20 Best Movie Performances Of 2018

2. Ethan Hawke (First Reformed)

Whether or not the Academy does indeed bless Ethan Hawke with a well-deserved Best Actor nod for his performance in Paul Schrader's First Reformed - it could go either way right now - it's arguably the best thing he's ever done.

As a reverend forced to confront a personal crisis of faith, Hawke is simply sublime, presenting an impossibly composed protagonist who nevertheless slow-builds to an inevitably volcanic final act.

Making the most of Schrader's barbed dialogue while daring to commit fully to the movie's more unexpectedly surreal moments, Hawke's performance is a masterclass in tonal brilliance, and at once terrifying, hilarious and depressing.