Read User Reviews and Submit your own for Wings of Desire

10

Eoin_O_ConnorJan 31, 2017

One of the greatest films ever made and one of Wim Wenders' many masterpieces. AND it has Columbo in it! Great humour interspersed with very provocative imagery.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

10

JemonovSep 6, 2018

One of the most unique and touching movies ever made by man. Beautiful, poetic, and still not overtly sentimental.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

0

mattdinovoOct 22, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Matthew DiNovo
The movie, Wings of Desire, is a 1987 classic fantasy romance German film from Wim Wenders. This movie is not anywhere close to a decent film for multiple reasons. Wings of Desire is about angels, and who would have portrayed angels as boring, depressed men in everyday clothes other than the director Wim Wenders. Other famous movies of his include Pope Francis a Man of His Word, Pina, The Salt of the Earth, and Until the End of the World, which also can’t be much better basing my judgement off Wings of Desire. The slow, confusing, and what seems to be missing plot mixes well with the black and white cinematography and three languages spoken in the movie to create a two-hour disaster. If there was one movie to receive a negative rating, it would be Wings of Desire.
Initially, one would think of an angel as someone who is happy, heavenly, and actively helps people. This, unfortunately, is not the case in Wings of Desire. The two main characters, Damiel and Cassiel, are both angels who aimlessly roam about Berlin in search of pretty much nothing. It appears as if they have no purpose for being where they are, and both seem to hate being angels as well. It becomes so awful that Damiel eventually wants to become a human himself.
Damiel and Cassiel do not have any other features humans do such as the senses of touch, smell, taste, the desire for love and lust. This explains why a good portion of the movie is in black and white to show the plainness of these angels. Damiel struggles with this the most because he begins to envy Marion, who can experience everything he cannot. Marion ends up being the reason Damiel wants to become mortal. As previously stated, both Damiel and Cassiel cannot be seen by people, except children. This fact is next to useless because the children in Wings of Desire need no intervention from these ‘divine’ creatures. Angels are supposed to help people, right? Not the case in this movie. There is a scene in which a man is contemplating suicide by jumping off a skyscraper and Cassiel is next to the man listening to his thoughts. Instead of doing the angelic act and saving the man from killing himself, Cassiel just passively stands by and makes no real attempt to stop the man. Allowing someone to commit suicide does not sound godlike. Another agonizing aspect of Wings of Desire is the painfully long scenes that serve no purpose other than to make the movie longer, which is not a good thing. The band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds is also featured in the movie, but they have no impact at all. There are two scenes where they fully play the songs The Carny and From Her to Eternity, which is coupled with the corny dancing of Solveig Dommartin and the other extras to yield one of the most cringy movie scenes ever seen. Wim Wenders made the poor decision to make these scenes way too long does not help the already boring film. Marion (Solveig Dommartin) also has a way-too-long trapeze act scene during her circus days. The most disappointing aspect of these scenes is that they have no purpose. If they were cut out, the movie would be the same, and equally as bad. Marion also has a seven-minute monologue in a bar with Damiel. This scene has some significance because it depicts Marion and Damiel finally being together, but once again it is agonizing to watch. Both angels appear to have the ability to read people thoughts. Of course, Wim Wenders completely fails at making this interesting because of even more long, useless scenes. Damiel and Cassiel are seen walking down streets or in a library reading the random thoughts of people. These merely add to the disappointment Wings of Desire gives its audience. The biggest part of Wings of Desire, and quite possibly the worst, is the ‘big surprise’ ending. This section of the review does contain a spoiler, but rest assured there is nothing to be upset about. Throughout the movie Damiel has an internal conflict because he is an angel, but somehow falls in love with a human woman Marion. This love he has for her drives him to enter the river and transform into a mortal. Damiel’s change from angel to mortal for a girl he has never met makes no sense, and the way he and Marion meet is even more strange. Marion finds herself sitting alone in a bar and guess who she is sitting next to. Yes, you are right, its Damiel. How did this happen? No one will ever understand the basic, one dimensional way that Damiel and Marion meet, and somehow Marion ends up giving a speech to Damiel. This leads to them kissing in the bar and the movie ends. The ending is the dagger this film needed to make it one of the worst movies ever made. There is no resolution to Damiel’s minor internal conflict, and there surely is no explanation for anything else in the movie either.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

