13 Incredible Performances By Otherwise Terrible Actors

8. Nic Cage - Kick-Ass

There are very much two Nic Cages. The first was the brilliant, subtle actor who shone in Leaving Las Vegas and Raising Arizona, but he doesn't appear anything like as frequently as he once did.

Now, Cage is an Internet joke known for over-the-top performances with way more commitment than the material deserves. He's an enigma, to be sure, and it often appears that he's driven by some strange agenda to out-Cage himself with every new performance.

And in a strange twist of fate, that agenda actually conspired to put together one of his most stunning performances in Kick-Ass. His excess became an Adam West-like facade for Big Daddy, while he played his secret identity "straight" - it was like we had the full Cage spectrum and the result was a rare moment of quality in the last 15 years.