"In the process of whittling down my list of the 17 best film performances of the year, I opted to showcase no more than one performance from any movie I saw this year. But I still couldn't justify space for any individual performance from Sentimental Value, despite being collectively ensorcelled by Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas."
"Nor did I reserve a spot for Emma Stone or Jesse Plemons, two halves of the paranoid battle of wills in Bugonia. George Clooney, Adam Sandler, and Billy Crudup as Jay Kelly 's trio of reflective, regretful, resentful men were also left to sit on the sidelines and wait for the Academy to come calling instead. Picking just one cast member from Hamnet meant no room on the list for Paul Mescal, Emily Watson,"
Many of 2025's strongest films are ensemble-driven, producing multiple career-best performances and numerous awards-caliber turns. Sinners features Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, Wunmi Mosaku, Jack O'Connell, and Miles Caton in standout roles. One Battle After Another showcases Leonardo DiCaprio, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti, Benicio del Toro, Sean Penn, and Regina Hall delivering Oscar-worthy work. Selection limits enforcing one performance per film excluded notable turns in Sentimental Value, Bugonia, Jay Kelly, Hamnet, Weapons, Train Dreams, After the Hunt, and Die My Love. Several acclaimed actors delivered powerful, award-eligible performances that could not all be accommodated.
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