The Brilliant Actor

Nicolas Cage is undeniably a great actor…at times. As mentioned the fantastic performance in Raising Arizona as H.I the recidivist criminal trying to start a family, where he holds his own against acting megastar Holly Hunter. There is Adaptation, the bizarre Charlie Kaufman film where he plays Charlie Kaufman writing an adaptation of The Orchard Thief, whilst also playing Charlie’s twin brother, Donald (important note, there is no Donald Kaufman in real-life). Charlie being a reserved but brilliant writer and his twin the effortlessly popular happy-go-lucky slacker. There is the film he won his Oscar for, Leaving Las Vegas, a drama where he stars as alcoholic screenwriter on the path to absolute oblivion – a character premise that definitely pleases Academy members.

The Action Star

After acting in great comedies and serious dramas in the mid-to-late nineties he became an extremely unlikely action star – not unlike Liam Neeson suddenly becoming an action star with Taken. He starred in a spate of high-concept and ridiculous action films but that are often quite good fun. In Con-Air he is a convict being flown across country on a prisoner transport plane when the prisoners take over the plane, he has a bizarre accent and hairstyle and the Schrodinger’s Cat of tough guy lines – “Put the bunny back in the box” – is it brilliant? Is it terrible? Is it both? There is Face/Off in which Cage’s odd performance choices are given free rein; his performance is not over-the-top, Cage smashed through the top and kept flying into space. The premise being a cop and criminal switch faces so the cop can pose as the criminal allows Cage to play both demented charismatic criminal and brooding serious cop. The Rock is the typical Michael Bay action explosion extravaganza where Nicolas Cage teams up with Sean Connery to foil a terrorist plot in Alcatraz.

The Bad Years

It’s worth stating that there is a reason for the bad years. In 2009 Cage got into trouble concerning his taxes, this coupled with bizarre and hugely expensive spending sprees saw him fall into severe financial difficulty. And it seems for a time Cage said yes to just about anything starring in a number of critically damned films to sort out his financial affairs, Cage himself admits that this was the case but he never “phoned in” a performance. These were movies such as Left Behind, a film based on the Rapture as described in the Bible (IMDb rating of 3.1), Southern Fury, which is something to do with mobsters (IMDb rating of 4), or Pay the Ghost where a man searches for his missing son as a Halloween Carnival and not a new Channel 4 ghost based quiz show (with a relatively respectable IMdb rating of 5.2).

Even in this “bad years” period there were good performances, perhaps most notably in Kick-Ass, where he played violent vigilante and loving father Damon Macready, who took the superhero name Big Daddy.

The Return

In recent years though Cage’s career has changed after starring in a number of interesting and critically praised films. There is the revenge thriller Pig where Cage plays a truffle farmer whose pig is stolen and he goes to get them back. Color Out Of Space is based on a H P Lovecraft where a meteorite crashes next to a family home and the strange and twisted ways it affects people. As with any films critical and popular opinion will disagree about how good these films are but the consensus seems to be that at the very least they have artistic merit which seemed to be lacking from a lot of his films in recent years.

The next big film of Cage’s to come out will be Renfield, where he will play one of the dream roles of Dracula, alongside Nicholas Hoult playing Renfield, the vampire’s human servant. The trailer looks promising and hopefully it will continue Cage’s run of form.

Also Read: Great Movies About Characters Seeking Perfection

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“There’s a fine line between the Method actor and the schizophrenic”

Cage made his acting debut in 1981’s The Best of Times, a tv pilot that was never picked up. Following a small part in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, he went on to have substantial roles in Valley Girl, Raising Arizona and Peggy Sue Got Married. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s, he played in a variety of genres, from light-hearted comedy, drama, and even romantic leads. He won an Oscar for his performance in Leaving Las Vegas, where he played a suicidal alcoholic who decides to drink himself to death. It is currently his only Oscar win, although he was nominated again for his dual role in Adaptation.

His Oscar win and some box office success led to a much bigger profile in the 90’s. Finding success in action-adventure films, he starred in Con Air, The Rock and Face/Off, where he played a dual role opposite John Travolta. A huge comic book fan, he was also set to be cast as Superman, in the doomed Superman Lives. His son is named Kal-El, after the character.

Gone In 60 Seconds

As the new Millenium began, Cage’s career reached new heights. Gaining a much bigger profile with films Gone in 60 Seconds, Ghost Rider and the infamous The Wicker Man remake, you know the one. He also starred in the National Treasure films, which have a cult following. His role in Kick-Ass, as the Batman homage, Big Daddy, was a standout. He also tried his hand at directing, with 2002’s Sonny, which did poorly with critcs and had a limited theatrical run.

