City of Angels

Somethings are true whether we believe them or not...

This movie review may be a decade too late but hey, City of Angels is one of those timeless classics so let me share my thoughts on the movie, the metaphors, the quotes and the sad truths behind this simple but very symbolic movie.

NOTE: IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE 5 PEOPLE LEFT IN THE WORLD WHO STILL HASN'T WATCHED THE MOVIE THEN BE WARNED OF SPOILERS. lols!

I was still too young to understand this movie when I first saw it on T.V. and when I say "too young to understand" I mean it literally. I was about 9 or 10 years old and I was just about in 4th grade at the time and though I already knew how to read and write English at that time, capturing every words and absorbing them was still quite a challenge. I really didn't like the movie and I thought it was pretty boring because I was expecting to see angels--you know those ones with wings and complete package. I was really disappointed that Angels on this movie were nothing but a man who wears the same clothes everyday. The only good thing was that they sometimes hang-out on top of billboards which to me was a very good idea. It was only about a year ago when I've seen it in full that I really got to appreciate how great the movie is. The dialogues, the conversations, the thought-provoking scenes was enough for me to get passed the idea that Seth and the other Angels didn't have wings and that they actually live in the library--not in heaven.




A lot of people considers this movie to be in their top 10 best romantic movies of all time even if it did not end in a happily ever after. Most definitely would prefer the idea that Maggie (Meg Ryan) didn't die in the end but I guess if she hadn't then maybe it wouldn't make the same impact it did to us. If Maggie had lived then we wouldn't have one of the most adored and remembered lines when it comes to love stories..."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." Take note, this was delivered by Nicholas Cage's nice accent.

This is a love story, a very good one indeed but I guess more than that, the writer intended it to have more meaning that Seth sacrificing his immortality. In a way, the movie being somewhat a fantasy-movie provided a symbolic sense to what applies in real life. Personally, I was fascinated with how Angels were described--they have no sense of touch, they can speak all the languages in the world, they don't feel hunger or pain, they spend time in a library , can travel in a speed of thought and most amazingly they can read people's mind. If you consider all this special abilities then you may think what else do you need right? However, that's didn't seem the case not only for Seth but to the other Angels as well. They were naturally curious and even if they can read minds they still are yet to figure us out. You would think they have all the answers but as shown on the movie, it was in fact curiosity that started everything for him. I know pretty well it's all the writer's imagination but I can't help it. These are somethings worth thinking about. Are we naturally not contented of what we have even if it seems like you are in the best of situations? Are we always looking for answers because we want to know if there are better things or is it just that we don't appreciate what we already have? What is it really?

FREE WILL


It is not the first time when I've seen this idea of s0-called FREE WILL. The power of choice, the power to decide for yourself and what you want to do with your life. The idea was first presented to me in the movie "Bruce Almighty" wherein Jim Carrey was endowed with God's power and that he could do pretty much anything he wanted but he couldn't interfere with people's free will so no matter what he did, he still wasn't able to force Jennifer Aniston to love him again. I really thought that free will in itself is amazing if we think about it. Like what was said in the movie, it is a gift from God and that even himself cannot interfere with it so as to say that if we end up being completely happy or insanely miserable is all up to us.

WHAT DID YOU LIKE BEST?

On the onset of the movie, Nicholas Cage a.k.a "Seth" was shown sitting next to a very sick child who was about to die. Seth was around because it was his job to accompany her and take her to heaven. Seth who was naturally curious would always asked those people who just died with the question, SO WHAT DID YOU LIKE BEST? The little girl--still being so young and innocent quickly and confidently replied "Pajamas". Of course, I couldn't it so I smiled at her answer but then I also couldn't help but think, what if I'd be be asked the same question? Can I answer as quick or as sure as she did? Can you?


THE FALL

Of course, would I end this post without talking about the one the most important part of the movie if not it's climax--Seth giving up his eternity being an angel to be with Maggie. Yup, that is romantic in every sense and we may never have to make that decision in our life there will be times in our life when we will be prompted to choose between two things. There will be that one moment that you'd have to make a decision so big that you know whatever you choose you're life will never be the same. I'm not sure that I can make that kind of decision now if I will be prompted to or if that time had already passed because I'm not even sure where I am right now but I do hope that when it comes then it would be something I'd never end up regretting. In a way, we'd all have to take the plunge--to hopelessly fall without a clue of what's going to happen but we'd do it anyway.


To end this post I'd like to share this song which I've really liked in the past since the lyrics holds a different meaning for me and so I was surprised to find out it was actually part of the movies' soundtrack which made perfect sense after I've seen the movie.

Verse 1

And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
Verse 2

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
Chorus

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
Verse 3

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know your alive

Chorus

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
Chorus

I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am