Prime Video hosts a ton of Nicolas Cage movies, but only a handful of them are actually worth watching. Cage is an actor who needs no introduction, and his decades-long career has established him as one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. Known for his often over-the-top characters, Cage is also capable of turning in strong dramatic performances.
Though he isn’t the blockbuster draw that he once was, Nicolas Cage continues to work consistently year after year. While many of his more recent movies are low-budget straight-to-streaming projects, Cage still surprises in films like Longlegs and Pig. Because of his many talents, there’s no telling where he might pop up next.
Prime Video has one of the largest catalogs in streaming, and the platform hosts nearly 20 Nicolas Cage movies. Despite the abundance, those films are not created equal, and only a select few are any good. Sifting through Prime Video’s extensive Cage collection reveals a small assortment of gems that deserve spots at the top of any must-watch list.
5 Willy’s Wonderland (2021)
In lieu of a Five Nights at Freddy’s movie (which would arrive in 2023), Willy’s Wonderland filled the void in the animatronic horror subgenre. Cage headlines the film as a drifter hired to clean up a family entertainment center, who soon finds himself battling the deadly animatronic creatures. Despite being a blatant cash-in, Willy’s Wonderland is ambitious.
Made on a comparatively small budget, the film stretches every penny to make the creepy animatronics interesting and frightening. Nicolas Cage throws himself into his role completely, and despite not saying a word, gives a compelling performance. Willy’s Wonderland isn’t a perfect movie, but it is a charming piece of low-budget cheese that never pretends to be anything else.
4 Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans (2009)
Helmed by director Werner Herzog, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is a quintessential example of a subversive film. While battling his own demons, a cop (Cage) must investigate a series of murders that has the Crescent City on edge. Instead of being a sequel to the 1992 original, Bad Lieutenant, the 2009 film is something else entirely.
Port of Call New Orleans is an ironic take on cop movie clichés, though it never devolves into downright spoof. Nicolas Cage’s semi-unhinged performance befits the movie’s larger-than-life tone, and every detail is just a bit bigger than reality. When viewed as a statement on its genre, the not-really-a-sequel is one of the cleverest movies of the late Aughts.
3 Joe (2013)
Generally considered one of Nicolas Cage’s best recent movies, Joe shows just how strong his performances can be when he’s given a good script. A teen (Tye Sheridan) works on a lumber crew, and enlists his boss (Cage) to protect him from his abusive father. The gritty coming-of-age story was directed by David Gordon Green of Halloween fame.
The slow-burning thriller hinges entirely on Cage and Sheridan’s performances, and both turn in stellar work. It features no Hollywood gloss, and uses non-actors in some leading roles. This gives Joe a shockingly realistic tone, making the drama at the heart of the story even more engrossing. The movie slipped by with little notice, but deserves a lot more fanfare.
2 Lord Of War (2005)
Cage’s versatility is the biggest reason he’s a legend, and never has that been more clear than in Lord of War. In the film, Cage plays a Ukrainian immigrant who uses his connections to become the world’s biggest illegal arms dealer. Cynical and brash, Lord of War is specifically designed to be a black comedy of the bleakest variety.
Though the movie was a financial disappointment, it hit with critics. Cage’s performance is excellent, but the film is imperfect. A lack of character development makes the message muddled, but the experience of watching the film is not particularly hampered by its script. Lord of War was released at the exact right time, capturing the political mood of the Aughts.
It’s one of Cage’s best films because it shows off the actor’s strengths. With a lesser performer in the lead role, Lord of War would have been a worse film. Cage’s humanity might have confused viewers and critics who wanted to hate his character, but it kept the film engaging. Few actors could pull off such a feat.
1 Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Nicolas Cage has gained a reputation for playing over-the-top and goofy characters, but he was bitterly real in Leaving Las Vegas. He stars as a screenwriter who intends to drink himself to death in Sin City, who forms an unlikely bond with a similarly self-destructive sex worker. The dark romance captures the essence of addiction without delving into sappy melodrama.