City of Angels (1998)

When I first saw this film I was an entirely different person. But, somehow, this movie still resonates for me in the same way it did back then. It's utterly dreamy and romantic and heartbreaking. I've seen Wings of Desire and do truly love it and I get that this shouldn't hold a candle: it's a little too "cleaned-up" somehow. But what gives this the edge over the original, for me, is the magic of Cage and Ryan. I felt their love in a way that wasn't generated by the couple in the earlier film.

I remember actually getting into a bizarre argument about this movie during a discussion at church. I can't remember why the film came up, but the immediate reaction from one of the men in the group was something along the lines of "I hate that movie. Angels have everything we're striving to get and it's ridiculous that one would throw that away for earthly pleasures." I, of course, disagreed heartily and I think God would too! After all, receiving love that is given by choice is the most amazing experience. This world may not be perfect, but free will that results in generosity of the heart? That's divine.

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