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City of Angels

City of Angels

List Price: $14.96
Your Price: $11.22
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Somebody please pass the tissues
Review: This film is so sad. I sat through it crying, whether it's the heartbreaking opening scene, when you first realise that Nicolas Cage is playing an angel, or the fact that the whole film is too good to be true, when the ending gets going.

At first, from seeing the trailer, it seemed like Meg Ryan couldn't see Nicolas Cage's character, and I thought it was going to be another Ghost. But it turns out the trailer shows all those bits of the film, and she really can see him.

The whole film is very strange at times, when people are having to act, and pretend not to see/feel Nicolas Cage around them. If I was them, I'd be jumping out of my skin as soon as he came anywhere near.

The whole angels thing is an interesting thing to do a movie about, and how many there are, and how they can't feel emotion. Well, Nicolas is perfect to play one of them, as he always has the same facial expression! And he's got such a lovely smile too. I still don't get why the angels all have to dress in black, but it is funny how Nicolas is scared of heights, poor baby, and is often shot very high up!

This is a great movie, but if you're a guy, you'll be sitting through it, rolling your eyes, and generally not caring. If you're female, I suggest you get the tissues BEFORE sitting down to watch this. You'll need it from the opening scene, believe me.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The. Worst. Remake. Ever.
Review: Except for the mugging of Solaris.

This film is to be avoided at all costs. It loosened my bowels. Do yourself a big fat favour and give it a skip and see the original film, "Wings of Desire" by Wim Wenders, which is one of the best films. Ever. "Wings of Desire" is worth owning. City of Angeles isn't worth visiting, in oh so many ways....

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: So Bad It's Hardly worth Reviewing
Review: For those of us who do believe in the existence of Angels, "City of Angels" is not only a sick joke, but a joke in and of itself. And horribly miscast, on top of everything else. Don't waste your time on this one.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: I've Written Better Movies on the Back of a Dixie Cup
Review: Nic Cage comes to earth as an angel and stays because he falls in love with Meg Ryan. Enough terrible things cannot be said about this movie. Let's just say that I'm glad ... The ending actually made me laugh outloud.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Could of been better...
Review: It was girl's night out and I was (literally) dragged to see this movie, when it first came out! It's not that I hate 'chick flicks' (which this movie is) but I'm more of an action movie type person. Well, 'City of Angels' is one really sad chick flick and could have been more than just a sad chick flick. I must say that the idea of this movie was promising (since this is a remake of the German film "Wings of Desire" which I have not had the privilege of viewing), but I feel looses its hidden meaning and turns into a sad cliché love story. Plus, everyone knows the shpeal, but I guess I should go into further depth with the movie. (Hey I'm not that shallow...ok maybe I am.)

Ok, so angel dude goes down to earth to do his ritual 'guide the souls' to heaven thing. Yet, this angel dude is different from the rest of the angels, he's curious about the inner workings of humans and even keeps tabs with his 'clients' on what things they liked during their life in his handy dandy notepad. (I rather liked that part) Well, he comes across chick doctor, who was working on a patient. Well, during that moment of that scene she looks at him, screaming not to take the kid's life...well, he thinks she saw him. Actually, he was in invisi-angel mode only visible to the dead and other angels. Well, this perplexes him. He's like, 'did she really see me??' Well, she doesn't and sadly her patient dies. She has a hard time coping with the fact that she couldn't save him and angel dude is totally intrigued by this woman. So he follows her and watches her interact with a world that he feels he should be apart of...(for some odd reason I hear Ariel singing "Part of your world" ...dude...have I made a correlation between 'The Little Mermaid' and this movie...scary). Other angels notice his infatuation, and then warn him to stay clear from his new hobby. To no avail, he doesn't listen. So, he meets up with her and helps her cope. Well, they sort of take a liking to each other, although chick doctor has a hard time trusting him. Sadly, she totally freaks out when she finds out he's an angel. Boom there goes all that built up trust out the window. Wouldn't you totally freak out if the guy your crush'n on turns out to be an angel? He's now totally in love with this girl and she's totally freaked but oddly feels connected to him. Unfortunately, the freak out thing wins out and she can't be with him. He's in a dilemma. Hmm, he could become human, but how?? There's this one guy that did it, but can he do it? Does he have enough cajones to become human for the sake of true love?? Well go watch it and find out? (Yea, you know what happens!)

Ok, so my portrayal is a bit off, but I think you'll get the gist of it. I think that this movie focuses more on the romance between Seth and Maggie (wow I actually know their names) just to appease the female audience need for romance. This could have been a great movie, in my opinion, if they focused on his need to understand the human soul rather than do the 'give up everything for the sake of love' cliché. Another thing, I noticed with Seth is that he was in love with the idea of being in love (sort of like a Romeo complex...Oh I could go on and on interrogating the inner workings of Seth, but I'm only allocated 1000 words and I'm probably boring you right now!) and Maggie falls into play. Her character was rather interesting (teaching Seth about humanity while he teaches her to trust in the unknown) until the ending where is acts like a complete idiot. (This is another thing I hate about the movie.) I guess there is a reason why the ending ended that way. Maybe the director people wanted to get back to the main reason as to why Seth wanted to be apart of the human world in the first place. However, storyline played more on the romance thing and lost the aspect of Seth's curiosity of humanity.

