Top 11 Arresting Performances in Movies

By CJ Tiernan

When watching a movie, in pursuit of entertainment I often try to get lost in the world of the film. Sometimes the acting is so compelling it's almost hard to fathom. An opinions gets lost in the character and absorbed by the plot and it's tough to decipher where the actor ends and the character begins. If that happens, you can feel it while watching the movie and it's incredible. Below is a list of the 11 acting performances that were so captivating and unexpected they stopped me in my tracks and were difficult to shake well after the credits rolled.

1. Brie Larson - Room (2015)

Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Brie Larson plays a kidnapping victim who has been held captive in a single room for seven years and has a 5-year-old son living in the room with her. She runs the gamut of emotional range in this one in such a powerful way. The performances are impressive all around (including a 7-year-old Jacob Tremblay), but Brie stole the show.

Academy Award? - Yes, Best Actress

2. Christoph Waltz - Inglorious Basterds (2009)

Philipp von Ostau, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The opening scene of this movie is the first time I ever saw Christoph Waltz. The beginning of the movie was haunting and enduring and his performance was a big reason why. Playing "The Jew Hunter," Hans Landa, he was able to utilize his multilingual skills to steal the show. Writer/Director Quentin Tarantino worried that he had written a "part that was un-playable" until Christoph Waltz entered the chat. His performance was unforgettable.

Academy Award? - Yes, Best Supporting Actor

3. Dev Patel - Lion (2016)

Ariela Ortiz Barrantes, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Lion is a harrowing and heartbreaking story. It follows a young boy in India who is accidentally separated from his family. Dev plays the adult version of this boy, and doesn't show up on screen until about an hour in. His performance was so impressive I couldn't look away. The movie was based on a true story and it's an incredible tale.

Academy Award? - No, but Nominated for Best Supporting Actor

4. Heath Ledger - Dark Knight (2008)

Howie, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Other than maybe "10 Things I Hate About You," I don't believe I had ever seen a Health Ledger performance before his untimely demise. He seemed like an odd choice for the role, until, of course, we saw him in action. You couldn't take eyes off of him. He transformed so completely from the Rom-Com pretty-boy that he was darn-right unrecognizable. His performance is so rewatchable and so intense. I really wish he hadn't died because after this performance, the world was gonna be his oyster.

Academy Award? - Yes, Best Supporting Actor

5. Elle Fanning - Super 8 (2011)

Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Elle is the youngest person on my list. She was only 12 when she started filming this movie. Obviously she came from child acting royalty, as she is the younger sister of Dakota Fanning. In a movie that mostly follows a group of kids, her performance stood out heads and tails above the rest of them. Her performance in the film within the film is so impressive and nuanced.

Academy Award? - No, Not Nominated

6. Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Genevieve, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

This was the first time I ever saw Taraji P. Henson on screen. She played a mother of sorts to the elderly infant that ages backwards. Her charisma and layered performance really ground the movie which has a crazy premise and some distracting CGI. The type of performance that makes you whisper "wow" whilst among strangers in a theater.

Academy Award? - No, but Nominated for Best Supporting Actress

7. Mahershala Ali - Moonlight (2016)

Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The movie "Moonlight" is very cleanly broken into three acts. Act I is my favorite and Mahershala Ali is the reason why. He plays a drug dealer and, in my mind, that means he's supposed to be a bad guy. But not only is he drenched in charisma throughout, but he serves as a mentor to the main character. He brings such a humanity to an otherwise marginalized role in society you can't take your eyes off him.

Academy Award? - Yes, Best Supporting Actor

8. Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men (2007)

Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Javier Bardem burst on the scene in a Beatles wig as a psychopathic killer. His actions are so understated in this movie, not over the top and zany like Christian "Batman" Bale in "American Psycho," that you're drawn in. The tension that he wrings out of the coin flip scene is borderline untouchable. "I'm not putting it any way." It's a great movie and he's the best part of it.

Academy Award? - Yes, Best Supporting Actor

9. Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Bex Walton from London, England, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

This movie is emotionally devastating. Having seen Casey Affleck play a goofball in "Tower Heist," I don't think I was ready for how great he was in this movie. He is a broken human being who suffered an unimaginable grief and you believe it all. He and Michelle Williams are both so great in this movie. It's the type of movie that clings to you after it's over and you just keep thinking back to it. It's unshakeable.

Academy Award? - Yes, Best Actor

10. Lady Gaga - A Star is Born (2018)

John Bauld from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

This was the fourth time that "A Star is Born" has made, dating all the way back to 1937. If you're gonna remake a movie that has already been remade twice, you need an ace up your sleeve. Lady Gaga is that ace. The "Poker Face" singer absolutely steals the show. It's a musical, and the music is incredible, but the music isn't the only stunning part of her performance. Her work is breathtaking in this movie from beginning to end.

Academy Award? - No, but Nominated for Best Actress

11. Janelle Monáe - Hidden Figures (2016)

Myles Kalus Anak Jihem, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

I was under the impression that Janelle was more of a musical artist than an actor. Then I saw Hidden Figures. She exhibits such an intensity and a humanity that I couldn't look away. The movie as whole is beautiful story highlighting a slew of unsung heroes. Octavia Spencer was deservingly nominated for this movie, but it was Janelle Monáe that stopped me in my tracks.

Academy Award? - No, Not Nominated

Final Thoughts

My dad always says the casting director is the unsung hero of a great movie. These 11 performances are absolutely proof-positive for that sentiment. In many cases, they wouldn't have been the most obvious or heralded of choices, but in each and every case they stole the show. I'm sure your list would look a lot different than mine, as preconceived expectations are a factor in making the list. How fun is it that? We're different and bring our own opinions to this discussion. Please include your favorites in the comments below. Thanks!