Master of over-acting and unpredictable drama, Nicolas Cage has made many movie lines unforgettable. Since his career debut, Cage has loved to work, prolifically starring in all kinds of movies including well-known franchises and independent films. His methods differ from traditional actors in that his techniques are artistic and experimental, drawing attention to projects that may have otherwise gone unremembered.
Recently, the Face-Off star told Insider that the best way to describe his methods was “nouveau shamanism.” Using nouveau shamanism, Cage says that “you don’t feel like you’re acting, you feel like you’re being [the character].” Although alternative, this almost-improvisational approach has solidified the fame of many Nic Cage scenes and movie quotes. Here are the best quotes from Nicolas Cage movies, ranked.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
11 Moonstruck (1988)
MGM Communications
“The Snowflakes Are Perfect. The Stars Are Perfect. Not Us. Not Us! We Are Here to Ruin Ourselves and to Break Our Hearts and Love the Wrong People and Die.”
The ’80s comedy-drama Moonstruck sees Nicolas Cage as the love interest of an Italian-American widow, Loretta, played by Cher. Cage plays Ronny, a single-handed baker, and brother to Loretta’s new husband. Ronny is particularly cynical but also enamored with Loretta.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Cage doesn’t quite reach his peak over-acting here but still forms a powerful and conflicted character who delivers the above line in his declaration of love for Loretta. Loretta craves raw passion, love, chaos, and truth and Cage’s character delivers it in this dramatic quote. If you want to get a taste of Cage’s acting range, Moonstruck is a romantic must-see.
10 Raising Arizona (1987)
20th Century Fox
“I’ll Be Taking These Huggies, and Whatever Cash You Got.”
In 1986, the Coen brothers set out to make a crime-comedy film that would feel lighter than their previous film, Blood Simple, and came up with Raising Arizona. Nicolas Cage plays a bumbling, childless ex-convict named H.I. McDunnough who decides to steal a baby from a set of quintuplets to please his wife, an ex-cop.
Although the couple is delighted to have a child, they soon realize the infant belongs to a powerful millionaire and become mixed up in an increasingly complicated situation. Cage really showcases his ability to play bizarre characters here. In this particular scene, he depicts the nonchalant robbery of a convenience store perfectly and in a way that no other actor could.
9 The Rock (1996)
Buena Vista Pictures
“Got My First Chemistry Set When I Was Seven, Blew My Eyebrows Off, We Never Saw the Cat Again, Been Into It Ever Since.”
The Rockis one of Nicolas Cage’s best known action films starring alongside a great Sean Connery and Ed Harris. Cage portrays an FBI agent and chemist that is tasked with taking down a rogue group of marines who have taken over Alcatraz. If you want to see Cage balance intelligent hero and absurd class clown, this is the movie for you.
Although Cage’s trademark ridiculousness might seem out of place for a Michael Bay film, his energetic approach adds humor and entertainment that otherwise wouldn’t be there. In The Rock, Cage balances out Connery’s serious attitude and assures that some scenes stand out, like this one.
8 Wild At Heart (1990)
The Samuel Goldwyn Company
“Did I Ever Tell Ya That This Here Jacket Represents A Symbol of My Individuality, And My Belief in Personal Freedom?”
David Lynch, director of Wild at Heart and known for his involvement in the TV series Twin Peaks, knew he wanted to cast Nicolas Cage as soon as he finished reading the original novel. Cage stars as a romantic southern ex-con, Sailor Ripley, whose scrappy personality often gets him into trouble. The film follows Sailor’s relationship with his girlfriend, Lula, played by Laura Dern, and their escape from ruthless gangsters hired by Lula’s mom.
For the majority of the film, Cage wears a wild snakeskin jacket and partakes in multiple fist fights. Sailor and Lula are an expression of young love and the obstacles between them and personal freedom. Who better represents freedom than performance artist Nicolas Cage?
7 City of Angels (1998)
Warner Bros.
“Some Things Are True Whether You Believe In Them Or Not.”
Another exceptionally suitable role for Nicolas Cage is as a sorrowful angel watching over LA. City of Angels follows a lonely angel named Seth who is primarily responsible for guiding humans into the afterlife. Seth longs to experience a mortal life and gets the opportunity when he falls in love with a human woman, played by Meg Ryan.
Cage delivers an unusually soft performance as he slowly convinces Ryan’s character, an embittered doctor, that there is more beyond human life. The film is a mild and emotional role for Cage, but it works well and has generated positive reviews.
