It's Nicolas Cage's birthday today. A lot of people underrate him as an actor, but I think he's pretty good. Here are some of the best films he's been in:
10. 8mm - Creepy and seedy detective thriller, in the same mould as 'Se7en'.
9. The Weather Man - Very funny and under appreciated black comedy.
8. Wild At Heart - Weird and, at times, disturbing David Lynch film... wait that's all of them.
7. Raising Arizona - An 80s classic from the Coen brothers.
6. National Treasure - A very fun adventure, and a great role for Cage.
5. Leaving Las Vegas - Harsh, depressing, bleak film that won Cage an Oscar for playing a suicidal alcoholic.
4. Matchstick Men - A very slick Ridley Scott tale about con artists.
3. The Rock - An action classic. Cage plays the nerdy chemical weapons specialist really well.
2. Bringing Out The Dead - Another wrist-slitter, this has Cage, directed by Martin Scorsese, as an ambulance officer. It's very grim but I consider it a hugely underrated film. Watch it when you can't sleep.
1. Adaptation - One of my favourites. I love the multi-layered realities, and the characters. This is Nicolas Cage's finest acting performance. He plays two characters; twins that are almost opposites in personality. Somehow he pulls it off so well that you forget it's the same actor playing both!
