Thursday, January 8, 2009

Top 10 Nicolas Cage Films


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!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You've forgotten the film that shows his real acting talent, Con-air. Who can forget the "Put the bunny in the box" line, watch it for yourself if you don't remember. Pure genius...maybe not.

Cabernet Leather said...

Oh I remember it well. Con-Air is such a fun movie... could easily have made the list.

The Borg said...

Wow, I've seen only like 3 of those movies! I shall have to stay in more.

I heard that Nicolas Cage is actually a Cappola (his nephew?), but changed his name so that he could make it on the basis of talent rather than pedigree. That gives him extra cred.

Cabernet Leather said...

Stay in more? What are you implying?

Yes, he is FF Coppola's nephew and according to IMDB trivia, his nickname is "Nick".