13. Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)
Emmanuelle Rivas performance in this film is so fantastic that it forces the audience to confront the greatest taboo that none of us can escape. From her fleeting thoughts, through to her pain filled bed ridden moans, this a performance unlike any other you will see in film. It is a painful watch to see the crumbling of life so quickly in its two hour running time. The film doesn't pose any social questions or issues, but begs us to realise that we all live in danger of slowly deteriorating in the most agonizing of ways, and it is Riva who is the heart-breaking backbone of this beautifully crafted movie. Riva lost out on the Oscar for best actress, an accolade that was awarded to Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings playbook, but to those who have endured this metaphysical masterpiece, hers is a performance that will forever be burned into your mind.