#6 National treasure (2004)
In this movie Nicolas Cage plays a treasure hunter called Benjamin Franklin Gates. When he finds out that rivaling treasure hunters are going to steal the declaration of independence he decides to steal it to prevent it from getting harmed.
I believe that this movie does not get the credit it deserves. Yes it is kind of cheesy and has a tad bit ridiculous premise, but Cage does this role well. This is also one of those movies where Cage plays a good guy who is down on his luck and punished for following his principles. Soon he finds himself in a situation where he must break the law to do the right thing. Yeah, one of those characters. This is such a common role for Cage that I have started to call this premise “Cage character #3”.
Anyway check it out if you have not seen it, do it.
#5 Amos and Andrew (1993)
The thief Amos Odell, Cage, is in arrest in a small town. At the same time Andrew Sterling, Samuel L. Jackson, is moving in to his new summer house. But since he is a black man in a small town with racist cops, he gets mistaken as a burglar. When the police chief realizes that Andrew actually lives in the house he pays Amos to pretend take Andrew hostage so that the police action becomes legit in the eyes of the press. The police chief later decides to get rid of both Amos and Andrew to keep them from telling the press.
This is an awesome premise to get two awesome actors acting together. But not many have seen this movie, it is a hidden gem. The highpoint of these characters are when they get double crossed by the police chief and have to work together. I don’t want to spoil too much since I really want more people to see this movie.
#4 Face/Off (1997)
You haven’t seen this movie yet? Shame on you! Go see it NOW!
Cage plays the ultimate asshole, but god he is having such a fun time. This character is nuts, simply nuts.
#3 Con air (1997)
1997 must have been a good year for Nicolas Cage. Con air is another movie about a “Cage character #3” named Cameron Poe. The character Poe is a veteran in prison for killing in self defense when his wife where almost raped. This sets the character in a situation where he gets to prison but we can't dislike him for it. Rather obvious I say. When Cameron is getting released after serving his time the convict plane he is transported in gets high jacket by the prisoners. Cameron then decides to stop the criminals one way or another.
In my head this is one of Cage's better movies, definitely worth checking out. I don't know why but Cage is so likable in this movie, especially when he tries to talk with an southern accent.
#2 The rock (1996)
I am really having a hard time writing about this one. I am stuck on describing the plot. It is about some terrorists who hold tourists hostage in the old prison on Alcatraz. In addition to that they are aiming chemical weapons on San Francisco if they do not get the ransom money. So a team of soldiers are sent in along with a man who have actually escaped the prison (played by Sean Connery) and a behind the desk... ich FBI agent named Stanley Goodspeed (played by Cage).
This is probably the most action-mainstream acting you will get out of cage, besides the national treasure. That is not a bad thing actually, since Sean Connery is in this too, hear me out. For me Sean Connery already steals the show a great deal. But since Cage manage to pull out a really serious performance, he doesn't fall into the "crazy side kick" role.
#1 Lord of war (2005)
Many of you might not know of this movie and I wouldn't blame you. I only discovered this movie when I where searching through the bargain bin at the local store. It was just a coincidence that I found this and that's why I always urge people to take a look in the bargain bin. This might be one of the greatest movies with Nicolas Cage in, if not one of my favorite movies.
This movie is based on the true story, Hollywood's definition of a true story, about the life of a arms dealer named Yuri Orlov and how he balance his double life as a family man and a gun smuggler.
One of my favorite scenes in this movie is the second scene for the credits where the viewer follows the life of a bullet from its perspective. This scene is very striking.
Cage's acting is at its best according to me. I got really involved in Yuri's life and I started to care about the character, a gun runner. Again I believe that this is because of Cage's ability to even make a asshole character likable.
