City of Angels is a film like few others. Or rather, it is a novel like few others. Even when compared to its original feature, Wings of Desire, the film still delights both those who have been moved several times by its impossible love story and those who still intend to visit this remake that, in the opinion of many, is superior to the original by Wim Wenders. Comparisons or not, the fact is that City of Angels is perhaps among the most beautiful novels Hollywood has made for many years. Directed by Brad Silberling, who, with the exception of a few episodes of TV series, had only directed "Casper (1995)", but surprised by bringing to the land of Uncle Sam the story of an unusual passion between an angel and a human, and yet manage to be as sensitive and touching as Wim Wenders was in his first version.
Seth (Nicolas Cage) is an angel who wanders the Earth comforting the desperate souls of humans alongside his partner Cassiel (Andre Braugher). One day, Seth finds himself side by side with surgeon Maggie (Meg Ryan), a woman very dedicated to her profession and who is shaken when she loses a patient during an operation. Both end up meeting several times, and little by little, a greater feeling arises between them, but unable to be realized due to Seth's condition. And in order to stay by Maggie's side, Seth makes a bold decision that will bring about several changes in both their lives.
Every morning and afternoon the angels gather on the beach to hear the heavenly sound. The film approaches the relationship between angels and God in a poetic way, although it does not go into divine detail. Visually, angels are not like the figures commonly associated with them, here wearing black overcoats and having no wings. They talk to each other and walk calmly through the streets, or watch from the tops of buildings. Nicolas Cage has a lot of chemistry with Meg Ryan. The actor conveys the peace that is expected of an angel, in a minimalist and very restrained performance that strays from his traditional style and proves his quality as an actor. Through body language and restrained voice, Cage illustrates very well Seth's distress at the impossibility of living that love, as well as his doubt after discovering that he can change his condition. Capturing the actors' expressions very well, Silberling also takes the opportunity to fill the narrative with symbolic plans, such as when Maggie kisses her boyfriend at her house and the director moves the camera towards Seth, who is behind the bars of her kitchen, in a shot that illustrates the moment he realizes he is in love and, therefore, "imprisoned by her".
As indicated by the conception of the first act, we have two points of view that, a priori, are opposed, but that with the course of the narrative, will merge and complement each other: the first seeks a more supernatural and faith-based reflection, represented by by the persona of Seth; the second is constantly reaffirmed by Maggie, her unshakable belief in science and her methodical explanations that make her a practical and stigmatized object of what she has always stood for. I am not saying here that there is a right and a wrong side, but that this duality soon collides and begins to reverse roles as the doctor realizes that she can abandon some of her work addictions in the name of a more "human" life. , while the angel develops earthly feelings - such as, for example, love and desire.
Establishing from the beginning the angelic nature of its protagonist, director Brad Silberling makes a point of also introducing us to the benefits of that special condition, bringing Seth and his friend Cassiel (Andre Braugher, in good performance) sitting on top of a sign admiring the look. And talking about the things they can't feel. Thus, early on in the narrative, the dilemma that will torment Seth is already evident: to remain in the privileged condition of an angel or to surrender to the pleasures and dangers of human life. Obviously, neither the protagonist nor the spectator knows that he will be able to have this choice, since it is only after the amusing Nathaniel Messinger enters the scene that this alternative will be presented to the character. Completely at ease in the role, Dennis Franz plays Messinger competently, bestowing grace on the gluttonous angel who decided to leave eternity behind to experience the joys and pains of human life, while also serving as a kind of spiritual guide to Seth.
To expand this sensory experience so desired by Seth, Silberling inserts plans that highlight the everyday activities that make our human condition so special. Thus, simple pleasures like eating a pear or feeling someone else's touch gain a new dimension in the director's camera and become objects of desire for Seth, who reveals his curiosity in a dialogue with his friend Cassiel and in his fascination with the skill. Of the writer Ernest Hemingway in describing sensations he could never feel. He wanted to feel the wind, feel the sea, feel the pain, feel the heat... Anyway, Seth wanted to feel.
Through beautiful traveling shots that roam the city accompanying people going to work, walking and even the police acting, the director highlights life happening naturally as angels roam the place. Aided by the naturalist photography of John Seale, the director highlights the contrast between the realism of the hospital environment and the charm of stunning moments such as when angels gather to accompany the sunset and the beautiful sequences in which they sit on buildings or tall objects. To look at the city, presenting us with plastically beautiful plans. Likewise, the director does a good job of building the supernatural aura that surrounds the angels, especially in shots that have everyone looking at the same place, like when Seth and Maggie leave the Library together for the first time. This feeling is further reinforced by the daring choice of costume designer Shay Cunliffe, who subverts the cliché and brings the angels dressed in black instead of the classic white.
