Nicolas Cageis an actor that rarely needs an introduction. The actor’s 40-year-long career has spanned a multitude of genres, full of innumerable memorable characters. In the last two decades, Cage’s popularity has only grown, though more as an internet phenomenon than as an actor alone. Back in the early-2010s, an iconic frame fromVampire’s Kisswent onto become one of themost popular memeformatsof the era, cementing his visage onto internet history. Since then, Cage’s filmography has become something of an in-joke among audiences, thanks to his often over-the-top performances across his many roles, making him a wild-card among other Hollywood actors.
For a time, Cage’s name was synonymous with subpar films, a particular lull period in the early-2000s, but the tune seems to be changing slowly over the last decade, with Cage’s “try everything” approach to cinema piquing audience interest and showing some fascinating results in genre films. Here are 10 of Cage’s most standout performances in the last 10 years that show off his range.
10Mandy (2018)
Mandyis a revenge-flick about a man desperate to avenge the death of his wife at the hands of a cult that just rolled into their small town. The film’s lead, Red, is a true Nicolas Cage character at his best: starting off as a quiet, soft-spoken man and slowly losing his sanity on his journey of vengeance, where Cage gets to flex every tool from his toolkit that he has amassed over his long career.
What Makes It Great
The movie that most audiences would associate with the beginning of the Cage-Renaissance, Panos Cosmatos’Mandyis an experience that doesn’t come by often. A hyper-stylish heavy metal album cover brought to life, the film is almost hallucinogenic in nature thanks to its acid-dipped visuals paired with 80s synthwave flair. The film is both straightforward and ambiguous in a way that simulates an acid trip, operating on dream logiclike a beautiful nightmare.
Stream on Shudder
9Pig (2021)
Although the trailer for the film might indicate some sort ofJohn Wick-style retribution,Pigis a much more somber, heartfelt exercise in grieving. Starring alongsideHereditary’s Alex Wolff, the film centers around Cage’s Robin Feld, a renowned chef, now turned-reclusive truffle hunter, whose prize truffle pig is stolen. In the search for it, he goes through the underbelly of the culinary world to find the person responsible.
Cage pulls out a masterful performance, playing a stern, driven, but ultimately highly empathetic man. He plays Robin with quiet confidence, doing so much through his eyes alone. Wolff shares the stage with Cage for most of the film, playing his supplier-contact, a wide-eyed young man trying to prove his worth to his father. The film takes its time with its moments, lingering on scenes in silence, and trusting the audience to take this journey with its characters. If you’re feeling contemplative, this is theNicolas Cage filmfor you.
Stream on Hulu
8Willy’s Wonderland (2021)
Releasing two years prior to the officialFive Nights at Freddy’sfilm,Willy’s Wonderlandis, well, pretty much that. Cage plays a quiet drifter who takes up a one-night shift as a janitor at a Chuck-E-Cheese-style restaurant and has to survive the night when its animatronics come to life (and attempt to kill him).
Cage’s entire performance is in pantomime. That’s right: he doesn’t say a single line throughout the runtime of the entire film. His hardened drifter unleashes some truly R-rated kills on the robots, personifying the phrase: actions speak louder than words. A short B-movie romp that doesn’t overstay its welcome,Willy’s Wonderlandmakes for a fun time if you’re looking for a truly unhinged Cage performance.
7The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
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The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talentis a love letter to Cage’s entire filmography, with the actor in his most challenging role yet: playing himself. A lost and on-the-wrong-side-of-his-career Cage is looking for an opportunity to work on some real insightful films, but struggling to find anything worthwhile. When a billionaire superfan (Pedro Pascal) from Majorca invites him over for his birthday, hilarity ensues when “bad guys” take over the party and Cage is caught in between helping the CIA bust his new buddy.
Cage plays himself with an unafraid self-awareness that is both endearing and self-deprecating. He also plays his imaginary younger self, Nicky, who appears off and on throughout the film to remind the older Cage of his personal and professional failures. The film is an action-packed romp full of heart and humor that you can expect, but enjoy the ride anyway.
Stream on Starz
6Color Out of Space (2019)
Color Out of Space
A Lovecraft adaptation,The Color of Outer Spaceis up there withMandyas one of Cage’s weirder forays into the horror genre. Adapting the novel by the same name, Richard Stanley’s film puts the actor in the role of an anxious parent, trying to help his family when something ominous falls out of the sky onto his farm, slowly corrupting everything around it.
