Nicolas Cage starrer Dream Scenario just released in the US and it hold a small similarity with his 2004 flick National Treasure.

Nicolas Cage Flicks &#8216;Dream Scenario&#8217; and &#8216;National Treasure&#8217; Have One Thing in Common but a Major Difference Too

Dreams can bring you to your ruin. Not the general consensus but what the recent
Nicolas Cage indie film, Dream Scenario, shows nevertheless. With what The
Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw calls the most “Nicolas Cagiest performance”, the
actor manages to bring out the incredulity and nuances of internet fame with his
latest. But there is more to the savagely humorous flick than a shot at cancel
culture, fame, and dreams.

Dream Scenario holds a similarity with Cage’s 2004 flick National Treasure—a
similarity that also showcases the actor’s prowess.

Disclaimer: Spoilers of Dream Scenario and National Treasure ahead


NICOLAS CAGE AS PAUL: TWO CHARACTERS, A NATIONAL TREASURE AND A DREAM SCENARIO

When Jon Turteltaub and Nicola Cage joined hands and gave National Treasure in
2004, adventure movie enthusiasts got a guilty pleasure. Years later, when Cage
graduated to doing indie films at large, he gave us a cutting, humorous
character study with Dream Scenario. What ties these two very different movies
apart from the leading man is a singular driving force: dreams. That, and of
course the name Paul.

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

What was only an alias in National Treasure becomes the name on everyone’s
phones (and dreams) in Dream Scenario. But beyond the name, you have these two
vastly different characters with their lives revolving around dreams. One is
striving to achieve his dreams, while the other is a mere spectator in other
people’s dreams.

Paul Matthews in the A24 and Square Peg production is a remarkably boring man
who is as passive as it gets. His passivity perhaps even kickstarts the whole
thing, starting with his younger daughter, who first dreams of him doing nothing
as she starts levitating. Meanwhile, Paul Brown (aka Benjamin Gates) is a
passionate historian on a quest to find a treasure hidden for centuries by the
Freemasons.

ALSO READ: All Sitcom Aliases Michael Fassbender Used in David Fincher’s ‘The
Killer’
[https://www.netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-all-sitcom-aliases-michael-fassbender-used-in-david-finchers-the-killer/]

And it is this aspect that makes for an interesting character study and where
Cage’s acting prowess shines.


PAUL VS PAUL: CAGE’S ACTING SHINES

Everyone is dreaming about Paul Matthews in Dream Scenario. He shoots to fame
for the same reason why the dreams were fascinating to the dreamers: He did
nothing. The dreams take a turn with Molly, whose sexual dreams about him he
decides to reenact, only to be disrupted by the farts. Meanwhile, the very act
intensifies his existing self-hatred and frustration with his non-action, which
he finally expresses by throwing the clock in his room. What follows is people
having violent dreams of him and the start of his downfall.

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

On the other hand, Brown/Gates in National Treasure is on a chase of a vast
treasure his family has been trying to find with no luck. Having been imbibed by
the curiosity and thirst for an adventure from a young age, he joins hands with
a National Archives employee and computer expert to race with former
treasure-hunting partner, Ian, to get to the secrets of The Charlotte. He
perseveres through the ups and downs, going until he finds the very last clue.

The difference between the two characters and their motivations is obvious. But
what is also staring you right in the face is Nicolas Cage, the actor, and his
acting prowess. As his 2004 character, he showcased the suave and
adventure-loving young man who wants to do the right thing even if it goes
against the conventions. Switch to his latest and you see a morally questionable
middle-aged man who seeks attention and validation.

ALSO READ: ‘The Breaking Ice’ at Jio MAMI 2023: Three Scenes in the Anthony Chen
Movie That Will Leave You in Awe
[https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-the-breaking-ice-at-jio-mami-2023-three-scenes-in-the-anthony-chen-movie-that-will-leave-you-in-awe/]

And with each character, Cage manages to show the minutiae but his Paul Matthews
is a graduation of sorts from Benjamin Gates.


DREAM SCENARIO: A STEP UP FOR CAGE

Where Benjamin Gates was your run-of-the-mill 2000s action film character with
the charisma, brain, and looks, Paul Matthews is a testament to subtlety. With a
hunch and sometimes with a microexpression, Cage managed to bring out the inner
workings of a frustrated middle-aged professor with a stagnant career. Letting
the character steep before the eventual blow-up was the call for Dream Scenario
and that he did with perfection.