As for the actors: Nicholas Cage did a good job as Seth (he tends to do well where his characters are rather angsty) and the same goes for Meg Ryan's portrayal of Maggie. I liked how the special effects set the mood of the story and the musical score.

To sum it up, I would probably enjoyed the movie more if they had focused on a main theme rather than give in to the masses and create a cliché love story.
The movie was good until the part where he had to choose whether to stay and angel or not, the rest was a let down. (Reason why I have this movie three stars) Yet, I can recommend this movie to those who are into tragic love movies, but to those who hate sad endings, don't waste your time!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Words cannot begin to describe how beautiful this movie is
Review: I'll be honest, I'm one of the few males who enjoys sappy romantic movies but that isn't why I loved this movie.

Its much more than just romance. It has a deeper meaning to it.

The way it handles relegion and faith is near perfect - Nothing too obvious or no clear hints at any specific relegion (Although I have to admit, there are a few references to christianity).

The overall casting is great. Meg Ryan plays her typical role perfectly with a few subtle, emotional changes. Cage has never really struck me as a untalented one-genre actor that some think he is. I've enjoyed watching him in most of his roles. Sure he looks and acts a bit like Big Moose at times, but for the most part I don't notice. Dennis Franz (who I usually can't stand) was also cast well for his short scenes. Even Andre Braughner stands out as Cassiel.

All the angels scenes were well choreographed and played out with some mind blowing instrumental music. I especially enjoyed the scenes where the camera angle is blown over the city and we see angels in places like helipads, etc. Its very very thought-provoking.

I've never really enjoyed to many other tragic movies, Arlington Road and Romeo and Juliet come to mind, But City of Angels really stands out.

Its really made me reach into myself.

5 on 5.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't Waste Your Time
Review: This is the americanized version of the lovely "Wings of Desire" shot in Germany in 1988 by Wim Wenders. You should see that film. It truly is a beauty. THIS one, however, is so sub-par in comparison it is laughable. And not in a good way. Why, oh why, do american moviemakers insist on remaking old classics and foreign films? No ideas of their own I suppose. Pathetic. A great film recast and redone with a silly, shallow, cloying Hollywood veneer. Totally pointless and completely missing the artistry of the original. If I knew how to give negative stars, this one would get 5 of them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Absolutely Beautiful
Review: First I did not see Wings of Desire, the film that COA is based on. Let me add that I am glad I did not because many of the negative reviews here are based upon a comparison of the two, and I would not have wanted any comparison of that sort to subtract one iota from how deeply I was affected by this truly beautiful film. Everything about it is so well done, the music, the imagery, the photography, the editing. And then there's Meg Ryan's performance--WOW! Her best, no doubt in my mind. Ryan's beauty has never risen above the "irrisitibly cute" level in my mind, but the photography, and lighting are so spot-on that she looks gorgeous in some scenes, so much so it hurts your heart to look at her. Dennis Franz is superb, and Cage does what he has to to make this film work, which means he is both etheral and understated. The limited range he displays in this film is in service to the larger story. Please take note of the detail in this film, the wonderful performances of the lesser roles: Ryan's friend Ann (Robin Bartlett), for one, and the two women( Deirdre O'Connell and Kim Murphy) who Ryan has to inform that their loved-one has died on the OR table. These two women are probably on screen for all of 45 seconds, but their performances are so on the mark, so creative, as to make them indelibly memorable because of their originality. I find myself watching that scene over and over.

Silberling(sp?), the director, has it all under control, and the editor certainly knows how to cut a movie.

Having said all these great things, let me say that the ending did not work for me, not because it wasn't as happy as it could be, but because it seemed contrived, not well thought out, and the performances fell a little flat at this time. Even so, even with an ending that disappoints, the film is worth seeing, and then seeing again. Buy it, rent it, borrow it, but see it.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Junk
Review: This movie was completely idiotic. The entire idea of the angels not being able to feel was mishandled (see the "What does a pear taste like?" scene. How is someone who could never taste supposed to know what "sugary sand" tastes like? But Cage's character just nods. Terrible.) The "plot twist" was ridiculous. And yes, the angels do look ominous. Meg Ryan was miscast as a heart surgeon. This is simply not worth watching. However, as a result of this crappy movie, I have been introduced to Wim Wender's version, which I will check out as it sounds far superior. The one star is for that.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Puh-leeesssseeee
Review: OK, let me get this straight. A being in the company of the All Mighty is willing to give that all up to become human. On top of that, the main reason that he is willing to do this is because of Lust (not love - let's get that straight). A sin in which we know is adultery. Then he further sins by now sleeping with this woman to whom he is not married.

Yep, God would surely give an Angel the chance to be human so that he could commit another sin. We know what happened to the first Angel that commited a sin....


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