Collaborating in the contrast between the realism of the hospital and the magical aura that surrounds the angels, Gabriel Yared's soundtrack features dissonant instrumental compositions, interspersed with beautiful songs such as the beautiful "Angel" and the hit "Iris", by The Goo Goo. Dolls. Thus, Silberling and his team manage to create the desired atmosphere in "City of Angels", hooking the viewer into a classic narrative about impossible love. In addition, the slow evolution of the novel helps to better develop the characters and their dilemmas, which is also a merit of the editing by Lynzee Klingman, who invests the necessary time in building the atmosphere that will allow Seth and Maggie to get closer. In this way, Silberling can calmly work on the construction of the characters, bringing us closer to them through the constant use of close-up and creating the necessary empathy for the viewer to root for the novel's success.
Some highlights of the script and direction are in the details. As the angel Seth has no sensations, the film tries to represent life through these small and simple pleasures. Nature is inserted in this context as a sensory issue. For angels, the sea represents their connection to the sacred, and the source of life on Earth. Brad Silberling created a meticulously crafted universe. The parallel world of angels - their costumes, dialogue and habits - was created in a very subtle way by the directors. In the 1987 feature film, the version is even more loaded with philosophical concepts and religious or mystical references. And it still proposes the reflection of what is more important: to love for a brief period, to live an ordinary life or to contemplate eternity without tasting the intensity of emotions? Is living a love worth more than an eternal existence?
City of Angels only sins in the haste with which it wants to bring the story to an end, but Silberling gets around this problem by turning this novel out of the ordinary into an immersive experience, with beautiful moments, spectacular photography (I have rarely seen New York City so well lit) and a soundtrack filled with songs that perfectly complement their scenes, featuring tracks from Jimmy Hendrix, U2, Frank Sinatra and The Goo Goo Dolls.
To finish pulling out the last drops of tears from part of the audience, Seth says he "would rather touch her, kiss her and feel her just once than spend eternity without doing it". And if the viewer agrees with him, the success of "City of Angels" is guaranteed. Despite following basic clichés of the novels, Silberling has the courage to escape the expected happy ending and bet on an ironically tragic outcome, which makes us reflect on the ephemerality of human life and our impotence in the face of it. Still enriched by competent performances and a striking visual, "City of Angels" confirms itself as an efficient and beautiful novel.
Seth (Nicolas Cage) is an angel who wanders the Earth comforting the desperate souls of humans alongside his partner Cassiel (Andre Braugher). One day, Seth finds himself side by side with surgeon Maggie (Meg Ryan), a woman very dedicated to her profession and who is shaken when she loses a patient during an operation. Both end up meeting several times, and little by little, a greater feeling arises between them, but unable to be realized due to Seth's condition. And in order to stay by Maggie's side, Seth makes a bold decision that will bring about several changes in both their lives.
Every morning and afternoon the angels gather on the beach to hear the heavenly sound. The film approaches the relationship between angels and God in a poetic way, although it does not go into divine detail. Visually, angels are not like the figures commonly associated with them, here wearing black overcoats and having no wings. They talk to each other and walk calmly through the streets, or watch from the tops of buildings. Nicolas Cage has a lot of chemistry with Meg Ryan. The actor conveys the peace that is expected of an angel, in a minimalist and very restrained performance that strays from his traditional style and proves his quality as an actor. Through body language and restrained voice, Cage illustrates very well Seth's distress at the impossibility of living that love, as well as his doubt after discovering that he can change his condition. Capturing the actors' expressions very well, Silberling also takes the opportunity to fill the narrative with symbolic plans, such as when Maggie kisses her boyfriend at her house and the director moves the camera towards Seth, who is behind the bars of her kitchen, in a shot that illustrates the moment he realizes he is in love and, therefore, "imprisoned by her".
As indicated by the conception of the first act, we have two points of view that, a priori, are opposed, but that with the course of the narrative, will merge and complement each other: the first seeks a more supernatural and faith-based reflection, represented by by the persona of Seth; the second is constantly reaffirmed by Maggie, her unshakable belief in science and her methodical explanations that make her a practical and stigmatized object of what she has always stood for. I am not saying here that there is a right and a wrong side, but that this duality soon collides and begins to reverse roles as the doctor realizes that she can abandon some of her work addictions in the name of a more "human" life. , while the angel develops earthly feelings - such as, for example, love and desire.
