City of Angels

Jumping on the angel-related entertainment bandwagon in 1998, Warner Brothers released this wonderfully odd boy-meets-girl story. Nicolas Cage and Dennis Franz (of NYPD Blue) play angels, and Meg Ryan plays a love-frustrated doctor who listens to Jimi Hendrix while doing open-heart surgery. Sound fun enough?

Actually, the Franz character is a "fallen" angel who becomes mortal, and as such, a patient of the Ryan doctor character. Cage's angel character is the kind that comes to take the doctor's patients away. Yeah, I know, it gets better the more often you watch it though.

It's the classic story. Boy angel meets girl doctor and wants her to love him the way he loves her. Old angel recognizes new angel and teaches him how to become mortal. Falling. Everyone falls for everyone in the end. The word-plays are plentiful in this story.

The soundtrack is outstanding. A little something for everyone.

Shot in various LA (city of angels) area locations, it's fun for us locals to think about what and who may actually be just beyond the veil. Angels are everywhere according to this story, and who knows, may not be that far from reality. Watching the sun rise or set at the beach has never felt quite the same for me since seeing this movie. Better for sure.

Be warned however, it is a tear-jerker of the highest form. You can't help but like the characters regardless of whether you believe in angels or not. So be prepared with absorbent long sleeves. Either your own or the person(s) you choose to watch this with, real or imagined.