The film starts out building on the original film “The Prophecy” right away, as Gabriel (played excellently again by Christopher Walken) is cast out of Hell by Lucifer (not Viggo Mortensen this time around). So now Gabriel sets out to find another way to seal the Gates of Heaven from humans which means he must stop one of the good angels from mating with a human woman (Jennifer Beals) before it’s too late.

The universe of `The Prophecy’ films expands further in this one as during the course of the movie Gabriel encounters many new angels, including the Archangel Michael (Eric Roberts making a cameo), and a reinterpretation of a modern day Eden for fallen angels that are loyal to God to dwell in while fighting the war.

A great sequel to one of the best religious/sci-fi thrillers made. Top-notch acting and great storytelling makes this movie worth watching and sets up the 3rd film very nicely. Also, as a side note watch for an appearance by a not-so well known Brittany Murphy playing a goth chick who is forced into helping Gabriel.

Cast

• Christopher Walken as Gabriel
• Russell Wong as Danyael
• Jennifer Beals as Valerie Rosales
• Brittany Murphy as Isabelle “Izzy”
• Eric Roberts as Michael
• Glenn Danzig as Samayel
• Steve Hytner as Joseph
• Bruce Abbott as Thomas Daggett
• J.G. Hertzler as Father William
• Michael Raimi as Danyael Jr.

What he doesn’t expect is to fall in love with her. Maggie too, is smitten with him, but is frustrated by their distance, and that she truly doesn’t know him. The more she learns about him, the more she pushes away from him. Seth realizes he has a choice, between living as a human or staying immortal. When he does take the plunge, he finds her and their love story begins.

Ryan and Cage convincingly play soulmates, but by the time they find each other and can be together, is very short lived, and near the end of the movie. It made the movie all that more sad, but I think the underlying theme is that time is so precious and shouldn’t be taken for granted. The movie was very well made, I was slightly disapointed that their happiness together was very short lived. Ultimately, it was well worth watching and I would reccomend it.

Nothing that happens in this movie could really happen the way it does; and that’s the point. I’m convinced that the reason most of the critics trashed this movie is they didn’t quite get the surrealism involved here. Notice that even the setting of the movie is removed from anything overly familiar.

The action doesn’t start in New York City and move to upstate New York. It all takes place in Utah. The audience is not bombarded with familiar products. I have no idea what kind of gas the characters put in their car–we are not shown a looming sign at the gas station with a big name gas company emblazoned on it. When Robert (Ewan McGregor) unpacks groceries there are no soda cans or potato chip bags positioned just right so that the audience can read them. Even when we are given a specifics about place, they are generic. “Al’s Bar,” for example. All of these things help create this surreal, dream-like feel to the movie.

Don’t listen to the critics. In fact, never listen to the critics. Make up your own mind. In my opinion, this is a great movie. But don’t listen to me either. Just see it.

Remake or no, this is a wonderful family movie–it inspires, teaches, uplifts and entertains with quality performaces of all involved.

Cast

• Denzel Washington     Dudley
• Whitney Houston     Julia Biggs
• Courtney B. Vance     Reverend Henry Biggs
• Gregory Hines     Joe Hamilton
• Jenifer Lewis     Margueritte Coleman
• Loretta Devine     Beverly
• Justin Pierre Edmund     Jeremiah Biggs
• Lionel Richie     Bristole
• Paul Bates     Saul Jefferys
• Lex Monson     Osbert
• Darvel Davis, Jr.     Hakim

What they meet does not meet their expectations either. They see a guy who is a beer guzzling lazy slob. The only angelic thing about him is that he does have a large pair of wings. As far as anyone can tell, they are genuine. That means, angel or not, there is a scoop to be had for the tabloid. All they have to do is get the winged man safely back to HQ for photos.

As they make their way across the country, some very odd things happen. One would almost call them miracles. In time, the reporters begin to believe that they are traveling with a real angel.

They are and the angel has something on his agenda besides posing for a few pictures. In fact he has several things on his agenda and nothing is going to stop him from getting them done. That will not stop him from have as good a time as possible along the way, however. And wings seem to really be chick magnets.

This is a fun comedy. It is much better than my low expectations led me to believe it would be. It was fun and inlightening.

Cast

• John Travolta – Michael
• Andie MacDowell – Dorothy Winters
• William Hurt – Frank Quinlan
• Bob Hoskins – Vartan Malt
• Robert Pastorelli – Huey Driscoll
• Jean Stapleton – Pansy Milbank
• Teri Garr – Judge Esther Newberg
• Wallace Langham – Bruce Craddock
• Joey Lauren Adams – Anita, Brown’s Waitress

But, experienced as they are in laying waste to whole nations, they lack man’s capacity for true evil and need to find the darkest human soul to show them the way to win. Viggo Mortensen’s Lucifer isn’t too keen on the situation, fearing a victory for Gabriel’s side will result in Heaven becoming another Hell – and two Hells is one Hell too many for him. Stuck in the middle is Elias Koteas’ priest-turned-cop, who lost his faith not because Heaven showed him too little but because it showed him too much.

