disgusting, overrated, pointless

Charming and brutal

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

There is a predominantly existentialist theme at the core of "Wings of Desire", and it definitely will appeal to those conflicted in their search for meaning in an absurd world. I went through such a period during my college years and into my Twenties. However there comes a time when one has to face reality and deal with life as it is or one succumbs to a futile existence of melancholy. Such seemed to be the case not only with the many humans observed by the Angel Damiel (Bruno Ganz), but also Damiel himself. As an angel, Damiel and his cohorts spent an eternity observing the human condition, with virtually no appreciation of the joy and freedom life offers. Honestly, this got to be tedious for me after a while, there's only so much pessimistic sentiment I allow myself before getting my mind back on track, and that doesn't take very long now. I did like however that a favorite hangout for the angels seemed to be a public library, a repository if you will of earthly knowledge, though attaining knowledge didn't seem to be necessary for those like Damiel and his close compatriot Cassiel (Otto Sander). It appeared that they were confidently aware of history and the Earthly world around them. It was reassuring that while observing, they did not presume to interfere, if even they could have done so. What was irritating to me however was how so many people who's thoughts were revealed felt that their personal situations trapped them in quiet desperation. As if they didn't have a choice, but they did, and choosing not to do something is in itself a choice. The appearance of Peter Falk in the picture, oddly enough portraying himself, was somewhat of a nice distraction from the overall tone of the picture. Admittedly typecast in his career as detective Colombo, it was humorous to see some young men in the street refer to him by that name, qualifying the idea that it couldn't be him because of the shabby trench coat. Additionally, the momentary sequences that drifted into color during the story were well placed and timely, adding an element of hope to an otherwise solemn and brooding aspect of the story. My main point I guess is that one can question existence about 'Why am I here?' without going overboard, as there comes a point when deciding takes precedence over destiny. With that realization, one can live in the now instead of agonizing over an infinity of choices.

"Wings of Desire" from renowned German director Wim Wenders is remarkable in numerous ways:  deeply-introspective but never pretentious, touching on myriad human foibles & tragedies both personal and historical in scope. Observed from the vantage point of two inquisitive + empathic Angels commiserating (from above) with the sad lot and unrealized dreams of mere mortals.Paired with genuine sympathy the Angels are oftentimes simultaneously perplexed and intrigued by the precariously unpredictable & arbitrary fates endured by relentlessly beleaguered inhabitants of material-Earth (ie. We hapless humans).  A particular Angel named 'Damiel' (peerlessly portrayed by gifted Swiss actor Bruno Ganz) seems to take a special interest in we mortal beings. Damiel is no longer satisfied simply viewing human existence from afar, he comes to desire much more direct and tangible interactions = sharing humanity's sad plight and perhaps even hoping to experience + reveal/unravel just a few of the mysteries of 'Love' in the process?"Wings of Desire" is like no other film I have seen before or since as Wim Wenders along with Austrian playwright Peter Handke take us along side-by-side with the inquisitive Angels constantly observing, listening in, commiserating and commenting on the mysteries + paradoxes of death, peace, love, loneliness........ almost 'stream-of consciousness' at times, shifting from person-to-person, scene-to-scene but it somehow all makes more than a bit of sense and the myriad of rapid emotional-shifts from dark to light on to multi-gradients of gray, feel like natural progressions in the Life of an observant angel...... or everyday mortal human being.There is much more to this film's Story which devotes time to 3 specific characters the Angels cannot help but take special-interest in:  Trapeze Artist 'Marion' portrayed by delicately-beautiful Solveig Dommartin, who appears forlorn & bereft but possesses a mind abundant with profoundly deep insights and vivid dreams .....  'Homer' the aged (and ageless) poet who poignantly longs to write an 'Epic of Peace' that always seems far out of reach. Homer also carries the burden & eternal obligation to 'observe, record' (and internalize) humanity's relentless trials & tragedies as his Life's purpose..... Peter Falk even appears (as himself) illustrating 'extras' in his sketch-book while trying to develop a film ruminating on the Holocaust.    "Wings of Desire" is most certainly a unique and rewarding viewing experience.  While no movie could ever completely answer the mysteries of existence....... or fully unravel the meaning of Life plus added significance of Love, I was still surprised how deeply and authentically inquisitive (and even compassionate) this film is particularly within the conversations (and monologues) expressed in the last 20 minutes or so that actually raise questions and draw quite enlightening & heartfelt insights that feel genuine and not pretentious in any way.Note:  director Wim Wenders lensed most of this film in atmospheric B&W, with some historically-poignant scenes filmed near the Berlin Wall .....still-standing circa1986-1987 when this film was made.

The simple idea of mixing poetry, existentialism and romance with unearthly beings it has proved as success. It is filmed in black and white by Wim Wenders which is one of my favorite directors.We can see the angels watching us from above...how they act and what they say, it makes us wonder about the meaning of our lives. Sometimes we ask for others opinion, but what better point of view than an angel 's. From above everything loses meaning, everything is diminished.The love story is pure and beauty, and it does not look like anything we are used to.9/10

In West Berlin, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander) are angels who wonder the world observing and providing comfort. Damiel wants to be more human. He starts to fall for trapeze artist Marion (Solveig Dommartin) at a rundown circus. There is also the elderly Homer who recalls the Berlin of old. Another is Peter Falk who is shooting a film taking place in the Nazi past but he's also hiding a secret from his own past.The best way to describe this is a German meditation. It's digging into the Nazi past in an artistic way. I personally don't see anything compelling about that. It is so slow and Damiel is so passive. It infuriated me more than appealed to me. Of course, everybody in the world loves it but all the inner monologues and the unemotional acting bored me.