Not Top 3. His best role. LLV don't count. I'm talking his best role when he is a boss, a force to be reckoned with. My vote is face/off. But I might have blinders on seeing as I just watched it. Leaving Las Vegas is great but it ain't classic Cage. So...Best role?
shareHe's good in "Mandy".
share1. Castor Troy/Sean Archer
2. Roy Waller
3. Tom Welles
Wild at Heart
shareThe answer is these two:
1. Jack Campbell in The Family Man (2000)
2. David Spritz in The Weather Man (2005)
It's too hard to pick just one, but here are several off the top of my head...
Season of the Witch
City of Angels
Con Air
Valley Girl
Ghost Rider 1 & 2
The Wicker Man
National Treasure
Season of the Witch is an underrated film. It fumbles the third act, in my opionion, but not so egregiously that it dooms the film. And everything that comes before that is surprisingly good.
One of Nic's more underrated movies.
Yeah haven't seen it since it first came out, and can't really remember much about it, but I remember thinking it was pretty decent.
shareI avoided it for a while because I just assumed it wouldn't be very good, but then I finally watched it and was surprised by how much I liked it. I guess that's one of the benefits of modest expectations.
The production design in particular was surprisingly good. And Nic Cage's presence in any movie is a bonus.
I also watched it after watching the first season of The Crown and it was very interesting to see Claire Foy in a role like this from before anyone knew who Claire Foy was.
Oh wait I have seen Claire Foy. I saw her in Unsane. I really liked that movie.
shareIt is basically the American version of "Black Death," a European film released around the same time. Both movies are dark, gritty and brutal in their depictions of Medieval Europe, but "Season of the Witch" is more of a stereotypical blockbuster with modish protagonists, amusing one-liners and CGI-laden climax. "Black Death" is deeper, more thought-provoking and realistic, which is why I give it the edge in overall value.
shareI've seen both. Black Death was a little too weird for me. It also had some anti-Christian vibes, which I don't really get down with.
You're right that Season of the Witch is much more Hollywood. As I mentioned, I feel like the third act is the weakest part of the film. A better writer could've brought the story home in a more interesting way, but eh, it is what it is. I still like the film overall.
I encourage you to give "Black Death" another chance sometime because (1) it's worth it and (2) it actually isn't anti-Christian. The whole movie revolves around a test of faith -- who has genuine faith and who doesn't, that is, who's a fake, not to mention who's a con (they're two different people). Also, consider who the true heroes are and who the real villains are. The film's rich with hidden gems to mine.
If you happen to rewatch it, if you're interested, check out my explanation here (along with the following discussions): https://moviechat.org/tt1181791/Black-Death/58c81c412214d80b5cfbb0cf/Explaining-the-film.
I will have to honestly say that it's very unlikely that I ever loop back around to it, but I'll keep your suggestion in mind.
It's been too long since I saw it to have anything but hazy memories, but I do remember thinking that Eddie Redmayne's largely killed the movie for me.
I was just going to say this! Black Death wasn't as anti-Christian as I thought it was going to be and it tackled the pagan village just as hard as it did the "faithful". It was, indeed, about faith, fakery, and I think zealotry and the evils that can come from blindly following any sort of ideology without tempering that faith with mercy, or logic.
I enjoyed Black Death a lot, and I think your assessment of its relationship to the louder, more "entertaining" but less thoughtful Black Death is right on the money.
Thanks Ace.
shareThe Brothers Kaufman in Adaptation.
If you want a little more "unhinged Cage", I might go for Nathan Gardner in Color Out of Space.
Two nic cage movies I'm yet to see.
shareOh, my brother! Essential viewing for a Cage fan! Adaptation is my favourite movie he's been in period. It's great, Cage is great in it, but it's great from the ground-up. As for Color Out of Space, I always just describe it as "upsetting, but in a good way". Cage goes from psychological realism to unhinged wackadoo, too. It's good stuff. I highly recommend both to any Nic Cage fan.
shareYeah will check em out.
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