As one of the most prolific actors of any generation,Nicolas Cagehas risen through the ranks to become so revered thathe’s finally getting his own film festival. It’s about time, right? Beginning his career with 1982’sFast Times at Ridgemont High, the eclectic Cage has appeared in over 100 movies ranging from the profoundto the bizarre, and it’s some of those flicks that will be on display starting tomorrow in celebration of his massive talent that carries with it an unbearable weight. See what we did there?
TheNicolas UnCagedfestival kicks off on Nov. 8at the Metrograph theater in New York City, which will screen 10 Cage classics on 35mm over the next couple of months, concluding on Jan. 2. A trailer has been released in celebration of the event (seen below), along with a statement from Metrograph explaining why they chose to hold the event. It calls Cage “a one-man sideshow” filled with “mad enthusiasm” who’s been giving it his all for more than four decades, and as such, they feel he’s more than worthy of being honored with this unique jubilee.
17 Best Nicolas Cage Films, Ranked
Nicolas Cage has undoubtedly given us some wild movies throughout the years. Let’s take a look at twelve of his best roles of all time.
“Heaped with praise and panegyrics as one of the finest screen actors of his generation, pilloried and parodied as an anything-for-a-paycheck hambone with a weakness for weird wigs and prostheses, Nicolas Cage is a one-man sideshow, a mixture of Marlon Brando, Robert Mitchum, Lon Chaney, and a stick of TNT who takes back ‘serious thespian’ prestige whenever he wants to, dives into grindhouse material and Academy Award hopefuls with the same mad enthusiasm, and never seems to be having anything less than a total blast in front of the camera.
“From blockbusters to broody neo-noirs, from dining on cockroaches to hunting for foraging pigs, a tribute to the inimitable and impossible to pin down Nic, a prodigious and untamed talent whose kabuki mannerisms, off-the-wall accent work, and go-for-broke brio have been delighting discerning moviegoers for almost 40 years.”
What Films Will Be Screened During the Nicolas UnCaged Festival?
With so many gems to choose from, such asLeaving Las Vegas,Raising Arizona, andColor Out of Space, the Metrograph has narrowed it down to a potpourri of 10 movies that they feel deserve to be seen in 35mm. While they didn’t necessarily give a specific reason for why they chose the films they did, their selections definitely show off Cage’s wide range of abilities.
Things will kick off on Nov. 8 with Werner Herzog’sBad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, followed by the much laudedAdaptationon Nov. 9.Wild at Heartwill be screened on Nov. 16, withNational Treasurefollowing on Nov. 29. From there, Nicolas UnCaged will continue with showings ofPig(which Cage himself hascalled his favorite movie),Red Rock West,Vampire’s Kiss,Moonstuck,The Wicker Man, and the action classic,Con Air.
National Treasure
