20 Best Movie Performances Of 2016

Amy Adams continues to prove she's one of the best and most consistent actors working today with a performance likely to earn her a sixth Oscar nomination, though the prospect of an actual win still seems very much up in the air given the year's stiff competition.

Still, Adams is tasked with essentially carrying Denis Villeneuve's fantastic sci-fi drama, holding a huge heft of emotional weight on her back from its ambiguous opening passages through to its jaw-dropping final reveal.

Creating a character both uniquely smart and totally relatable in all of her human turmoil, Adams' linguist Louise Banks is exactly the sort of strong, full-bodied female protagonist more big-budget movies need.

What were your favourite performances of 2016? Agree with our picks? Disagree? Shout them out in the comments!