I third or fourth Ellen Burstyn and second Leonardo Dicaprio in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape– one of the only portrayals of a mentally challenged person on film that didn’t make me wince in embarrassment (the other being William H. Macy in the made-for-TV movie Door to Door).
Half the cast of JFK.
Thora Birch and Steve Buscemi for Ghost World.
I also think Sam Rockwell deserved a nomination for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
More to come, I’m sure…
Paul Dooley (as the Dad) in Breaking Away
John Wayne in The Cowboys
Robin Williams in Awakenings
Peter O’Toole as Alan Swann in My Favorite Year.
Hear, hear! 
Also McKellen in Richard III, Kenneth Branagh in Henry V (okay, pretty much everybody in Henry V), Derek Jacobi in Hamlet, Orson Welles and John Gielgud in Chimes at Midnight (why, yes, I do watch too many Shakespeare movies, thanks for asking ;)) and Jim Broadbent in Topsy-Turvy…
Isabelle Huppert: The Piano Teacher
Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges and Mercedes Ruehl: The Fisher King
Jeff Bridges: The Big Lebowski
I second Thora Birch and Steve Buscemi: Ghost World
Ethan Hawke: Tape
Ralph Fiennes: Schindler’s List
Ben Kingsley: Betrayal and Sexy Beast
John Turturo: Quiz Show
Philip Seymour Hoffman: pretty much everything he’s ever been in.
Barry Pepper: 25th Hour
Adam Sandler: Punch-Drunk Love
The cast of Reservoir Dogs
Gosh, I hope Ruehl didn’t have to give back the Oscar she won for that film!
Jon Voight – "Midnight Cowboy"
Mia Farrow – “Rosemary’s Baby”
Glenn Close – “Fatal Attraction”
Laura Linley – “Yuo Can Count On Me”
Richard Burton in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Liz Taylor won, and she was fabulous, but Richard went above and beyond and was George.
Mike Myers in “54”. I think he’s actually better in dramatic movies than comedy, and I love his comedies.
The movie was “eh”, but I think Tommy Lee Jones was outstanding as Ty Cobb in “Cobb”. Whew…what an bastid!
And although Jack Nicholson has won many an Oscar, I thought he deserved to win in “Terms of Endearment”. (If he did win, and my mind is the sieve it usually is, please ignore this entry.)
I also third the vote for Jim Carrey in “The Truman Show”, and while we’re at it, Carrey was also screwed with his clothes on for his portrayal of Andy Kaufman in “Man On the Moon”. Everybody else might have hated it, but it’s one of my favorite movies, and he. was. great. So there.
I second and third **Peter O’Toole ** in My Favorite Year. Just a delightful movie
**Angelica Huston ** in Everafter. Best Villianess.
**Billy Elliot ** The entire cast, but mostly the kid and his dad and Julie Walters and…hell, everyone else.
**Secrets and Lies ** Julie Walters and whomever played her long lost daughter.
*Julie Walters *** Educating Rita. ( God, I just love that movie.)
**Peter O’Toole ** in Lion in the Winter. Simply outstanding. Peter, if you wander in here, I just love you.
**Brad Pitt ** in Lock, stock and two smoking barrels. Best Indecipherable Accent and Best Body.
**Office Space ** Best word of mouth film. (tie)
**Best in Show ** Best Word of mouth film (tie)
**Chris Farley ** in *Tommy Boy * and the scene with him and his girlfriend on the boat stuck in the water, and she yells at the kids teasing him. CLASSIC Which gets a vote for Best Scene Screaming at Kids Award.
Noah Taylor in Shine
Ray Liotta in Goodfellas.
Bob Saget in Half Baked. It’s not really good, but after growing up to his sickeningly clean character on Full House, it’s really fun to hear him scream:
“I used to suck dick for coke! Did you ever suck dick for pot?”
Ahh, the classics.
Oh yes! And Paul Sorvino! Thanks for reminding me!
Add these to my list…definite shoulda-beens.
The mom was Brenda Blethyn She sure does look like Walters though.
My vote goes to Dexter Gordon in 'Round Midnight. Still pissed that no-good Newman guy stole the Oscar right out from under Dexter, I tellya there’s no justice in this world grumble grumble
Oh, that’s right, **Annie ** thanks.
Another vote for**Paul Dooley ** in **Breaking Away **.
**Bruno Kirby ** in *When Harry Met Sally *. Best Best Friend in a Movie Award.
I know, he did a great job.
Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver.
My turn to nit-pick. Pitt wasn’t in Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He was in Snatch, and I can’t believe I left that off my list too. BTW, have you watched the DVD where you get an option to wathc the film with subtitles for Pitt’s character only?
Also, another thread just reminded me of Robert Preston in Victor/Victoria, a film which actually puts the whole cast on my list, but no matter how many times I watch the finale of Preston singing “Lady of Spain” I laugh my ass off.
Billy Bob Thorton in Sling Blade.
Fred Willard in Best In Show.
Additions:
Steve Buscemi and Thora Birch in Ghost World! Forced me to coin the term “un-chemistry,” in a good way.
Guy Pearce in Memento
The male cast of LA Confidential
Tim Roth in Reservoir Dogs
Kevin Spacey in Se7en
Andy Serkis.