Nicolas cage – Smaller Pictures

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is one of the most meta comedies to be released this year. The film serves as a tribute to the filmography and persona of iconic actor, Nicolas Cage. Over the years, Cage has garnered a reputation for his unique acting style that has often been parodied and discussed and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a perfect response from the man himself. The film follows Cage playing a fictionalised version of himself who is offered $1 million to travel to Spain and attend billionaire Javi Gutierrez’s birthday party. Struggling to revitalise his career and maintain a relationship with his daughter, Cage soon finds himself in the middle of a major operation as CIA agents Vivian (Tiffany Haddish) and Martin (Ike Barinholtz) rely on Cage for intelligence.

Directed by Tom Gormican who cowrote the screenplay with Kevin Etten, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent leans into everything we love about Nicolas Cage, even going as far as to include a version of Cage named “Nicky” that torments him about the direction his life has taken. The film acts as a retrospective of Cage’s vast filmography while also allowing Cage to showcase his talent thanks to the range that the role demands. The script may not be the most complex, but it doesn’t need to be as this film is all about the actor and his performance while also giving Pedro Pascal an opportunity to show that he is incredibly funny.

Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalised version of himself while also playing a hallucination that parodies an appearance Cage made on TV in the 1990s. His performance is quintessential Cage, bringing his signature charisma with a brilliant level of self-awareness, showcasing his passion for acting. What is fantastic about Cage’s performance is that it feels genuine and sincere in execution with plenty of nods and tributes to his extensive filmography. There are plenty of parodies and memes online surrounding Nicolas Cage and his performances, but it is often forgotten that the man is actually a brilliant actor and thay the charisma feeds into each of his performances, especially his action films of the 90s. Cage’s performance in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent gives him the platform to show just how good an actor he is while equally feeding into the frenzy that surrounds him in popular culture.

In support, we have Pedro Pascal who plays billionaire Javi Gutierrez. Pascal has proven his dramatic skills, especially on TV with his performance in Game of Thrones still remaining a fan favourite even though he wasn’t in a lot of episodes. However, in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Pascal shows that he is more than capable of pulling of a comical performance. Unpredictable and intense, Pascal feeds off Cage’s eccentric energy and the two make a great pair to watch throughout. What makes Pascal the perfect choice for the role is how likeable he is while also providing an intensity that works brilliantly against Cage’s eccentricity. It’s clear that Pascal is having a lot of fun in the role which makes it even more enjoyable to watch.

The score by Mark Isham plays into the action and feels reminiscent of Cage’s films from the 90s with a mix of fast-paced tracks to backdrop the chase scenes while slower and more dramatic tracks support the emotional moments between characters. The track “They Made You” is one of the highlights as it is filled with plenty of tension while also incorporating the Spanish guitar to reflect the film’s setting. Isham’s score works well as it fits the film perfectly while also leaning into Cage’s persona and filmography.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a wonderful celebration of Nicolas Cage and his unique charisma and acting style. However, the film isn’t simply a tribute to the star as it incorporates an intriguing storyline and a phenomenal turn by Pedro Pascal who has great chemistry with Cage throughout the film. With plenty of humour from beginning to end, there is also a thread of sincerity that brings an emotional weight to the film.

What did you think of The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent? Let me know in the comments below!

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is available to own on DVD and bluray!

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

This week’s animation review comes into the form of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Constantly renowned as the best animated film of the 2010s, Sony gained their first Oscar for Animated Feature for this unique comic book adaptation that saw Disney take a rare defeat at awards season. The film follows the regular Spider-Man lore as Brooklyn teen, Miles Morales is bitten by a radioactive spider and has to follow in Peter Parker’s footsteps after he is killed by Kingpin. A dangerous device that opens portals to alternate universes and Morales meets various Spider-Man characters from the different comics such as Spider-Ham and The Amazing Spider-Man. Based on a screenplay written by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman and directed by the latter along with Bob Persichetti and Peter Ramsey, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a fantastic and unique animation that brings something new and exciting to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Lord and Rothman’s screenplay blends the various Spider-Man comics perfectly as it becomes a mix of drama and satire, poking fun at itself. When bringing in the other Spider-Man variations, it could have easily become too much and the characters not be fully developed and identifiable but the screenplay is so quick and smart that even the supporting characters are given a fair share of screen-time. One of the best characters is by far Spider-Man Noir (voiced incredibly by Nicolas Cage), a parody of the 1930s inspired by the likes of Humphrey Bogart. There are some great puns bringing him into the modern day such as his inability to see the colours in a Rubik’s Cube because he is black and white as well as being unable to understand how it works. It feels like a refreshing take on a comic book adaptation and its bravery killing off Parker early on was really unexpected, particularly for a family film.

The animation was provided by Sony Pictures Animation and the style is something I have not come across before. Combining traditional comic book art and computer animation, the style of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is both a nostalgic nod to its literal source material whilst using the most advanced animation techniques. Not only is this a welcome break from the usual computer animation that we’ve become used to seeing, but like its protagonist, it gives the film an alternative identity that makes it a standout. It’s understandable that besides its attachment to Marvel, why it would be popular based on the design. The graffiti scene where Miles and his Uncle Aaron spray a wall in a subway is particularly stunning and really brings the environment to life thanks to its mix of bright colour palette in the graffiti combined with the grittiness of the New York subway. Another fantastically designed scene is the climactic fight when the portal is opened and time and space merges and becomes a mesh of various universes.

Featuring a starry cast led by Shameik Moore, who voices Miles, the voicework is hugely impressive. Moore’s performance is great and really gets into the inner conflict Miles faces as he gets to grips with his new identity while trying to fit in at his new elite school. Miles is such a likeable character because of his relatability as well as showing the very realistic issues that would come with becoming a superhero. As well as Moore, other vocal standouts for me were Mahershala Ali as Miles’ Uncle Aaron and Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir. Both really get to the heart of their characters and its clear that they are having fun with it.

Another thing to mention is the score composed by Daniel Pemberton. Atmospheric and unpredictable, there are moments of pure drama, horror and tension scattered throughout in the music. Pemberton’s score is really unique and enhances the film. Mixed with an impressive soundtrack that includes original songs by Post Malone and Nicki Minaj, Pemberton’s ability to shift musical genres that again, like Miles’ character and the animation, gives the film a distinct identity that shows its versatility and uniqueness.

Overall, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an impressive feat that pushes boundaries and shows a different direction for animation. Boasting fantastic voice performances and stellar animation design, its cultural and stylistic impact cannot be ignored and only bodes well for the future of the franchise. It’s exciting to see where Marvel and Sony will take the animated franchise in the future but doubtless it will be a huge success and if this film was anything to go by, welcoming even more awards.

What did you think of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse? Let me know in the comments below!