15. Bruno Ganz, 'Downfall'

There are no wings over Berlin in 'Downfall', but Oliver Hirschbiegel’s account of Hitler’s last few days features a stellar lead performance by Bruno Ganz all the same. Bringing depth and dimension to his reviled character, the Swiss actor strives to remind us that there’s a man inside every monster, which only makes his actions more horrific to contemplate. Ganz never allows us to simply write Hitler off as evil, as that would almost be an excuse. Instead he digs deeper into his psyche than most other thespians would be comfortable with.

14. Uma Thurman, 'Kill Bill'

Much has been made about the characters Quentin Tarantino created, but his real gift is his deep appreciation of his favorite actors and his ability to create roles that unlock all the aspects of what makes them so cool up on the big screen. With 'Pulp Fiction', he already revealed the badass that was lurking underneath Thurman’s authentic quirky demeanor, but the idea that she could actually kick ass for the entire four hours of  'Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2' was a complete revelation. Thurman retains all that makes her such a unique screen presence by playing a woman seeking bloody revenge for unspeakable horrors, while transforming into a martial arts virtuoso in the process.

13. Jeon Do-yeon, 'Secret Sunshine'

Lee Chang-dong movies abound in stellar performances, but none is as devastating as Jeon Do-yeon is in 'Secret Sunshine'. Her tear-streaked turn is grief embodied, and a reminder that the kind of tragedies you imagine only befalling other people can and will eventually befall you. Jeon was awarded Best Actress laurels at Cannes for her portrayal of a grieving widow who moves to her husband’s hometown with her young son in tow after the death of her other half. 'Secret Sunshine' was highly successful in South Korea, where Jeon remains a frequent onscreen presence.

12. Mads Mikkelsen, 'The Hunt'

Mads Mikkelsen is one of those rare actors who manages to disappear into his characters even as he infuses each and every one of them with an unmistakable essence that’s all his own. Though he’s probably still most familiar to viewers for his portrayal of villains in 'Casino Royale' and the gone-too-soon 'Hannibal', Mikkelsen couldn’t be more sympathetic in his most memorable performance to date. It’s a frustrating, frightening experience, the kind that fills you with impotent rage as you watch the proverbial pitchforks come out. He took Best Actor at Cannes for his performance, lest you worry about it going entirely unheralded.

11. Ryan Gosling, 'Blue Valentine'

Gosling already had one Oscar nomination under his belt for his raw-nerved performance in 'Half Nelson', and he brought that same intensity to his first outing with director Derek Cianfrance, a pairing that has proved fruitful in the intervening years. But the heartbreaker also required a level of emotional honesty and openness that few actors are willing to venture into, though Gosling proved himself wholly up for the challenge. Gosling is startling vulnerable in the role, and its his own journey that carries the film to its final, crushing end.

10. Edgar Ramírez, 'Carlos'

The actor earned acclaim, fame, and a Golden Globe nomination for his lead performance in Olivier Assayas’ five-and-a-half-hour miniseries about Carlos the Jackal. He’s compelling for each and every minute of screentime here, humanizing the infamous terrorist even as he shows his depths of depravity. Even if you aren’t exactly rooting for Carlos, you’ll be so transfixed by Ramírez’s embodiment of him that you’ll hope he keeps evading authorities so you can see what he’ll do next. The same can be said of the actor himself, who possesses so much charisma that he almost seems forced to contain it in his other work. 

9. Scarlett Johansson, 'Under the Skin'

Talent is rarely enough to build and maintain a Hollywood acting career; the key is finding roles to showcase it. In the case of Scarlett Johansson, the turning point was more of a completely unexpected twist, a trio of non-human characters, in 'Her', 'Lucy' and 'Under the Skin', each of which played off her icy allure. The crown jewel of the three is this Jonathan Glazer masterpiece that poses the question of what it means to be human through the eyes of Johansson’s seductive alien sent to earth to probe for answers. Johansson’s eyes become a window to a unique, complex soul.

8. Taraji P. Henson, 'Hidden Figures'

Tasked with playing a bonafide real life American hero, Henson digs in and finds an actual woman underneath the myth. Juggling problems large and small, personal and political, it’s Katherine who grounds the film and Henson that makes her feel real. It’s also a showstopper of a stage to show off Henson’s rage, her quiet and contemplative Katherine feel uniquely made for the actress. Steely-eyed and iron-backed when it counts, Katherine is a woman who knows her own mind and Henson carries that with conviction and respect. Taraju P. Henson delivers her own perfectly calibrated performance to honor Katherine.