3

msmith208Oct 24, 2018

"Wings of Desire" is a black and white film that follows two immortal angels, Damiel and Cassiel. Through their journey through the city of Berlin, they touch the lives of many with their presence. Though many are unable to see them, children"Wings of Desire" is a black and white film that follows two immortal angels, Damiel and Cassiel. Through their journey through the city of Berlin, they touch the lives of many with their presence. Though many are unable to see them, children can. With just a touch of these angels hands, they are able to heal the thoughts of people (the man who commits suicide and help comfort the woman in labor). Although this movie may sound interesting, it is not. The movie becomes dull in some parts. For example when the conversation at the bar between Damiel and Marion runs on for so long or when we are stuck watching Marion's trapeze routine for what seems like an eternity. These too long of scenes it what ruined the movie for me. Overall I would not recommend this movie if you enjoy exciting, action-packed, funny movies because you won't get that out of this one.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

All this user's reviews

0

terri-draperOct 26, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Wings of Desire, directed by Wim Wenders, is a great choice of movie if you are looking for the cinematic version of a sleeping aid. Either the medication or the movie will do a decent job of knocking you out within a half hour. I’m not sure black and white vision of the angels is the problem or the lack of action. It is most likely the lack of coherent plot and uncomfortable dialogue. The movie begins with children watching an angel on top of a building. One is on the back of its mother’s bicycle and the other is walking across the street. There is no issue with this scene despite the fact that the children are never seen again and the angel standing on the edge of the building more resembles a gargoyle than a heavenly being. The camera panning all over the city and taking in the inner monologues of the depressed people in the apartment and on the subway will make you dizzy. The whole movie is a dizzy mess. The scenes seem randomly spliced together and incohesive. One minute, you are listening to a man, whose name we don’t even learn until the credits, talk about his experience as a holocaust survivor and suddenly you are watching a circus. The worst part is probably the inner monologues. There isn’t an ounce of positivity which seems entirely unrealistic. The only inner monologue that makes any sense and creates any sort of sympathy is the suicide case. The spoken and unspoken monologues of the trapeze artist, Marion (Solveig Dommartin), are the most overrated-under developed of them all. They are long-winded and incredibly drawn out and unless you are really paying attention to what she is saying, you’ll miss it. It sounds more like what a teenage girl would write in her diary than spoken in a major motion picture. The only coherent thought that comes across is the feeling of terror she has before doing her final trapeze act. Speaking of that trapeze act, it was a small moment of my life I’ll never get back. The act becomes tedious as she carefully swings back and forth above the ring while striking poses showcasing her strength and flexibility. It’s not that the act is bad, just long too long. You can only see a woman do so much swinging before you lose interest. The scene at the end of the movie where Damiel (Bruno Ganz) hands her a glass and she takes a sip is so incredibly unrealistic that you’ll want to end the movie early. Would I give this movie a “two thumbs up” like Roger Ebert? Absolutely not. Two thumbs down. My problem is not with the actors. They tried their best. My problem is in what seems like a serious lack of scene planning on the director’s part.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

3

NickJeakleOct 29, 2018

"Wings of Desire" has to be one of the most boring movie I ever had to sit through. The movie is very slow paced and has almost no plot. In the beginning of the film it doesn't explain anything that is happening. Throughout the film there are"Wings of Desire" has to be one of the most boring movie I ever had to sit through. The movie is very slow paced and has almost no plot. In the beginning of the film it doesn't explain anything that is happening. Throughout the film there are very small details that are easily over looked. This makes a lot of scenes later in the film very confusing. For the first half of the movie all the angels do is walk around Berlin and comfort people. It's a cool concept but terrible execution. The second half is a lot more interesting. The ending of the movie has a plot twist when the angel turns himself into a human to fall in love. The very boring plot and the decent ending is why I rated this movie a solid 3 out of 10.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews

10

aaronLJan 31, 2009

One of the best movies of all time. Extremely poetic. beautiful and sarcastic at the same time in its vision of the human plight. You cannot watch this movie and not think deeply about our deepest desires and goals on earth and about what One of the best movies of all time. Extremely poetic. beautiful and sarcastic at the same time in its vision of the human plight. You cannot watch this movie and not think deeply about our deepest desires and goals on earth and about what humanity means.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

PatrickD.Mar 26, 2006

Amazing and inspirational!

