 ""Every Passing Minute is Another Chance to Turn it All Around"" | 2009-09-13 |
| - Reviewed By scottepurcell |
VANILLA SKY is a polarizing film because it is a mainstream-Hollywood/avant-garde-art-house hybrid.
Mainstream moviegoers were largely disoriented and repulsed when Tom Cruise's latest romantic comedy blockbuster turned out to be a mind-twisting SF nightmare.
On the flip side, film-hipsters had trouble wrapping their heads around the fact that their friends-with-taste-in-movies were actually insisting that they see this incredible (but hard to describe) movie by the director of JERRY MAGUIRE. Huh??
So the lesson here? Hollywood zombies and film-snots lost out big-time because their minds and eyes were closed. Meanwhile, open-minded filmgoers around the world were treated to one of the single most surprising, affecting, and memorable movies of all time.
No hyperbole.
So, my advice to mainstream moviegoers: Go into this one knowing that it is not (just) a romantic comedy starring Tom Cruise and yet another set of (extremely) pretty faces. Expect the unexpected, take in what you can, and enjoy the ride.
Filmsnobs? Listen to your friends. Being snobs, you probably don't have many, but at least the ones you have exhibit good taste in movies.
It's something like ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND meets MULHOLLAND DR., meets eXistenZ meets DONNIE DARKO meets, well, JERRY MAGUIRE.
Um...
But what I like best about VANILLA SKY is the way it is simultaneously - and successfully - a Hollywood/anti-Hollywood film. The story exhalts our childish dreams of endless life, perfect beauty, and eternal love, even as it pounds home the ultimate futility of these grand delusions. It shows us the mindblowing beauty of living in our own perfect - and perfectly infantile - dreamworld, even as it reveals the wisdom and humanity in trading in our dreamworlds to experience the one and only real thing.
Fianlly, VANILLA SKY asks David Ames (played by Cruise) and us, his esteemed panel of observers, the ultimate question: "What is happiness to you?" I have to say that Ames' answer was something quite similar to what my own would be. And if a panel of all-seeing observers out there could ask you the same question, and read your mind for the answer, they'd probably find you answered the same basic way Dave and I did. Just guessing.
In short, this film gives you an staggering amount to feel, think, see, and talk about with your loved ones and friends (friendless films-nobs can even type about it on their blogs).
Haven't seen it yet yourself? Well, every passing minute is another chance... |
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 "I just don't see it..." | 2009-09-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: AXQ3CSALNADY9 |
After reading the comparisons here in the reviews between the two movies "Vanilla Sky" and "Abre Los Ojos," I thought I'd see what the fuss was about from those suggesting/arguing that the latter was so much greater than the other. Perhaps opinion in this, as with most everyhting, will inevitably depend upon the person giving it, but still, I don't agree with this sentiment at all.
Sure, there are some idiosyncrosies in Crowe's style, but all in all, Vanilla Sky came across as a much more well pieced together story than Ojos, from character development (including Cruz's), scripting, the matter of piecing together the bits and pieces that comprise the timeline of the movie, and in the acting (I particularly felt Cruise did much better than his counterpart). I believe the real selling point for myself in choosing VS over Ojos is simply that it goes more deeply into the themes carrying the story to its closing, ie, some of the observations of the manner in how the actions/attitudes we carry on in our day to day lives can be so affecting (ironic, however, that Cruise's involvement with Cruz while creating this film led to the dissolution of his marriage).
It's just a pretty darn good flick. In my opinion. |
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| "Abre los Ojos" | 2009-07-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2R8D3KJQ0LZC2 |
| Clearly, this movie isn't for everyone. As many people love it as hate it. But I think it's amazing. It's a great love story that seems to defy genre classification. To me it's more than a rent and I'm glad to own it, but I'd recommend anyone who hasn't seen it to rent it first; you may hate it. |
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| "It's an amazing movie!! And maybe just what you've always hoped to see." | 2009-07-03 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1UML8T7W3KW15 |
I've loved Vanilla Sky since the first time I saw it. I instantly fell in love with it, so I'm definitely part of the "love it" camp. I'm not going to go too much into the details of the plot in this review as 788 people have said probably all that could be. I must caution potential viewers to please NOT allow your opinion of Tom Cruise to affect your opinion of this movie. He plays this role quite well and convincingly, as the David Ames character he plays might not be so different from the real Tom Cruise. Life immitating art, art immitating life...blah, blah, blah..
In short, it's a great film on many levels. It's a thriller, it's a drama, it makes you think. The ending is sad yet hopeful. As everyone has said, you'll probably either love and appreciate this film, or find it nothing but senseless junk. I definitely think this movie is a classic, that may be appreciated in a greater sense somewhere down the line. Right now, Tom Cruise's personal life overshadows how great this moview actually is. |
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| "A really weird film" | 2009-06-29 |
| - Reviewed By User: A167W33DXLCQOR |
Vanilla Sky
A really nice romp into the world of the mind. It gives you alot to think about when it's over.One of Tom Cruise's best performances not to mention Ms'Cruz's beauty.They are electric on screen together. |
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 "Chocolate Rain" | 2009-06-20 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3EBHHCZO6V2A4 |
"Vanilla Sky" is a quirky sci-fi thriller starring Tom Cruise, in his saner, handsomer days. Cruise stars as a gazillionaire torn between his psycho ex-girlfriend (Cameron Diaz) and the beautiful Sofia (Cruise's then-girlfriend, Penelope Cruz) Sofia also happens to be the girlfriend of his writer friend (Jason Lee) Diaz ends up driving Cruise crazy--literally. She dies in the crash;he ends up disfigured (he looks like he was in a bad brawl,not the Elephant Man) He gets locked up, with psychotherapist Kurt Russell. In the meantime,he finds out about cryonics from the icily beautiful Tilda Swinton (now the White Witch in the Disney Narnia movies)
"Vanilla Sky" brings up interesting issues of reality, fantasy, whether it was all a dream. Former Rolling Stone intern Cameron Crowe brings in the Beach Boys, Bjork, and Bob Dylan--as if it were all a pop culture in-joke. The head of Life Extension looks eerily like the diminutive leader of Scientology,with his promises of immortality, eternal youth, and lucid dreaming.
"Vanilla Sky" is an interesting bad movie. Cruise is quite credible as the shallow playboy. Russell is convincing as a therapist,being quite paternal with his nerd glasses (this same Russell was the Marine in "Stargate") "Vanilla Sky" will open your eyes! |
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