Nicolas Cage Raising Arizona

Nicolas Cage may be having a rough time this fall with the abysmal reviews and box office for his latest movie Left Behind. But GQ is here to remind us of something important: That Cage is a national treasure.

In fact, the magazine has got 111 reasons why you have to start cherishing him. True, some of them are a little silly: Cage’s endless meme-ability for instance (“Not the bees!”) or his habit of buying expensive trinkets like dinosaur skulls and Bavarian castles.

But there’s also the actual, undeniable greatness in Cage’s filmography. GQ even got some stars to weigh in on the Cage question. Here’s what some of them had to say:

Jon Hamm on Raising Arizona:”Hands down, I think it’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Jessica Chastain on Raising Arizona: “I just watched it last week and I think it’s a movie you can watch over and over again. He’s so sincere.”

Matt Damon on Raising Arizona: “Phenomenal and twenty-five years later it’s still great.”

David O. Russell on Valley Girl: “You never saw it? You have a treat ahead of you. It’s very sweet — they don’t make films like that anymore. It was before his dental work.”

Susan Sarandon on Peggy Sue Got Married: “All of his early stuff, he was a revelation. He’s very brave. He’s very funny in a very dry way. Also, I love his Japanese commercials!”

Dakota Fanning on Matchstick Men: “The one where he’s really OCD — I like that one!”

Natasha Lyonne on Ghost Rider: “You know what — I’m a fan of Ghost Killer Rider whatever the f—- that movie is. Plus I’m like Wild at Heart?! And that SNL thing?! Whole new levels of respect.”

John Waters on Drive Angry:”What was that last one about trucks going fast? Drive Fast? Drive Harder? Or something. Came and went quickly. Really over-the-top. I pick that one.”

Head on over to GQ.com to see their whole catalogue of Cagery including a ranking of his movies from best (Raising Arizona, no surprise) to worst (8 MM, because “it’ll put you off porn for life.”)