[data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==]

In the process, however, the audience gets a delicious mix of black comedy and
reality check. Matthews got the fame and later the boot for doing nothing.
Inadvertently, he played the mirror to a society that thrives on chaos, cancels
people for no grounds but also celebrates anyone who went “viral” for no reason,
finds a way to monetize on anything, and holds little value for substance.

Through it all, Nicolas Cage managed to be as interesting as cardboard.

Dream Scenario is currently in theaters near you, while National Treasure is
streaming on Disney+Hotstar.

Parvathi Ajith

Comment

Nicolas Cage Flicks &#8216;Dream Scenario&#8217; and &#8216;National Treasure&#8217; Have One Thing in Common but a Major Difference Too - Netflix Junkie

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Parvathi Ajith is a Hollywood news reporter and Editor at Netflix Junkie. So much is her love for reporting that she started her journey with an internship at New Indian Express where she covered all the hot news of the entertainment industry. With her prior experience of being an editor, she aims to do interviews and reviews here in NJ. While writing is her first love, there exists a second which is crime thrillers. Taking her love forward, Parvathi became a published author with her book 'The Rathores'.  Apart from this, she is always reading a crime thriller in her free time or just simply singing in between serious meetings that cheer the spirits of those around her. On a day she wants to relax, you will see her watching Demon Slayer, Brooklyn-99, or her all-time favorite, Runaway Bride.

https://netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-nicolas-cage-flicks-dream-scenario-and-national-treasure-have-one-thing-in-common-but-a-major-difference-too

Nicolas Cage Flicks &#8216;Dream Scenario&#8217; and &#8216;National Treasure&#8217; Have One Thing in Common but a Major Difference Too - netflix-junkie

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Dreams can bring you to your ruin. Not the general consensus but what the recent Nicolas Cage indie film, Dream Scenario, shows nevertheless. With what The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw calls the most “Nicolas Cagiest performance”, the actor manages to bring out the incredulity and nuances of internet fame with his latest. But there is more to the savagely humorous flick than a shot at cancel culture, fame, and dreams.
Dream Scenario holds a similarity with Cage’s 2004 flick National Treasure—a similarity that also showcases the actor’s prowess.
Disclaimer: Spoilers of Dream Scenario and National Treasure ahead
<h2>Nicolas Cage as Paul: Two characters, a National Treasure and a Dream Scenario</h2>
When Jon Turteltaub and Nicola Cage joined hands and gave National Treasure in 2004, adventure movie enthusiasts got a guilty pleasure. Years later, when Cage graduated to doing indie films at large, he gave us a cutting, humorous character study with Dream Scenario. What ties these two very different movies apart from the leading man is a singular driving force: dreams. That, and of course the name Paul.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-149098 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure.png" alt="" width="1547" height="819" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure.png 1547w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-300x159.png 300w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-1024x542.png 1024w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-768x407.png 768w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-1536x813.png 1536w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-370x196.png 370w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-800x424.png 800w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-20x11.png 20w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-185x98.png 185w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-740x392.png 740w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-400x212.png 400w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-National-Treasure-91x48.png 91w" sizes="(max-width: 1547px) 100vw, 1547px" />
What was only an alias in National Treasure becomes the name on everyone&#8217;s phones (and dreams) in Dream Scenario. But beyond the name, you have these two vastly different characters with their lives revolving around dreams. One is striving to achieve his dreams, while the other is a mere spectator in other people&#8217;s dreams.
Paul Matthews in the A24 and Square Peg production is a remarkably boring man who is as passive as it gets. His passivity perhaps even kickstarts the whole thing, starting with his younger daughter, who first dreams of him doing nothing as she starts levitating. Meanwhile, Paul Brown (aka Benjamin Gates) is a passionate historian on a quest to find a treasure hidden for centuries by the Freemasons.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.netflixjunkie.com/netflix-news-all-sitcom-aliases-michael-fassbender-used-in-david-finchers-the-killer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">All Sitcom Aliases Michael Fassbender Used in David Fincher&#8217;s &#8216;The Killer&#8217;</a>
And it is this aspect that makes for an interesting character study and where Cage&#8217;s acting prowess shines.
<h2>Paul vs Paul: Cage&#8217;s acting shines</h2>
Everyone is dreaming about Paul Matthews in Dream Scenario. He shoots to fame for the same reason why the dreams were fascinating to the dreamers: He did nothing. The dreams take a turn with Molly, whose sexual dreams about him he decides to reenact, only to be disrupted by the farts. Meanwhile, the very act intensifies his existing self-hatred and frustration with his non-action, which he finally expresses by throwing the clock in his room. What follows is people having violent dreams of him and the start of his downfall.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-149095 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario.png" alt="" width="1787" height="1080" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario.png 1787w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-300x181.png 300w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1024x619.png 1024w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-768x464.png 768w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1536x928.png 1536w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-370x224.png 370w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-800x483.png 800w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-20x12.png 20w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-185x112.png 185w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-740x447.png 740w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-400x242.png 400w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1600x967.png 1600w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-79x48.png 79w" sizes="(max-width: 1787px) 100vw, 1787px" />
On the other hand, Brown/Gates in National Treasure is on a chase of a vast treasure his family has been trying to find with no luck. Having been imbibed by the curiosity and thirst for an adventure from a young age, he joins hands with a National Archives employee and computer expert to race with former treasure-hunting partner, Ian, to get to the secrets of The Charlotte. He perseveres through the ups and downs, going until he finds the very last clue.
The difference between the two characters and their motivations is obvious. But what is also staring you right in the face is Nicolas Cage, the actor, and his acting prowess. As his 2004 character, he showcased the suave and adventure-loving young man who wants to do the right thing even if it goes against the conventions. Switch to his latest and you see a morally questionable middle-aged man who seeks attention and validation.
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-the-breaking-ice-at-jio-mami-2023-three-scenes-in-the-anthony-chen-movie-that-will-leave-you-in-awe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8216;The Breaking Ice&#8217; at Jio MAMI 2023: Three Scenes in the Anthony Chen Movie That Will Leave You in Awe</a>
And with each character, Cage manages to show the minutiae but his Paul Matthews is a graduation of sorts from Benjamin Gates.
<h2>Dream Scenario: A step up for Cage</h2>
Where Benjamin Gates was your run-of-the-mill 2000s action film character with the charisma, brain, and looks, Paul Matthews is a testament to subtlety. With a hunch and sometimes with a microexpression, Cage managed to bring out the inner workings of a frustrated middle-aged professor with a stagnant career. Letting the character steep before the eventual blow-up was the call for Dream Scenario and that he did with perfection.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-149094 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" data-src="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1.png" alt="" width="1834" height="1031" data-sizes="auto" data-srcset="https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1.png 1834w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-300x169.png 300w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-1024x576.png 1024w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-768x432.png 768w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-1536x863.png 1536w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-370x208.png 370w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-800x450.png 800w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-20x11.png 20w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-185x104.png 185w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-740x416.png 740w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-400x225.png 400w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-1600x899.png 1600w, https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Nicolas-Cage-Dream-Scenario-1-85x48.png 85w" sizes="(max-width: 1834px) 100vw, 1834px" />
In the process, however, the audience gets a delicious mix of black comedy and reality check. Matthews got the fame and later the boot for doing nothing. Inadvertently, he played the mirror to a society that thrives on chaos, cancels people for no grounds but also celebrates anyone who went &#8220;viral&#8221; for no reason, finds a way to monetize on anything, and holds little value for substance.
Through it all, Nicolas Cage managed to be as interesting as cardboard.
Dream Scenario is currently in theaters near you, while National Treasure is streaming on Disney+Hotstar.

