Haters Gon’ Hate: My Top 10 Nicolas Cage Movies
When the history of film is written by Leonard Maltin’s clones, few actors of the 20th century will rival Nicolas Cage. Fuck it, I said it. But he’s also a pretty weird dude. That’s often the cost of being a genius. He was born into Hollywood royalty (his birth name is Nicolas Kim Coppola), he was a comic nerd coming up, and he once outbid Leonardo DiCaprio on a Tyrannosaurus Rex skull (top that, Twerps!). He allegedly kidnapped Kathleen Turner’s dog, then he sued her over it, which is hilarious.
Cage has stated that he used to be really selective about which roles he takes on, but now he’s trying to do more family-friendly movies that his kids can go to. I’m sure it has nothing to do with his $6.2 million dollar debt. For every memorable performance he delivers, there are six or seven shitty ones. He’s worked with some true legends: Scorsese, the Coen Brothers, John Woo, David Lynch, and most recently, Werner Herzog. In fact, Cage’s performance really does depend on the director he’s working with. If he ever collabs with Shane Black, that’s it. My life can end. And judging from the trailers, his role in the upcoming Kick Ass looks like another one for the books.
But until that day, here’s a run-down of my favorite Cage performances.
10. Red Rock West (1993)
In this neo-noir tale of mistaken identity from John Dahl (Rounders), Cage plays Mike Williams, a down-on-his-luck vet who finds himself in the right place at the wrong time. Like most noir “heroes,” Mike finds all the odds stacked against him and takes a beating along the way. It’s pretty Noir Textbook: get money, fuck a girl, don’t trust the girl, stay alive as best you can. As an old vet trying to do what’s right in a corrupt world, Cage nails it. Also, Dennis Hopper plays a masochistic Texan hitman, so this movie is worth watching on so many levels.
—–
9. Birdy (1984)
Yeah, that’s Cage and Matthew Modine in pigeon suits. Cage plays best friend to Modine in this soulful post-Vietnam film from Londoner Alan Parker (Midnight Express, The Wall). Modine plays Birdy, a avian-enthusiast who comes back from Nam basically thinking he’s a bird. Cage visits his friend in the asylum and does his best to snap him out of it. I couldn’t find the link, but allegedly Cage had his front teeth knocked out of whack by his dentist in order to talk differently for the role. Method as fuck.
—–
8. Face Off (1997)
“Suck my tongue.” I’ll never forget that Cage line from Woo’s “gun fu” epic Face Off. Cage plays terrorist Castor Troy to Travolta’s FBI agent and the result is two hours of pure fucking entertainment. Cage rarely gets to play a pure villain; he usually wears a gray hat. So Face Off stands out amongst the Cage Canon for that reason alone.
—–
7. Bringing Out the Dead (1999)
Scorsese directs – Cage never sleeps. I remember watching this one for the first time and never being able to take my eyes off Cage as he ventured further and further into insanity. I’m not sure if he went method for this one, but it seemed like he didn’t sleep for solid week.
—–
6. Wild at Heart (1990)
As Sailor Ripley and his girl Pace, Cage and Laura Dern portray the only kind of couple I’ve known in my life know = fucked. David Lynch infused his adaptation with Elvis and Wizard of Oz bits, and Cage gets to play the romantic dreamer he was born to. This goes down in my top three Lynch films as well.
—–
5. The Weather Man (2005)
More awkward and pathetic than 1,000 Michael Cera’s Cage’s Dave Spritz is, sadly, the Cage role I can relate to the most. Not the parts about trying to impress your dad or being a father-figure…but Spritz’s attempt to get back with an ex, his mundane employment while aspiring to be a writer, and every mannerism he displays hit home. Several times in the film Spritz replies with “What?” when he obviously heard the question. How many times have we all done that? Countless in this Mopster’s case.
