Fast Links
Renfield looks to put Nicolas Cage in the role of Count Dracula, and fans are excited. The popular actor has made a name for himself as an actor willing to do anything. His zany on-screen presence is unmatched, making him one of the most unique performers working today. Even if a film isn’t particularly great, Cage’s presence is always a highlight. From comedies to more grounded roles, here are ten of Cage’s best performances.
10. Ghost Rider (2007)
Many fans of Cage know that he is a lifelong comic book fan. They also know he was nearly Superman in the late 90s. While his turn as the Man of Steel wasn’t meant to be, he was a Marvel hero in the early 2000s. Cage headlined the adaptation of Ghost Rider. The film follows Johnny Blaze, a stuntman who sells his soul to the devil. He soon must repay his debt, as he is tasked with being the Devil’s errand boy as the titular Spirit of Vengence. The film was a hit with fans and earned a disappointing sequel. With Renfield having fans once again in Cage mania, they are hoping his rendition of Ghost Rider will make a return.
9. The Family Man (2000)
Before he took on more bizarre roles, Nicolas Cage typically portrayed an everyman. A case in point is the romantic comedy The Family Man. The film follows a hotshot investment banker who has it all. A fast car, an attractive girlfriend, and all the money one could need. One day he wakes up to find his car is now a minivan, he has two kids and is married to his college girlfriend. Taking beats from It’s a Wonderful Life, the movie shows how one impacts the lives of others and how money isn’t the ultimate form of happiness. While the performance is more grounded, that doesn’t mean Cage isn’t allowed to insert his typical Cage-isms every now and again. The movie is underrated but should make for a feel-good film to watch around the holidays.
8. Mandy (2018)
When thinking of Cage going all out in an absolute thrill ride of a film, Mandy will almost certainly come up. Mandy takes the idea of living a fantasy life of living in a secluded forest and flips it on its head. A lumberjack named Red lives in a remote cabin with his artist girlfriend, Mandy. Their lives are straight out of a fairy tale until a deranged cult leader takes notice of Mandy. He summons a group of demon bikers to kidnap her, leading Red to go on a rampage to get her back. This surreal bloodbath of a movie shows exactly what happens when Cage is allowed to be fully unhinged, and fans fully ate it up.
7. Con Air (1997)
Con Air is an action-adventure set mostly on an airplane. Renfield star Nic Cage leads the film as Cameron Poe, an ex-Army Ranger who was imprisoned for murder in self-defense. He is finally released, but he is put on a transport plane filled with the worst convicts for transfer. The convicts take over the aircraft, leading to Pow fighting to save the lives of the guards on board. The movie is a fun thrill ride that isn’t afraid to have silly moments. From over-the-top villains to over-the-top accents, Con Air is a great addition to any Nic Cage movie library.
6. Face/Off (1997)
A film featuring Renfield star Nicolas Cage and John Travolta essentially doing impressions of each other is as fun as it sounds. The movie follows FBI agent Sean Archer. Archer has fought for years to take down terrorist Castor Troy played by Cage. He manages to do so, only to find out Troy has hidden a bomb in the city. In an attempt to locate it, Archer goes through a transplant so he can take the appearance of Troy. Troy awakens from his coma, demanding he receives the same operation so he can impersonate Archer.
The plot may seem confusing, but the film manages to make sense while also being massively entertaining. Director John Woo manages to craft a film that allows its two leads to have a blast, leading to the audience having a blast as well.
5. The Rock (1996)
The Rock sees Cage as chemical warfare expert Stanley Goodspeed. Goodspeed must join forces with career criminal John Mason, played by Sean Connery, in order to break into Alcatraz prison. The prison has been taken over by a rogue group of military officers led by a renegade general. The general is threatening San Fransico with deadly nerve gas unless a ransom is paid. The film is thrilling from start to finish. What makes the film so great in the eyes of many, is the villain isn’t fully evil. He has his reasons for doing what he does, even if he is misguided. Fans also get a blast out of seeing Cage and Connery together. There is even a popular fan theory that Connery’s character is actually a retired James Bond who has changed his name.
4. Matchstick Men (2003)
In the spirit of Ocean’s Eleven, Matchstick Men romanticizes the lives of con men while also warning against it. Star of the upcoming Renfield, Nicolas Cage, stars as Roy Waller. Waller is a career criminal and an expert con man. Along with his protégé, Waller has managed to create a con that ensures the men become very wealthy. As successful as they are, agoraphobic Waller soon begins to struggle to hold his wits together. Things get even worse when his estranged 14-year-old daughter comes into his life. The film is part crime drama, part touching father/daughter story. The movie also stars Sam Rockwell, ensuring there are great performances all around.
3. National Treasure (2004)
Everybody loves a good treasure-hunting movie. Especially when that movie stars Renfield’s, Nicolas Cage. National Treasure stars Cage as Ben Gates, a member of a treasure-hunting family obsessed with finding the secrets their country has to offer. While his father has given up on the pursuit, Gates refuses to throw in the towel, and he is closer than ever. The movie offers an intriguing look at American history and relies on the theory that the founding fathers hid clues to various treasures in American landmarks. National Treasure is often times listed as one of the best live-action Disney movies. The film received a sequel in 2007 and a Disney+ show sans Cage in 2022. There have long been rumors of a third film, and fans are hoping Ben Gates returns soon.
2. Raising Arizona (1987)
The Cohen brothers are responsible for some of the greatest comedies of all time. The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, and Fargo are just a few of their legendary films. For many, one of their earlier movies is one of their greatest. Raising Arizona stars Nicolas Cage as a criminal named H.I. McDunnough. McDunnough marries a policewoman named Ed and the two quickly realize they are unable to conceive a child. Rather than adopting through proper channels, they decide to kidnap one of a furniture tycoon’s quintuplets. They get more than they bargained for when several people want to take the baby for their own needs. This screwball comedy was the Cohen’s DNA all over it, and it is no surprise as to why it is one of their best.
1. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
It is fitting that one of Cage’s best roles is a fictional version of himself. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent stars Cage as himself. Far from his glory days, Cage is desperate for the role of a lifetime. Needing money, Cage accepts an invitation to attend a wealthy superfan’s birthday party. This superfan is Javi Gutierrez played by Pedro Pascal. Cage is then intercepted by the CIA who suspect Gutierrez of being a drug lord.
He is sent to find evidence at his party but soon befriends him. Cage soon struggles to know who to trust so he turns to the most trustworthy person he knows, himself. This movie is a fantastic look at the career of the Renfield star and shows he isn’t afraid to pick on himself.