Few actors in cinematic history have had as long and storied a career as Nicolas Cage. Born into the influential Coppola family, Cage quickly became one of the most talked-about young actors of the 1980s, rocketing to the forefront of Hollywood with his starring roles in movies like Peggy Sue Got Married, Raising Arizona, and – most importantly – Moonstruck.
In a filmography filled with momentous highs and more than a few lows, Cage has proven himself capable of tackling any conceivable genre within the realm of pop culture. From mainstream action films to auteur-driven horror movies, here are some of the absolute best Nicolas Cage movies we’ve seen yet, ranked in order from good to great.
An ode to the ‘80s films of Wes Craven, John Carpenter, and David Cronenberg, Mandy unfolds like a nightmarish fever dream fused with a mind-melting acid trip. Tense, stylish, and visually stunning in every sense of the word, Mandy also manages to outfit Cage with one of his strongest characters of the past few decades. Between its spellbinding tone, hallucinogenic story, and fiery performances, it’s a movie most people will have a difficult time forgetting after their initial viewing experience.
A loose remake of sorts to 1992’s Bad Lieutenant, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans casts Cage in the titular role of unhinged police lieutenant Terence McDonagh. Though not an altogether great man (and somehow even a worse police officer), Cage’s McDonagh comes with his own set of conflicting personality traits that establish him as a believable three-dimensional character. From harassing senior citizens at a retirement home to protecting his girlfriend from an abusive client, it’s hard to make up your mind on whether you like McDonagh or downright despise him.
Ranking among Cage’s best known films, Face/Off finds Cage inhabiting not one, but two separate roles in the context of the film. Predominantly portraying the freelance terrorist Castor Troy, Cage also plays Troy’s heroic arch-enemy, Sean Archer, after the two trade faces as part of an elaborate FBI sting operation. Alternating between his over-the-top portrayal of Troy and a more dialed-back performance as Archer, audiences witness Cage’s significantly wide range as an actor in Face/Off, accounting (to some degree) for its continued popularity among fans today.
One of Cage’s earliest breakthrough performances came with 1987’s wacky romantic comedy, Raising Arizona. Working with the up-and-coming Coen brothers, Cage solidified his place in the film industry with the dual success of Moonstruck and his work here. With Cage demonstrating a hilarious comedic sensibility as the amateur convenience store thief H.I. McDunnough, there’s little reason to wonder why Raising Arizona has become such a cult favorite in the decades since its release.
The film that won Cage his first (and so far only) Academy Award for Best Actor, Leaving Las Vegas pairs Cage with Elisabeth Shue as two lost souls searching for meaning in the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. A down-on-his-luck, alcoholic screenwriter determined to drink himself to death in Nevada’s Sin City, Cage stumbles through Leaving Las Vegas with complete dedication to his role. Never for a moment glamorizing addiction or casual drinking, every sip of alcohol Cage takes makes the viewer shudder in discomfort, putting Cage’s character that much closer to the inevitable end of his life.
As with Face/Off, Adaptation sees Cage portray two wholly different characters with almost preternatural ease. A metafictional account of Charlie Kaufman’s attempts to pen a script based on Susan Orlean’s nonfiction book The Orchid Thief, Adaptation casts Cage as an exaggerated caricature of Kaufman and his fictional twin brother, Donald. Plagued by anxiety, insecurity, and paralyzing writer’s block as Charlie and demonstrating a persistent sense of optimism as Donald, Cage once again shows off his impeccable adaptability in Adaptation, cycling back and forth between conflicting personality traits with every new scene.
Almost certainly the most important entry in Cage’s filmography, without Moonstruck, it’s highly unlikely Cage might have broken into the larger film industry to the same extent as he had in the latter 1980s. A riveting romantic comedy that relied on an all-star cast, Cage made audiences stand up and take notice of his eminent potential through his performance in Moonstruck. A hot-tempered New York youth who maintains some exquisite chemistry with Cher, Cage’ Ronny heats up the screen with the alluring charisma of a young Marlon Brando, delighting audiences in a way few film actors can.
