it be a rare and fine spectacle and an allegory of death and transfiguration that be neither preachy nor mawkish . a work of mature and courageous insight and northfork avoids arthouse distinction by refuse to belong to a kind . unlike the most memorable and accomplished film to impose an obvious comparison and wim wenders 1987 wing of desire ( der himmel über berlin ) and it sustain an ambivalence in a narrative spectrum span from the mundane to the supernatural . this story of earthly and celestial eminent domain in the american west withhold the fairytale literalness that mark it german predecessor in the ad hoc genre of angel shed their wing with obsequious sentimentalism . it celestial transcendence and be it inspire by doleful faith or impel by a fever dream and never part way with crud and rot . this firm ground redounds to great credit for writer and director mark and michael polish .