No matter the role, Nicolas Cage often seems to be teetering on the brink of his own personal, self-

No matter the role, Nicolas Cage often seems to be teetering on the brink of his own personal, self-inflicted insanity. He’s done plenty of forgettable action movies, and lately he’s been at the fore of some family-friendly Disney adventures. He is starring in “Season of the Witch,” his latest in a series of wheels-off thrillers. But when Cage is at his volatile best, it’s an exciting place to be. Here’s a look at his five most memorable performances:

•“Adaptation” (2002): Cage earned an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and his identical (and fictional) twin brother, Donald, in Spike Jonze’s brilliantly mind-bending comedy.

•“Raising Arizona” (1987): One of the Coen brothers’ earliest, most playful and visually inventive films features a deliriously nutso starring performance from Cage.

•“Leaving Las Vegas” (1995): Cage won a best-actor Oscar for playing an alcoholic, failed screenwriter hell-bent on drinking himself to death.

•“Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” (2009): Werner Herzog’s wacked-out remake is fueled by Cage’s wacked-out performance.

•“Valley Girl” (1983): Cage’s first starring role, the one that put him on the map. “Valley Girl” came from an era of dumb teenage-sex comedies, but it’s got an undeniable sweetness that most of those films lack.