City Of Angels

Seth: Some things are true whether you believe in them or not.

City of Angels is based, not unexpectedly, in Los Angeles, which here is a literal "City of Angels," with the invisible celestial agents sitting high atop billboards and skyscrapers. Dressed like Heaven's Men in Black, the angels are an odd bunch. They spend their days and nights observing and occasionally offering comfort to select humans. They cannot touch, taste, or smell. They are immortal and ethereal. They live in a library and spend time at the beach in a kind of wordless communion.

Seth (Nicolas Cage) is just one of many angels assigned to Los Angeles. But, unlike most of his brethren, he has a strong desire to experience what it is like to be human. He seems to share the sentiment of a comment that he relates to fellow angel Cassiel (Andre Braugher): "What good would wings be if you couldn't feel the wind on your face?" One day, Seth is in a hospital to guide a dying man to the next life. His attention is captured by the determination of a doctor, Maggie Rice (Meg Ryan), to save the patient's life. Later, he returns with the intention of soothing Maggie's distress, but it proves to be a difficult task. Soon, he is spending hours on end watching her, eventually revealing himself as a benevolent stranger. Seth has fallen in love with Maggie, but he thinks it is a doomed proposition until an angel-turned-human (Denis Franz) reveals that God gives all of his creations free-will, and, if Seth wants it enough, he can shed his wings for a human body. But, just because Seth loves Maggie, there is no guarantee that she will reciprocate his feelings if he gives up his immortality for a romantic illusion.

When it comes to heavenly matters, City of Angels doesn't offer any particular insights. The movie does not ponder the meaning of life; rather, it celebrates the human experience by demonstrating the monotony of endless voyeurism. On another level, it is also about sacrifice. But the film does not thrive on ideas alone - it is the profound acting and positive chemistry between Cage and Ryan (in a very different role from her usual genre) which made City of Angels' such a success.

Seth: I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it. One.

This movie has a great soundtrack too - Iris (Goo Goo Dolls), Red House (Jimi Hendrix), Further Up The Road (Eric Clapton), Mama You Got A Daughter (John Lee Hooker), If God Will Send His Angels (U2), I Grieve (Peter Gabriel), Uninvinted (Alanis Morissette). But most of all, the title track is the haunting song by Sarah McLachlan, Angel.