Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Wings of Desire- This is the kind of film idea that I love. A unique concept that allows the filmmaker the ability to create a beautiful story while also allowing the audience to see inside the minds of even the smallest characters. As it says in the film, they are more than extras. They are important. They are extra human. It's almost a complete and utter masterpiece up until it reaches the end, because then it keeps going. The film chooses to go on for so long that when it finally gets to that "To Be Continued." at the end (it has a sequel), you kind of ask "Why?". There's a very long and kind of confusing monologue at the end that while it is talented, it really just grows boring. It's like that bit in 'Brief Interviews with Hideous Men' where John Krasinski does the same thing for 10 minutes. It's too much. It's just not very believable unless in a theatrical setting. Director Wim Wenders could have easily had actors Bruno Ganz and Solveig Dommartin have a friendly conversation. It would have made way more sense than a Dommartin's odd poetic profession of love at their first meeting. On a final note, Peter Falk is pure magic in this movie, both interesting and memorable. I will definitely give the sequel a go when I get the chance, if only to see him do that "as himself" character again.



- Jeff Bassin