—–
4. Adaptation (2002)
As the real-life screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin Donald, Cage got double duty and delivered an equal dose of melancholy and comedy. Donald finds success writing a nonsensical psychological thriller while Charlie struggles with his adaptation of The Orhcid Thief. The best scenes in the movie involve sweet Cage on Cage action. It’s like a fucking wet dream.
—–
3. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Will you ever see a more depressing movie? Maybe. But not likely. Cage took the Oscar and Golden Globe for his role as Ben Sanderson, an alcoholic screenwriter who loses everything and decides to drink himself to death in Vegas. He befriends a hooker named Sera (Elisabeth Shue) who watches him decay in one of the most powerful binges in Cage history.
Cage researched his character by binge drinking in Dublin for two weeks and had a friend to videotape him under the influence so he could study his speech patterns. He later admitted that “it was one of the most enjoyable pieces of research I’ve ever had to do for a part.”
I told you Cage was method as hell!
—–
2. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009)
Watching Cage’s role as Terence McDonagh in Herzog’s black comedy opus Bad Lieutenant was the most enjoyable experience I had in a theater last year. I even named it my favorite movie of the 2009. He nailed the addict-power corrupt-bastard and may or may not have snorted cocaine as part of his method:
“We had prop cocaine. Nicolas would sniff it, and I would ask him to shift positions,” Herzog recently recalled. “From the moment I would ask him to move, he would be acting erratic. All of a sudden, I had the feeling: For God’s sake, has he taken cocaine?” – director Werner Herzog (Source)
Cage hasn’t played a character this hilarious since…
—–
1. Raising Arizona (1987)
I was actually inspired to write this piece after Cornbluth posted the G.O.A.T video earlier this week. Raising Arizona is the greatest Coen Bros movie ever and H.I. McDunnough is the role of Cage’s career. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. I first saw this movie in “Enrichment” class in middle school – the same class I first saw Seinfeld in. I guess I owe that lazy teacher a lot. But yeah, Cage might never top his performance as H.I.; loving husband, stick-up artist, and would-be father. It’s hilarious, endearing, and full of heart.
Conclusion: Nic Cage FTW.
- Oh Mars
February 8th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
1. Face/Off should have been WAY higher….I watch that movie on a daily and it only get better with age. He is a “freelance terrorist” for fucks sake!
2. I’d take Con Air over a couple of your choices (birdie, leaving las vegas).
JUST SAYING!
P.S. Maybe an honorable mention section just for the amazing badness that is The Wicker Man?
February 8th, 2010 at 10:25 pm
I fucking knew you were going to say something about Face Off.
He’s great in Con Air, but I feel like Poe was a stock character that could have been played just as well by other actors.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
I liked him in The Rock. I think he was also pretty cool in Moonstruck…but shit man, HI makes every later performance of his (including Leaving Las Vegas) look like a student film. I almost forget it’s Cage when I watch Raising Arizona…I’m looking forward to watching Bad Lieutennant though. Gotta see that shit.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
i haven’t seen some of these, but i’d definitely have saved a place for vampire’s kiss.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
just thought i’d share my quick rendition of Nick Cage as Armand Van Helden
February 8th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
dude, have you not seen vampire’s kiss? that shit is incredible!
February 8th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
@arbitrary Shit dude, I’ve NEVER seen Vampire’s Kiss. Now I feel like Cage poser.
It’s actually on Hulu, I’m going to check it out tomorrow. Thanks for reminding me!
February 8th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
3 words:
LORD OF WAR
February 8th, 2010 at 11:46 pm
Lord of War > Weatherman
That’s “Greater Than” for you no-math-having fools.
February 9th, 2010 at 12:26 am
Nicolas Cage didn’t steal Kathleen Turner’s dog. She wrote in her book he stole a random dog he liked during the filming of “Peggy Sue Got Married” so he sued her for libel.
February 9th, 2010 at 12:34 am
Oh Mars – Do a Tom Cruise one of these next…it’s high time for everyone to quit hating on the champ. Prior to about 2003, dude didn’t make a bad movie.
