Some performers wait decades for their first citations, and some hit home runs their first times at bat. The following are examples of the latter: Ten individuals from nine titles released between 1982 to 1996 who all scored Oscar nominations (or, in two cases, wins) for movie debuts made after the performers turned 20. I'm using that age as a starting point because I wrote about Oscar-acknowledged youths Quinn Cummings, Justin Henry, and Tatum O'Neal just last month. And also because if I keep raving about Anna Paquin in The Piano, I'm gonna start looking like a Person of Interest.

The following quintet of 1982 to 1991 releases is composed of four contemporary movies and one period piece – with that “period,” at the time of its filming, all of 19 years old – that personally inspire smiles and tears across the board through memorably satisfying takes on adult romance. One of them, in its first minutes, finds Daniel Day-Lewis whispering to a woman, in unexpectedly romantic fashion, “Take off your clothes” … and he does it while wearing a face mask! Well, okay, not a face mask. He actually says it with a towel wrapped on his face. But still … covered faces on-screen can be sexy, too! So maybe there is hope!

The following five films from 1957 to 1985 were all the first feature-length releases by directors who have been, or were, significant cinematic forces for more than 30 consecutive years. Don't even try fighting me over inclusion three, because you know you love it, too. Um … right?

As we continue to cross fingers that something – anything – will soon be playing at a theater near us, let's take a look at five direct sequels from 1980 to 1993 that, for me, are all significant improvements on the blockbusters that preceded them.