Over the past few years, Oscar Isaac has become an absolute Hollywood darling. Whether he's starring in a hard-hitting drama or some high-profile science fiction, he's made a name for himself as an actor that dazzles fans on and off screen. Who can resist the actor who loved FinnPoe just as much as the fandom?
In a few months fans will be able to see Oscar Isaac make sci-fi waves all over again in the Frank Herbert classic Dune. However, until then let's just look back at some of his best roles.
Here are Oscar Isaac's ten best films (according to IMDb).
A Most Violent Year (7.0)
At the start of the movie, Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) is just a good man trying to make a decent living. Over the course of the film, it doesn't quite stay that way.
A Most Violent Year follows Abel and his wife, Anna's (Jessica Chastain) involvement with the local mafia, at times forced upon them and at other times by their own choice. It's a tale of good intentions spiraling out of control and how someone who always does "the most right thing" can become corrupted. Oscar Isaac and his partner in crime, Jessica Chastain, really pulled out all the stops, with Chastain winning several awards for her supporting role.
Balibo (7.1)
Based on a true story, Balibo is the tale of the infamous Balibo Five, a group of reporters who lost their lives chronicling the events that led to the Indonesian Invasion of East Timor. The movie follows Roger East (Anthony LaPaglia) and Jose Ramos Horta (Oscar Isaac) who are trying to discover what really happened to the Balibo Five.
Through Roger and Jose's travels (and vignettes of the five journalists who sacrificed their lives) viewers get a more nuanced picture of what happened in East Timor. Oscar Isaac was nominated for and won awards for his supporting role.
Body of Lies (7.1)
Directed by Ridley Scott, Body of Lies is about a Cia Agent (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) hunting down a terrorist. During the movie, one of DiCaprio's associates is another CIA operative, Bassam, played by Oscar Isaac. Unfortunately, in one of the firefights, Bassam loses his life in an explosion. Ergo, he doesn't last too long in the film.
Despite not living very long, Oscar Isaac is still mentioned as a member of the core cast and helped contribute to the rising tension and drama of this high-profile action film.
Ticky Tacky (7.2)
This short film, a dark comedy, is Oscar Isaac at his most perfectly unhinged. At least he plays it well. Over three days in his fantastically decorated office, viewers see a series of events that are intensely funny as they are terrible and violent. The first day, he discovers his wife is cheating on him with a family member. The second day, guns get delivered to his office in a briefcase. After all that, the third day is where things really get crazy.
Oscar Isaac holds this short film together and he does so with commanding bravado.
Che (7.2)
A biographical exploration of Argentinian revolutionary Che Geuvera's life, Che showed moments from Che's life that made him into the man he became.
Oscar Isaac did not play the title character in this 2008 film, but he did contribute to the large ensemble cast. He was a U.N. ambassador and interpreter during Che Guevera's interactions with the United Nations. The film featured an almost entirely South American cast, a commendable feat in a time where representation was painfully hit or miss.
Agora (7.2)
Agora stars Rachel Weisz as Hypatia, a philosopher in Alexandria. During her time teaching, she dazzled everyone around her, especially those she taught. Oscar Isaac played Orestes, one of her students and one of the many men in love with her. However, despite her brilliance, her mind was before its time. Eventually, her theories conflicted with Christian ideals and she was deemed a witch, influencing men and bewitching people.
This strong cast of characters left a beautiful, complex film full of drama and emotion in their wake.
Inside Llewyn Davis (7.5)
Bad news for any Oscar Isaac fans who can't handle how much they love him: he can sing, too.
Inside Llewyn Davis is a black comedy-drama about the life of a unique, struggling folk musician. It is loosely based on the autobiography of Dave Van Ronk. Throughout the film, Isaac has to illustrate heartbreak, desperation, grief, success, and tragedy. Even in his best moments, Llewyn Davis isn't exactly an artist winning at anything, or making the best choices, and it only makes his story all the more interesting.
Ex Machina (7.7)
Starring powerhouses like Domhnall Gleeson and Alicia Vlkander, Oscar Isaac played the scientist that brought the beautiful android and meek programmer together. His character and the programmer, Caleb, worked together to see how human Ava could really be.
It's a twisted, complex movie that helped put a lot of these actors more on an A-list level map. Science fiction is a powerful tool to really push the boundaries of people's ideas. Isaac knocked Nathan, the secretive scientist, out of the park. No wonder this is so high on his list.
Drive (7.8)
While Drive is about the infamous driver and mechanic himself, the character that really gets the plot rolling is Standard Gabriel, played by Oscar Isaac. After all, the driver was getting close to his neighbor, Irene, and Standard's gang-debts are putting her in danger. If he didn't help Gabriel with his heist, he never would've ended up in the car chase of his life.
Oscar Isaac plays his role well, goading the driver into helping them and getting himself caught in a web too big for him to survive. Characters don't have to last long in a film to make a big impact.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (7.9)
Even though Oscar Isaac and Star Wars aren't on the best terms anymore, his first Lucasfilm adventure is one of the actor's highest-rated films. The first time fans saw Poe Dameron, it was like he was the awesome rebel mix of Leia and Han, the wisecracking fly-boy who wanted to make a difference.
Poe was an exciting part of that film, and his relationship with Finn has always been a highlight of the trilogy. He deserves some credit for having such a positive influence on the films (at least, for as long as he enjoyed being in them).
Hopefully, Oscar Isaac won't forever be defined by the series.