Is Nicolas Cage making a comeback?

First things first: we believe Nicolas Cage is one of the most magnetic presences to have graced the screen in the last few decades. It seems like 2006’s The Wicker Man is when a multitude of people started to ironically -ugh- idolize Nicolas Cage. People started cutting together random Nicolas Cage scenes, and uploading them onto YouTube. It seems from then people started to forget Cage is one of the most fearless actors on the screen, and he soon disappeared in straight to video hell. Luckily he looks to be making a humble comeback.

First up is Mom and Dad, in which Cage and onscreen wife Selma Blair succumb to mass hysteria and start terrorizing their children. The film is directed by Brian Taylor of Crank fame, and reviews have been kind, singling out Cage’s gonzo performance.

Doing the tours at the Sundance film festival is Mandy, where Cage exacts revenge on the cult responsible for the death of a loved one. We can quell any doubts that this is yet another straight to video production, as director Panos Cosmatos attracted plenty of buzz with 2010’s Beyond the Black Rainbow. From the sounds of it, this is more of a mood-focused affair. Read some of the reviews here and here.

Also coming out this year is Looking Glass, in which Cage plays a hotel owner who witnesses a murder in his hotel. This one looks to be borrowing heavily from Gay Talese’s recount of his interactions with Gerald Foos, a man who had set up his hotel in a way so he could spy on his guests. There was also a recent Netflix documentary – Voyeur – on this, but Looking Glass seems to be taking things into more of a thriller-type direction. We have less confidence in this one, but the trailer is showing off a promisingly muted Nicolas Cage performance.

Before you get too excited, Cage is still involved in some movies that sound like they’re made for the DVD rack at your local gas station. But all in all, it’s nice to see Cage taking on roles in movies that either successfully utilize his manic side, or further display his muted side.

After all, this is the man who not only entertained us with movies such as Face/Off and Con Air, but also moved us with Leaving Las Vegas and Joe.

The trailer for Mom and Dad:

The trailer for Looking Glass:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9ryKS8TrDY

Do you agree with us? Let us know in the comments!