The similarities to writer-director Gregory Widen’s Highlander screenplay are apparent, although this boasts a much lower budget but infinitely superior direction, a good visual sense and some great locations. Much of the film’s strength is in its ideas and its dialogue: the plotting is at times perfunctory, Virginia Madsen’s schoolteacher takes little convincing of the Angelic threat and Walken probably has a little TOO much fun as Gabe, whether letting schoolchildren blow his horn or gleefully explaining “I’m an angel.I kill firstborns while their mamas watch. I turn cities into salt. I even, when I feel like it, rip the souls from little girls, and from now till kingdom come, the only thing you can count on in your existence is never understanding why.” The ending too is more than a little awkward. But the good points outweigh the bad.

Both Roger and JP are foster-children of Maggie. Soon after one of the children in the foster home has been adopted, Roger goes for a custody hearing. There he discovers his own dad does not want him. Roger is given to the state of California for custody. Roger’s hearing takes place on the day of a crucial game. He can not make it and without his help the Angels lose. Nonetheless, the Angels made it to the World Series. Knox is worried since he lost the previous game whether or not his team can win. It turns out Roger meets the head angel-in-the-outfield who lets him in on a secret, Mel Clark, the pitcher has cancer and only 6 months left to live, however he does not know it yet. It turns out that the Angels playing in the World Series are not permitted to receive help from the angels-in-the-outfield. The ball players must win this one on their own power …

Needless to say, one can guess the ending … However, the plot thickens, as the announcer of the ball game suspects some trick in the Angels winning streak. He tells the newspapers that the manager believes their winning streak is due to divine intervention, in the form of angels. Due to this revelation, the owner of the team wants to fire the manager. Just when Knox intends to announce his resignation at a news conference, there is an unexpected turn of events. The ball players stick together and each stands up declaring, if the manager leaves so will they. The team goes on to win the World Series and the foster children reeive a big surprise, too. They are adopted by an unlikely “father”. This story will touch the heart of children and adults alike. It is a “feel good” story filled with poignant moments and heart-warming results.

Cast

• Danny Glover as George Knox
• Brenda Fricker as Maggie Nelson
• Tony Danza as Mel Clark
• Christopher Lloyd as Al the Boss Angel
• Ben Johnson as Hank Murphy
• Jay O. Sanders as Ranch Wilder
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Roger Bomman
• Milton Davis Jr. as J.P.
• Taylor Negron as David Montagne
• Tony Longo as Triscuitt Messmer
• Neal McDonough as Whitt Bass
• Stoney Jackson as Ray Mitchell
• Adrien Brody as Danny Hemmerling
• Tim Conlon as Wally
• Albert Garcia as Pablo Garcia
• Matthew McConaughey as Ben Williams
• Dermot Mulroney as Mr. Bomman (Roger’s Dad)
• Robert Clohessy as Frank Gates

It cruises along the border of body and mind, and follows the two intellectual angels that have been tackled with the dillema of reality versus eternity.

The film is lengthy and at times moves slow, but offers many interesting and thoughtfull moments, and it generally provokes many thoughts long after the movie’s end. A must for Wenders fans. Since a sequel has already been made to WoD, perhaps master director Wenders can cook yet another chapter in the story, but one that captures the essence of Wings of Desire.

This time around he plays Terry Dean, an expert on security systems who was so good his criminal endeavors were easily recognizable who also took a turn at some creative attempts at bank robbery. The real story begins when Terry gets out of prison and becomes convinced that he has not only died but has been sent back to Earth by a heavenly being (who sure sounds and looks like Charlton Heston) with a chance to redeem himself. Since Hogan clearly believes this is what is going along, there is no reason for us not to go along for the ride.

Terry meets up with Steve (Elias Koteas), a guy in a wheelchair and the next thing we know he is being taken home, meeting Steve’s sister Rose (Kozlowski), and helping out at the center for the neighborhood kids. The formula is fairly obvious, but the point is not whether Terry is going to find his redemption but how he is going to pull it off. Ultimately the film’s message (yes, there actually is one) is relatively simple: Terry succeeds because he has complete faith in himself. It does not matter that his faith is without a true foundation, because Terry is too busy moving mountains to notice his grand delusion is built on shifting sand.

Once again, Hogan’s performance redeems a lot of the faults with the movie in which he is appearing. Since Hogan writes his own scripts he has the advantage of knowing exactly what works for his screen persona. Terry Dean is not as whimsical as Mick Dundee, but Hogan was clearly smart enough to try and get beyond that character. He was also smart to make a more intimate sort of movie, where the situation is what is out there more than the character. Hogan also knows how to set up his gags pretty well. “Almost an Angel” only made a fraction of the money by either of the “Crocodile Dundee” films, but it is arguably a better made movie.