Proving that his tastes are as varied as his acting roles, Cage spent much of his $150 million on a variety of weird and interesting things. Highlights include 15 residences, (including “the most haunted house in America” and two castles), a 9-foot burial tomb, a dinosaur skull, and a copy of the first Superman comic. Naturally, these spending caught up with him. After several divorces and an issue with the IRS. The comic was stolen, then found, then sold. the skull had to be returned, and his properties were also sold. Leaving Cage with a lot of debt to pay off, and taking several roles a year to pay it off.

“That Super 8 Feeling”

Recently, Cage has found cult success in several smaller films. While not all have been well-received (or even had a cinema release), they are classic Cage performances. Cult horrors like Mom and Dad or Mandy seem like roles that he was born to play. Cage himself has said that the best reason to make a film is “the super 8 feeling” – just because you love the film.

Cage certainly seems to have found his niche, but he’s still impossible to define by a single role. In 2018, he finally played Superman, albeit in voiceover, as well as Spider-Man Noir, in the Oscar-Winning Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. He also played Red in Mandy, which is a role that only Nic Cage could have played (his performance was based on his recent divorce). He also teamed with the studio behind that film for The Colour Out Of Space, a H.P. Lovecraft adaptation.

While some may doubt his acting skills, it’s hard to argue that anyone can play a role like Nicolas Cage. With upcoming roles as a theme park guard, Joe Exotic and himself that doesn’t look to change any time soon. Part of his appeal is that his roles are so varied, and he clearly enjoys his work. It’s impossible to predict his next role. Who would guess Ghost Rider starred and Oscar winner? While he seems to have drifted away from triple-A Blockbusters, he shows no signs of slowing down. Who knows? Maybe there is another Oscar-Winning role out there for him.

Also Read: A Horror Fans Film Guide To 2021

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Today we’re looking through 8 exciting upcoming horror releases that will (hopefully) release this year. We will give a brief synopsis of what we know about these films. And explain why you should be excited to see them.

1. In the Earth (30th January – Sundance Film Festival)

Ben Wheatley’s latest film focuses on a scientist and a park scout going on an equipment run after a virus infects the world (topical). Wheatley’s projects are always fascinating thanks to his ability to get great performances from his actors and effectively build atmosphere. In the Earth also sees Wheatley round up prior collaborators, including Reece Shearsmith (A Field in England), Hayley Squires, and Mark Monero (Happy New Year, Colin Burstead). Let’s hope this is another winner.

2. The Blazing World (31^st January – Sundance Film Festival)

Carlson Young’s debut feature is about a woman drawn into a surreal world where her sister is still alive. This movie deserves more attention from the trailer alone. The candy-coloured lighting juxtaposes brilliantly against a foreboding soundtrack and frightening images. Like a smiling man in black, and a worried girl amongst her smiling friends. The Blazing World looks like David Lynch meets Suspiria (1977). What a nightmarish treat.

3. Prisoners of the Ghostland (1^st February – Sundance Film Festival)

From cult director Sion Sono (Suicide Club and Love Exposure) this action, horror, thriller follows a notorious criminal (Nicolas Cage) who must break an evil curse to recover a missing girl. While the story sounds generic the pairing of Cage’s and Sono’s odd talents could lead to another Cage cult horror hit like Mandy and Colour Out of Space. With production stills showing Nic Cage’s quintessential mania, Prisoners of the Ghostland looks like a fun time.  

4. Morbius (19^th March)

This MCU adjacent Sony movie focuses on Morbius, the living vampire. Jared Leto plays brilliant biochemist Michael Morbius whose experiments to cure himself of a disease result in him developing abilities such as super strength, echolocation, and gaining a thirst for human blood. With a horror-inspired aesthetic Morbius looks like a welcome attempt to try something different from other MCU films. Let’s hope this horror comic book film lands better than New Mutants.

5. Last Night in Soho (23^rd April)

When a young woman obsessed with 1960s fashion travels back in time and meets her idol things take a dark turn as time begins falling apart. Last Night in Soho comes to us from Edgar Wright. Wright”s track record alone should entice anyone to see this movie. And with a cast that includes Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Rita Tushingham, and the late Diana Rigg, Last Night in Soho should be on everyone’s radar.

6. The Green Knight (30^th July)

Whenever A24 releases a new horror film the horror community takes notice. Starring Dev Patel as Sir Gawain, David Lowery’s latest project reimagines the classic folktale with a decidedly darker edge. The trailer should excite any horror fan. Full of creeping camerawork, unnerving music, and nightmarish fantasy creatures, The Green Knight looks set to please fans of the niche studio.

