And here we are: Con Air (1997). One of my all-time favorite movies, hands down, ever, and the first Nic Cage film I believe I saw in my life. Cage plays a retired Army Ranger by the name of Poe, a street-tough renegade with nothing to lose. After Poe is released from prison his plane is delayed and he goes on a thrillride through the skies fighting for truth, justice, and his loving wife and daughter back home.

After Poe honorably finishes his military term, he returns home to his pregnant wife Tricia (Monica Potter). A group of thugs attack Poe in an attempt to rape his wife outside a bar, and Poe kills one of them in the brawl. Sentenced to 8-10, Poe takes his dignity and serves his time, making a good friend on the inside, Baby-O. (Mykelti Williamson) On the day of Poe’s parole he’s told he’ll be flying home aboard a US Marshall’s plane, the Jailbird, which is transferring death row and life sentence inmates after it drops him off and sends Baby-O to another penitentiary to finish his sentence. The worst of the worst are aboard, including a criminal mastermind by the name of Cyrus Grissom. (John Malkovich) When Cyrus “The Virus” hijacks the plane after escaping his restraints, it’s up to Cage to save the day, and his friend, before Grissom can escape with the plane full of inmates.

Con-Air is, without a doubt, one of my favorite films. I grew up on cheesy 1990’s action movies like this. From a technical standpoint, the special effects are well done, the cinematography is pretty standard action film faire, and the script and casting are absolutely perfect for this sort of film. Cage was at the top of his game here, playing without flaw the stoic, rough-and-tumble Sgt. Poe, and Malkovich really got into his own as a maniacal crook. And who can forget Steve Buscemi as a deranged sociopathic cannibal? Without a doubt see this movie.

Twice.