HOLLYWOOD.

It’s easy to see a number of white faces and assume something nefarious is at play. It’s just as easy to look deeper for the true reason for the lack of Oscar-worthy diversity. That’s when true weighty questions arise. Are minority voices being giving the same platforms to express themselves? Are minority performers getting the same opportunities? Are minority writers getting the same considerations. Are studios putting these rich projects in the hands of minority talent? These are the questions that need to be discussed. These are the things that truly lead to diversity on Oscar night.

So no, I don’t condemn this year’s Oscars. No, I don’t see any cause to insinuate even the slightest bit of racism with this year’s nominees. No, I don’t think boycotts of this particular awards show have any merit. But I do think this year’s Oscars are simply a reflection. And just like when looking in a mirror, nothing is accomplished when pointing fingers at the reflection. True change comes when you deal with the caster of that reflection. Hollywood, I’m looking at you.

Call me paranoid. Call me a cynic. But something about ‘Michael Bay does Benghazi’ never sounded right. While the subject interested me and the trailer looked pretty exciting, that small tinge of doubt has lingered in the back of my mind. After all we are talking about the purveyor of the relentlessly dopey Transformers films. I wasn’t sure Bay could offer the right sensibility and perspective on such a real-life controversial tragedy still fresh in America’s conscience.

But a couple of things allowed me a little room for optimism. First were some casting choices that I really liked. James Badge Dale is an underappreciated actor who I’ve always enjoyed and John Krasinski is an intriguing bit of casting despite his mediocre filmography. Second was that the film is based on Mitchell Zuckoff’s book which interestingly looked at the Benghazi attack from the defender’s point of view. If handled correctly it offers a perspective that could go in a number of thought-provoking directions.

I get a kick out of watching critics project their politics onto movies like this. Regardless of which side of the aisle they stand, some simply can’t judge the movie without being influenced by their ideology. In this case some of the silliest examples are “[13 Hours] wraps heroic stories in a thick layer of Fox News-endorsed bullcrap”, or “[13 Hours] is simply and completely an indictment [of Hillary Clinton].”

But here’s the thing, neither of those viewpoints are completely accurate. Michael Bay actually goes to great lengths to steer clear of the political mire and keeps his focus on the soldiers. A major component of the story involves the US State Department’s failure to provide increased security as well as the government’s slow response time once the attacks were underway. These are facts which only hardcore partisans would deny. But that is as far as Bay and writer Chuck Hogan go in addressing the controversies. There is no firm stand or clear voice except when proclaiming the heroism of these soldiers.

Bay spends his first 40 minutes setting up the danger and instability of Benghazi, Libya. The embassy has closed but the United States maintains a presence through an American diplomatic compound. One mile away is a covert CIA Annex which is protected by a small group of security contractors made up of special forces veterans. Krasinski arrives for his 12th stint of security duty. There he meets Badge Dale, an old friend who leads the soldiers but who answers to a naïve and petulant CIA chief (David Costabile).

Between scenes of setting up the danger, highlighting the lax security, and emphasizing their vulnerability, we get several moments of bro-bonding. A lot of it feels pretty familiar – the banter, beards, and biceps. And we get those emotional calls home which are always movie precursors to something bad. But surprisingly these scenes mostly work mainly on the backs of Krasinski and Badge Dale. Both are likable, believable, and make even the cheesiest dialogue work.

Things ratchet up once the attacks begin and Michael Bay slips into his true comfort zone. There isn’t an ounce of subtlety or nuance to Bay’s filmmaking but there is a lot of style. In his Transformers movies Bay offers no hint of restraint. Like a kid on a sugar rush his scenes would often be hyperactive and frantically incoherent. Here he slightly dials it back allowing us to understand what we are seeing on screen. It is an appreciated reminder that Bay does know how to film a good action sequence.

He also has the ability to wring out every drop of intensity from a scene. Even when you know what’s coming, Bay has a knack for building up and building up until the tension is at a boil. That works both for and against the movie. The same could be said for the action. It’s fierce and visceral but also fairly relentless once it starts. At the same time its thrilling, adrenaline-fueled entertainment that manages to be sincere and respectful even among the impressive spectacle.

