Necoeddy I just wanted to express how much I enjoyed this film. I watched the almost 5 hour directors cut of this film for the first time on August 2017. I enjoyed the film so much that I lost track of time and was totally surprised that 280 min. had passed (4 hrs 40 min). I had never heard of Director Wim Wenders and I must say that I am now a fan. I am looking forward to viewing more of his films! For those of you that have read bad reviews for this film, ignore them. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. Great Music, Characters, Acting and Story. Definitely one of my new favorites!

Art Vandelay How did William Hurt's gas pain ever get cast in movies? The female lead must be related to Wenders b/c she can't act, either. Sam Neill walks around in a daze and his narration is a sure sign of a failed movie. There is interesting photography here but barely a trace of a plot. It's fitting that a movie so pretentious, bloated and dull would feature a soundtrack that includes U2, R.E.M. and Depeche Mode, among others. Credit where it's due - whatsername takes her clothes off just often enough to keep things interesting. If I had paid money to see this in a theatre I would never again pay to see another Wenders movie and I'd make it my goal on social media to convince others to follow my lead. He makes Terrence Malick look like Tony Scott by comparison. I am shocked anyone would give this git five bucks to film a movie. He doesn't have a clue.

RichardBruceClay This is my favourite film but it will not be to everyone's taste. The mix of whimsy and melancholy will puzzle some, who may ask how seriously they are meant to take it? Its length and occasional problems with continuity will put others off. Added to this, what is intended to be the central romantic relationship never quite convinces. But the film as a whole is redeemed by its sheer ambition and, most importantly, the humanity and the generosity of its vision.It's 1999 - that's seven years into the future - and the world is threatened by an orbiting satellite that carries a powerful nuclear device. Meanwhile, Henry Farber has stolen a camera of his own invention from the American government, not trusting the uses to which they might put it. He sends his son, Sam, around the world, collecting images with this device. These images are to be electronically projected into the brain of Henry's blind wife, Edith. On his travels, Sam picks up a stalker, Claire Tourneur, who is on the rebound from a broken relationship with the writer, Gene FitzPatrick. Sam collects images for his mother. Claire chases Sam. Gene chases Claire. The investigator, Philip Winter, who appeared in Wenders' previous film, 'Alice in the Cities,' chases all of them. Eventually, everyone ends up at Henry's lab in the Australian outback, the satellite having exploded and, with all communication cut off, no-one being sure whether the world is still alive. Here, the precious images are projected into Edith's head and, in the single most moving scene in any film (IMHO), she sees a picture of her San Francisco dwelling daughter Elsa, for the first time, but with no idea whether Elsa herself is still alive.And there's more to it than that. Much more.As Sam, William Hurt delivers a convincing and sympathetic performance throughout. Sam Neill is likable as Gene. Rudiger Vogler as Winter is stratospherically cool. Max von Sydow, as Henry, is intensely flawed yet utterly sympathetic and, appearing on screen only about half way through, comes close to making the second half of the movie his own. Jeanne Moreau as Edith is, at some points, heartbreakingly moving. Special mention must go to Solveig Dommartin, who played Claire and who conceived some of the story. It was clearly a labour of love for her - for example, finding that they couldn't film in China, she snuck in with a video camera and taped a few lo-fi sequences single-handed. The film's lack of immediate success must have upset her deeply, and her premature death has robbed her of the chance to witness the recognition that this lovely, warm-hearted story is, little by little, beginning to get, now that the four-hour version is available on DVD. Not to everyone's taste then, but those of us who like it, love it.

sam samsa00 after great movies like Wings of Desire and Goalkeeper's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick, for instance, Wenders decided to TRASH his whole reputation with a god-awful, cornball, cheesy, Sprockets, ridiculous (f)artsy nonsense.The dramatic premise of a satellite threatening the world is upended by a ridiculously implausible and synthetic scenario. Nothing in this movie feels real or possible, and the Euro-trash clichés, effete noir ideas, and absurd storyline makes it a risible piece of bad art.It feels like a very long bad 1980s music video for Madonna or Dick Tracy movie, with Euro-Sprockets coming at you from every direction.Only the music is good.