City Of Angels

Based in part on Wim Wenders' 1988 film Wings of Desire, this is the story of Seth (Cage), an angel who wanders the Los Angeles area invisible to humans. As the demise of an individual approaches he spends time near them and becomes visible while acting as their traveling companion during their trip to the great hereafter. His discovery of distraught heart surgeon Maggie (Ryan) inspires him to forego his immortality and exist on earth with her as a feeling and mortal entity.

I've seen Wim Wenders' film "Faraway, So Close," which is the sequel to "Wings of Desire." I haven't seen "Wings of Desire" though and that is what this film is based upon. And while "City of Angels" has an awesome cast, a great script and excellent direction, it probably isn't as good as the original. This is a Hollywood film and when the piece makes it's climax, it rings hollow. This same climax in a Foreign film, might make the film the extremely deep and wondrous. Here, it seems a bit too hard to swallow.

The film lives in two worlds, the world we as humans know, and the ethereal plane where angels exist. The crisscrossing of the two always looks awesome, especially since the angels all dress in black trench coats. These worlds collide when angel Seth, played by Nicolas Cage, comes into contact with a cardiologist named Maggie, played by Meg Ryan. This is the perfect character for the angel to meet since the film is about the meaning of life and the wonders of being human and living on Earth.