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

KeithBJul 21, 2007

I remember seeing this movie during a summer program and prior to its showing, the presenter mentioned that dinner was already in progress. Those who wanted to eat could leave, but risk missing an incredible art film. My friends left, but I I remember seeing this movie during a summer program and prior to its showing, the presenter mentioned that dinner was already in progress. Those who wanted to eat could leave, but risk missing an incredible art film. My friends left, but I stayed and watched it. This is one of the most intimate, serene, delicate and stunningly beautiful movies I have ever seen in my life. It is truly a testament about the power of love and the human spirit; this movie is inspirational in every sense. It does not profess any moral or lesson, but allows the viewer to be enveloped in its elegance and pure, innocent statement about humanity. Anyone who views this film will leave it with a refreshed feeling of contentment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

10

VinceRocks123Apr 25, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. a philosophical modern if not dated, a romantic fairytale of a world divided by two dimensions one thats filled with the living and the other filled with the spirits, mostly taking place in a 1980s Berlin now a urban and cultural community divided by the berlin wall and the remains of a WWII war zone

Unknown to the people who now live and strive in this city, angels (the dead) perch on the highest buildings, castles, and statues, watching and hearing every man's thoughts and emotions. things change when angel Damiel (Bruno Ganz) falls for a young female acrobat and wishes to trade in his wings for life.

Damiel's transition from an invisible spirit to a human being, is well executed with an amazing cinematographic technique by director Wim Wenders' which portrays Damiel's point of view as an angel shot in Black and White then slowly to color when the time comes when he becomes human. a cinematic record

A beautiful film about why its so beautiful to have life and why its worth fighting especially in the view of a ghost who never experienced life before. a transcendental gem for the ages… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

10

alejandro970Mar 10, 2019

The secret life on angels in quite poetic way. Long life for Bruno Ganz as Damiel, an angel who can read what you think, and he is just visible for the afflicted and the children. Filmed in Berlin before the fall of the wall half B&W and halfThe secret life on angels in quite poetic way. Long life for Bruno Ganz as Damiel, an angel who can read what you think, and he is just visible for the afflicted and the children. Filmed in Berlin before the fall of the wall half B&W and half color. Pay attention for Peter "Columbo" Falk.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

