By Paul Sheehan, The Envelope


It's that time of year again. As the weather gets cooler and the awards derby starts to takes shape, it has already become crystal-clear that the race for Best Actor is jam-packed with winners. From steady pros like Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington and George Clooney to breakout stars like Casey Affleck, Emile Hirsch and Khalid Abdalla, it's difficult to choose. Here's a soup-to-nuts look at leading male performances that are already generating awards buzz.