Summary
Nicolas Cagehas revealed his top recommendation from his movie career, stating which of the over 100 movies he’s starred in has been his favorite. Cage has had a versatile film career, starring in everything from comedies likeWilly’s WonderlandandAdaptation, to more serious films likeBringing Out the DeadandMandy. His newest movie is theupcoming horror filmLonglegs, which will see him portray a terrifying serial killer. However, he’s starred in so many movies throughout his career that it can be difficult to decide where to start watching from.
Luckily, speaking withThe New Yorker, Cage saidhis top recommendation from across his entire film career is the 2021 dramaPig.The actor explained how the film’s tragic story can resonate with a variety of audiences, especially those who have gone through horrible events in the past. Check out why Cage recommendsPigthe most below:
Pig…. [I]t’s something that I think people can get something out of, because tragedy is going to hit all of us at some point. It’s just a matter of when. It’s also a movie that to me is like a folk song. It’s a very quiet, gentle movie, which is the opposite of what we started our conversation with—people thinking I’m crazy.
ThatI’m happy with, because I’d never done anything like that before, where I felt like I got close to putting a meditation on camera, or a haiku.
Why Pig Is The Perfect Starting Point For Nicolas Cage Movies
Even though it’s not the most well-known entry inCage’s movie career,Pigis one of his more critically praised works, with the actor in an incredibly serious role as well.The movie follows the lead actor as Rob Feld, a truffle hunter and former chef who returns to Portland, Oregon after his prized foraging pig is stolen from him. What follows is a one-man rescue mission with a somber tone, emphasized by the thematic exploration of what the pig really means to him.
While the movie doesn’t reflect some of the wilder, more hilarious elements of Cage’s career, likeVampire’s KissorThe Wicker Man, it does emphasize the trajectory his career has been on in recent years.In 2018, he starred in the action thrillerMandy,the praise the movie received soon bolstering him into even more critically acclaimed roles. While some of these movies likeButcher’s CrossingandDream Scenariocould be good starting points,Pig’s tragic tale makes for a more emotionally resonant starting point.
Since many ofCage’s upcoming moviesseem like they’ll have the same serious tone asPig, the film is a perfect gateway into the level of quality his career has been at in the last few years. While some of his older films, likeCon AirandNational Treasure,are considered classics in their own right, they aren’t fully reflective of where his future is heading. Because of this, his newer drama is a strong entry point that can get audiences used to seeing Cage in a more serious role.
Pig
Cast
Starring Nicolas Cage, Pig centers on a truffle hunter in Oregon who returns to his former home in Portland to track down his beloved pig that was stolen from him. The drama mystery was directed by Michael Sarnoski, who would go on to direct the Quiet Place spinoff titled A Quiet Place: Day One.
