As the volatile Lucien Carr, DeHaan is a ticking time bomb made flesh. Carr was a close friend of beat poet Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) who would go on to kill his former lover David Kammerer (Michael C. Hall), and DeHaan's unpredictable performance of the friend/seducer/muse/murderer propels the unsteady, jazzy rhythms of "Kill Your Darlings". DeHaan's unconventional looks harbor a smoldering sensuality -- it's easy to see why Ginsberg would find himself enthralled with such an unstable but exciting character. He cloaks himself in drugs, pranks and revolutionary words, but disguised behind his effortless cool is an unsatisfied and turbulent soul. It's a dynamic performance by a promising young talent. The general public may not know DeHaan's name yet, but they undoubtedly will soon. - Jefferson Grubbs
It can be really hard for actors known for comedy to branch out and dominate dramatic roles. Audiences can often have too hard a time separating them from their humorous pasts to take them seriously. Saturday Night Live alum Will Forte had never tried a real dramatic role before, so his excellent work in "Nebraska" comes as a delightful surprise. While all eyes were drawn to the obviously brilliant performance of Bruce Dern, Forte admirably and subtly kept pace with the seasoned veteran. Forte's snub from the Oscars is most likely for the same reason that Oscar Isaac was left out of Best Actor: his performance wasn't histrionic enough. There was nothing flashy about it, and so it didn't impact voters as much in the long run. - Nicholas DeNitto
There is something so bittersweet about watching Gandolfini in "Enough Said", one of the last movies the actor filmed before his untimely death in June of last year. Pigeonholed from an early age as the "tough guy" thanks to his iconic stint on "The Sopranos", it was delightful to see him excel at playing against type as carefree divorced father Albert. Gandolfini would have been fine to play Albert as a wholly lovable teddy bear or as an exasperating slob. Instead, thanks to his layered performance, you can't quite tell which he is...much to the consternation of new girlfriend Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). What is clear is the joy and pain that comes with a new love, no matter how old and "wise" we get; Gandolfini plays Albert as a man keenly attuned to his own feelings, something Tony Soprano could only have dreamed of. "Enough Said" was a brief glimpse at the impressive range Gandolfini was capable of, all the more painful for what it promised: it proved that there was a great wealth of memorable characters still inside of him that will now forever remain unseen. - Jefferson Grubbs
In "Prisoners", with his tattoos, greasy hair, twitchy eyes and permanent scowl, Gyllenhaal distances himself completely from his youthful puppy dog image in films like "October Sky", "Proof" and "Love & Other Drugs". But as Detective Loki, Gyllenhaal's transformation goes far beyond the surface. As an officer determined to find two missing girls, he's never been better. Even his Oscar-nominated turn in "Brokeback Mountain" can't come close to matching the cold fury that runs underneath his whole performance here. We barely get a glimpse of his life outside his job (you get the feeling he has none), but through Gyllenhaal's layered performance, we learn everything we need to know about this strange, haunted man. With a laser-like focus and an unshakeable determination, Loki uses his defense of the vulnerable to mask his own vulnerability. - Jefferson Grubbs
Sam Rockwell has an uncanny knack for stealing the show in every film that features him. While I will be specifically address his work in "The Way Way Back", all of these compliments can be applied to every single one of his films. Rockwell is charismatic and funny, while carrying an undertone of self-awareness and sadness. It's easy to see why Duncan, the young man at the heart of "The Way Way Back", takes such a shine to him, but it's also easy for audiences to see why Rockwell's character isn't the perfect role model. Rockwell is a master at portraying these layered characters, and it's only a matter of time before the Academy tosses something his way. - Nicholas DeNitto
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