Nicolas Cage (“The Rock”, “Raising Arizona”) has made all sorts of films including some rather weird and wonderful ones. Here is a list of some of the craziest pictures he has starred in.

5. Colour Out Of Space

Nicolas Cage plays Nathan Gardner, he and his family live on a farm that becomes the site of a meteor crash. Strange things start happening and the family members find themselves changing both mentally and physically. It all leads to some disturbing imagery that I won’t spoil here.

4. Willy’s Wonderland

A horror/comedy with Cage as a silent character tasked with staying in an abandoned restaurant. Things take a deadly turn when it turns out the place is filled with killer animatronic characters, which are possessed by psychotic cannibals.

3. Army Of One

Based on a true story, Cage stars as Gary Faulkner, a dialysis patient who goes to Pakistan to hunt down Osama bin Laden. Armed with a samurai sword that her purchased from teleshopping, Faulkner believes he is doing the work of God, who is played here by Russell Brand “Get Him To The Greek”.

2. Face/Off

Cage plays Castor Troy, a terrorist who gets captured by F.B.I. agent Sean Archer (John Travolta “Grease”). However, Troy has planted a bomb somewhere so Archer tries to discover its location by swapping faces with Troy. Now, we see Nicolas Cage play John Travolta playing Nicolas Cage with some spectacular yet undeniably silly action sequences from director John Woo (“Hard Boiled”).

1. Vampire’s Kiss

Nicolas Cage plays a man that genuinely believes he is turning into a vampire in this whacky horror/comedy. What makes this film so funny is all the crazy outbursts that Cage’s character has. Perhaps no other actor could have made the material work quite so well.

Honourable mentions:
Mandy

The “Looney Tunes” are back with 2020’s “Looney Tunes Cartoons”, a new series that really captures the look and humour of the 50s theatrical shorts. While it never quite reaches the heights of some of the classic material, this is probably the best “Looney Tunes” material since the 50s.

Get ready to see Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and many others engage get into all sorts of trouble in a wide variety of different scenarios. We see everything from Bugs Bunny teasing Yosemite Sam in a theme park to Daffy Duck and Porky Pig on a treasure hunt. We even get to see Wile E. Coyote is still after the pesky Roadrunner.

It’s great to see the famous faces such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety and Roadrunner. However, it seems like the makers of this really love all the old Looney Tunes so we also get to see more obscure ones such as Ralph Wolf, Beaky Buzzard and Marvin the Martian. The voice acting is pretty good and everybody sounds just like they should. Visually, the characters look great but the animation is perhaps a little too sharp for my tastes. I like the old style of animation that had imperfections but felt more alive than the digital equivalents of the modern era.

“Looney Tunes Cartoons” is a treat for anybody that was raised on the old “Looney Tunes” shorts. I was surprised by just how violent and insensitive this new show was as I feared the material would be more restrained for modern audiences. The only thing that is frustrating is that Elmer Fudd and Yosemite Sam are apparently not allowed to use their guns. It seems like a stupid rule that the makers have imposed when we see characters use axes, bombs and chainsaws. Still, this show is hilarious and I hope the “Looney Tunes” franchise sticks to doing material like this.

1994’s “The Fantastic Four” never actually saw any form of official release yet illegal copies have circulated the internet for years. The movie was apparently never intended to be released; it was made simply to meet a contract requirement so the studio could hold onto the rights to the characters. Produced by Roger Corman (“Attack of the Crab Monsters”), this low-budget superhero picture that for the most part, looks more like it was made in the 70s rather than the 90s, much like the 1990 version of “Captain America”.

A group of astronauts are led by Reed Richards (Alex Hyde-White “Pretty Woman”) when they find themselves transformed into superheroes after a terrible accident. They become the ‘Fantastic Four’ and must do battle against the evil Dr. Doom (Joseph Culp) if they are to save the world.

