Nicolas Cage, a formidable force in Hollywood, has graced the screen in over 110 films, showcasing a career that spans decades with unwavering dynamism. Known for his distinct blend of brilliance, controversy, and originality, Cage’s performances stand out in the realm of cinema. In this article, we delve into the crème de la crème of Nicolas Cage movies, highlighting his exceptional talent that has captivated audiences worldwide. From his early works to recent masterpieces, each film in our list not only leverages Cage’s remarkable versatility but also promises an enthralling viewing experience. Join us as we explore the top 15 Nicolas Cage movies, each a showcase of his enduring prowess and unique flair.
1. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)
Cage got many of his early acting roles thanks to his uncle, Francis Ford Coppola, who cast him in supporting parts in both “Rumble Fish” and “The Cotton Club.” While being the relative of an Academy Award winning filmmaker certainly gave him opportunities that would not have been afforded to other performers, Cage proved himself worthy of being a major movie star in the romantic comedy “Peggy Sue Got Married.” It’s quite impressive that Cage was able to appear as the same character at two very different points in his life, as the film uses time travel as a plot device; makeup was obviously a key factor in making this successful, but it took a great actor to show an edgy high school slacker who turns into a pathetic, sad man facing a midlife crisis and a completely broken marriage. Kathleen Turner may have earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance, but Cage’s work in the film was just as worthy of the accolades.
2. Raising Arizona (1987)
Cage is such a mannered, unique performer that it is actually rather odd that he has had only one collaboration thus far with Joel and Ethan Coen. The Coen brothers are known for their odd, deceptively nuanced style, and have consistently worked with a select group of stars, such as John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro, Frances McDormand, and George Clooney. Cage perfectly fits into the style of “Raising Arizona,” a bizarre road trip comedy that is directed with a maniacal sense of kinetic energy. It would have been easy for Cage to have been secondary to the madness that ensues, but the romantic chemistry he shares with Holly Hunter is quite profound at times; remarkably, none of the innumerable physical gags distract from the fact that “Raising Arizona” is a very heartfelt film about aspiring parents who want nothing more than to bring life into the world. Cage is able to ensure that a very funny character does not become a complete caricature, and hopefully it will not be the last time that he works alongside the Coens.
3. Moonstruck (1987)
Moonstruck is a romantic comedy/drama that coupled Nicholas Cage with none other than Cher and as a result, bagged 6 Oscar nominations and 3 Oscars. The film has earned a high mark of 83% on Metacritic and a 93% approval rate on Rotten Tomatoes. Cage plays an abusive alcoholic that masterfully shifts between drama and comedy and is nothing short of outstanding for a unique young actor just 5 years into his career. The film is a comedic tribute to the dysfunctionality of love affairs and romantic relationships and is not to be missed on any Nicholas Cage list.
4. Wild at Heart (1990)
Featuring a truly unique collection of authentic, raw cinematic talent, Wild at heart is an R-rated surrealist black comedy crime film directed by none other than Mr. David Lynch himself. Starring the champions of weird, yet brilliant craft, Nicholas Cage and William Defoe is a wizard of Oz-like joyride where the acting talents of Nicholas cage come to shine. The film has split critics, however, for the lovers of the grotesque, Wild at heart is an Americana road trip where we experience Nicholas Cage in his finest – hyper-emotional, unpredictable and horrific.
5. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
The only remaining film that won Nicholas Cage an Oscar for the best male performance, solidifying him as an actor and placing him in the company of heroes, Leaving Las Vegas tells the story of a screenwriter who is blacked out drunk, hungover, or otherwise through almost the entire film. In its essence, the film tells the story of accepting somebody for who they are and Cage’s hyper-emotional performance is the perfect medium for the character of Ben Sanderson, the man bouncing back and forth between losing everything and finding beauty in the rare and unexpected, such as falling in love with a prostitute.