Establishing from the beginning the angelic nature of its protagonist, director Brad Silberling makes a point of also introducing us to the benefits of that special condition, bringing Seth and his friend Cassiel (Andre Braugher, in good performance) sitting on top of a sign admiring the look. And talking about the things they can't feel. Thus, early on in the narrative, the dilemma that will torment Seth is already evident: to remain in the privileged condition of an angel or to surrender to the pleasures and dangers of human life. Obviously, neither the protagonist nor the spectator knows that he will be able to have this choice, since it is only after the amusing Nathaniel Messinger enters the scene that this alternative will be presented to the character. Completely at ease in the role, Dennis Franz plays Messinger competently, bestowing grace on the gluttonous angel who decided to leave eternity behind to experience the joys and pains of human life, while also serving as a kind of spiritual guide to Seth.
To expand this sensory experience so desired by Seth, Silberling inserts plans that highlight the everyday activities that make our human condition so special. Thus, simple pleasures like eating a pear or feeling someone else's touch gain a new dimension in the director's camera and become objects of desire for Seth, who reveals his curiosity in a dialogue with his friend Cassiel and in his fascination with the skill. Of the writer Ernest Hemingway in describing sensations he could never feel. He wanted to feel the wind, feel the sea, feel the pain, feel the heat... Anyway, Seth wanted to feel.
Through beautiful traveling shots that roam the city accompanying people going to work, walking and even the police acting, the director highlights life happening naturally as angels roam the place. Aided by the naturalist photography of John Seale, the director highlights the contrast between the realism of the hospital environment and the charm of stunning moments such as when angels gather to accompany the sunset and the beautiful sequences in which they sit on buildings or tall objects. To look at the city, presenting us with plastically beautiful plans. Likewise, the director does a good job of building the supernatural aura that surrounds the angels, especially in shots that have everyone looking at the same place, like when Seth and Maggie leave the Library together for the first time. This feeling is further reinforced by the daring choice of costume designer Shay Cunliffe, who subverts the cliché and brings the angels dressed in black instead of the classic white.
Collaborating in the contrast between the realism of the hospital and the magical aura that surrounds the angels, Gabriel Yared's soundtrack features dissonant instrumental compositions, interspersed with beautiful songs such as the beautiful "Angel" and the hit "Iris", by The Goo Goo. Dolls. Thus, Silberling and his team manage to create the desired atmosphere in "City of Angels", hooking the viewer into a classic narrative about impossible love. In addition, the slow evolution of the novel helps to better develop the characters and their dilemmas, which is also a merit of the editing by Lynzee Klingman, who invests the necessary time in building the atmosphere that will allow Seth and Maggie to get closer. In this way, Silberling can calmly work on the construction of the characters, bringing us closer to them through the constant use of close-up and creating the necessary empathy for the viewer to root for the novel's success.
Some highlights of the script and direction are in the details. As the angel Seth has no sensations, the film tries to represent life through these small and simple pleasures. Nature is inserted in this context as a sensory issue. For angels, the sea represents their connection to the sacred, and the source of life on Earth. Brad Silberling created a meticulously crafted universe. The parallel world of angels - their costumes, dialogue and habits - was created in a very subtle way by the directors. In the 1987 feature film, the version is even more loaded with philosophical concepts and religious or mystical references. And it still proposes the reflection of what is more important: to love for a brief period, to live an ordinary life or to contemplate eternity without tasting the intensity of emotions? Is living a love worth more than an eternal existence?
City of Angels only sins in the haste with which it wants to bring the story to an end, but Silberling gets around this problem by turning this novel out of the ordinary into an immersive experience, with beautiful moments, spectacular photography (I have rarely seen New York City so well lit) and a soundtrack filled with songs that perfectly complement their scenes, featuring tracks from Jimmy Hendrix, U2, Frank Sinatra and The Goo Goo Dolls.
To finish pulling out the last drops of tears from part of the audience, Seth says he "would rather touch her, kiss her and feel her just once than spend eternity without doing it". And if the viewer agrees with him, the success of "City of Angels" is guaranteed. Despite following basic clichés of the novels, Silberling has the courage to escape the expected happy ending and bet on an ironically tragic outcome, which makes us reflect on the ephemerality of human life and our impotence in the face of it. Still enriched by competent performances and a striking visual, "City of Angels" confirms itself as an efficient and beautiful novel.