7. Candyman (2021) (27^th August)

With Tony Todd returning as the iconic villain, Jordan Peele (Get Out and Us) contributing to the screenplay and producing the film, which will be a spiritual sequel rather than a remake of the classic film, and promising new director Nia DaCosta helming the project all of this adds up to a film that looks to be respecting the legacy of the original Candyman while offering something that looks fresh and new.

8. Malignant (2021 TBA)

Finally, little is known about this project, but it’s a reportedly original idea from horror master James Wan. Who birthed great modern horror films like Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring movies. And honestly, that pedigree is all you should need to be excited.

There you have 8 upcoming horror releases you should watch (if possible) this year. Are there any future horror releases you’re anticipating? Please let us know.

Also Read: The Best Horror Films of the Decade

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Is it just a colour?

In Color Out of Space, we get to meet the Gardner family. Nathan (Nicolas Cage) is the typical father who takes good care of his children, his lovely wife Theresa (Joely Richardson) and his alpacas (yep, you read this correctly). Despite her illness, Theresa is always there for her work and family. Their three kids couldn’t have been more different from each other. Benny (Brendan Meyer) is the quiet teenager who, despite loving drugs, does everything to please his parents. Lavinia (Madeleine Arthur) is the bad-mouthed daughter who’s into witchcraft and dark spells. The youngest son Jack (Julian Hilliard) is just so cute and innocent, especially with his dinosaur stuffed animal. 

Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary but their world will be rocked when a mysterious rock out of space falls on their land. It doesn’t only bring an immense bang with it but also a colour that ‘no one has ever seen before’. At first, it doesn’t have to a massive impact but slowly after that, the Gardners start to experience ever-more bizarre events: Lightning storms that come out of nowhere, huge fuchsia-like plants that popped up overnight, a terrible aroma only Nathan can smell and a voice that only Jack can here. It becomes even worse when also their animals start to act strangely. No one ever came in contact with ‘that thing out of space’ but how is it changing them then? Is it the static, water, nature or something unexplainable?

Enormous talent in front and behind the camera

If you’ve read the story, then you know the answer to that lingering question. However, even if you do know, Color Out of Space will captivate you from start to finish.

The biggest element that makes sure of that, is the amazing cast. Cage (Mandy) is just phenomenal as he brings his most intriguing, exhilaration and multi-layered performance in years. One moment, he’s portraying the loving father charmingly and tenderly while a brief moment later, he’s furiously lashing out mysteriously at this on-screen daughter Lavinia. He brings so much humour and memorable moments to this movie. He gets stunning support from Richardson (Red Sparrow). At first, Richardson and her impeccable talent might be underused as she’s only playing the friendly wife wonderfully. However, when the movie becomes much obscurer, her performance grows intensely and becomes so much more intense and intriguing. Don’t get us started on her acting during the last part of this film.

Arthur (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) is extremely captivating as headstrong Lavinia. The protective and caring but also restless and confused treats of her character are being portrayed marvellously by her. He’s still young but Hilliard (Greener Grass) is already capable of putting on ‘grown-up’ performances. He’s such a joy to watch as the innocent Jack and when he can show us his darker side, his acting becomes even more fascinating. Meyer (Only Humans) puts on a rich performance as Benny. One that’s filled with strong emotions and funny moments. There’s also Tommy Chong (Jay and Silent Bob Reboot), who portrays the kooky neighbour Ezra in a very clever way and Elliot Knight (Billionaire Ransom) who’s charming as the new stranger.

A horror film with the title Color Out of Space wouldn’t be anything without the perfect colours and the ideal vibe. Well, director Stanley made sure that this movie had it all. He got Steve Annis (I Am Mother) on board as the Director of Photography and Annis shows us his incredible talent by creating the movie is the best way possible. At first, he uses ‘ordinary’ colours, no much special effects and focusses on the conversations. This is to give the audience the possibility to connect with the characters. However, when everything seems to fall apart for the family, he steps us his game by giving the movie the powerful colours, entertaining vibe and intensity it needs. In almost every scene, he uses that purple-ish colour which heightened that mysterious element even more. The horror vibe of this movie is also increasing because of the music by Colin Stetson (Hereditary). His sound design works on your nerves in the most brilliant way.

Light up your day

Color Out of Space will literally and figuratively speaking light up your day. Not only because of its immense purple-ish colour but also because it’s an epic, hypnotizing and stunningly performed movie.

Rating: (4 / 5)

Color Out of Space is out now.

Also Read: The Problem with the role of ‘The Wife’ in movies like ‘Dark Waters’

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