7. Michelle Williams, 'Wendy and Lucy'

A spare, heartbreaking story about a woman living on the verge of homelessness with her beloved dog, it’s emblematic of both director and star’s rare talents: affecting but never overstated. The film charts a physical journey, in this case, Oregon to Alaska, where Wendy is hoping to find work in a cannery, that doesn’t get as far as it’s meant to and an internal struggle that goes much further. Williams is masterful on both fronts, though special credit is owed to her canine co-star as well.

6. Géza Röhrig, 'Son of Saul'

Röhrig made his feature acting debut as Saul, a Jewish prisoner-of-war at Auschwitz in 1944. The movie’s immersive action and intricately layered sound design reveal the hideous scale of the mass slaughter of Jews and is not soon forgotten. After the movie premiered in competition at Cannes in May, which is rare for a debut director, winning the Grand Prix and the Fipresci critics’ prize, 'Son of Saul' toured the festival circuit before winning the foreign-language Golden Globe and the Oscar. If more Academy actors had seen the film, Röhrig might have had a shot. 

5. Andy Serkis, 'The Lord of the Rings'

For some, it has taken the evolution of Serkis’s Caesar character in the 'Planet of the Apes' trilogy  to reveal that Serkis is not engaging in a form of puppetry or acrobatic mimicry, but rather delivering subtle performances rich with feeling. In retrospect, it was all there years ago in his groundbreaking role as Gollum. Serkis brings to life the character’s repulsion and uncontrollable attraction to the ring with such incredible physicality that it reveals his frayed character’s self-loathing and demented passion. Serkis has demonstrated his craft which is the missing ingredient in our special effects world. 

4. Samuel L. Jackson, 'The Hateful Eight'

Quentin Tarantino and Samuel L. Jackson have has as many memorable collaborations as nearly any other director/actor pair, from the iconic 'Pulp Fiction' to 'Kill Bill'. Not content to simply show up, yell 'motherfucker' and leave, Jackson outdid himself once again in this curiously overlooked performance, which features one of the most delirious flashbacks ever conjured. What’s most remarkable is that Jackson, who’s such a comforting onscreen presence, manages to terrify anew, it’s as though he’s forcing us to forget every other character he’s ever played.

3. Naomi Watts, 'Mulholland Drive'

There have been countless movies made about Hollywood dreams and its harsh realities, but never have both the starry-eyed and deep despair of Los Angeles been so perfectly rolled up into one performance like Naomi Watts’ breakout role in David Lynch’s masterpiece. Watts would of course go on to be a big star playing characters who are often strong, steady types, but as we’ve been recently reminded with her appearance in the new 'Twin Peaks' she can go deliciously big and unfiltered, demonstrating an incredible tonal range. She has an innate ability to adapt to Lynch’s unique cinematic world and quickly land completely authentic moments of wonder, desire, and desperation.

2. Ralph Fiennes, 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'

It’s no secret that Oscar voters prefer dramatic turns to comedic ones, something actors with a lighter touch have long bemoaned. Ralph Fiennes’ devoted hotel concierge is made all the more impressive given the contrast it shows for the actor, previously best known in heavy Oscar nominations in 'Schindler’s List' and 'The English Patient'. The devil is in the details in Wes Anderson’s meticulously crafted worlds, and Fiennes brings that same kind of specificity to the eccentric character. As the best actors do, Fiennes grounds his performance in reality, elevating 'Grand Budapest' beyond even Anderson’s own vision. 

1. Kirsten Dunst, 'Melancholia'

Kirsten Dunst and Lars von Trier had both experienced depression; he opened up to her and earned her trust. Dunst actually won Best Actress at Cannes, even after Trier’s Cannes 2011 press conference outburst got him banned from the festival. 'Melancholia' might have had a shot at the Palme d’Or won by 'The Tree of Life' had it not been overshadowed by von Trier’s misbehavior. The movie went on to a modest arthouse release with strong reviews but no awards traction: it’s possible that the unforgettable spectacle of Dunst as a drunk newlywed peeing on the lawn in the moonlight in her wedding dress was not the stuff of Academy voters’ dreams.