None of the cast members playing the Fantastic Four give particularly memorable performances; none of them have memorable personalities. The outfit for the Thing is absolutely terrible and really laughably bad. Also, the effects on the Human Torch are just dreadful. I sort-of liked Dr. Doom in this movie as he had a really great evil laugh. However, he doesn’t get to do too much and in fact, none of them get to use their powers much at all.

None of the “Fantastic Four” movies have really impressed me; the 2005 movie had me on the fence, its sequel was a step backwards, the 2015 reboot was awful and this one sits somewhere above the 2015 movie and below “Rise of the Silver Surfer”. The effects are terrible, the acting is generally bland and the whole movie feels very unfulfilling but the score is pretty good and there is something enjoyable about how cheesy it is. It’s not terrible but if you’re not a hardcore Marvel fan, I doubt you’ll be searching the internet for this.

There are plenty of famous superhero films such as “Iron Man”, “Spider-Man” and “Batman”. However, if you are bored of the usual superhero films, why not check out some of these more obscure pictures?

5. Howard The Duck

“Howard The Duck” was actually the first feature-length, theatrical Marvel film. It’s often forgotten because it came out long before “Spider-Man” or even “Blade”. This strange film follows the misadventures of an anthropomorphic duck from another universe. It was produced by George Lucas (“Star Wars”) and is sometimes cited as one of the worst films of the 80s.

4. The Fantastic Four (Unreleased)

While you may have seen some of the more recent “Fantastic Four” adaptations, it’s unlikely that you even knew about the 1994 version because it was never released. Made just so that the rights to the characters were not lost, this schlock version is still actually more watchable than the 2015 version.

3. The Guardians

A Russian rip-off of “Avengers Assemble”. This is a surprisingly fun film that even has a bear with a minigun.

2. Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.

People often forget about the bad taste superhero flicks from Troma. Even more obscure than their “Toxic Avenger” films is “Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.”, which sees a moronic American cop inherit the mystical superhero abilities of a Japanese folk opera performer. It’s as silly as you imagine it is.

1. The Batwoman

Mexico’s 1968 “The Batwoman” is not officially connected to any other “Batman” material and the filmmakers would likely have been sued if they tried to do another film like this today. This goofy film sees Batwoman in her cape, cowl and bikini as she wrestles with giant fish monsters. It’s definitely on a similar wavelength to the 60s “Batman” show with Adam West.

Honourable mentions:
The Toxic Avenger

While Bugs Bunny remains one of the most beloved cartoon characters of all-time, some of his short films have become controversial in recent years. Some view them as racist and insensitive while others just see them as funny cartoons that were the products of their time.

5. Hiawatha’s Rabbit Hunt

Bugs Bunny tackles the Native American Hiawatha, who looks awfully like Elmer Fudd. This short along with a string of other “Looney Tunes” shorts have become controversial in recent years due to the supposed negative depiction of Native Americans.

4. Herr Meets Hare

A WWII-themed short that ends with Bugs Bunny disguising himself as Stalin to scare Adolf Hitler. It seems nothing spooks a dictator quite like another dictator. As with many WWII-themed cartoons, this one tends not to get shown on television very often as the subject matter is seen as inappropriate for young children.

3. Southern Fried Rabbit

“Southern Fried Rabbit” is really controversial because of just one brief gag that sees Bugs Bunny disguise himself as an African-American slave and proceeds to beg Yosemite Sam not to beat him. The moment may seem shocking but the overall tone of the short seems to be anti-slavery and anti-Confederacy.

2. Bugs Bunny Nips The Nips

Another WWII short. As you can imagine given the racial slur in the title, it’s the Japanese that get mocked here. Bugs Bunny battles a Japanese soldier clearly based on then-Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo. One scene even has him try to confuse the bad guy by dressing up as Emperor Hirohito.

1. All This And Rabbit Stew

Probably the most controversial Bugs Bunny cartoon ever. Bugs Bunny fights a character simply known as ‘Black Hunter’. While he is essentially the same as Elmer Fudd, the exaggerated look and voice may make some feel a little uncomfortable.

