Tuesday 21 February 2012

Angelic Movies

Just as they make great subjects for books, angels have also been major characters in many wonderful films over the years. From It's a Wonderful Life in 1946 to Legion in 2010, from guardian angels to fallen angels, there's no shortage of angelic movies to suit most tastes.

Here are a few of my favourites, plus a couple I've missed and would like to track down.

Well, everyone loves James Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life, and I'm no exception :). It's the feel good movie extraordinaire, with James Srewart's guardian angel preventing his Chirstmas Eve suicide by reminding him of the good things in his life and the wonderful things he's done.

Of the older films, I also have a soft spot for David Niven and Cary Grant in The Bishop's Wife. Cary Grant is the suave, charming angel sent to help the work-obsessed Bishop, his flock and his unhappy, neglected wife. It's a fun film with just a hint of bitter-sweet in the ending.

City of Angels with Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan is one I really enjoyed - an atmospheric tale of an angel in Los Angeles, who collects the spirits of the dead. He falls in love with the doctor who saved the life of the soul he'd come to collect and decides to "fall" in order to live a mortal life with her. However, I HATED the ending :).


And on a completely different note, Dogma, with Ben Afleck and Matt Damon, managed to capture my attention one night when I stumbled across it by accident half way through. I didn't even know what it was called, but I finally managed to track it down and watch the whole thing. It's a fascinating, darkly funny and moving story of two fallen angels who find a loophole to get back into heaven. I loved their encounters along the way with all the other legendary/biblical entities.

And the ones that have somehow escaped me that I still want to see - Meet Joe Black. I suppose he counts as the angel of death :). I'm not normally a fan of Brad Pitt, but I always liked the sound of this film and have never managed to watch it!. I'd also quite like to see Legion, although I believe the critics hated it...


What about you? I'd love to hear your favourite angel movies - recommendations always gratefully received!

Marie

4 comments:

  1. I loved Dogma too. There are so many great characters and God was especially good...hehe!!!

    There's a kids film, I think it's called Angels in the Outfield or something like that. It's about a kid who gets angels to help his favourite baseball team...it's really cute and fun.

    Valerie
    in Germany

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    1. Exactly, Valerie :).

      Haven't seen Angels in the Outfield - will look out for it, though - sounds fun!

      Marie

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  2. Loved It's A Wonderful Life with Clarence. I saw Heaven Can Wait with Warren Beatty as a man who dies and the angel sends him back as another man. Have not seen any of other movies listed here but want to see Legion.

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    1. Hi Lindseye,

      Heaven Can Wait rings a bell, but if I've seen it, I've forgotten it - must go after it :).

      Marie

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