6. The Rock (1996)
Michael Bay is certainly a filmmaker whose name has generated a fair amount of derision from prestigious film critics, but he is certainly not lacking when it comes to style; the “Transformers” franchise may have embodied the worst of Hollywood blockbusters, but many of Bay’s early films succeeded because of the larger-than-life personalities at their core. Sharing the screen with a star as legendary as Sean Connery was certainly not going to be an easy task for any actor, but Cage is able to turn “The Rock” into a “passing of the torch” moment. The geeky, wiry energy that Cage has is a perfect compliment to Connery’s stone-cold seriousness. There’s a certain level of self-awareness that a film like “The Rock” requires, as most of its plot mechanics rely on the very loosest of logic. Nonetheless, Cage puts his heart into the role, and gives the film the boost of energy it needs to reach its action-packed conclusion. It’s impressive that he was able to elevate the material.
7. Face/Off (1997)
“Face/Off” may be one of the most radical American action films ever made, as director John Woo was able to apply the wild sensibilities of his Hong Kong thrillers into a spectacle that was packed with ideas. The idea of a cop and criminal having to switch places is a genius conceit, but “Face/Off” is made all the more entertaining because of how well Cage and John Travolta are able to capture each others’ sensibilities. Travolta is having a blast chewing the scenery, but Cage proves within the first few minutes of the film that he can play an eccentric villain who is evil to an absurd degree. Nonetheless, seeing Cage evolve into playing a tragic, surprisingly vulnerable tragic hero is by far the biggest surprise of the film. Woo is so gifted with his ability to shoot action that there is little reason to doubt that “Face/Off” would have been a success; however, it is the investment that Cage put into the project that made it a true modern classic.
8. Adaptation. (2002)
Adaptation is basically a film in which Nicholas Cage’s co-star is Nicholas Cage, which means you get to enjoy a double Cage performance wrapped in one motion picture. The story is a dramatization of Charlie Kaufman’s way of life where he has to write a game-changing screenplay and turn his luck around. However, the film approaches the multiple personality narrative by creating a second character, an actual, physically existing twin brother which is the mirror opposite. Adaptation is a 2000s era Cage classic, where he masterfully demonstrates playing 2 different roles in the same film and as a result, fully delivers. If you won’t take our word for it, just think about the 83% Metacritic score.
9. Matchstick Men (2003)
Cage has such a natural talent for transforming his personality on screen that it seemed inevitable that he would get to play a con artist at some point in his career. “Matchstick Men” is one of the most underrated films that Ridley Scott has ever made, and stars Cage as a cynical con artist who is forced to bond with his daughter, played by Alison Lohman in her breakout role. Cage is able to turn a frankly despicable character into a tragic hero, who is fighting against all his impulses to be a better person. Cage understands that every great con artist is lying to themselves, and is able to show the complete transformation of a self-loathing character who finds something better to invest his time in. What’s most surprising is that “Matchstick Men” works just as well as a relationship drama as it does as a crime thriller; acting alongside a younger co-star can often be a challenge, but the terrific chemistry between Cage and Lohman is simply palpable.
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10. Lord of War (2005)
Lord of War, a captivating crime drama starring Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto, and Ethan Hawke, follows the story of Yuri Orlov, portrayed by Cage, as he ventures into the dangerous world of arms trading. In this Nicolas Cage movie, his character skilfully navigates through global terrorist conflicts and civil wars, selling weapons to all sides. The film critically addresses issues such as gun policy regulation, weapon production, and the harsh realities of war profiteering. Cage’s role, partially inspired by real-life arms dealer Viktor Bout, explores the inner turmoil of a man torn between his proficient career and the moral consequences of his profession.
11. Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans (2009)
Abel Ferrara’s cult classic “Bad Lieutenant” was a film that was so vile, callous, and cynical that the possibility of a sequel or reboot seemed implausible. Nonetheless, Werner Herzog crafted the perfect “spiritual successor” with his wild crime thriller “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” which may feature the single most eccentric performance that Cage has ever given. He stars as a drug-addicted policeman who is drawn into a criminal conspiracy amidst the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It’s a very dark character study, as Cage’s character is suffering from the consequences of his own indulgences, whilst also trying to shake off any inclinations that he could be a hero. It’s a stark, terrifying performance that also gets darkly amusing at points; it is hard to imagine another living actor showing the same fearless approach to such lurid material. Any clip of “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” can be taken out of context and mocked, but when viewed in totality, it’s an absorbing experience.
