I have read many different reviews for this movie, and most of them weren't good. I guess I am just a romantic at heart but I liked City of Angles and would recommend it to most of you.
The angel Seth (Nicolaus Cage) comforts Maggie Rice (Meg Ryan)
Nicolas Cage plays Seth, one of the thousands of angels here on earth. As we get into the movie we see these angels dressed in black everywhere, listening to our thoughts and following us wherever we go. The only time we can see these messengers is when we are about to die, and they take us up to God. Seth is amazed by Dr. Maggie Rice (Meg Ryan) when he takes one of her patients away. As he tries to comfort her he realizes he has fallen in love with her and would do anything to be with her.
While Seth is trying to figure out what to do he meets Nathan Messinger (Dennis Franz), one of Maggie's patients and a former angel who decided to "fall" to earth. As Seth discusses the situation with Nathan, he learns that he can be with Maggie, but for a price. Seth final decides that his love for Maggie is too immense and that he must "give up his wings" to be with her (don't worry this isn't a spoiler).
Nathan Messinger (Dennis Franz), Seth's guide on how to fall
I realize that for most people City of Angels won't be on their must see lists. And many of the people who do go to see it will probably come out dissapointed... but, this was one of those movies that I just liked. I can understand why some people don't like this movie: the ending is kind of predictable and unoriginal; it isn't a "feel good" flick (in fact, don't go if you get emotional easily); and at some points the angels seem pretty stupid, hanging out at the library, listening to the sun rise, watching TV with patients at the hospital. But all of this came together in a movie that really mad me think, and not just about the movie. It made me take another look at life, death and love. In fact I felt like I was deeply entrained in a philosophical meditation as I left the theater, and afterwards I felt slightly enlightened. Many of you may not become a later day Plato after City of Angels, many of you may wonder what the heck I was talking about when I wrote this review, but hopefully some of you will agree with me and say "Hey, that was a pretty good movie."
