10 Movies About Death You Need To See Before You Die

2. A Matter Of Life And Death

A Matter Of Life And Death, or as it's known in the United States, Stairway To Heaven, is about a pilot in the midst of World War II, about to crash land, but before he does, he speaks to a female operator and they share a connection in a very short amount of time. There's no way that he can survive this crash - except he does, because apparently, wires got crossed between heaven and earth, and he was somehow left alive. It might be called a miracle, except that heaven feels the need to have this error corrected, and our pilot is granted a hearing in which he can explain why he should be left alive. It's a really clever story, which brings all these ideas of bureaucracy and red tape into something that is generally considered immensely spiritual. Where the film really succeeds, however, is in creating an intricate world with its own laws and customs that feel as though they actually exist. Somewhat sentimentally, the pilot's counsel argues that since he has fallen in love, his earthly commitments should take precedent over heaven's claim to him, as he was left alive through no fault of his own. As the court scene takes place while the pilot is receiving brain surgery, however, we're left to wonder if it ever actually happened, or if it was just in his head.