That’s called plastic surgery, obviously provided to that acting hack by the same bozo that zapped Mary Tyler Moore-Smile-Than-You-Could-Possibly-Believe.
And what’s up with that huge lower lip?
Here’s one vote for hoping his career is dead, as the only movie I can watch him in is Fast Times at Ridgemont High
I don’t think he’s dead, because I don’t think that even the best mortician could reproduce Nicolas Cage’s patented “I’ll knit my brows and call it acting” expression.
And I must disagree with you, devilsknew. Mr. Cage isn’t turning into Mr. Walken. But he is making Mr. Walken look normal by comparison.
I have checked his IMDb profile, and it turns out Nic Cage has made exactly six decent movies in a 28-year career:
Fast Times at Ridgemont High Valley Girl Peggy Sue Got Married (which was decent in spite of Cage, not because of him) Raising Arizona (plainly his high water mark) It Could Happen to You Leaving Las Vegas
(Now, Moonstruckmight be decent, which would give him seven. I’ve never seen it, so I can’t say.)
I have to agree with your list and Raising Arizona is pretty much the best he’s ever done, though I did like The Rock or whatever that escape from Alcatraz flick was called.
If he wasn’t a semi meh actor, I feel he would be a used car salesmen.