How does one get a storyline this flat, smeared out over nearly 2 hours? In fact, only 4 thing happen: angel falls for girl, girl falls for angel, angel falls for girl, and I will save you the spoiler.The movie lacks the artistic edge that Wings of desire had. Nicolas Cage does not portrait an angel as you would expect; he's just a weirdo. And personally, I don't find Meg Ryan the type of woman to fall in love with.Which leaves only one plus to the movie: Alanis Morisette's Uninvited at the ending credits.

This is an excellent simple film based on raw human emotion. No trickery or CGI needed. This is by far Cage and Ryan's best film of all the films they've ever starred in my opinion. This movie is a total sleeper.I have watched this movie at least 20 times and it still has the same effect on me. It makes me shed tears uncontrollably and that says a lot for a film because I'm not an easy cry in film or life.This film should touch you at a level of humanity and frailty because it's something we all have in common no matter what walk of life you come from. Loving someone, loosing them, life and death is something we will all experience if blessed with that much time.***SPOILER ALERT***For some, time is not on their side as you saw with the child in the beginning of the film. For me the first tears flowed with the loss of the husband/father and how unexpected it was for the doctor let alone his grief stricken family.And then for an Atheist arrogant doctor to finally realize that she has no power to save life given all her education and hard work, that it is not up to her for someone to live. All she can do is the best she can do by her profession and let God's will be done is quite an interesting revelation.On a side note last year I was in a house fire and flat-lined within minutes of being handed off from the ambulance to the trauma unit. No pulse no respiratory...nothing. And in that moment the last thing I remember thinking was, i'm going to die and I'm not ready. After being resuscitated and awakening from a coma nearly 3 days later, I talked to the arrogant surgeon who felt I should acknowledge that he saved my life.If that were true by his account, then no one should ever die in emergency rooms. Like Seth's character says "people die when their bodies give out" and the good doctor Maggie replies "it's my job to keep their bodies from giving out, what am I doing here".I know that doctor played a small part in my still being here, but not in the way he thinks. He feels he intervened and restored my life. And that is where he is arrogant. It was God, who intervened and restored my life giving me more time. Had that not been God's will that flat-line would have been permanent and no amount of education, skill or technology would change that.That is what I like most about this film. "Some things are true whether you believe them or not". And when Seth finally reveals himself to Maggie she within an instant physically assaults him without even thinking about it. Her reaction is violent and typical given human beings fear and reject what they don't understand. For me, this was one of the best scenes in the film, though there were many.I don't know how I would respond if a man I was interested in dating,but had become suspicious about, (not because he was a cheat, a liar, a womanizer, but because of his awkward innocence and inexperience and questioning of the simplest things), like "what does a pear taste like". I don't know how I'd react if he revealed and proved himself to be an Angel of God that was in love with me.I'd probably feel ashamed, and wonder why something so perfect would have any feeling for something so flawed and tainted. But I can't honestly say whether or not I would have been afraid or reacted out of fear and become violent. I may have had a similar or worse reaction, like Maggie's character even more so because I do believe in God.For Seth who longed to be with Maggie and gave up eternity as an Angel/Messenger of God, for a short time only to end up being a weak, frail and vulnerable human being. Which so many things about being human are wonderful, like the sense of color, taste, touch smell, orgasm etc. And then for Seth to only have one night with Maggie before being alone in the world, in an lonely existence having no parents, siblings or "human" friends (With the exception of Messenger of course, who was a former celestial body himself). All things being equal and having there opposite/negative side their is much pain in the existence of a human life, mental, physical and spiritual if one is enlightened enough to know there is a spirit. We are not just the lump sum of micro organisms that evolved from pond scum and we are more than just physical cells under a microscope.There is more to life than the limitation of one's flesh. The spirit and the flesh are two separate things. Every time a body dies, a new body is born for which a spirit must reside.This movie touches me on so many levels and I hope it does for you as well if you are open to it. It is definitely a keeper, re- watcher and one of my top 10 in the DVD [email protected]

This movie is a priceless work of art: the script, cast, soundtrack, cinematography.. everything! It is also likened to an Aesop's Fable; there is a definite moral/lesson to be learned! "City of Angels" opens up the doors of possibility while reflecting upon the realities of life. Every day we walk upon the earth, and most of us move about oblivious to the higher powers that guide us. In the movie, angels are everywhere, mostly unseen. One of the most profound aspects of this film is the portrayal of every range of human emotion, from laughter to grief, love to desperation.I love the chemistry between Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage in here. She plays a Dr and he's an Angel who sees her in the hospital where she works. She can see him but he doesn't let her know his secret. The only way their relationship can grow is if he leaves his 'life' as an angel. He can leave the life of no death, pain and sadness, and trade it for a normal life that humans experience. They both act really well in this and it was good to see Meg in a more serious role. I cannot go into more depth without giving you the ending, but I have to stress that this is such a beautiful movie (ok a little depressing in parts) but overall so good. You will most probably need tissues; it never fails to make me cry. It's such a beautiful romantic story and an under-rated movie for sure.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

This is an... interesting little film, and certainly a curious one. While many consider it to be a dumbing down of the movie it was based on, the 1987 art-house film called 'Wings of Desire', there still are a few touching elements to this film that keep it afloat. But at the same time there are a lot of things that really don't do it any justice.So what's the sketch? Nicolas Cage plays an Angel named Seth, who, like the other Angels, watch over humanity and act in many different ways to protect them. In one of their many roles, Seth plays the Angel of Death, taking the spirits of those who have passed and guiding them to everlasting paradise. Whilst overlooking the desperate attempts of a surgeon named Maggie (played by Meg Ryan) to give a man life-threatening surgery, he is amazed by her determination to keep the man alive, even though her efforts are ultimately in vain. Seth soon forms an attachment to her, and makes himself known, soon desiring to give up his Angelic stature to become human so he can live his life with his new found love.First, let's talk about the bad stuff. Nicolas Cage, although a very good actor, wouldn't have been my first choice. He doesn't really look or sound the part, my preference being to him in action movies such as the Rock and Con-Air. His scenes come off less romantic and more, well, creepy. Meg Ryan plays her part well though as the determined surgeon, pulling off her lines and role in a way you can find believable.The next big problem is the story, which is quite literal and not particularly subtle. Although there are quiet moments and subtle scenes in it, these are offset by Seth taking a literal fall from a tall building to denote his Fallen Angel status, truncated moments later by a brutal mugging. The ultimate goal of Seth is also a bit more 'shallow' to my mind, with his motivation to be with Maggie not being based on a long lasting and loving relationship, but immediately with them losing their clothes and making friendly under the covers. Indeed sex is one of the most serious commitments to any relationship short of marriage, it does seem like a bit of a rush to that particular finishing line, which I found rather jarring.But what about good stuff, of which there is quite a bit. The emotional scenes are played really quite well, especially the death of a young girl at the beginning and her guidance to Heaven by Seth, as well as a tragic but somewhat predictable passing later in the movie.But for me the best part of this entire movie is the soundtrack, with the absolute gem that is Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls being well worth the price of admission!So, to summarise, this movie is really a movie with its heart in the right place, but some of the routes taken to that particular heart being a little, well, risky. Whilst Nicolas Cage, the unsubtle nature of the story and some of the predictability can take you out of it, the emotional scenes, human interaction and that fantastic soundtrack was enough to see me through this film!Definitely a brain-disengaged movie, but a good film for a rainy Saturday afternoon!