February 9th, 2010 at 12:37 am
Haha, weird…now take on Val Kilmer. Love this list, love Nic Cage.
February 9th, 2010 at 12:41 am
Matt (Vidiot) and I were just discussing Vampire’s Kiss last week. This post is really really weird timing.
The whole thing is availble on Hulu if you’re interested. It’s written by the guy that wrote “After Hours” and features Nic Cage eating a live cockroach, getting into an argument with the corner of a building and having vampire sex with the chick from flashdance. It’s the most buttfuck crazy/bad movie he’s ever been in, Wicker Man included. You have to see it.
Hulu Link: ( http://www.hulu.com/watch/17460/vampires-kiss )
February 9th, 2010 at 1:34 am
Val Kilmer no. 1: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
February 9th, 2010 at 1:53 am
Mars, you’re my hero for this.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:56 am
The Rock.
Godspeed, Goodspeed.
February 9th, 2010 at 2:12 am
Great List!! Cage is the man. I gotta agree with Dr. Dinosaur, Face/off would be higher on my personal list, being 10 years old when that came out, i thought it was a cinematic materpiece….and still do!
I would also have Conair and The Rock on my list, and Lord of War….and Matchstick Men…FUCK throw CITY OF ANGELS ON THAT BITCH ASWELL!
Nic Cage FTW indeed
February 9th, 2010 at 2:12 am
PS: “Put the Bunnay……back in the box”
February 9th, 2010 at 7:34 am
I originally had Lord of War on here in the bottom 5. I also had The Rock. This was honestly a tougher list to make than I thought.
February 9th, 2010 at 9:19 am
VALLEY GIRL!
What if Nicholas Cage(Coppola) was cast as Jeff Spicoli as originally intended?
February 9th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
I would put Matchstick Men in place of Birdy. Mathew Modine makes me want to pick up any TV he’s on and throw it through the nearest window.
February 9th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Top 3:
1. Wild at Heart
2. Vampire’s Kiss
3. Raising Arizona
But I missed Port of Call when it was in theaters so you never know. I’m also trying to see Peggy Sue Got Married…
Dude took his name from Luke Cage! Can’t be stopped.
February 9th, 2010 at 4:17 pm
the weatherman? really? cmon now.
February 9th, 2010 at 6:03 pm
I saw weatherman on acid after my gf left me. and it made me feel better because at least i wasn’t as pathetic as Cage’s character.
February 9th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
So many Weatherman haters. I’m just saying…I can relate to that dude.
February 10th, 2010 at 11:17 am
ha. con air is def my #1.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
cage has always been the man
February 13th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
[...] so much Nic Cage love on the post the other day was great and I didn’t mind manning up to admit that I’ve [...]
February 14th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
[...] knew the most popular thing I would write for the Bloglin would involve Nic Cage. The list of my favorite Cage performances got some great feedback and after watching Vampire’s Kiss yesterday, I would definitely add [...]
February 28th, 2010 at 11:19 am
[...] fear not… he’s appropriately hammy in this role. I’m under the firm belief that much like Nicolas Cage, when in the hands of a good director, the stars can align and transform his acting inadequacies [...]
March 8th, 2010 at 12:59 am
Lots of Great information in your post, I bookmarked your blog so I can visit again in the near future, Thanks
May 14th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
after seeing kick-ass,his role as big daddy should be on the list
October 16th, 2010 at 4:06 pm
Person kudos so very much for listing all this content on the following, what a time saver!
January 29th, 2011 at 6:24 am
Cage IS organised crime. He has achieved a position on the back of organised crime. His asset base before movie revenue is a result of organised crime. This has nothing to do with limiting traffic or organised crime. THIS HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH WHO CONTROLS THE TRAFFIC AND WHO CONTROLS ORGANISED CRIME. Why is this pathetic excuse for humanity a UN ambassador? Wasn’t Pol Pot or Hitler available? This is a clear and catastrophic incitement on any country or organisation that is prepared to put this made man forward.