6. The Return of Christoph Waltz
There were many, many things to love about Inglourious Basterds but perhaps chief amongst them was the absolutely awe-inspiring performance of Hollywood newcomer (at the time) Christoph Waltz. Rising to prominence as a German TV actor, Waltz came out of absolutely nowhere to deliver a turn so terrifyingly brilliant that it netted him the Oscar that year for best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. Say what you like about Tarantino, he's got an eye for casting like no other. Of course you'll already know, Waltz is back for more in Django Unchained, and I very much doubt, especially under the directorial eye of Tarantino, that he'll give anything less than another fully award-worthy performance.