He broke out in 2013 with Inside Llewyn Davis, but its 2015 that looks to be the year which put Oscar Isaacs name on everybodys lips. He started the year (in terms of UK release dates, anyway) with his young-Pacino turn in the brilliant A Most Violent Year, and ended it as Poe Damaron in what could well become the biggest film of all time, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In very different ways, hes great in both, but its his performance as Nathan in Alex Garlands instant classic, Ex Machina, which serves as the actors best of the year (and his second best overall, after the untouchable Llewyn Davis). Subverting the idea of the-technological-whiz-as-nerd, Isaac instead creates a frat-boy bro who just so happens to be a god-like genius, upending the notion that all science geniuses in the movies are geeks. This lends Ex Machina a sense of Millennial Hubris, with Isaac the embodiment of a culture which can create anything but continually creates it for the wrong reasons. Add to that an inspired, gif-generating impromptu dance, and you have a complete performance from the best contemporary actor alive.