As a viewer, if you’re unfamiliar with Lovecraft’s work, this film may be an adjustment in terms of tone and execution, though fans of his work have lauded the film as the closest interpretation to the original source material that is possible. It is difficult to separate the film fromits controversial director, but Cage does a solid job with his role, channeling helplessness, anguish and grief over the course of the film’s grisly events.
Stream on AMC+
5Renfield (2023)
Cage playing a modern version of Bela Lugosi’s iconic portryal as Dracula sounds like inspired casting. We’re honestly surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Picking up right after the 1931 original Dracula film,Renfieldis the story of Dracula’s servant, now in 2023, taking a 12-step program to set some boundaries and break out of his abusive relationship with the immortal count.
A colorful, splashy action-comedy, the film is more of a superhero story than you would expect. While Nicholas Hoult’s titular Renfield is eating bugs that give him superpowers, Cage seems to be having the time of his life, gleefully chewing scenery as Dracula in his short but effective appearance in the film.
The film is flashy, funny and shockingly violent — fans of movies likeBullet TrainandKick-Asswill definitely recognize the same style, and enjoy the bitingly dark humor that is ruling the action genre at the moment. Come for the Cage, stay for the fun.
Stream on Prime Video
4Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
What is there to say that hasn’t already been said hundreds of times before about this film?Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Versewas a jolt of electricity in cinemas in 2018. With its clever story and unique visuals, the film revolutionized the Western animation scene andchanged 3D animated filmsforever. It follows as Miles Morales, shortly after being bit by a radioactive spider, must learn to hone his new abilities. However, he quickly realizes that he isn’t the only Spider-Man in the universe.
Fans of the superhero series came away from the film reeling about most of its Spider-People, with no shortage of fans for Cage’s hard-boiled 20s punk, Spider-Man Noir. Played with hilarious sincerity, Cage puts in an expert vocal performance that reads as earnest, naive, but also wise and tired. His Spider-Man is an angry young man from 1920s America, and so presents himself like so many pulp heroes at the time.
It is honestly shocking the way the film managed to pull off this absurdly-specific character archetype in such a large and intricate superhero story, but thanks to the filmmakers' reinvention of the character and Cage’s unabashed openness in playing him, it goes beyond the gimmick and becomes a character worth remembering.
3Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018)
Teen Titans Go! To The Movies
Cage’s second voice-over performance in the same year,Teen Titans Go! to the Moviescould be called DC’s answer toSpider-Verse, but the long-running TV series has maintained its course with its references to decades of DC lore and irreverent humor.
A feature film continuation of the seriesTeen Titans Go!, Cage plays Superman (wink, wink) out to get the Teen Titans from stopping a Doomsday Device created by the film’s villain. The casting is an obvious reference to Tim Burton’s canceledSuperman Livesproject(which got another reference in the 2023 DC movie,The Flash), and Cage does his best to stand out with the few short lines he’s given.
The film itself is a zany and meta ride, full of gags and in-jokes about the film industry, superhero cinema, and the DC history at large. It’s a great time for kids, and a fun ride for any DC fan.
Stream on Max
2Joe (2014)
Perhaps the earliest entry on this list,Joecame at a time when audiences weren’t the most forgiving in terms of Cage’s performances. At a time when the expectation was for him to ham up a role, this film came along and told a solid hard-hitting story about crime and broken homes. Cage’s titular Joe crosses paths with a young man who comes from an abusive home. With his help, the two try to help him lead a more respectful life.
The film is a hardened look at the lives of so many young people whose homes are afflicted by alcoholism and the dark turn that their lives can take in the wake of it. Cage plays Joe completely straight — not a flourish of his signature Cage-isms — immersing himself into the ex-con’s state of mind. Without giving too much away, if you’re on the lookout for an underappreciated crime-drama, giveJoea shot.
Stream on Tubi
1Dream Scenario (2023)
Dream Scenario
Cage’s latest film, and foray into the weird,Dream Scenariois director Kristoffer Borgli’s follow-up to the 2022 feature,Sick of Myself, another pitch-black comedy about art and relevance. In the film, Cage plays a shy and anxious college professor, who becomes famous overnight after suddenly appearing in the dreams of people across the world. Unable to understand the phenomenon, he walks into his newfound fame with a smile, despite his wife’s fears and falls right into the deep end of success.
There’s not much that can be said about the film without seeing it, but this unique concept lends itself to a hilarious but deeply contemplative story about fame, success, and contentment. Cage is most unlike himself in the film, sporting a bald spot and dressing down.Dream Scenariocan be best described asEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindfor adults. But maybe something more?