Despite the bullets, big explosions, and occasional corny dialogue (especially at the end), the film is more focused than many of Bay’s previous slogs. It maintains a surprising emotional honesty and it doesn’t trivialize what is still a sensitive subject. At its core “13 Hours” is a Michael Bay action flick and it may disappoint those looking for a deeper exploration of the Benghazi attacks. But despite its flaws I still found myself glued to the story of six heroic men putting their all into protecting 36 others. In the end that is the story Michael Bay is telling and he does a pretty good job telling it.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Today we shift back to the ladies and focus on the Lead Actress category. To be perfectly honest 2015 belonged to the women. There were so many rich and powerful performances from a host of immensely talented actresses. These particular five are only scratching the surface of what we got over the past year. So without further adieu…

#5 – Carey Mulligan (“Suffragette”)

While the movie may have had flaws there wasn’t a single hiccup with Carey Mulligan’s performance in “Suffragette”. Mulligan is a fantastic actress who never gives us a false moment. In this film you see that with clarity. It’s such authentic work that lacks any semblance of glamour or show. Mulligan has a knack for portraying burdened and emotionally complex characters and the setting of “Suffragette” is ideal for her strengths.

#4 – Charlize Theron (“Mad Max: Fury Road”)

At the beginning of the year this was not a performance I would have expected to make this list. That’s not a knock on Charlize Theron. It’s just that Mad Max movies aren’t typically known for their knockout performances. But Theron more than earns her praise for a role that essentially puts her as the film’s lead. She excels in the movie’s intense demands while also developing a female strength that goes beyond physicality. It’s hard not to invest in the amazing work Theron gives us.

#3 – Nina Hoss (“Phoenix”)

Perhaps the most devastating performance of 2015 came from German actress Nina Hoss in the piercing post-Holocaust drama “Phoenix”. Hoss is asked to carry a huge emotional load with very little dialogue to work with. The result is a powerfully quiet and contained performance that tells a poignant story right up until the perfect final scene. More people need to seek out “Phoenix” and take in what Hoss brings to her thoroughly intriguing character.

#2 – Brie Larson (“Room”)

One of the small gems to spring up during the 2015 movie year was Lenny Abrahamson’s “Room”. It is a powerfully moving drama and its success relies on the strength of its core mother/son relationship. Brie Larson is pivotal in making that relationship genuinely authentic. Larson maneuvers through several levels of emotional trauma never showing an ounce of insincerity and without hitting a single false not. It’s just another example of Larson showing she deserves more attention than she has gotten so far in her career.

#1 – Saoirse Ronan (“Brooklyn”)

Back and forth, back and forth. That’s how I’ve been when it comes to my #1 pick. It is such a strong category but in the end I feel Saoirse Ronan deserves to be at the top of the list. “Brooklyn” was such a charming film but it also told the story of a young woman breaking free and taking the reins of her life. Ronan masterfully moves her character from shy and naive to outgoing and confident. It is such a beautiful and earnest performance. Even more stunning is that Ronan is only 21 years-old. Here she shows a maturity beyond her years and she cements herself as a true top-tier actress.

Only one more to go. Next time we dive into the lead actor category. But what about these choices? Agree or disagree? Please take time to share your thoughts and your picks below.

Can you believe it’s that time again? This morning the Academy announced the 2016 Oscar nominees and as usual they left us plenty to talk about. Of course some brush these off as frivolous instances of ego petting (and it’s hard to argue with them), but I still love this time of year. So as I do every year, here are a few random thoughts at this new batch of nominees…

