Nicolas Cage plays Nicolas Cage in Tom Gormican’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Plumbing the shallower end of the “meta” pool for an irreverent, sweet-natured action comedy, the film explores the multitudes within the celebrated actor’s storied career. Cage delivers crowd-pleasing laughs — working best when sharing the screen with Pedro Pascal — that reminds audiences that he’s always been a movie star. Minor spoilers ahead…

Our Sundance coverage continues with a review for Sion Sono’s gonzo, post-apocalyptic Western, Prisoners of the Ghostland. A refreshing respite from a festival full of heavier fare, the Japanese auteur forms a marriage of his cult sensibilities with the American master of cult performances: Nicolas Cage. A whirlwind of wild violence, candy-colored dystopia, and a plot light on logic but heavy with style, Prisoners of the Ghostland is a cult classic in the making. Contributor Valerie Thompson reviews the film. Minor spoilers ahead…

Sony Animation Studios and directors Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, and Bob Persichetti go buck wild with the fantastic Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Ditching continuity altogether while still keeping things layman-friendly, Into the Spider-Verse is a rollicking adventure that is equal parts thrilling, funny, and moving. Fast-paced with a lot of heart, the film is refreshingly quirky with a bombastic aesthetic and a charming sense of humor. In addition, the introduction of the Afro-Latino Miles Morales onto the big screen scores another home run for diversity this year. Minor spoilers ahead...