City of Angels | | Cast : | Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan | | Director : | Brad Silberling | | Studio : | Warner Studios | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | April 10, 1998 | | DVD Released Date : | September 14, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | June 28, 2005 | | Summary | "Eve gave birth to a son, and named him Seth . . ." | Content
 | (Genesis 4:25). For centuries, men have wondered and theorized about the nature of angels and their relation to us. From Martin Luther to John Calvin to modern-day Dr. David Jeremiah, these ethereal creatures sometimes hold more fascination for us than God. The premise of City of Angels is intriguing. It seeks to answer some of our questions about angels, life, and death. Yet I was not turned on by the film until the end, which I will not reveal.
The main reason I was turned off was because the main character and angel, Seth, came across as a huge dimbulb. Assigned to watch over heart surgeon Maggie (Meg Ryan), Seth (Nicolas Cage) falls in love with her. Here is where the movie begins to be laughable. Seth comes across as an escaped mental patient who is stalking Maggie. He stares at her, makes no sense when he talks, and appears anywhere she does. Instead of treating Seth with caution and fear, Maggie proceeds to boss him around and be increasingly mean to him, even physically assaulting him at one point with a weapon. In the Bible, angels' appearances to men have been received with awe and fear. Maggie whips Seth like a dog.
Dennis Franz is the breath of fresh air in the film as an angel who has chosen to "fall" and become human. Like the Little Mermaid, an angel who falls can never go back to the "sea." The angel loses all his angelic powers such as understanding all languages, never feeling pain, and being able to travel at the speed of thought. But why would angels give up who they are and the incredible powers they have for base senses like taste and touch? Angels are curious about humans, that is true. But they are curious what it is like to be on the receiving end of salvation. Not to become obese by eating junk food, or to learn what it is like to have a woman treat you like sh**t.
The cinematography in this movie is great. The scenes of the silent angels on the beach at dawn, the great overhead bird's eye views of L.A. Truly terrific. I also have no problem with Meg Ryan's performance, even if her character was a witch.
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| Rating | | | Date | May 18, 2005 | | Summary | nul | Content
| Une pale copie des ailes du désir de Wenders. Un film ennuyeux, sans substance, superficiel. C'est désolant et malgré tout des films comme ça sont reálisés tous les jours aux ...
Cultivez vous un peu Mr Silbering! |
| Rating | | | Date | April 23, 2005 | | Summary | "I'll Say It Was You" | Content
| Nicolas Cage gives a wonderful performance as Seth, an Angel who falls in love and begins to long for the ability to express that love in a film that in some respects resembles the 1930's film "Death Takes a Holiday" with Frederick March and Evelyn Veneble. Seth's assignment as an angel is to help the dead cross over in this quasi remake of the Wim Wenders foreign film, "Wings of Desire." Few films since the glory days of Hollywood and the old studio system have been given the romantic glow of this film.
Meg Ryan is Maggie, the heart surgeon who is the object of Seth's affection. He is stunned when she somehow sences his prescence when trying to save one of her patients and he is touched and bewildered by her. Andre Braugher steals every scene he is in as Seth's fellow Angel and friend. They all hang out at the library and gather every morning at the beach to see the sunrise and hear the singing of heaven.
Dennis Franz has a fine turn as a patient in Maggie's hospital who knows Seth is there because he too was once an Angel. As Seth and he become friends, Seth contemplates how wonderful it would be to truly love Maggie, and searches for the courage to leave heaven behind, and simply fall.
This is one of the most romantic movies to come out of Hollywood in decades and has a message about the wonderful things we all take for granted. More than that, it is a story about the importace of love, even one felt for only a moment, for it is that experience which makes us special among all creation. To love is all, and to be loved in return is truly divine.
There are some memorable scenes in this romatic and haunting film. One involves the simple act of shopping for fruit at a farmer's market. Another involves Maggie being able to feel Seth in her room but unable to see him. Even Hemingway's Moveable Feast plays a part in this magical throwback film to a bygone era. This is very much a film which could just as easily have been made in the 1930's.
I will not ruin the last portion of this film if you have not seen it, but as we all know there is a price we pay for being human. This film is for anyone who has ever loved someone as Seth does, who would trade all eternity for just one breath of her hair. If you have ever loved someone so much your heart ached when they were not with you, then you will be deeply moved by this film. It is painted in broad romantic brushstrokes and colored in rich oils not easily removed from our hearts. This is a truly memorable film you will watch over and over.
Films like this are rarely made anymore and this is one to cherish. You will never forget the line: "When they ask me what I liked best...I'll say it was You". |
| Rating | | | Date | March 14, 2005 | | Summary | Loveliest angel ever | Content
| I LOVED this movie, Meg and Nicholas give great performances, I especially enjoyed Nicholas in this film, his portrayal of innocense, honesty, vulnerability made me want to take care of him and I totally fell in love with him. Fabulous movie, watch it with a box of kleenex handy.... |
| Rating | | | Date | March 03, 2005 | | Summary | The ending sucked. | Content
| The movie's ending is contrived and sucked mightily. I wanted my money back. Don't bother with this one.
A. Andino
NYC |
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