Normally, action stars are busy blowing up buildings and shootings bad guys. However, some action stars seek to boost their appeal by appearing in films aimed at a young demographic. Here is a list of kids films with action stars.

5. The Game Plan – Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson plays an American football player, who has to look after his estranged daughter. A rather forgettable family flick, Johnson would go on to do other kids films such as “The Tooth Fairy” and “Race To Witch Mountain”. However, he’s still primarily known for his wrestling and his roles in the later “Fast and the Furious” films.

4. The Pacifier – Vin Diesel

After becoming a household name after “The Fast and the Furious” “xXx” and “Pitch Black”, Vin Diesel starred in “The Pacifier”. Now, we get to see the muscleman tasked with babysitting a bunch of kids. Definitely not one of Diesel’s better movies.

3. The Spy Next Door – Jackie Chan

Vin Diesel wasn’t the only action star stuck with some young kids. Jackie Chan (“Rush Hour”, “Operation Condor”) is arguably the greatest martial arts star of all-time but even he got sucked into babysitting duties with “The Spy Next Door”. Often cited as one of Chan’s worst films, you are better off sticking with his “Rob-B-Hood” if you actually want to laugh at Chan’s troubles with kids.

2. Mr. Nanny – Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan is of course one of the most successful wrestlers. However, his film career left a lot to be desired. While already done “Suburban Commando”, “Mr. Nanny” shows Hogan sink to new lows. One scene even has him wearing a ballerina outfit as he babysits some unruly brats.

1. Jingle All The Way – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Star of “The Terminator”, “Predator” and “Total Recall”, Arnold Schwarzenegger is perhaps the most iconic action star ever. “Jingle All The Way” sees the tough guy struggle to buy an elusive action figure for his child for Christmas. While many see it as a bad film, it has become essential holiday viewing for others.

“Star Trek: Lower Decks” is one of the strangest official releases by any major franchise. It’s bizarre because this is technically an official “Star Trek” tv series but instead of being serious sci-fi, it’s a comedy. It feels like the series “Archer” but with a “Star Trek” aesthetic. While it’s clearly made by people that love the source material, the whole thing comes across like a skit series you would find on the internet.

We follow the misadventures of several low-ranking crew members of the U.S.S. Cerritos, one of Starfleet’s least important vessels. While often busy with their mundane work routines, they still find time to get involved in the crazy experiences that come with exploring the galaxies.

The main crew members we follow include Brad Boimler and Beckett Mariner. The two could not be more different with Boimler enjoy many of the mundane aspects of his work while Beckett thirsts for excitement and adventure. They actually interact a lot like Fry and Leela in “Futurama”. Captain Carol Freeman is certainly not as memorable as Captain Kirk or Captain Picard. I’m not especially keen on the animation on the characters, it reminded me a lot of the animation in “Rick And Morty”.

“Star Trek: Lower Decks” might be an enjoyable watch for “Star Trek” fans that recognise all the references to different starships and alien races. However, it’s not especially funny as a comedy series. The whole thing feels awkward when you consider that it is officially “Star Trek” and not just a sketch on “Robot Chicken”. It certainly could have been significantly worse but I must confess that I was not particularly captivated by any of it and the lousy animation does not help matters. I still prefer the more serious “Star Trek: The Animated Series” from the 1970s.

“Poultrygeist” is like “South Park”, “Clerks II”, “Dawn of the Dead” and “Gremlins” all rolled into one. It’s an absurd picture that blends the comedy, horror and musical genres to create one of the most violent, vulgar and irreverent films ever made. It’s from Troma, a company that has been perfecting the absurd, gory and disgusting formula for decades with an array of films including “The Toxic Avenger”.

In “Poultrygeist”, Arbie (Jason Yachanin) decides to get a job at Tromaville’s new fast-food restaurant, which happens to be built on an old Native American burial ground, in order to get back at his ex-girlfriend for leaving him for a woman and becoming a liberal activist. It is not long before the customers start to horribly mutate into chicken zombie monsters.

