In the Cage with Cage

  Nicholas Cage born 07/01/1964 Nicholas Kim Coppola, he is truly brilliant, his early career is seen as quirky with films like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Valley Girl and Rumble Fish. 

I'm going to start my review with a classic, Raising Arizona (1987).  In this off-the-wall crime comedy Cage acts alongside Holly Hunter.  The plot is simple a childless couple (Cage/Hunter) help them selves to one of the Arizona family's quintuplets, there lives get slightly more complicated than they expected however when a bounty hunter and escaped con's get involved.  Directed by the Coen brothers you know it is going to never be as simple as it says on the tin and Raising Arizona is no different.  The film snowballs into a mash of well choreographed car chases and getaways with the odd fist to back them up.  You have to watch this film for yourself, as it kind of gets under your skin. Visually pleasing and with some great lines, you have to watch to truly understand (even then you wonder did I didn't I).

Best Scene - Fight in a Trailer

Best Line - 'You go right backup there and get me a toddler, they got more than they can handle'

  7 out of 10

  Next we go to (1996) and The Rock in this Cage plays Stanley Goodspeed a FBI (none field) Agent who gets caught up in a renegade generals coo, using chemical weapons on San Francisco.  Cage is a chemical weapon specialist and supporting actor (a rare phrase for this legend) Sean Connery is John Patrick Mason, the only man to have escaped Alcatraz (The Rock).  They are given the job of attempting to stop the renegade generals chaos by breaking into Alcatraz.  Micheal Bay directs and Ed Harris supports as the renegade general Francis Hummel, a mix of action and whit make this a must.

Best Line -  'Your best... losers always whine about there best, winners go home and fuck the prom queen'

7.5 out of 10

  Now its a double for (1997) first Face/Off it's Cage as Caster Troy alongside John Travolta as Sean Archer(or is it the other way around), I feel that if you don't have any idea as to this film's plot you have issues (if so contact me and I will happy to assist in your predicament with a blunt object).  However in short, It is a cat and mouse tale as Travolta tries to capture Cage.  Directed by the always reliable John Woo you know you are going to spend most of the film on the edge of your seat.  I cant say enough about this film if you only own 5 films this should be 1 of them along with Jaws and Blade Runner...

Best Line - 'If I were to send you flowers where would I... No, let me rephrase that. If I were to let you suck my tongue, would you be grateful?'

8.5 out of 10


Second its Con Air (1997) in this rip roaring plane ride, Cage is Cameron Poe ex army ranger more recent ex con returning home to his wife and young child. He is stuck when his fellow not so ex cons take over the plane.  Staring another favourite John Malkovichas Cyrus 'the Virus' Grissom and co starring John Cusack  as Vince Larkin to name a few!  This is adrenalin fuelled action from the moment you 'buckle up'.  Directed by Simon West you cant really go wrong if you are spending a night in.

6.5 out of 10


I felt it would be wrong to jump past (1998) and City of Angels it's based on a modern classic and tells the story of an angel named Seth played by Cage, who is spotted by a doctor Maggie played by Meg Ryan. Seth begins to struggle with his 'duties' as he starts to 'fall' for her, suddenly his immortality is a hindrance and he has to make a choice. This is directed by Brad siberling who brought you Casperand more recently Land of the Lost, I feel this is one of those films easily over looked that surprises you and shows another side to Cage's ability to play vast roles (though people so easily pigeon hole him)

6 out of 10



   Complete change of scenery now and 8MM (1999) (no not a story of bullets) in this crime thriller Cage plays Tom Welles a private investigator hired to find out if a 'snuff film' is real.  In this gritty film directed by Joel Schumacher your transported in to a seedy underworld of porn and he is soon faced with a horrific truth. Dark, violent and at times heart pounding suspense.

4 out of 10


  Now its boosting time with (2000) and Gone in Sixty Seconds.  Cage plays Memphis Raines a retired master car thief, alongside a VERY HOT! Angelina Jolie as Sara 'Sway' Wayland and (the under rated) Giovanni Ribisi as Kip Raines (Cages younger brother).  He is forced out of retirement for one last job to boost 50 cars in one night to save his brothers life.  He has no choice but to take the job and get his old crew to help.  Simple and very effective.  With a great supporting cast, nice cinematography and action sequences.  It also has a great soundtrack, this is my third fave Cage movie!

Best scene - Getting Eleanor to the dock

Best Line - 'You stole a car that wasn't on the list, why don't you go to the police station in a red clown suit and let everybody know what we are doing'

7 out of 10

 And Finally...
 2005 see's Lord of War my second fave Cage movie.  Cage plays Yuri Orlov an arms dealer who confronts the mortality of his job while been chased by Interpol Agent Jack Valentine played by Ethan Hawke.  Supported by a great performance by Jared Leto as Yuri's younger brother Vitaly.  This film has action and great monologues by Cage, with some superb confrontations with Hawke, Ian Holme as Simeon Wiesz and Eamonn Walker as Andre Baptiste.  Thus film realy hits home on a subject that is more and more in the lime light.  In closing I love the multi levelled feel to this movie, which crosses so many story's and is directed by Andrew Niccol (you truly can tell he wrote as well as directed) what I feel is a modern masterpiece and very clever.  With out a doubt thus is a modern classic.  A must watch for any fan of cinema.

Best Line - 'Of all the weapons in the vast soviet arsenal, nothing was more profitable than Avtomat Kalashnikova model of 1947. More commonly known as the AK-47, or Kalashnikov. It's the world's most popular assault rifle. A weapon all fighters love. An elegantly simple 9 pound amalgamation of forged steel and plywood. It doesn't break, jam, or overheat. It'll shoot whether it's covered in mud or filled with sand. It's so easy, even a child can use it; and they do. The Soviets put the gun on a coin. Mozambique put it on their flag. Since the end of the Cold War, the Kalashnikov has become the Russian people's greatest export. After that comes vodka, caviar, and suicidal novelists. One thing is for sure, no one was lining up to buy their cars'.

8 out of 10

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