As the success of The Sandman on Prime Video demonstrates, there is still an appetite among viewers for stories about angels, demons, and supernatural beings. Of course, this phenomenon is not new. There have been several notable movies over the years which have featured angels in a prominent role.
While some have been either bad or forgettable, there are a surprisingly large number that have managed to leave quite an impression on viewers, and so it is worth taking a look in particular at the ones that have earned the love of the users of Reddit.
A Dark Song (2016)
Stream On AMC
There’s much to enjoy about A Dark Song, which focuses on a woman’s attempts to establish contact with her guardian angel, in the hopes the angel can in turn contact her late son. It is a brooding, dark, atmospheric movie, one that is just as much about the lead-up as it is about the revelation of the angel.
JakeTwo91 has this to say: “There’s an angel in the movie A Dark Song. It doesn’t have much screen time, but it’s kind of the central point of the whole movie. Very interesting design on it.” It is, indeed, a fascinating look at grief and the nature of the angelic.
Wings Of Desire (1987)
Stream On HBO Max
Though many are no doubt familiar with City of Angels, few Americans might know that it is based on a German movie, Wings of Desire, which focuses on a group of angels who inhabit Berlin, lending comfort to the human inhabitants of the city.
That is, until one of them gives up his mortality, with the result that he has to do some intense searching for his soul and whether it was worth it to experience life as a human. It is a beautifully shot and philosophically evocative movie. Small wonder, then, that beaverteeth92 states: “Wings of Desire is a masterpiece that I can’t recommend watching enough.”
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
Stream On Prime Video
In many ways, It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the best and most beloved of Christmas movies, focusing as it does on a man who, after he is visited by an angel, realizes how worse off the world would be had he never been born. It features strong performances from James Stewart, and its message about America is full of optimism.
An_ordinary_platypus was surprised no one mentioned it, writing, “No one said It’s A Wonderful Life yet?” Indeed, this is surprising, given that the fledgling angel Clarence, who leads Stewart’s George Bailey on his voyage of discovery, is disarmingly charming and seemingly innocent.
Fallen (1998)
Stream On Starz
Denzel Washington has been in many great movies, and he lends his considerable talents to the movie Fallen, in which he plays a detective investigating a series of murders. It turns out that a fallen angel is responsible, and the beauty of the movie is that it demonstrates the power the being has to inhabit the bodies of its human hosts.
Though the critics disliked it, it has become a cult classic, with murphmeister75 calling it a “classic.” It’s the type of movie that shows just how ominous and terrifying fallen angels can be.
Almost An Angel (1990)
Stream On Apple TV+
Though some of the best angel movies tend to be dramas, there are also a surprising number of comedies starring these celestial beings. Take, for example, the movie Almost An Angel, which Reddit user SenorPuddin calls “Paul Hogan’s best non-Dundee role.” It focuses on Hogan’s character Terry Dean who, after a near-death experience, is recruited by God to be his angel-in-training. Though the plot elements might be a bit predictable, there is still a warmth and kindness to the movie that makes it worth watching.
What’s more, there is no denying Paul Hogan’s irresistible charm and charisma.
Dogma (1999)
Not Available To Stream
There are few angel movies like Dogma, which is a widely regarded movie directed by Kevin Smith. It focuses on two fallen angels (played by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon), whose scheme to re-enter Heaven threatens to undo all of reality. It is a searing indictment of organized religion, but it is also filled with Kevin Smith’s unique sense of humor as a filmmaker.
There’s also no denying that both Affleck and Damon are in fine form and that they each bring out the best in the other. Unorthodoxfox states simply: “Dogma is a great movie.”
Meet Joe Black (1998)
Stream On Starz
The 1990s was a particularly strong decade for Brad Pitt’s movie career, and he managed to elevate almost every movie in which he appeared. In this case, he plays Death itself, an angelic figure which inhabits the body of a young man who is killed in a car accident.
Though the movie is built around him, there’s also no question that it’s Anthony Hopkins’ Bill Parrish who gives the most emotionally resonant performance. DancingOnACounter seems more than a bit befuddled as to why no one has mentioned it yet, writing; “How about Meet Joe Black?”, suggesting the extent to which the movie still has its fans.
Bedazzled (2000)
Stream On Apple TV+
Both Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley have been in many great movies, and both of them turn in fine (if broad) comedic performances in Bedazzled, a comedic retelling of the legend of Faust. Something is endearing and charming about this movie, in no small part due to the chemistry between Fraser and Hurley, neither of whom take each other terribly seriously.
Ewiethoff has this to say: “My beau and I love love love the remake of Bedazzled with Brendan Fraser and Elizabeth Hurley.” Even though contemporary critics may not have loved it, it clearly left an impression with many viewers.
City Of Angels (1998)
Not Available For Streaming
City of Angels is a remarkable movie, featuring strong performances from both Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan, who play an angel and the mortal woman he falls in love with, respectively. There’s undeniable chemistry between the two leads, and the movie manages to bring out an emotional richness from its screenplay.
What’s more, it also features a truly stupendous soundtrack, with the Goo Goo Dolls “Iris,” a power ballad for the ages. Mudgts says simply: “I enjoyed it.” It is certainly a movie about angels that manages to survive the test of time.
Angels In The Outfield (1994)
Not Available To Stream
Disney was known for producing a number of beloved movies in the 1990s, one of the best of which is Angels in the Outfield. Focusing on a boy who prays for divine intervention to help a baseball team win so that his family can get back together, it manages to overcome the limitations of its concept to become a warm, heartfelt, and very funny movie that could only have been made in the 1990s.
It also features some very strong performances from some great acting talents of the age, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Danny Glover, Christopher Lloyd, and Tony Danza. Njdevils901 identifies it as one of their recommendations.