Arbie makes Homer Simpson look like Albert Einstein. He’s a pretty entertaining character for this type of movie. Arbie’s colleagues include a homosexual Mexican, a redneck that likes to rape dead chickens and a burqa-wearing Muslim by the name of Humus (not to be confused with the terrorist group Hamas). Various characters go through gory and disgusting transformations as they become undead chicken monsters. The practical effects are cheesy yet undeniably impressive.

This film will likely offend many members of the general public from across the political spectrum but especially vegetarians, Muslims and homosexuals. The violence and nudity are of course done extreme and many of the gags are as crude as you will ever see or hear. My personal favourite moments are Denny the branch manager’s recounting of an experience like it’s a war story and Arbie’s speech about America. Several sequences are so vulgar that I dare not even explain them here. If you are willing to succumb to the deranged and juvenile parts of your brain then you might enjoy “Poultrygeist”. What else is there to say?

“Postal” is done in the same vein as “South Park” and “Team America” but there is one crucial difference, those films didn’t have real actors (they were animated or with puppets) so it felt easier to forgive the offensiveness. If you really don’t care about the offensiveness, this is another “Jackass” or “Borat”.

In “Postal”, an unnamed guy (Zack Ward) realises how much he hates his town known as ‘Paradise’. He soon finds himself battling dangerous cults, the Taliban terrorist group and causing as much mayhem as possible. It’s violent, full of nudity, has a ton of politically incorrect jokes and is completely unapologetic.

The cast isn’t all that great. There are some famous faces such as J.K. Simmons (“Spider-Man”), Erick Avari (“The Mummy”) and Verne Troyer (“The Love Guru”) but they add virtually nothing. The film’s director, Uwe Boll (“Bloodrayne”), makes a cameo appearance along with the creator of the “Postal” videogame. Definitely the most controversial character here is Osama bin Laden and I have to say that I didn’t find him that funny.

“Postal” shows such graphic images surrounding terrorism, mass-murder and nudity that it’s sometimes hard to laugh at it even when then is some clever satire going on. I like the job interview scene that reminded me of “Office Space” but the rest of the film is so overly vile that I felt uneasy. When it’s a cartoon or puppets, we can take the gratuitous sex and violence but when it’s actual people on the screen, it just isn’t as funny. It’s like trying to do a Bugs Bunny cartoon with a real guy, it just isn’t as funny. “Postal” will shock and offend the uptight and it will thrill those without morals but I’m in the middle; it’s sort of funny but it just uses the wrong means to deliver the humour.

“Porco Rosso” is another film from Studio Ghibli, which is pretty much Japan’s equivalent of Disney, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki (“Spirited Away”, “My Neighbour Totoro”), who is pretty much Japan’s equivalent of Walt Disney. This is animated film is definitely charming but sadly, it isn’t as ambitious as “Spirited Away” or “Princes Mononoke”.

In “Porco Rosso”, an ace pilot bounty hunter, who has been transformed into a pig by a mysterious curse, does battle with air pirates around Italy during the 1930s. Although that description may make the film sound a little strange, it is actually far more linear and therefore a lot easier to follow than many of Miyazaki’s other films.

Porco Rosso reminded me of Indiana Jones and that sort-of hero; it becomes very easy to root for Porco in the daring air battle sequences throughout the film. The whole pig curse aspect of the film isn’t explained particularly well and doesn’t really impact that much on the film but I guess it makes the picture more memorable. There is a young mechanic girl named Gina that helps Porco and she’s pretty good. The villains are extremely cartoony and very fun. All the characters are animated rather well.

I enjoyed “Porco Rosso” because I think it is a fun animated film. I think many children will enjoy it and I think many adults will find watching this to be a pleasant viewing experience. If you’re expecting another “Spirited Away” then you’ll be disappointed but if you go in expecting to see a charming film about air battles, I think you’ll have a good time. Maybe this film is proof that Miyazaki doesn’t always strike gold but he’s certainly struck something here because while “Porco Rosso” is far from being excellent, it is a lovely film to watch as you feel at ease.