BenMihalyOct 22, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. “Wings of Desire” (1987) by Wim Wenders is what you get when you realize that art doesn’t come with a recipe or instruction manual. It breaks so many rules of storytelling that if you tried to fill out a checklist of all of the features of a good story, you’d give up halfway through. Even so, this movie just works. Wim Wenders decided to make a film that thinks for itself, not bothering to follow some silly “conventions.” It asks questions that it doesn’t help you answer, forcing you to take it all in and think about what you are seeing. In “Wings of Desire” there is no direct exposition, it gives you the questions and shows the world upon which you should base your answer. This film makes you think about the path from question to answer on your own, no hand-holding. The first two characters that we meet are angels: Cassiel and Damiel, played by Otto Sander and Bruno Gantz. We can often find these two walking and talking together, comparing the thoughts and events that they heard and saw that day. We follow him throughout the movie, taking his point of view as he goes about his celestial business.
The gimmick of this film is actually quite interesting: the angels can hear people’s thoughts as if they were speaking, and can even interpret the signals of a radio tower. We hear the voices in the heads of normal people, but we don’t ever hear the inner thoughts of the angels, specifically the thoughts of Damiel. That is our job, we are the angels of the angels. The only way they can interact with the real world is by comforting people in distress, be that considering suicide or dying of injuries or recalling awful memories of the past. Why do they do any of this? Maybe you can figure it out, but you won’t get much help from the movie other than what is shown to you. The cinematography, done by the legendary Henri Alekan, is part of what makes this movie great. The camera moves through the scene as if unbound by gravity or the harsh motions of real world physics. When the camera is in black and white, which represents the viewpoint of the angels, the tone is neutral, you don’t feel anything, just see it. Situations that might normally be suspenseful seem almost meaningless. It is when the film sparks into color that the film conveys a tone. That feeling is what art should be judged by: how much a piece makes you think and feel is what gives it quality. This film is equivalent to a two hour trip to an art museum. There is no-one there who can tell you the exact meaning that the artist intended for the piece, no hand-holding, just you and the art. You have to connect what you see and what the characters say to figure out the subtle symbolisms. Just as you would explore a museum, “Wings of Desire” lets you take the story at your own pace, with the long, wordless scenes giving you time to reflect on what you are seeing. The third important character to this story is Marion (Solveig Dommartin) a trapeze artist for a travelling circus. Marion is the weakest part of this film: her only role is to tempt Damiel to “take the plunge” into the real world of hate, pain, time, and death; and what or who tempts him ends up being inconsequential. The last half hour of the film seems like it wasn’t really well refined, with character interactions that seem out of place and the ending monologue that doesn’t do much more than finding out how long it takes to say “and they lived happily ever after.” “Wings of Desire” is the perfect movie for the thinker. Heavy on visuals, light on words, the film lets your mind wander to wherever it pleases. It asks some questions about life, but it doesn’t expect you to answer them, especially since it doesn’t give you any clues to help you. The calm, soothing german voices do not intrude on your english thoughts, allowing you to read the subtitles at your own pace. You don’t even need to think about the movie, which you can use to clear your mind for two hours. Overall, “Wings of Desire” is a solid eight out of ten. If you like long visits to the local art museum, this movie is for you. If you don’t like films with at least one fight scene or a twist at the end, this is definitely not for you. Wim Wenders gives you everything outright, nothing is hidden to be revealed at the end, just a bunch of subtle symbolism.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

6

SarahCrescenzo1Oct 21, 2018

Wings of Desire is a great film and was constructed with great thought and effort. The combination of color, voiceovers, and comedic relief to such a deep and dark film makes it an excellent choice for those looking for a different film thatWings of Desire is a great film and was constructed with great thought and effort. The combination of color, voiceovers, and comedic relief to such a deep and dark film makes it an excellent choice for those looking for a different film that is unlike most.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

7

HallahFOct 23, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 'Wings of Desire" is a romantic fantasy film that was directed by Wim Winders in 1987. It follows two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander), that watch over the people of Berlin. Damiel falls in love with a trapeze artist named Marion (Solveig Dommartin), but can't fully be with her in the beginning because she's human and he isn't. It sounds very romantic but these romance aspect is overshadowed by the overly complex dialogue and the side plots. Throughout the movie, the angels have no choice but to hear to the human's thoughts. It's understandable that the audience would have to listen to a few of those thoughts here and there but there's scenes that go on for what feels like forever of them just hearing their thoughts. What makes it even worse its that nothing came of those thoughts. They didn't help advance the plot in any way. They dialogue was also overly complex for the simplistic movie. It did nothing but make it more confusing. Though there was one quote that helped connect all of the characters and made the story a bit more interesting. It reads, "When the child was a child, it was the time of these questions. Why am I me, and why not you? Why am I here, and why not there? When did time begin, and where does space end? Isn't life under the sun just a dream? Isn't what I see, hear, and smell just the mirage of a world before the world? Does evil actually exist, and are there people who are really evil? How can I be that, who I am, wasn't before I was, and that sometime I, the one I am no longer will be the one I am?" This is said by a few people in the movie and shows that they're all questioning life and the world around the. They're questioning why they're in the positions that they are and what put them there. Regarding the acting, Bruno Ganz, Otto Sander, and Solveig Dommartin did and exceptional job. Otto Sander holds true to being the more serious angel while Bruno's Ganz's depiction of a man in love is accurate. Solveig Dommartin really embraces the role of being this carefree spirit and nails it with how relaxed she is. Overall, "Wings of Desire" comes in at a 7.5/10. If majority of the unnecessary side-plots scenes were cut and more attention was put into expanding on the main plot of the love story, the film would have been a lot better.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

