James Franco in Spring Breakers
Todd Brown - Founder and Editor
Did I pick Franco last year after seeing this at the Toronto International Film Festival? I may very well have but even if so he's absolutely incredible. A mesmerizing, manic performance.
Ben Umstead - East Coast Editor
I've never been a Franco detractor, finding the man's seeming artistic recklessness and pretentious attitude outside of his studio pictures rather curious and playful enough to be amusing. He lends some of that "throw caution to the wind" gusto to his role as gangsta Alien and it is just glorious to watch. Excessive and garish and ugly to the point of posing, and on into passion and purity, this is Franco's best role since his defining turn as Daniel Desario on Freaks and Geeks.
Joshua Chaplinsky - Contributing writer
Franco deserves an Oscar for his sleazy, drug-dealing approximation of Bo Derek in 10. Sadly, he won't even be rewarded with a nomination. Seriously, Academy - wake the fuck up! This is next level shit, and will be remembered long after whatever boring performance wins Best Supporting Actor this year is forgotten.
J Hurtado - Contributing writer
Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer
Shelagh M. Rowan-Legg
I probably shouldn't be surprised at how good Swinton is, but seriously, no one but her could have pulled off both incredibly funny and coldly terrifying at the same time as well as she does.
Pierce Conran - Contributing writer
Swinton was clearly enjoying herself tremendously with her manic yorkshire madam in Snowpiercer. Her accent is spot on and her delivery is delightfully nuanced. She commands every scene she's in.
Bogdan Dumitrache - Child's Pose
Patrick Holzapfel - Contributing writer
Daniel Bruhl in Rush
Jason Gorber - Featured Critic
I love Rush. It's a killer combo of European character piece and Hollywood thrill ride. At TIFF, we saw both sides of Brühl - horrendous in The Fifth Estate, and sublime as Nicki Lauda. It's a film that will last, and a performance that does justice to the mercurial man.
Denis Menochet in Our Heroes Died Tonight
Ben Croll - Contributing writer
Menochet, who played the farmer in Inglourious Basterds, looks like the bastard child of Robert Mitchum and Liev Schrieber and shares their hangdog intensity. His role as a conflicted wrestler with a heart of gold in 1960s Paris may be the finest match of actor and role this year.
Dwayne Johnson in Pain & Gain
Kwenton Bellette - Contributing writer
It's been a great year for The Rock. He's starred in a string of successful commercial hits, but he really takes it to another level in Pain & Gain. One part of the worst criminal operation in recent memory, Johnson plays Paul Doyle, a deeply troubled and religious man with a penchant for cocaine and an eagerness and warmth that quickly turns dangerous. He plays the role with such manic intensity that you are often unsure if you should laugh or gasp. Amazing.
George Clooney - Gravity
Niels Matthijs - Contributing writer
Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club
Ryland Aldrich - Festivals Editor
Jonah Hill - The Wolf Of Wall Street
Peter Martin - Managing Editor
Hill creates a character unlike any he's portrayed before; friendly and flinty, frenzied and foolish.
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years A Slave
Jim Tudor - Contributing writer
Maribel Verdu - Blancanieves
Christopher O'Keeffe - Contributing writer
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years A Slave
James Marsh - Asian Editor
Fassbender has become one of the most exciting and dependably brilliant actors working in Hollywood today, and his third collaboration with director Steve McQueen produces arguably the vilest abomination of his career - and I mean that in all the best ways possible. Edwin Epps is the kind of amoral racist that would make even Calvin Candie blush, flogging and raping his slaves for pleasure, manipulating the scriptures to justify his actions, yet Fassbender retains just a glimmer of humanity in his performance, so we the audience are unable to dismiss Epps as merely a movie monster. Epps was real, a despicable man, but a man nonetheless, and that makes him all the more terrifying.
Nick Frost - The World's End
Jaime Grijalba - Contributing writer
The most fun I've had this year, and it's thanks to this guy. I like the way that he transforms from a salaryman to the wild stallion that he always was on the inside, and he plays them both convincingly. It's such a surprise when he makes the change and suddenly we see classic Nick Frost in action, welcome back!
Nicole Kidman - Stoker
Ard Vijn - Contributing writer
Nicole Kidman's character has to play second fiddle intelligence-wise to her daughter, and to Nicole's credit she sells the role without making her character dumb. Instead, she comes across as doggedly self-centered, too flawed as such to notice what's really going on. Splendid supporting work here.
Rachel McAdams - Passion
Brian Clark - European Editor
Sam Rockwell - The Way Way Back
Ernesto Zelaya Minano - Contributing writer
I'm not sure if this counts as supporting or not, but since Owen isn't the main character, I'm putting it here. Loved Rockwell in this - the kind of friend we all would want to have.
Uhm Jung-hwa - Montage
Patryk Czekaj - Contributing writer
It's her distressing performance that gives Montage a much needed feminine touch. Don't be fooled though, she's a strong woman, who's not afraid to risk everything in order to bring justice to the world.
Scarlett Johansson - Her
Dustin Chang - Contributing writer
Vithaya Pansringarm - Only God Forgives
Eric Ortiz Garcia - Contributing writer
I loved his character and he stole the film from Ryan Gosling!
William Fichtner - Wrong
Kurt Halfyard - Contributing writer
While it has been way over a year since I caught this on the festival circuit, it got a commercial release in 2013 and everyone got the chance to take pleasure in Fichtner channelling Pete Postlewaite's Kobayashi from The Usual Suspects, as a dog kidnapper and pet philosopher. Undistilled hilarity.