Hollywood Weirdo: A Nicolas Cage Top Ten

by Cláudio Alves

A new Nicolas Cage movie is in cinemas, a blessing to the actor's fans and all those who've ever dreamed of this Hollywood weirdo playing Count Dracula. Renfield comes at a time in his career when the industry seems ready to recognize him as something more than a meme, finding value in the thespian's oddities past the point of self-parody. This happens after many years when it felt like Cage was only ever mentioned in jest, the butt of a bad joke, a meme to make the internet laugh. And so, it tastes a bit like justice. At least, it does to longtime admirers that never entirely bought into a negative narrative that stems partly from the supposition that exaggeration and what's beyond realism don't belong in the box labeled 'good acting.'

In celebration, allow me to give in to the homosexual prerogative to make lists and present you with my top ten best Nicolas Cage performances. As with recent lists for Angela Bassett and Gwyneth Paltrow, this will only include big screen work, and the movies will remain unranked. However, I decided to add a unique twist to this Nic Cage lovefest...

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22 Link Street

actually there's only 15 links... 15 link street. Lots of reads for you today, here and elsewhere

My New Plaid Pants has a wonderfully incisive review of Joe starring Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan
The Film Doctor nostalgia in the Smithsonian. Notes on Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Empire brilliant stage actor Mark Rylance will play Johnny Depp's father in Eyesore in Wonderland's sequel Through the Looking Glass
The Wrap Matt Damon planning to go solo on Mars in the sci-fi thriller The Martian about an astronaut marooned there. Remember when Matt got lost in the desert in Gerry? That was intense. I'm so ready for Matt to impress me again but honestly he's been a little dull onscreen of late. Needs a role that will shake him up.
Cinema Blend 22 Jump Street gets a final red band trailer

The Front Row on dream projects and Darren Aronofsky's Noah
Theater Mania Bullets Over Broadway opens on Broadway today in the effort to make the Great White Way an all 90s film adaptation monopoly. (Seriously there are so many) 
The Wrap The Truman Show (my #1 of 1998) which was about a reality tv show starring a man who didn't know he was the star of a tv show may well become a tv show. The levels.
THR Taylor Kitsch talks about his, uh, crotch in his pants on The Normal Heart. Costume design by Daniel Orlandi
Coming Soon the posters for How to Train Your Dragon 2 have arrived. I love that first film muchly but I worry about a sequel as I always do
Pajiba Mae Whitman (Parenthood, The Perks of Being a Wallflower) inexplicably cast as Designated Ugly Fat Friend in new comedy
The Wire has done a smart thing, surveying where we've been with each crucial Mad Men characters these past six years as we begin the final season this Sunday 
Vanity Fair Kierna Shipka (Mad Men) can't promise she won't break our hearts 

Anniversaries
The Wire Joe Reid ranks the cast of indie hit Go (such a good one) long after that road trip movie on its fifteenth anniverary. My favorite part was always the subtitled cat. 
Film School Rejects looks back at Shaun of the Dead on its 10th anniversary. What does it teach us about relationships?  

Today's Watch
Jon Stewart educates the Christian Right / Fox News axis of evil on the Bible and Noah. I seriously would lose my sanity dealing with the news if it weren't for Jon Stewart

The Daily Show
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