‘The Breaking Ice’ at Jio MAMI 2023: Three Scenes in the Anthony Chen Movie That
Will Leave You in Awe

All Sitcom Aliases Michael Fassbender Used in David Fincher’s ‘The Killer’

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Nicolas Cage Flicks 'Dream Scenario' and 'National Treasure' Have One Thing in Common but a Major Difference Too - Netflix Junkie

Parvathi Ajith is a Hollywood news reporter and Editor at Netflix Junkie. So much is her love for reporting that she started her journey with an internship at New Indian Express where she covered all the hot news of the entertainment industry. With her prior experience of being an editor, she aims to do interviews and reviews here in NJ. While writing is her first love, there exists a second which is crime thrillers. Taking her love forward, Parvathi became a published author with her book 'The Rathores'. Apart from this, she is always reading a crime thriller in her free time or just simply singing in between serious meetings that cheer the spirits of those around her. On a day she wants to relax, you will see her watching Demon Slayer, Brooklyn-99, or her all-time favorite, Runaway Bride.

https://image-cdn.netflixjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/Parvathi-Ajith.png

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Nicolas Cage Flicks &#039;Dream Scenario&#039; and &#039;National Treasure&#039; Have One Thing in Common but a Major Difference Too

https://www.netflixjunkie.com/hollywood-news-nicolas-cage-flicks-dream-scenario-and-national-treasure-have-one-thing-in-common-but-a-major-difference-too/

Nicolas Cage Flicks ‘Dream Scenario’ and ‘National Treasure’ Have One Thing in Common but a Major Difference Too

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