12. Mandy (2018)
Mandy is not only Cage’s performance of a lifetime but is also a film that captures the essence of his acting and proves that there is a method to his madness. Set in an incredible LSD heavy metal surreal environment, Mandy features Nicholas Cage as Red Miller, the man out to hunt and destroy a Christian cult and a mutated biker gang that slaughtered his girlfriend and burned her alive in front of him. Not only that the film achieves an unmatched visual aesthetic that is a perfect blend of modern and retro, but it also masterfully shifts between a slow burn and faster-paced horror galore. Mandy manages to be revolutionary and classical at the same time and Nicholas Cage embodies the vessel for the plot. After watching this film, it was hard to tell whether Cage was born to play this part or that the part was written especially for Cage to play. Aside from Cage’s 10/10 performance, the film is a cinematic experience that proves the 2010s were THE golden decade for the horror film genre in which Nicholas Cage has left a mark not only once, but twice in rapid succession.
13. Pig (2021)
Despite being well known for his ability to give eccentric, over-the-top roles, Nicolas Cage was able to give one of the most subtle and nuanced performances of his career in “Pig.” The debut film from writer/director Michael Sarnoski sees Cage playing a reserved truffle hunter who has removed himself from Portland’s fine dining world, and completely put his past as a chef behind him. It would be easy for Cage to have ramped up the idiosyncrasies of the part, but he instead brings extreme pathos to a deeply wounded soul that is lost in his own loneliness. Cage has often taken risks on up-and-coming filmmakers, and at some points this has been a determinant due to the overabundance of independent genre films (many of which did not have traditional theatrical releases) that he appeared in; however, he was able to find a true auteur in Sarnoski, who gave him the chance to prove that the success he’s received was by no means a fluke. No one but Cage could have appeared in “Pig.”
Also Read: Pig (2021) Movie Explained
14. Dream Scenario (2023)
One of Cage’s most recent performances is also one of his most authentic; while “Dream Scenario” quickly moves into dark fantasy, Cage is cast as a fairly normal, caring family man who is forced to experience the disadvantages of being inadvertently transformed into a celebrity. The crux of the satire in “Dream Scenario” rests on the fact that Cage’s character, despite being relatively ignored for most of his life, is unable to express himself in a way that doesn’t inadvertently cause offence. Cage is able to show the sad reality of being heavily analyzed, yet also adds enough awkward humor that the film never becomes too grim for its own good. “Dream Scenario” has an awkward relationship with reality, as it is both based on entirely ridiculous plot points and entirely truthful to the ways in which people interact in the 21st century. This is the main reason why Cage was the perfect choice for the material, as he is an actor that can bring a sense of truthfulness to the most surrealist of concepts.
Also Read: Dream Scenario (2023) Movie Explained
15. Longlegs (2024)
Cage has played a multitude of anti-heroes, scumbags, and unsympathetic characters over the course of his career, but he has never had a role that is as frightening as “Longlegs.” The latest horror film from Osgood Perkins sees Cage playing a mysterious serial killer whose obsession with glam rock gives him an extremely off-putting, upsetting demeanor. Cage is known for the dedication he takes when crafting his performances, but “Longlegs” is one of the few roles in which he is genuinely unrecognizable. Perkins does such a great job at masking his appearance that the ultimate reveal of Cage’s performance is simply jaw dropping, as it attains the same form of visceral horror that made Anthony Hopkins so shocking in ‘Silence of the Lambs’ over three decades prior. Cage’s choices have often been mocked, but the shocking success of “Longlegs” serves as further proof that he has never not taken his roles seriously, and is still able to surprise even his most dedicated followers. “Longlegs” crafts image of carnal terror that are impossible to forget.
Also Read: Longlegs (2024) Movie Explained
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Nicholas Cage is an actor who makes strong use of improvisation and body language throughout his performances to the point that filmmaker par excellence David Lynch has called him the “jazz musician of acting.” To be fair, Nicholas Cage has had his fair share of bad films and questionable performances, but with the films that capitalize on his out-of-the-box acting style and use it to deliver a compelling, immersive narrative, Nicholas Cage is by far and wide, a quintessential asset.
