The Oscars have a way of hyping themselves, and creating an aura is if these were the very best films of all time. Not so, as you can see from these earlier, equally superb (if not more so) performances from our top 20 nominated actors.
Amy Adams in Enchanted
Her wide-eyed princess was adorably naive, and somehow fit right into the persona she created for Junebug, Doubt and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day; if only she could keep playing this character forever!
Christian Bale in American Psycho
Not one of my favorite actors, and guilty of being too self-important -- as well as mumbly -- he has nonetheless worked in some terrific films and with some impressive directors. His finest, most unhinged performance has to be this, however, when he was just about 25.
This terrific actor with a handsome, rugged landscape of a face is usually cast in snoozy bores of movies, with the exception of his frightening serial killer in Joel and Ethan Coen's masterpiece.
Annette Bening in The Grifters
She became sexy again in The Kids Are All Right, just as she was in this breakout role; no male viewer has ever forgotten the jeweler scene.
Helena Bonham Carter in Fight Club
Her career is divided up into being a dark, scary goth chick, or a pretty art house queen; she was probably never more dangerous or enticing than she was here.
Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski
Bridges created much more than a character with Lebowski... he created an entire state of being.
Jesse Eisenberg in Zombieland
The best American actor in his twenties, here bonding with a surrogate family in an exceedingly clever zombie-comedy.
Colin Firth in Girl with a Pearl Earring
Firth is still getting better and better, but here he is in a good solid performance, in a good solid movie.
James Franco in Pineapple Express
This is Franco's best performance; here he shed his pretty boy image and stretched out his wings for the first time.
John Hawkes in Me and You and Everyone We Know
Hawkes is scary in Winter's Bone, but here he's practically cuddly.
Nicole Kidman in Dogville
She's had a terrific career with many high points, but did she ever make a more daring or disquieting movie than this?
Jennifer Lawrence in ?
I've only seen Lawrence in two other movies, and neither Garden Party nor The Burning Plain is really worth recommending. Watch this space.
Melissa Leo in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
She's a queen of the working class character, a huge rarity in American movies, which makes her a national treasure.
Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta
One of the most delicately beautiful of all actresses, she has chosen a career of tough risks, including this under-appreciated, very dark comic book movie.
Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker
The finest performance of 2009, in one of the decade's best movies.
Mark Ruffalo in In the Cut
Ruffalo has that great combination of handsome and slightly unpredictable; he can be creepy or completely charming. In this, his most daring movie, he ventures into some very dark places...
Geoffrey Rush in Quills
The great ham in his hammiest -- and best -- role.
Hailee Steinfeld in ?
True Grit is her feature debut; let's hope she can continue to get roles just as good.
Jacki Weaver in Picnic at Hanging Rock
Animal Kingdom is her biggest film since this 1975 Australian classic, which I have not yet seen. Watch this space!
Michelle Williams in Wendy and Lucy
She's a pretty blond, but so much more intelligent and soulful than many other actresses her age. She's capable of great introspection and inner pain; mesmerizing.
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