Nicolas Cage is one of the most fascinating actors working today. That isn't because he's necessarily a great actor, but because he makes such strange choices when it comes to the movies he works on. Whether it's a relationship with a truffle pig in the appropriately titled The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, he is as just as eccentric as any of the characters he plays.
Viewers would have the right to think his favorite movies are just as outrageous. However, being as unpredictable as he tends to be, Cage's favorite movies of all time, which he submitted to Rotten Tomatoes, is full of classics, whether it's an epic western or a beloved French New Wave film.
Juliet Of The Spirits (1965) - 7.6
Juliet of the Spirits isn't the most well-known movie in the world, and it struggled to find an audience outside of its native country, even though it's from the mind of one of cinema's greatest auteurs, Frederico Fellini. However, the Italian movie expertly blends comedy and fantasy, and in many ways, it still holds up today.
The film is about the titular character who builds up the courage to divorce her cheating husband, and she does so through visions and mysticism. While an episode of the irreverent Curb Your Enthusiasm has the same premise, Juliet of the Spirits does it in such a beautiful and empowering way.
Enter The Dragon (1973) - 7.7
Bruce Lee had built a phenomenal career full of incredible martial arts movies before his death in 1973, and the best Bruce Lee fight scenes.
But the action scenes aren't the only appeal of the film, as it's one of the first of its kind to blend the martial arts genre with spy elements, and it introduced the blaxploitation genre to a much wider audience too. Enter the Dragon was a huge success, making an unbelievable $350 million worldwide, which comes to more than $1 billion adjusted for inflation.
Beauty And The Beast (1946) - 7.9
This isn't the 1990s Disney movie or even the 2017 live-action remake, and it's quite a far cry from those. Guillermo del Toro's favorite movies.
That makes sense considering how well the celebrated director creates unusual creatures of his own with prosthetics and other practical effects. However, surprisingly, the 1947 film is one of Cage's favorite movies too, showing that he has a solemn, emotional, and empathetic side, which could be hard to believe based on the roles he's known for.
East Of Eden (1955) - 7.9
East of Eden is loosely based on the biblical story of Cain and Abel, two brothers who always fought for their father's affection. Funnily enough, Cage could have probably related to the movie, as he grew up in an extremely talented family, some of whom were getting more attention than others.
Cage is a part of the Coppola family, which includes, Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and so many other talented actors, writers, directors, and composers. East of Eden also stars James Dean, who must have been somewhat of an idol of Cage's, as he was the most beloved and charming actor at the time.
The Wizard Of Oz (1939) - 8.0
best classics on HBO Max, and the Technicolor is still as spectacular today as it was 83 years ago. Surprisingly, the 1939 movie was a box office bomb when it was first released, but it has since become the most well-known musical ever.
If there was ever a remake, it'd be great to see Nicolas Cage as the Wizard, as there's nobody better suited to play a mad man who controls a place called Emerald City and all of its inhabitants than him. Cage could bring his eccentricity and unique quirks to any of the characters, and it's easy to see him as the Lion, the Scarecrow, or the Tin Man. He'd probably even be willing to give the Wicked Witch of the West a shot too.
The 400 Blows (1959) - 8.1
The 400 Blows was a groundbreaking movie at the time, and the French movie was one of the leading examples of the French New Wave, which went on to inspire Hollywood movie-making. If it wasn't for the 1959 film, clever editing techniques like jump cuts wouldn't have been created for years.
But outside of the technical achievements of the film, The 400 Blows is also a wonderful coming-of-age movie, as it follows an adolescent who is sent to an observation center for troubled youths. Between flashbacks and Antoine being interviewed by a therapist, it's one of the most beautiful films ever made, and it's director Francis Truffaut's best.
Citizen Kane (1941) - 8.3
Unsurprisingly, Citizen Kane appears on most directors' lists of favorite movies. The movie is a gripping tale about a publishing mogul, and not only does it have an incredible story, but it essentially pioneered cinema as audiences know it today.
The film even inspires directors working on superheroes movies even if they don't consciously think about it. Where The 400 Blows influenced Hollywood's editing techniques, Citizen Kane inspired virtually everything else. And given how much of a powerful performance Orson Welles gives as the titular character, it isn't hard to believe that it has inspired actors too.
A Clockwork Orange (1971) - 8.3
There isn't much to say about best counter-culture movies of the 70s, and the image of Alex wearing eyeliner and a bowler hat while holding a cane has become iconic to people who haven't even seen the movie.
Just as is the case with most Stanley Kubrick-directed movies, the film is so ambiguous and has many different meanings. It essentially forces a debate amongst audiences over whether or not the government should be allowed to use aversion therapy to keep people from thinking certain thoughts, even if those thoughts are murderous.
Apocalypse Now (1979) - 8.4
The actor might have added anti-war movie that still holds up today.
It wouldn't be all that surprising if Cage revealed that he wanted to be in the movie, as he recently revealed a story about how he begged his uncle to not just feature in Cage wanted to play Vincent, Sonny's long-lost son, but the role was eventually taken by Andy Garcia.
Once Upon A Time In The West (1969) - 8.5
Clint Eastwood has starred in countless westerns over his career, but out of all of them, Once Upon A Time In The West, his final collaboration with Sergio Leone, is the most epic.
As is the case with most westerns, 1969 classic follows a mysterious stranger who rides into town, but his intentions aren't quite clear, only that he plans to protect a widow from an assassin. Between the Ennio Morricone-composed music score, the epics shots of desert vistas, and the gripping, suspenseful premise, they don't make them like this anymore.
