In the late ‘90s, the vibrant colour of the ‘80s faded away, as films – particularly actions and dramas – favoured colour tones of greys, greens, and blues. This is shown in 1999’s 8MM, As the name of the website I watched it on suggested (effedupmovies.com) the movie’s subject matter is pretty “effed up”. But content aside, a good film. The Cage brings out a good performance alongside a young Joaquin Phoenix. Oddly enough, one of my favourite actresses, Cathrine Keener (Being John Malcovich, Synecdoche New York and Get Out) has a surprisingly wooden performance as Cage’s wife. Although a minor role, I feel she could have given more to the character. Hopefully she returns in a better Cage film.
The Cage started to get gruelling for me thanks in part to the Martin Scorsese film Bringing Out the Dead. The Cage plays a paramedic that’s on a losing streak and this film is gritty as fuck. It’s long and hopeless. The acting is well done (NZ film icon Cliff Curtis stars as well) and the directing is good as Marty usually is but it’s bleak. I think this film would work best as a short or maybe I just need more rewatches but man it was tough to get through.
A new decade and millennium had begun for the Cage (as shown by a score of what sounds like Fatboy Slim b-sides) with Gone in Sixty Seconds. I thought I would take some time to reflect on my journey with the Cage so far as an actor. So far, I do not think he is a bad actor. In fact, I think he is a really good actor as long as there is good writing and good direction. Maybe it’s Stockholm syndrome, but one scene into this film I find him instantly charismatic as I have done in many of his other films. He is a likeable leading man and at this point in time I stand by it. That being said, the character’s name is fucking Memphis. It’s stupid and I laugh every time. His hair looks like it’s all frosted instead of just the tips. There’s a scene where an Asian woman is bad at driving and a black man says he cannot swim which is absurdly racist. But that is all excused (well, not really) for a movie that is GTA put to screen. It’s fun and he plays Low Rider by War and says, “Let’s ride,” so what more could you want?
“Think of something safe like Holly Hunter or Don Cheadle!” screams Troy in the episode of Community where Abed has a breakdown due to the Cage. If there was a film to think about it would be The Family Man where the Cage stars alongside Don in a merry Cage-mas film à la A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life, where his life is reset during Christmas and plays out an alternative reality. Is it as good as It’s a Wonderful Life? Of course not but the Cage does well and adds his flair to an otherwise fine film.
Caginess: Can’t stop quoting “Let’s ride”
Welfare Check: Watched a Louis Theroux documentary about Gaza in between so that bummed me out
Total Films Watched: 46/137