A previous selection in this category earns an additional nomination here, something that happens twice in the 2015 voting. Two years ago, we lauded Chris Pratt for his gritty portrayal of a Navy SEAL in Zero Dark Thirty, a movie with glowing reviews and a cast of dozens. Pratt stood out for us then, but it was a drop in the bucket compared to what he showed in Guardians of the Galaxy. As the lead actor and principal player in the only original blockbuster of the year, Pratt established himself as the next great action lead, a designation he hopes to crystallize in 2015 with Jurassic World and possibly down the line as the new Indiana Jones. None of this would have been possible if Pratt hadn’t hooked us on the feeling of comedic vulnerability he delivered as Star Lord.

A fictional twin and a portrayal of a living legend complete our top five in Breakthrough Performance. Carrie Coon was asked to portray the caustic yet loving twin sister of Nick Dunne in Gone Girl. Her contribution is key to the proceedings as the audience responds to his character predicated upon her interactions with him. When she believes him innocent, so do we, and our opinion changes only when hers does as well. Coon was basically unemployed as a thespian prior to Gone Girl, but that will never be true again.

David Oyelowo had an even greater burden. The English actor was asked to portray Martin Luther King Jr., a man whose legacy is so crucial to American culture that he has his own national holiday. Oyelowo somehow managed to exacerbate the strengths of King while making his long known weakness with regards to fidelity understandable if not necessary. He sinks into this role so completely that his recreations of King’s speeches are at times more engaging than the original pieces, ones that have already stood the test of time. Oyelowo has been acting since 1998 and working steadily since 2002 yet his work in Selma will define him for the rest of his career.

Two people who were kids when production started on their films finish in sixth and seventh place. Ellar Coltrane of Boyhood has had the unusual experience of a fictional version of his childhood filmed over the past 13 years. That reason alone would be enough to guarantee pop culture awareness for the rest of his life; however, his acting grew noticeably better over the duration of the movie, presumably due to the influence of several marvelous thespians who groomed him through his formative years. Tony Revolori’s experience with The Grand Budapest Hotel was briefer, yet he still held his own against an actor who recently portrayed Voldemort. That statement alone explains why our staff selected him for Breakthrough Performance.

The rest of our top ten includes a returning favorite whose star continues to rise and a pair of relative unknowns. Miles Teller finished in ninth place in the category previously, but his work in Whiplash has guaranteed his place among the greatest under-30 thespians in the world. Mackenzie Foy’s work in Interstellar simply required the 14-year-old to act stubborn and petulant, natural abilities for any kid that age, but she still managed to impress our staff with his earnest performance. Finally, Essie Davis nails her role as a mother desperate to protect her child from a Babadook, whatever that is.

Narrowly missing selection are Bill Hader for The Skeleton Twins, Jenny Slate for Obvious Child, Jack O’Connell for both Unbroken and Starred Up, Felicity Jones for The Theory of Everything and Katherine Waterston for Inherent Vice.

2015 Calvin Awards
Calvins Intro
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Album
Best Cast
Best Character
Best Director
Best Overlooked Film
Best Picture
Best Scene
Best Screenplay
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best TV Show
Best Use of Music
Breakthrough Performance
Worst Performance
Worst Picture

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