Nicolas Cage – 10 Best Movies

By Vlad Zakh · July 14, 2025

Face/Off shows the operatic, full-volume Nicolas Cage most people picture first, while Pig, decades later, proved he could still deliver something restrained and quietly devastating. The Rock is Alcatraz and nerve gas with a grounded lead, Mandy is full-throttle revenge, Moonstruck is warmer and more romantic than his later reputation suggests, and Raising Arizona is early Coen brothers chaos that still holds up. Con Air, Adaptation., National Treasure and Leaving Las Vegas round out the list.

The Rock (1996)

IMDb ★ 7.4 RT 76% Metacritic 58

A chemist and an ex-convict storm Alcatraz to stop a rogue general's chemical weapon threat.

Directed by Michael Bay · 2h 17m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar9 wins & 10 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Peacock Premium, YouTube TV, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mandy (2018)

TMDB ★ 6.5

A full-throttle revenge film that leans into every ounce of Nicolas Cage's intensity.

Directed by Panos Cosmatos · 2h 02m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+, Shudder, Shudder Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Moonstruck (1987)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A superstitious Italian-American widow falls for her fiance's estranged, passionate younger brother.

Directed by Norman Jewison · 1h 42m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, YouTube TV, MGM Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Raising Arizona (1987)

TMDB ★ 7.6

Nicolas Cage stars in early, gleeful Coen brothers chaos that still holds up.

Directed by Joel Coen · 1h 34m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Adaptation. (2002)

TMDB ★ 7.7

An anxious screenwriter struggles to adapt a non-fiction book while his more successful twin brother thrives.

Directed by Spike Jonze · 1h 55m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Con Air (1997)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A paroled army veteran is trapped aboard a prisoner transport plane hijacked by dangerous convicts.

Directed by Simon West · 1h 56m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV, TNT, TBS, tru TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

National Treasure (2004)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A historian races to find a legendary treasure hidden by America's founding fathers before rival hunters can.

Directed by Jon Turteltaub · 2h 11m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

TMDB ★ 7.6

An alcoholic screenwriter drinks himself to death in Las Vegas while forming a bond with a sex worker.

Directed by Mike Figgis · 1h 51m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Pig (2021)

TMDB ★ 6.9

Nicolas Cage gives a quiet, restrained performance that surprised anyone expecting the usual chaos.

Directed by Michael Sarnoski · 1h 32m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Face/Off (1997)

IMDb ★ 7.3 RT 93% Metacritic 82

An FBI agent and a terrorist literally swap faces to infiltrate each other's lives.

Directed by John Woo · 2h 19m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar11 wins & 23 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, BBC America · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

Nicolas Cage – 10 Best Movies

The Rock (1996)

Mandy (2018)

Moonstruck (1987)

Raising Arizona (1987)

Adaptation. (2002)

Con Air (1997)

National Treasure (2004)

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

Pig (2021)

Face/Off (1997)

You might also like

39 Best Prison Movies of All Time

6 Best Antique and Collector Movies

6 Best Oscar Best Actress Winners of the 1980s

6 Best Oscar Best Actor Winners of the 1990s

6 Best Playwright and Author Drama Movies

6 Best Prison Break Movies of All Time