GET READY FOR...FACE OFF! Nic Cage Vs. John Travolta A NEW EMH FEATURE!

I love debating stuff. If you haven't picked up on that already, please check out Mount Rushmore or Overrated, Underrated, or Neither. So my new feature is going to be called FACE OFF! This is where I give you two things and analyze which one is better. Your job is to read and respond. Tell me what factors I have ignored. Let me know whether or not you agree with my assessment. Just be warned, just because someone wins the little battles does not mean they will win the war. These items just give me a good starting point. Bear with me. This is lengthy. If it's too lengthy, just tell me. I will try to keep future Face Offs shorter.

I thought it would be fitting for the first ever FACE OFF to use the two actors who starred in the 1997 movie Face/Off, John Travolta and Nicolas Cage.

In this corner, John Travolta - Age 55

In the other corner, Nicolas Cage - Age 45

Let's get it on...

Best early work:

Travolta: Grease, Welcome Back Kotter

Cage: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Valley Girl, Peggy Sue Got Married

Advantage: Travolta

Most powerful character portrayed:

Travolta: The Archangel Michael (Michael)
Cage: FBI chemical weapons expert, Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (The Rock)

Advantage: Travolta

2 Best Performances as a villain:

Travolta: Major Vic Deakins (Broken Arrow); Castor Troy, Face/Off - I know he was a bad guy in Pulp Fiction, but I don't think he was a true villain.

Cage: H.I. McDunnough, Raising Arizona (I know, you don't think him a villain. But hey, he kidnapped a baby); Castor Troy, Face/Off

Advantage: Travolta

Best voiceover work in an animated movie:

Travolta: Bolt (Bolt)

Cage: Jacob Marley (Christmas Carol: The Movie)

Advantage: Travolta

Best film work with Samuel L. Jackson:

Travolta: Pulp Fiction, Basic

Cage: Amos & Andrew

Advantage: Travolta

3 biggest movie sins (advantage goes to least sinful):
Travolta: Battlefield Earth, Look Who's Talking Too, Look Who's Talking Now

Cage: 8MM, Bringing Out the Dead

Advantage: Cage

Most prestigious awards/nominations:

Travolta: 2 Academy Award nominations; 6 Golden Globe nominations (1 win)

Cage: 2 Academy Award nominations (1 win); 4 Golden Globe nominations (1 win)

Advantage: Cage

Unforgivably bad movie:

Travolta: Battlefield Earth

Cage: 8MM

Advantage: Believe it or not, I am going with Travolta. 8MM was disturbing and horrific.

Most risky role that paid off:

Travolta: Edna Turnblad (Hairspray), a woman for cryin' out loud.

Cage: None! I don't think he's ever taken a truly risky role, and certainly not one that paid off.

Advantage: Travolta

3 Incredible performances (or the closest thing to incredible):

Travolta: Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Face/Off); Chili Palmer (Get Shorty); Vincent Vega (Pulp Fiction)

Cage: Sean Archer/Castor Troy (Face/Off); Charlie Kaufman/Donald Kaufman (Adaptation), H.I. McDunnough (Raising Arizona)

Advantage: Travolta

3 Funniest Performances:

Travolta: Chili Palmer, Vincent Vega (darn right I said it was funny), Bolt

Cage: Jack Singer (Honeymoon in Vegas), Bill Firpo (Trapped in Paradise); H.I. McDunnough (Raising Arizona)

Advantage: Cage (he's just funnier)

3 Best totally cool guy characters:

Travolta: Vincent Vega, Chili Palmer, Danny Zuko

Cage: Memphis Raines (Gone in 60 Seconds), Cameron Poe (Con-Air), Castor Troy (Face/Off)

Advantage Travolta

3 most underappreciated movies that deserve better:

Travolta: Basic, The General's Daughter, Be Cool

Cage: Gone in 60 Seconds, Honeymoon in Vegas, Trapped in Paradise

Advantage: Travolta

Hotter Wife: Travolta: Kelly Preston

Cage: Alice Kim Cage

Advantage: Travolta

What I love about writing these features is that I do not have an answer to whatever question I ask until I write the story. I think it's one of the reasons for the topics I choose. I thought this would be closer than it was. I love Nic Cage, but the first ever winner of our new game is...

JOHN TRAVOLTA

Okay, you know what comes next. Am I right? Am I wrong? Perhaps you agree with my final assessment but not some of the smaller ones. Maybe you think there are some battles I could have created that I didn't. Tell me your thoughts. Who do you think should win this showdown?
Later,
EMH