6

sarahlillyOct 22, 2018

The movie Wings of Desire can either be a movie you enjoy or one you hate. Two angels walk around listening to human’s thoughts and feelings. I personally did not like most of it. Even though I did not like it, some parts of it were good. TheThe movie Wings of Desire can either be a movie you enjoy or one you hate. Two angels walk around listening to human’s thoughts and feelings. I personally did not like most of it. Even though I did not like it, some parts of it were good. The parts I did not like were with the scenes with the trapeze artist. Most of those scenes were longer than they needed to be and had unneeded dialogue. There was a lot of symbolism in this film and so you have to read between the lines. An example of the symbolism would be when the movie switches into color and then back into black and white. One of the parts that was good was when Damiel(Bruno Ganz) became a human. We see how he enjoys the taste of coffee and cigars, being able to see color and feel emotions. To us this is not a big deal, but to him it meant the world. He was not able to feel emotions as an angel or see color. This shows us that we should not take little things for granite because not everyone has them. Wings of Desire is really slow in the beginning and it is hard to understand the concept. If you do not pick up the fact that they are angels quick enough then you will be confused for part of the movie. Other than this I think the movie is pretty good.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

5

sammontryOct 28, 2018

“Wings of Desire” can be compared to a long road trip spent sitting in a car while a child repeatedly asks their parents “are we there yet?” It is a movie that has no direct plot line and full of evident symbols that are up for the viewers“Wings of Desire” can be compared to a long road trip spent sitting in a car while a child repeatedly asks their parents “are we there yet?” It is a movie that has no direct plot line and full of evident symbols that are up for the viewers interpretation. The film “Wings of Desire” directed by Wim Wenders was released in 1987.Set in 1980 West Berlin, angels Damiel played by Bruno Ganz and Cassiel played by Otto Sander wander through the streets peering into the minds of passing strangers. This movie’s storyline had very high potential at being interesting and entertaining but overall it was a let down. The scenes of the angels listening to people's thoughts has no significance to the movie, other than to simply relay the message that angels can hear what people are thinking. There is no clear answer to why Wenders filmed an hour and a half of thoughts that do not align, there is only assumption. Also, from the usual blockbuster movies we see, you are used to the plot being given to you, with a clear and evident storyline. The plot of Wings of Desire however is to be searched for and will not be found until the second half of the movie. A good thing was that the cinematography of this movie was beautifully shot. The library scene in fact is the most interesting use of cinematography within the entire movie. Intense choir music powered over the visuals of the scene and made so much emotion come through to the audience; It sent chills down your spine. Being such a quiet movie, the music plays a major role. Overall this movie is a 5 out of 10, the main factor in this is because nearly 50% of the movie does no service to the plot at all. Although the plot is rewarding this movie is not recommended to those who do not want to search for the meaning and who are impatient viewers.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

5

DylanWeaselOct 25, 2018

The film Wings of Desire, a foreign film made in 1987, takes an intriguing approach to the element of color and plot. It is directed by Wim Wenders, who is a German filmmaker. It is based in Berlin, which at the time was divided by the BerlinThe film Wings of Desire, a foreign film made in 1987, takes an intriguing approach to the element of color and plot. It is directed by Wim Wenders, who is a German filmmaker. It is based in Berlin, which at the time was divided by the Berlin Wall. Even with the high potential of the film, it was not executed properly. This is apparent due to the confusing plot and its overall appeal to a viewer. The film is quite drab and lacks cohesiveness which takes away from its potential of being a good movie. The film overall has a very eerie feel which can be a little unsettling at times due to the choice of music which some viewers might enjoy, while others may not. There are many different reasons for this review, including the amount of random camera scenes that are extremely dragged out and have no reason to be in the film. The plot is so hard to understand/follow that it may leave you wondering what is happening for the entire first half of the film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

