# Nicolas Cage's best movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393 "2009-09-09T05:24:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/21 "2009-09-09T11:46:39Z")
_Vampire Kiss_, easy. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/22 "2009-09-09T11:46:44Z")
Judging the quality of the film and not necessarily his performance, gotta go with _Fast Times_ followed by _Raising Arizona_ and _Face/Off_. But while Iā€™m not a particular fan of the film, he is exceptional in _Adaptation_. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/23 "2009-09-09T11:59:12Z")
The Rock [I would see Nicolas Cage as Fu Manchu](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2mdUG-_Bp4) ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/24 "2009-09-09T12:40:54Z")
The problem with Nicolas Cage is, when heā€™s bad, heā€™s [very bad](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6i2WRreARo). (And I canā€™t believe **Covered\_In\_Bees!** didnā€™t link to [this!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4MqTCIDKhU)) However, he simply _isnā€™t_ always bad, which I think is what trips a lot of people up about him ā€“ itā€™s just hard to get a fix on anybody that all over the map. I really liked him in _Adaptation_, for instance. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/25 "2009-09-09T12:44:50Z")
Iā€™ll be the first to mention the role which won him the Oscar: **Leaving Las Vegas**. I could only watch it once because itā€™s so suicide-inducing, but I thought he was outstanding in it. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/26 "2009-09-09T13:07:42Z")
I liked Matchstick Men a fair bit. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/27 "2009-09-09T13:14:03Z")
**Raising Arizona** , **Moonstruck** , and \*\*Adaptation \*\*are probably my three favorites of his. I thought he was quite good in \*\*The Weather Man \*\*too. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/28 "2009-09-09T13:34:20Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Donā€™t forget _Valley Girl_. for sureā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Umbriel2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/4af34b/32.png) [@Umbriel2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Umbriel2)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/29 "2009-09-09T13:41:12Z")
Iā€™d go with _Adaptation_ or _Raising Arizona_, but Iā€™ll give honorable mention to an earlier and goofier performance in _Peggy Sue Got Married_. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/30 "2009-09-09T14:26:51Z")
_Snap out of it_. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/31 "2009-09-09T14:32:14Z")
I am not responsible for anything anyone else has deigned to be. I am solely here to be my own witness. Anybody else stealing my mojo can kiss my ass. This is trademarked. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/32 "2009-09-09T14:36:00Z")
I hated him in his indie film days, and I REALLY hate him when he does Jerry Bruckheimer action movies. In between, I thought he was surprisingly good in light fare like ā€œIt Could Happen to Youā€ and especially ā€œHoneymoon in Vegas.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/33 "2009-09-09T15:14:52Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > _Con Air_ sucked. > _Moonstruck_ and esp _Raising Arizona_ were his best. I thought _Con Air_ was good, silly, over-the-top fun. But otherwise I agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/34 "2009-09-09T15:26:14Z")
Iā€™ll say Raising Arizona as well. And I liked Family Man also. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/35 "2009-09-09T15:29:01Z")
One vote for _World Trade Center_, just because Iā€™m an Oliver Stone fan (though I donā€™t particularly like the movie, I respect it). ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/36 "2009-09-09T15:29:47Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > Iā€™ll be the first to mention the role which won him the Oscar: **Leaving Las Vegas**. No, thatā€™d be **Knorf** in post #13. But yeah, his best movie is, as the doctor in _Super Size Me_ calls it, ā€œDeath in Las Vegas.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/37 "2009-09-09T15:32:48Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > Iā€™ll be the first to mention the role which won him the Oscar: **Leaving Las Vegas**. I could only watch it once because itā€™s so suicide-inducing, but I thought he was outstanding in it. _Ahem._ Post 13. Although I acknowledge the hideous presence of a typo. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/38 "2009-09-09T15:35:56Z")
Iā€™ve got a lot of time for _The Rock_. It does what it says on the tin very well and is a very enjoyable romp. _Raising Arizona_ is my fav though. He did very good work in other movies though. Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation and World trade Center to name just a few. He can be a very annoying and OTT actor but one that puts in good performances when heā€™s got the right project. ---
**Author:** ![VoluntaryPlan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9fc29f/32.png) [@VoluntaryPlan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VoluntaryPlan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/39 "2009-09-09T15:36:54Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Unlike many people, I do not detest Cage (or Kevin Costner, another very polarizing actor) - I think heā€™s good at playing a certain kind of character, and he fits some roles very well. I donā€™t think Cage is a bad actor. He can often be quite good, like Adaptation, as you mentioned. He just has the weird ability to choose the worst scripts in the world and then play them like a zombie. Ghost Rider managed to defy my expectations and actually be worse than I had heard. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2009, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393/40 "2009-09-09T15:55:15Z")
> [@Commander\_Keen](#): > > Yeah I was just joking, he had a cameo but thatā€™s it. The funny thing is after he became much more famous, my brother noticed an ad for the movie (maybe it was in a TV guide, or on a VHS box, or something) that said NICHOLAS CAGE like he was the star of the movie or something. I love it when movies do that, I find it hilarious. Actually, in Fast Times, Nicholas Cage was originally being seriously considered for the role of Brad (the Judge Reinhold character), but didnā€™t end up with it for two major reasons - his performance was too sad & dark, and they already had Jennifer Jason Leigh as his sister Stacy, who was also sort of a downer, so they wanted someone a little more funny and silly. Plus, he was only 17 at the time and wasnā€™t allowed to work as much as the older actors\* \*partially from the IMDB trivia, and partially from my memory of the commentary for the movie As for Nicholas Cage, I can never decide if I like him or not. I tend to like his acting in silly action movies better than his dramas, and actually enjoyed the National Treasure movies. I really liked Adaptation, but didnā€™t enjoy him in it all that much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nicolas-cages-best-movie/509393.md?page=3)