My Favorite Performances By Year, 1931 to the present.

For: Manchester by the Sea (2016). Brilliant, heartfelt, effective performance.

For: Spotlight (2015). Marvelous performance by the talented Mr. Ruffalo.

For: Whiplash (2014). Brilliant, raw, crackling, career best performance.

For: Twelve years a Slave (2013). Heartfelt, true, beautifully realized performance.

For: Zero Dark Thirty. (2012). Frighteningly realistic performance. In a year of remarkable performances, this one stays with me as more effective than I was even remotely expecting.

For: The Debt (2011). The best and a stand out in an excellent ensemble.

For: The Social Network (2010). Andrew, in a break out role, stands out as Eduardo Savarin in the wonderful film from 2010. "You better lawyer-up, Mark, because I'm coming back for all of it."

For: Inglorious Basterds (2009). Not a huge Tarantino fan, nevertheless, this actor is wildly effective in this different and entertaining film.

For: Doubt (2008). Amy is tremendous and totally believable in this wonderful look back to 8th grade catholic school, circa 1964.

For: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead. (2007). I watch this movie, Lumet's final effort as director, over and over, and especially the gritty, delicious performance of the talented P.S. Hoffman. A gem and a tour de force by the best actor working today.

For: Notes on a Scandal (2006). Another wonderful portrayal by the wonderful Ms. Blanchett. Wonderfully wrought in this intriguing, well acted and well crafted film.

For: Crash (2005). In a film fraught with wonderful performances,and a year that featured bravura acting in Capote and Brokeback, among others, this performance by the soulful Howard is a stand out, haunting and provacative and stays with me indelibly.

For: The Aviator (2004). Absolutely delicious as Kate Hepburn in the entertaining Scorsese biopic.

For: The Cooler (2003). As Shelly, the casino manager, Baldwin is wildly meancing and totally believable in a career best supporting performance.

For: The Hours (2002). Ms. Moore is haunting in this moving drama, with a wonderful cast.

For: In the Bedroom (2001). One of those performances to be seen and savored many times, Wilkinson is memorable as Dr. Fowler in this wonderful film.

For: Erin Brockovich (2000). Finney is one of the best actors alive, and brilliant consistently, he absolutely shines as attorney Ed Masry, elevating the fine fim by Steven Soderberg. A memorable performance.

For: Boys Don't Cry (1999). One of those performances that stay with me, Ms. Sevigny was wonderfully effective in the film, along side equally excellent turns by the wonderful Hilary Swank and by Peter Saarsgard.

For: A Simple Plan (1998). Really excellent acting by Thornton in this intriguing, underrated suspense yarn from 1998.

For: As Good As it Gets (1997). This movie is my choice for the best film in the great year 1997, and one of the reasons was that Greg Kinnear was so very effective and pleasing as Simon, along side great performances by Nicholson and Hunt.

For: Fargo (1996). Absolutely delicious performance by W.H. Macy in the quirky, entertaining, Coen Bros. classic.

For: Leaving Las Vegas (1995). Astonishingly good performance by Ms. Shue in the well acted drama.

For: Quiz Show (1994). Really fine entertaining career defining performance by the wonderful Turturro under the deft direction of Robert Redford, along side equally great turns by Ralph Fiennes, Rob Morrow and Paul Scofield.

For: Schindler's List (1993). Wow, this magnificent film was even better, given the stunning work by Fiennes, absolutely haunting and memorable.

For: Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). Jack is sublime and his talented best in a film filled with memorable performances.

For: JFK (1991). Jones is a stand out in the 1991 Oliver Stone epic. Wonderful and memorable performance by Tommy Lee Jones.

For: Goodfellas (1990). Stunning, career best and stand out acting by Ms. Bracco, in one of my favorite films. Along with De Niro, Pesci, Liotta, and Sorvino, one of the greatest single film acting quintets of all time.

For: Glory (1989). I remember thinking, during my first viewing of this fine film, who is this actor playing Thomas, the friend of the Matt Broderick character. Braugher's fine turn in Glory elevates the film and stays with you, even amongst a cast giving great performances.

For: Working Girl (1988). Wonderfully pleasing performance by the talented Ms. Weaver in this very entertaining Mike Nichols film from 1988.