7

HxkdOct 26, 2018

When you envision an angel what do you see? Possibly a god-like figure of perfection with wings and a halo. Well in Wim Wenders film “Wings of Desire”, the angels travel throughout the east and west side of Berlin witnessing events and at theWhen you envision an angel what do you see? Possibly a god-like figure of perfection with wings and a halo. Well in Wim Wenders film “Wings of Desire”, the angels travel throughout the east and west side of Berlin witnessing events and at the end of the day comparing notes with each other about what they saw. In the film “Wings of Desire” we come to follow two angels Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) during one of the harshest time in Berlin. They can dive deep into the thoughts of people like an old holocaust victim or to hear what an arealist Marion (Solveig Dommartin) is thinking when she is afraid of falling from a trapeze rope. As the storyline progresses at a relatively slow pace, Damiel falls in love with the arielest and spends night after night at the circus to watch her perform on the trapeze. The two angels then cross paths with a filmmaker named Peter Falk who plays himself in the film. The cinematography of the film has its pros and cons. Some of the pros are the way the camera moves over Berlin like you are an angel. The film also changes from black and white (to show the angels viewpoint) and changes to color (to show the human viewpoint). One thing that could have been fixed or changed is the incredible amount of time they spent panning on Marion at the circus. Wim Wenders could of had shorter scenes to progress the film better. The acting had to be one of the hardest things to do for this film because the angels Damiel and Cassiel could not really do much. All their acting consisted of is standing beside either the arealist Marion (Solveig Dommartin), or other civilians with a straight face and look like they are supporting them. The actors did a fantastic job with the strict limitations of acting that was required for the film except for one instance. When Damiel (as an angel) ends up meeting Peter Falk at the coffee stand in the middle of the night. The performance of Peter is almost hysterical because from the human viewpoint he is talking to nobody. I would not consider this the best film I have ever seen it is also not the worst. Wim Wenders was successful with the film in many ways and could have done better in other ways. In some parts like the encounter with Damiel (in angel form) with Peter Falk could have been acted a little better. Henri Alekan does a good job of keeping the human and angel viewpoints in the film separated with black and white along with color. The way the camera flew all over Berlin was a great subtle touch to put you into the angels perspective. In total, I would give this movie a seven out of ten.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

7

bmlange4Oct 27, 2018

A movie that was confusing, different (in a good way), and pretty well played. All of these topics come to mind when thinking about the film “Wings of Desire” directed by Wim Wenders in 1997. This film was a unique fantasy drama that had aA movie that was confusing, different (in a good way), and pretty well played. All of these topics come to mind when thinking about the film “Wings of Desire” directed by Wim Wenders in 1997. This film was a unique fantasy drama that had a very interesting feel to it. Throughout this movie, Damiel and Cassiel had to be pretty quiet and emotionless as angels. People couldn’t see them because they were angels. They would be in the skies of the city of Berlin watching over the great people in the city. The people’s feelings and thoughts would draw the angels closer. The angels would try helping the hopeless people by making them feel like they weren’t alone, which was actually true. The different colors of the backgrounds in this movie truly could confuse anyone. After figuring it out, the reason behind it was pretty interesting. The angels perspective created a black and white color background. The color switched to normal colors once the movie was in perspective of real life. There wasn’t much of a plot in this movie, which made it interesting. The angels would just go from person to person which made it a little random from time to time, but it wasn’t overwhelming. This movie was always keeping my attention. It might not be the go-to action movie, but it’s definitely an interesting and well played out movie. The ending with Damiel deciding to take a dip into a real perspective going out of his angel self was a big turning point. Seeing Damiel after that just made you into it and made you wonder. Some of the scenes drug on for a longer time than they needed. Some scenes were just way too long that didn’t need to be like that at all.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

