December 06, 2004
Don't Underestimate Nicolas Cage
It's no ones fault really. Eventually, if you hear a song too many times you get sick of it. The same it true of our celebrities. Take Nicolas Cage for instance. Whenever his name comes in conversations I have with people, most of them usually roll their eyes a little bit and say "I don't like him anymore", or "I'm just sick of him" yadda yadda yadda. I remember how up in arms many people were a couple of years ago when he was in line to play Superman.
Pretty soon, this stigma on an celebrity becomes socially contagious and people start thinking it... without ever thinking it themselves. People began getting sick of Cage just because the attitude out there about Cage had become less popular... never actually reaching that opinion on their own. This happens all the time.
But after watching National Treasure (which was pretty good for a while... but far too long), I realized something. Nicolas Cage still has it. No, he really does. When he's on screen he has that sort of charisma that just pulls an audiences attention to himself. It's a kind of playful charm. Some people don't like it... but it works.
There is no denying that the man has been in some stinkers. But he's also been in some great films as well... and theres that little trophy sitting on his mantle called an Oscar which he richly deserved.
I'm not 100% sure why I wrote this post. I just felt like saying "Damnit, I think Cage is pretty damn good".
Posted by John Campea at December 6, 2004 07:45 AM
Comments
Posted by: kat at December 6, 2004 08:59 AM
I think he became overexposed when his real life started overshadowning his movie career. EX: his three month marriage and his weirder long standing non-marriage before that, and now his marriage to a sushi waitress he won't let work. Dunno, but that sort of crap gets in stuck in people's minds and erodes images of actors - right or wrong.
Posted by: Lilly at December 6, 2004 09:24 AM
You would have to get me to chop off an arm before I saw National Treasure...(But I'd see it before i bothered with the Ron Howard/Tom Hanks Da Vinci Code flick...)
KuRt.
Posted by: Kurt at December 6, 2004 11:39 AM
I just saw "Matchstick Men" a couple of weeks ago (a movie I had overlooked up for some reason) and I thought he was superb in it. I don't care for his big action movies, but when he plays flawed, non-hardass characters he's excellent. He did a great job in "Adaptation" as well. I'm not sick of him; I'm sorta sick of dopey action movies, but he's not the only who's made those.
Posted by: Midgard at December 6, 2004 02:21 PM
Yeah, I think you're right Lilly, a lot of his "off-screen" drama has had a bad impact on his as far as public perception goes. I still dig him on screen though.
Posted by: John Campea at December 6, 2004 04:14 PM
Also one of my favorite screamers. He starts with a slow-burn and then just explodes. Cracks me up everytime (see Honeymoon in Vegas). :D
Posted by: tealfan at December 6, 2004 06:32 PM
I agree with Kat that he has no chemistry whatsoever with the female character in 'National Treasure'. I thought she has far more chemistry with the comic sidekick and therefore, I dislike that out of nowhere kiss.
But I think Nic Cage in general is just boring. And this is in no way influenced by other people's opinion because I always thought he's quite popular among other male audiences. But I have never watched another film of his except for 'National Treasure'. And that was because a friend forced me to accompany him.
I think he's simply doesn't have the charisma of a leading man and his acting isn't exactly outstanding either. Give me Kevin Spacey, Anthony Hopkins, or Sir Ian McKellen for acting. Or someone like George Clooney or Brad Pitt for charisma
Posted by: James at December 6, 2004 07:39 PM
I so loved him in "Moonstruck", and was pretty impressed with "Leaving Las Vegas" and all the films that followed, left and right was just him! "The Rock", "Con Air", "Face Off", "Snake Eyes".
Anyway, I share your sentiment John.
Posted by: Simone at December 6, 2004 07:46 PM
Good point made....All the sheep of the world decide on their opinion by basing it on everyone else's....I've never had a prob w/Nic Cage....He's not high on my list of fav's but I wont' rule out a movie just 'cause he's in it....J-Lo YES but not Cage-O...
Posted by: CrzyDJM at December 7, 2004 05:44 AM
I have a whole list of people I would never pay money to see, but Nic isn't on that list. Overexposed Colin Farrel is on it, however. Unfortunate but true that I would pay to see someone like squinty-eyes Renee Zee before Colin. Dunno. I guess the excesses of their personal lives just turn my stomach. Who needs to encourage them by paying to see them act? It's the same thing with Michael Moore. Paid to see Bowling For Columbine, shunned 9/11. And when I did see it (the boy got the DVD for his birthday), I was more shocked at the blantant manipulation on Moore's part than the Bush administration's wrong doings.
Posted by: Lilly at December 7, 2004 08:58 AM
Watch "Adapatation" again. Cage gets lots of work because he is reliably brilliant. There are plenty of bad movies with Nicholas Cage in them but I can't think of on ethat was made worse because he was in it.
Posted by: RPK at December 11, 2004 01:39 PM
My one and only problem with National Treasure as that out of nowhere kiss.
Cage and the chick did NOT have chemistry at all as a romantic couple and no real flirting or anything and then Wham! A kiss.
It's like the directors went " oh yeah, there may be women in the audience at the theaters so we should throw them some romance" Or something like that. Other than that, the move was highly enjoyable. A good time was had.