For: Broadcast News (1987). Fabulous work from Ms. Hunter in this wildly entertaining offering from James L. Brooks. Holly was enormously good and effective.

For: Platoon (1986). Masterful characterization as Sgt. Barnes. This was Berenger's best work and a triumph!

For: Prizzi's Honor (1985). Hickey played Don Corrado Prizzi with a refreshing quirkiness.

For: The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984). Outstanding and original performance as dreamer Paulie in underrated drama.

For: The Right Stuff (1983). The consummate John Glenn, gung ho Marine pilot astronaut. The entire cast had the right stuff with talented Harris a stand out.

For: The Verdict (1982). Delicious and pleasing support from the wonderful Jack Warden in a truly great film.

For: Atlantic City (1981). An elder Burt Lancaster should have won best actor for 1981 in a sublimely pleasing performance in this wonderful film.

For: Raging Bull (1980). Wow. I'm sure I'm not alone, when seeing this remarkable film in 1980 and thinking, who is this guy? An astonishingly great performance.

For: And Justice for all (1979). The great Al Pacino, totally likeable and wildly effective and pleasing role as humanistic lawyer in a wonderful film.

For: The Deer Hunter (1978). Provocative, astounding performance as the tragic Nicky.

For: Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977). Surprisingly great turn by Ms. Weld in excellent, provocative drama.

For: Network (1976). Probably my favorite scene in all movie history, the Board room scene with wickedly good Beatty preaching the corporate evangel to wide eyed Peter Finch. Wonderful, memorable performance by the always good Ned Beatty.

For: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. (1975). Fine turn by Dourif in the well acted, wildly entertaining, classic film.

For: Godfather, Part II. (1974). Wow! What a great performance by a fairly young and new to movie acting, Robert De Niro as the young Vito Corleone. Much deserved Oscar for supporting actor in this magnificent film.

For: The Exorcist (1973). Compelling and beautifully realized portrait of the tortured Priest in this wonderful, suspenseful film.

For: The Godfather (1972). It does not get much better than a young Al Pacino, who gained the Michael Corleone role at the insistence of Coppola, and made it an iconic portrayal. The metamorphosis of Michael from the baby boy serviceman to The Godfather is brilliant and memorable.

For: The Last Picture Show (1971). The talented Jeff Bridges just shines among the brilliant ensemble in Peter Bogdanovich's iconic masterpiece.

For: M.A.S.H. As Hawkeye Pierce, the ultimate maverick, Donald is simply wonderful in the cutting edge entertaining film.

For: Anne of the 1000 Days. (1969). Lovely Ms. Bujold was astonishing and more than equaled her talented acting counterpart, the wonderful Richard Burton. It was the performance of Genevieve that elevated this film to classic.

For: Rosemary's Baby (1968). Veteran Sidney Blackmer was frighteningly menacing in this wonderful classic form Roman Polansky.

For: The Graduate (1967).

For: A Man for All Seasons (1966).

For: Doctor Zhivago (1965).

For: Dr. Strangelove, (1964).

For: Lilies of the Field. (1963).

For: To Kill a Mockingbird. (1962).

For: The Hustler (1961).

For: The Apartment. (1960).

For: Anatomy of a Murder (1959).

For: Separate Tables (1958).

For: Witness for the Prosecution (1957).

For: The Ten Commandments (1956).

For: the Man with the Golden Arm. (1955).

For: On the Waterfront (1954).

For: Pick-Up on South Street. (1953).

For: Moulin Rouge (1952).

For: Death of a Salesman (1951).

For: All about Eve (1950).

For: The Heiress (1949).

For: Treasure of the Sierra Madre. (1948).

For: Kiss Of Death (1947).

For: It's a wonderful, Life. (1946).

For: Lost Weekend. (1945).

For: Double Indemnity (1944).

For: Casablanca (1943).

For: Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).

For: The Maltese Falcon. (1941).

For: Edison, the Man (1940).

For: GWTW. (1939).

For: Angels with Dirty Faces (1938).

For: Captain's Courageous (1937).

For: The Story of Louis Pasteur. (1936).

For: The Informer (1935).

For: The Thin Man (1934).

For: I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (1933).

For: The Champ (1932).

For: A Free Soul (1931).