Nicolas Cage has been lighting up the big screen with his performances for decades. Although his career has had many ups and downs, he is undoubtedly a talented actor, and he always delivers an entertaining performance. He has touched on nearly all genres including drama, comedy, action, and horror.
Even though he has taken several questionable roles, no one can deny that he has the acting capabilities and physicality to make him a legend; with two Academy Award nominations, winning Best Actor for Leaving Las Vegas.
Cage was born in Long Beach, California, and is the nephew of legendary filmmaker, Francis Ford Coppola. Having been born into such a prestigious filmmaking family, his destiny to become an actor was almost certain. His first feature film role was Brad’s Bud in Fast Times At Ridgemont High. From there, his career took off with his breakout role in the Coen Brothers’ classic, Raising Arizona.
Update: This article was updated by Jessica Gardner on February 6, 2022. If you are a Nicolas Cage fan, you will be happy to know we have updated this article with new entries.
Through the ups and downs of an impressive career, here are this superstar’s twelve best movies.
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12 The Family Man
Universal Pictures
The Family Man tells the story of Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage), a successful Wall Street executive who gets a chance to see what his life would have been like if he didn’t take the road less traveled. After a chance encounter with an angel, played by Don Cheadle, Campbell wakes up on Christmas morning, now married to his ex-girlfriend Kate (Tea Leoni), with two children in suburban New Jersey. It is a story of redemption and realizing what is truly important in life. Cage gives a heartfelt performance from beginning to end.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
11 Con Air
Touchstone Pictures
Con Air is an action-packed movie with an all-star cast. The film follows an Army Ranger named Cameron Poe on his way home after seven years in prison. While aboard an airplane with some of the country’s most dangerous criminals, it is up to Poe to save the day after the airplane is taken over by the convicts. The movie is filled with everything needed for a classic action film. There are explosions, bullets, and thrills from start to finish. The fantastic cast includes John Cusack, Dave Chappelle, and John Malkovich as the main villain.
10 Lord Of War
Entertainment Manufacturing Company
In Lord of War Cage plays Yuri Orlov, an illegal arms dealer who achieves great success while in a cat and mouse chase with an FBI agent named Jack Valentine (Ethan Hawke). It is a cold, hard look at the dangers and risks of the arms business and the death and torment it can create. Although Yuri earns a fortune, his morals are tested as he has to look at the wars and death that his business creates. Although he may have millions of dollars, Yuri loses his wife and family who cannot sit by as Yuri carries out his business. Jared Leto plays Vitaly, Yuri’s drug-addicted brother, in a fantastic supporting role.
9 The Weather Man
Paramount Pictures
The Weather Man is an underrated dark comedy starring Nicolas Cage as David Spritzer a well-paid and successful weatherman who garners little respect from the surrounding community, who have made a habit of throwing fast food at him when they see him in public. Despite his successful career, David’s family life is in shambles. Dave also feels the need to live up to the expectations of his Pulitzer prize-winning father Robert Spritzer (Michael Caine) as he senses his father’s disappointment with his inability to keep his family together. When Robert is diagnosed with a terminal illness, David falls into a deep depression and takes up Archery as a way to calm his anxiety and stress. Cage talked to Movieweb about the project in 2005.
8 Moonstruck
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
In this 1987 romance, Cage acts opposite Cher in a film that would go on to win three Oscars. Moonstruck follows an Italian-American woman named Loretta (Cher) who falls in love with her fiance’s younger brother Ronny (Cage). The Oscar-winning script features memorable lines and scenes to make this film a romantic classic. The chemistry between Cher and Cage is phenomenal and the supporting cast, including Olympia Dukakis all shine.
7 It Could Happen To You
Tri-Star Pictures
What would you do if you won the lottery? If you’re like this film’s main character in It Could Happen To You, you would split it with a waitress after making a promise the day before. The film tells the story of an honest cop, Charlie (Cage), who promises a waitress named Yvonne (Bridget Fonda) to split his lottery winnings when he doesn’t have enough money to leave a tip. Surprisingly Charlie wins and must live up to his promise despite what his wife (Rosie Perez) thinks. Through it all, Charlie and Yvonne teach us that it’s love that brings you happiness, not money, in this endearing love story.
6 The Rock
Hollywood Pictures
Directed by Michael Bay, The Rock is about disheartened Brigadier General Francis Hummel who holds the city of San Francisco hostage from Alcatraz Island by the threat of nuclear warfare. His demands are a ransom of 100 million dollars to be distributed to the family of men who had died under his watch on secret missions. FBI chemical warfare agent Stanley Goodspeed is partnered with ex-con John Mason the only man to escape Alcatraz Island. The pair must break into the impenetrable prison and disarm the nuclear weapons and rescue civilian hostages. Cage delivers a humorous and action-packed performance and has great chemistry with the other lead Sean Connery.
5 Pig
AI Film
Nicolas Cage is getting high praise for his latest film Pig. Cage gives a subtle, yet powerful, performance as an ex-chef who decided to live as a recluse in the Oregon wilderness after the death of his wife. His only companion is his truffle pig who spends the days with Cage hunting down precious truffles to sell to his produce dealer, Amir (Alex Wolff). Pig is a beautifully shot film that tells a powerful story about grief. Cage delivers one of his best performances to date.
4 Matchstick Men
Scott Free Productions
Ridley Scott’s critically acclaimed Matchstick Men tells the story of Roy (Cage), an obsessive-compulsive con artist who forms a bond with his teenage daughter, Angela (Alison Lohman), upon meeting her for the first time. Sam Rockwell plays Roy’s partner, Frank, in a fantastic supporting role. This film has heart, comedy, and thrills and Cage gives a powerful performance as the neurotic, yet experienced, con artist. The movie may have been far less action-packed in comparison to Ridley Scott’s other films, but it is always refreshing to see directors expand to new territories.
3 Raising Arizona
20th Century Fox
Cage’s breakout role was in the classic comedy Raising Arizona, written and directed by the Coen Brothers. Cage and Holly Hunter play a childless couple who decide to kidnap a baby from a wealthy family, resulting in a hilarious and chaotic adventure. The Coens delivered the goods with this classic movie and the film introduced the world to the talents of Cage as an actor. The supporting cast includes great performances from John Goodman, William Forsythe, and Frances McDormand.
2 Adaptation
Columbia Pictures
In Adaptation Cage plays both Charlie Kaufman and his fictional brother Donald Kaufman in a film that broke all the rules of storytelling. The brilliant script, written by Kaufman, tells the story of himself attempting to adapt a book resulting in an insanity-inducing writer’s block. Cage gives an Oscar-nominated performance for the dual roles and the film is one of the most original stories ever told. It is a look into the bizarre and tormented mind of Kaufman and Spike Jonze once again proves himself as a brilliant director.
1 Leaving Las Vegas
United Artists
This tragic story, based on the novel by John O’Brien, tells the story of Ben Sanderson (Cage), an alcoholic screenwriter, who moves to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. While there, he meets and falls in love with a prostitute named Sera (Elizabeth Shue). The film is a brutal depiction of alcoholism carried by a career-defining performance from Cage.
Shue also shines in every scene and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Cage would go on to take home the Oscar for Best Actor deservingly so. Leaving Las Vegas tells an unlikely story of love, and although it can be tough to watch at points, it is a movie that should be seen by all.