ryanszyperOct 28, 2018

This 1988 foreign film directed by Wim Wenders gives a unique film experience. Unlike most films where a plot is explained and handed to you, “Wings of Desire” does not outright tell you what is happening. We discover the plot of the filmThis 1988 foreign film directed by Wim Wenders gives a unique film experience. Unlike most films where a plot is explained and handed to you, “Wings of Desire” does not outright tell you what is happening. We discover the plot of the film through dialogue and visual cues. The main story follows Damiel an angel who watches over the people of Berlin, Germany. Through playful camera work, that consists of hard cuts and sweeping tracking shots that switch depending who is on the screen, the movie takes us throughout the city as the angel listens to the thoughts of people. These internal monologues offer beautiful scenes where we see characters raw emotions while listening to their inner thoughts. The visual imagery ranges from angel wings, to color changes, and wardrobe design. The color of the movie switches from black and white to color. This gives us the visual representation on how the angels and humans perceive the world. In the opening shot we are greeted by Damiel perched on a roof and his wings are present for a second allowing us to see he is an angel. The costume design for the movie chose to portray the angels sporting trench coats with pony tails. Having them stand out for us to understand that they are different from the rest of the world. These are just a few examples of how the movie uses tools to carry the movie. This creativity makes this more of an experience that allow the viewers to come up with the answers and gives incentive to watch the movie more than once.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

8

jeffreyb1Oct 28, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Wings of Desire does not fit your image of what an angel is suppose to look like in your imagination. Damiel is a majestic angel that is one of the main characters of the movie. He is first seen looking over the city of Berlin in a black trench coat with a mullet. First seeing him with wings coming out of his back is shocking because angels portrayed in movies do not usual look like this. Damiel is looking down at this girl who is looking right back at him. No one else sees this angel besides this little girl in the street. It tells you something at the beginning of the movie of how a young kid can only see the angel. In the airplane where Damiel is walking a kid looks him in his face and he stops then smiles at her.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

4

Lynx36Oct 28, 2018

"Wings of Desire" main story revolves around two angels Damiel and Cassiel going aorund Berlin and being observers in everybody's lives. The movie has a good overall story, but it is presented poorly. There’s several scenes that seem to hang"Wings of Desire" main story revolves around two angels Damiel and Cassiel going aorund Berlin and being observers in everybody's lives. The movie has a good overall story, but it is presented poorly. There’s several scenes that seem to hang around for way too long and are scattered through the entire movie. The band performance by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was the worst offender of this. This scene was painfully long and serves no purpose.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

7

zachlarnhartOct 29, 2018

The dark inner thoughts of a human are brought to light in the 1987 film Wings of Desire. Berlin, Germany is blanketed with angels who can only see in dull colors of black and white. Their job is to provide indirect comfort to those who mayThe dark inner thoughts of a human are brought to light in the 1987 film Wings of Desire. Berlin, Germany is blanketed with angels who can only see in dull colors of black and white. Their job is to provide indirect comfort to those who may be in need of a little extra love and care. Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) sweep the city and observe how humans interact and form relations with one another all while providing their best wishes. The film begins with a very sporadic string of events. The first 20 minutes will be spent trying to figure out what the movie is about and what it will entail. Combining this and the lack of high quality special effects such as audio and transitions can mislead you into thinking this movie isn’t worth the bag of popcorn you just threw in the microwave. Patience and close attention is recommended throughout the entirety of the movie. You may find yourself dozing off, but be careful because you may miss an important detail amongst things that do not matter. The movie is made up of interpretations and wonder. The audience is trying to follow a plot that doesn’t necessarily exist which is what makes this film so unique and successful. Wim Wenders created a beautiful concept and makes it obvious that it is refreshing to view a movie that doesn’t follow any specific guidelines on how it is supposed to be watched.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

