Best Lead Actor 2016

05. Jake Gyllenhaal in Nocturnal Animals - Gyllenhaal has been making exciting, daring choices for years now (I still think his performance in Nightcrawler is one of the best performances ever), and Nocturnal Animals is no different. He plays two characters - a struggling author, and the character within his novel whose whole world is falling apart - and he does it with ease.

04. Viggo Mortensen in Captain Fantastic - There is a reason Viggo is getting a ton of attention for a small movie few people heard of - it's because he is intense and hilarious in it. He plays the father of six kids whom he teaches off the grid, and then the way they cope with being in society. It's a great little movie, and a great performance.

03. Ryan Gosling in La La Land - What can't Gosling do? He can act, he can sing, he can dance, he can be funny, he can be intense, he can be charming, he can be a cocky ass... and he can play jazz piano!? Give him all the awards.

02. Denzel Washington in Fences - If you want to see the finest pair of acting performances in a movie this year, go see Fences. If you want to see a powerful film about family and and struggle and disappointment, go see Fences. If you want to see Denzel play a man so unlikable, and yet respectable, go see Fences.

01. Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea - As a feminist, I find the allegations against Casey Affleck unacceptable. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior. But as a fan of film, I can't deny that his performance in Manchester By the Sea, as a man swallowed and emptied out by grief, is one of the best and most powerful of the year. It's a subtle, small, un-showy role, so naturalistic you feel like you are watching a documentary instead of a scripted movie. This performance feels raw and lived in, and despite what you think of the man and his actions, you can't deny the power of the performance.