• Really proud to see my three favorite cinematographers of the year got nominated John Seale for “Mad Max”, Emmanuel Lubezki for “The Revenant”, and Roger Deakins for “Sicario”. Obviously Deakins won’t win. For some reason the Academy is content with just nominating him. This will be his 13th nomination without a win.
• Oh where is Quentin Tarantino? I was pretty happy to see his name missing from the Original Screenplay and Director categories. It’s not that I hate the guy. But maybe this will encourage him to lay aside just a portion of his overbearing style next time. I doubt it.
• Speaking of Missing in Action, “Carol” misses out on Best Picture and Best Director. All this time I’ve been touting it as Oscar-made material. Shows what I know!
• What?!?! No Dick Poop?
• Speaking of that, there was only one egregious mispronunciation and that came from the Academy president. Did you hear her try to pronounce “Iñárritu”. What was she even saying???
• The Academy sure got the Supporting Actor category right by nominating Tom Hardy for his fantastic performance in “The Revenant”. How the Golden Globes left him off their nomination list is beyond me.
• The Academy sure screwed up the Supporting Actor category by completely snubbing Idris Elba who I still think gave the Best Supporting performance of the year. At least the Golden Globes had sense enough to nominate him. How the Academy left him off is beyond me.
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” raked in an impressive 10 Oscar nominations and I loved hearing its name every time. I’m not convinced it has a chance in the ‘bigger’ races but it could easily land four or five wins in the technical categories. It certainly deserves it.
• We can all now celebrate the fact that “Fifty Shades of Grey” is an Academy Award nominated film. Let that little nugget swirl around in your brain for a bit.
• The Academy set up “Carol” to possibly snag at least one Oscar win by putting Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara in different categories. It makes sense and it gives both a much stronger chance of winning.
• “The Revenant” had a HUGE morning grabbing 12 nominations and being the frontrunner in many of them.
• As predicted “Son of Saul” gets nominated for Foreign Language Film and “Inside Out” for Animated Feature. Both are guaranteed wins. If you’re in an Oscar pool these are sure bets.
• Where was Aaron Sorkin (“Steve Jobs”)? Again, proof that winning a Golden Globe doesn’t assure you an Oscar nomination.
• Love, love, love the Best Documentary category. “The Look of Silence” is one of most powerful things you will EVER see. But “Amy” and “Cartel Land” are also very, very good.
• Who on earth saw “Room” getting FOUR nominations including Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay? I felt comfortable with Larson getting a nod but the other two are well-deserved treats.
• Extending that thought, Lenny Abrahamson (“Room”) gets a Best Director nod over such heavyweights as Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and Todd Haynes. Impressive.
• Eddie Redmayne. Why do I sense a little competition manufacturing by the Academy? I mean I understand that Redmayne is tapping into the hottest current social topic but I really haven’t heard people raving about his performance. I have seen headlines already touting a showdown between him and Leonardo DiCaprio. Hmmm.
• Hearing Saoirse Ronan’s name announced just made me smile. Sadly I think she will get pushed aside in the spotlighted Blanchett versus Lawrence contest, but Ronan deserved the nomination and she deserves to win.
• Academy Award winner Sylvester Stallone. I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t mind saying that the day after the Oscar ceremonies. I also think he is in a very strong position to win. Keep an eye on Sly.
• I talked about him above but let me put my 100% guarantee stamp on Leonardo DiCaprio winning Best Actor. Not slamming his competition, but just look who he is against. This is clearly the easiest competition he has ever faced. Again, not bad performances but none of them measure to the effort and intensity Leo puts into his. The Oscar drought is over.
• The Academy had lots of unexpected love for “The Big Short”. In many ways it does fit with the Academy’s tastes. Not sure how it will show but it’s represented well after this morning.
• Bale over Elba? Sigh….
• Very happy to see “Spotlight” get a good number of nominations. Even though the Hollywood Foreign Press didn’t see it as a deserving winner I’m still holding out faith that Oscar will reward it. There is stiff competition for sure but “Spotlight” is worthy.
• Wasn’t it cool to see “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” get four Oscar nominations. Predictably they were in the technical category except for the great John Williams getting nominated for Best Score. Wouldn’t it be great to hear his name called on Oscar night? I do love Morricone and wouldn’t shed a tear if he wins, but John Williams winning for a Star Wars picture? I gotta go with that.
• Finally the Academy gave us eight films to chew on for Best Picture. The only one I haven’t seen is “The Big Short”. Otherwise I think every nominee is a good movie. Obviously I think some are better than others and I’m hoping the cream rises to the top. Five of the nominees appeared in my Top 10 list and two others were in my Top 20. That’s a good year!

Those are a few random thoughts about this year’s nominations. What stuck out to you? Let me know in the comments section. I’ll end with a full list of all of this morning’s nominees:

Best Picture

The Big Short

Bridge of Spies

Brooklyn

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

 

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Matt Damon, The Martian

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

 

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Carol

Brie Larson, Room

Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

 

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Big Short

Tom Hardy, The Revenant

Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Sylvester Stallone, Creed

 

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara, Carol

Rachel McAdams, Spotlight

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Kate WInslest, Steve Jobs

 

Best Directing

Adam McKay, The Big Short

George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant

Lenny Abrhamson, Room

Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

 

Best Film Editing            

The Big Short

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Spotlight

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

 

Best Foreign Language Film

Colombia, Embrace of the Serpent

France, Mustang

Hungary, Son of Saul

Jordan, Theeb

Denmark, A War

 

Best Original Score

Thomas Newman, Bridge of Spies

Carter Burwell, Carol

Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight

Jóhann Jóhannsson, Sicario

John Williams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens

 

Best Production Design

Bridge of Spies

The Danish Girl

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

 

Best Visual Effects

Ex Machina

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

 

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Big Short

Brooklyn

Carol

The Martian

Room

 

Best Original Screenplay

Bridge of Spies

Ex Machina

Inside Out

Spotlight

Straight Outta Compton

 

Best Animated Feature Film

Anomalisa

Boy and the World

Inside Out

Shaun the Sheep Movie

When Marnie Was There

 

Best Cinematography                      

Carol

The Hateful Eight

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Sicario

 

Best Costume Design

Carol

Cinderella

The Danish Girl

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

 

Best Documentary – Feature

Amy

Cartel Land

The Look of Silence

What Happened, Miss Simone?

Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom

 

Best Documentary – Short Subject

Body Team 12

Chau, Beyond the Lines

Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah

A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

Last Day of Freedom

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Mad Max: Fury Road

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

The Revenant

 

Best Original Song

“Earned It,” Fifty Shades of Grey

“Manta Ray,” Racing Extinction

“Simple Song No. 3,” Youth

“‘Til It Happens to You,” The Haunting Ground

“Writings on the Wall,” Spectre

 

Best Animated Short Film

Bear Story

Prologue

Sanjay’s Super Team

We Can’t Live Without Cosmos

World of Tomorrow

 

Best Live Action Short Film

Ave Maria

Day One

Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)

Shok

Stutterer

 

Best Sound Editing

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Sicario

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

 

Best Sound Mixing

Bridge of Spies

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

It’s time to continue my look back at the best performances of 2015. Today we look to the men specifically actors in a supporting role. This category was stacked with deserving performances and I found it to be the toughest to narrow down. It’s filled with an amazing assortment of diverse work and a few nice surprises. No need to waste time. Here are what I believe to be the five best performances by actors in supporting roles.

#5 – Liev Schreiber (“Spotlight”)

There are so many fine performances from Spotlight’s fabulous ensemble cast. But the one that has remained with me for several reasons comes from Liev Schreiber. Perhaps a part of it is due to the surprise element. I’ve liked Schreiber in the past but this caught me off guard. But it’s more than that. He hits every note perfectly and crafts a character with more layers than you may originally think. It’s a quiet performance truly focused on serving the character and the greater story. I loved it.

#4 – Tom Hardy (“The Revenant”)

Since his big breakthrough in Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” Tom Hardy’s star has only gotten brighter. 2015 was a huge year for him with “Mad Max: Fury Road”, “Legend”, and the film which earned him a spot on this list – “The Revenant”. Talk about a fierce and intense performance! Hardy has the tough and rugged part down to an art and he melds perfectly into Alejandro González Iñárritu’s dark, bleak, and blood-soaked frontier world. Hardy is a powerhouse and here he shows it.

#3 – Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”)

I say this every single time I talk about Ryan Coogler’s “Creed” – what a wonderful surprise! To go hand-in-hand with that is the supporting performance from Sylvester Stallone. Again, what a wonderful surprise. Sly shows a level of dramatic acting that we haven’t often seen from him. A lot of it is due to the richer, stronger material which allows him to take his Rocky Balboa into entirely new places. Stallone is so naturally in-tune with his character and he projects a true comfort and confidence into the material he is given. This could and should grab Sly an Oscar nomination and I wouldn’t be upset if he won.

#2 – Benicio Del Toro (“Sicario”)

I can’t tell you how hard it was to keep Benicio Del Toro out of my top spot. In fact, if you asked me again next week he could be my #1 supporting actor performance. He’s that good. Del Toro lurks in the background of Denis Villeneuve’s border thriller looking both menacing and cryptic. This is a gritty role that requires Del Toro to keep a lot of information veiled. He maneuvers through the material remaining unreadable and thoroughly captivating. Del Toro has always been a solid actor, but this is some of the best work of his career.

#1 – Idris Elba (“Beasts of No Nation”)

The first impression Idris Elba’s performance in “Beasts of No Nation” leaves is a powerful one. But it was during a second viewing that I realized just how phenomenal he is. It’s not an easy role. It is the flashiest role in the film. After all he is a snake oil salesman feeding on the fears and untrained anger of children. He has to be bigger than life to truly be persuasive. That’s how his child army sees him. But we see the brutality and sadism behind the charisma. And later Elba brilliantly goes a bit deeper in defining his vile, morally corrupt character. It’s such a rich performance and another that features more layers than you may originally think. Also the details in Elba’s work truly stand out. In such a crowded field it’s still the performance that sticks with me the most.

We are now halfway through. Next time we will look at the Lead Actress category. So what did you think of today’s list. Please take time to share your thoughts, approvals, or disapprovals below.