5

shaverrayOct 29, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Wings of Desire is a perfectly mediocre film. This movie is particular in its audience in that those who enjoy sophistication and deep thinking will very much enjoy it. However those who enjoy action and adrenaline boosting adventure, this film is not for you. Profound thought is involved because the angles in "Wings of Desire" are an enigma, they are depicted as pony tailed men with long trench coats and are not perfected as a stereotypical angel. Damiel specifically comes to conclusions that being human is better than being an angel, which is puzzling. He falls in love with a woman named Marion who is a trapeze artist. He is so mesmerized by her abilities that make her vulnerable and angel like that he wants to experience love. His interests to be a human are made evident at the beginning of the film when he is seated in a car with Cassiel. He explains how he wants to feel the wind and wants to be greeted, he is tired of hovering above people and living for eternity. Problems arise because there is no plot to the movie and often confusing on how and why certain events take place. Examples can be shown when they randomly switch to long segments of the angels hearing thought with no real correlation behind it. Almost as to fill in time for the movie. It also seems odd and peculiar of the angel being a perfect match for the trapeze artist, seemingly much older and with the way he approaches her at the bar it wouldn't seem practical for them to have such a strong bond. The dialogue in the film also has an uneasy presence due to it only being the angels to interact in the beginning and the cliche lines that are filtered through. For example at the end of the film the trapeze artist seems to have a whole fabricated line explaining her "lonely" situation; however, in the beginning of the film dialogue was very scarce, also her expression on wanting to be loved can be seen as cliche. The audience is also expecting more of an adventure and spectacle to the piece where Damiel becomes human. He stresses his desire to be a human and feel what a human feels; even though, we are shown bits of him enjoying mortality we don't sense the full aura of him feeling pain, suffering, or other spectrums of the human condition. It is understood that he has studied humanity since the beginning of time and can somewhat understand what it is like, but it isn't made clear if he truly is immersed in society. Since I enjoy movies that deal with thought as well as an action packed adventure I would rate this movie as a 5/10.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

2

MartinosMar 10, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The "twist" of angels being color-blind is not really as novel or deep as fans of the movie make it out to be and was even kind of predictable. The same can be said about many other aspects of the film and I found it unusually boring to watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

9

DawdlingPoetNov 20, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I wanted to see this after hearing one of my favourite films as a teenager, the 90s film City of Angels, was based on it. I'd never got around to seeing it until now. I have to say, there are similarities and also differences but overall I loved this film. It is quite an arty type film, its mostly in black and white (although there are brief moments in colour) which gives it a timeless and even somehow an ethereal feel, but that didn't bother me. Its a very thoughtful film - quite a deep and meaningful film and it somewhat (dialogue wise) talks in riddles but as I say I very much enjoyed it. Perhaps it'd be more accurate to say the dialogue is a bit poetic, rather than entirely consisting of riddles. It isn't a film likely to appeal to people just wanting to sit back and not have to go to any effort to try to follow and understand everything, I suppose.

I like the concept of angels being around, able to hear the internal thoughts of humans who have no idea of their existence and part of their purpose being to help people in their final moments. It may sound a bit grim, it is undoubtedly grim in parts but its the sort of optimism that the plot hints at, that I suppose I find so comforting and that appeals to me. I am quite a socially anxious person, in terms of face to face conversations and interactions and so there's something very uplifting and comforting in the concept of angels and aspects or themes covered in this film, so its safe to say that this film appeals to me a great deal.

The film is primarily in German, although there is some English but for those unfamiliar with the German language, there are (of course) English subtitles. This may put people off watching but it certainly didn't put me off and as I say both languages feature, although I'd say primarily German is spoken, moreso than English. I felt that the plot pace in this film was a fair bit slower than the plot pace in the 90s remake, City of Angels, although thats not necessarily a bad thing. Of course its up to you whether a slow plot pace especially bothers you or not, depending on how patient (or not) you are as a film viewer. I felt that the not especially clear plot direction made me consider for longer how different people felt, what they worried and wondered while the camera pans from person to person, with the English subtitles telling us their thoughts and concerns. This includes who I presume to be Nazi soldiers - this may cause issues with anyone who has been personally affected by the war, of course, so I suppose I felt I should mention this. There is also specific mentions of Jews as well. Thematically speaking it mostly concentrates on loneliness and isolation, I'd say (I did say its (if but partly) grim).

I would wholeheartedly recommend this film to anyone interested in it, although I say that while also wanting to make it clear that I realise some people won't necessarily enjoy it, for the language issue, the lack of clear and fast paced plot direction and perhaps the war and/or religious aspects/connotations. If those things don't bother you, then please see this - its well worth a watch!.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews