The Popcorn Stand: Is Nicholas Cage pleasure or punishment?

This old fuddy, duddy has written before on how entertainers for whatever reason are actually used for punishment by forcing people to watch or listen to them. I’ve written about for whatever reason the musical group Nickelback has become someone people love to hate and law enforcement agencies have actually subjected those they’ve arrested for DUI to listening to Nickelback tunes.

And I’ve written about how my idea of punishing someone would be to force them to listen to the entire version of “MacArthur Park.” If you wanted to punish me, just lock me in a room and force me to watch ESPN for 24 hours. (There, my cheap shot at ESPN).

Well now apparently someone has come up with the idea that having to watch Nicholas Cage movies all day is a punishment. Or actually maybe it’s a reward, I don’t know. If I get this straight, the idea is to watch Cage at his quirkiest.

Apparently for no reason I can think of, like Nickelback, Cage has become an actor either we love or hate. For me, I could take or leave him, although I do think he was pretty good in “Valley Girl.” And I know one of our newsroom staff, Julieanna McManus, was excited about watching Nicholas Cage movies in “The Cage Cage.” Whether it’s because she loves or hates Cage, I’m not totally sure, but I do believe she’s being sarcastic when she talks about how much she loves Cage.

Anyway, someone has come up with the idea to enter “The Cage Cage, a VR simulation of what it’s like to be trapped in a cage and forced to watch Nic Cage movies.” When using thecagecage.com, it’s designed to be used with a VR headset, but as I found out, a regular ole computer desktop does just fine.

Among the Cage moves featured are “Adaption,” “The Wicker Man,” “Face/Off,” and “Wild At Heart.” I didn’t watch long enough if the all-time classic “Ghost Rider” or my all-time favorite “Valley Girl” are featured. Actually “Valley Girl” is the only Nicholas Cage movie I’ve watched from start to finish.

But I have to admit as far as those who came up with this idea, it was a Cagey move.

— Charles Whisnand