6 Con-Air (1997)
“Sorry Boss But There’s Only Two Men I Trust. One of Them’s Me. And The Other’s Not You.”
And now we return to action-thriller Nicolas Cage, who in this film stars again as an ex-con and former U.S. Ranger named Cameron Poe. After being paroled, Poe boards a prisoner transport plane which is then taken over by high-profile inmates. Poe must work to help to regain control of the aircraft. The film is also made interesting by stars John Cusack as a U.S. Marshall and John Malkovich as a vicious criminal named “the virus”.
Con Airis certainly a great mixture of talent and makes for a thrilling ride. The film has been named as one of Cage’s best by MovieWeb and Film for his steady performance of an intelligent southern man who just wants to return home to his daughter.
5 Face/Off (1998)
Paramount Pictures
“I Want To Take His Face…Off. Eyes, Nose, Skin, Teeth. It’s Coming Off.”
Although Nicolas Cage has played in some movies as level-headed character, Face/Offis not one of them. In this film, Cage certainly indulges in his love for over-the-top acting alongside the infamous John Travolta. When you consider the plot, however, over-the-top makes sense for this movie. Cage plays Castor Troy, an FBI agent who surgically switches faces with a high-profile criminal, portrayed by Travolta.
Cage’s scenes of unhinged yelling and distorted facial expressions match that of a character who would willingly switch faces with an insane criminal. Face/Off has since become a cult film for some of Cage’s ridiculously entertaining performance, and an action masterpiece for John Woo’s direction.
4 Adaptation (2002)
Sony Pictures Releasing
“Coffee and A Muffin. Okay, So I Need To Establish Themes. Maybe a Banana Nut. That’s A Good Muffin.”
In the meta dramedy Adaptation, Cage plays a lovesick screenwriter, (literally playing the writer of the film, Charlie Kaufman), who struggles to adapt Susan Orlean’s novel “The Orchid Thief.” In addition to experiencing writer’s block and crippling anxiety, Charlie is also faced with housing his freeloading twin brother Donald, also played by Cage. Donald decides to become a screenwriter as well and the two brothers end up in a twisted situation with the author of the book.
This is another one of Cage’s performances where he takes strange circumstances, like two twin screenwriters, and makes it feel natural. Cage’s performance was praised alongside Meryl Streep as Susan Orlean and Chris Cooper as John Laroche.
3 The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
Lionsgate
“I’m Nicolas FRIGGIN’ Cage!”
The action-thriller The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a celebration and compilation of Cage’s best moments. In this 2022 movie, Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself caught between the goals of a superfan and a CIA agent. Along the way, Cage is at times guided by a younger, more cocky version of himself named Nicky Cage. Nicky embodies everything that Cage is well-known for including high-energy, erratic movement, and unhinged confidence.
When Cage first received an invitation to star in the film, he told The Hollywood Reporter that he was “vaguely offended.” However, after a thoughtfully worded letter from the film’s screenwriter, Tom Gormican, Cage changed his mind. The project will certainly go on to be named as one of the actor’s best works.
2 Kiss of Death (1995)
“I Have An Acronym For Myself. B.A.D Balls, Attitude, Direction. You Should Give Yourself An Acronym…Cause It Helps You Visualize Your Goals.”
In Kiss of Death, Nicolas Cage plays Little Junior Brown, an asthmatic and dramatic psychopath. Arrogant like Nicky in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Little Junior steals the show and was praised by critics Roger Ebert and Kenneth Turan for his bravado. Like many of Cage’s projects, his performance solidifies the life of the movie and seems to out-perform the story itself.
1 Drive Angry (2011)
Warner Bros.
“I Never Disrobe Before Gunplay.”
This quote from the action horror film Drive Angry makes the top of the list for its representation of Nicolas Cage’s career, which has been comprised of delivering ridiculous lines like this one effortlessly. Drive Angry tells the story of John Milton, a man who escapes Hell and acquires Satan’s gun to kill the cult leader who murdered his daughter. Milton is joined by Amber Heard’s character, a heartbroken waitress, to rescue his granddaughter who is now also in danger.
Cage was drawn to Drive Angry for the project’s experimentation with special effects, 3D technology, and badass cars. Roger Ebert commented that the film contained “deliberate vulgarity, gross excess, and the pornography of violence,” but this suits the theme of much of Cage’s career. Nicolas Cage has always pushed boundaries, made unique characters, and assured many of his lines would be memorable. Cage has many new projects set to come out including Renfield and Sympathy for the Devil in 2023.
