Rating: 
Summary: The Projectionist¿s Nightmare
Review: You hear voices, whispering, then fading away. "Abre los ojos ,"(open your eyes) they murmur. You obey. You are awake. You are on the floor, disturbed. The floor, you say, is "the only thing that is real". An expressionless mask is on your face. Under it are scars so grotesque that no amount of bravery, courage or the stuff they write novels about will keep your suicidal impulses away. Across the spacious room, is a kindly looking bespectacled man, he reminds you of another, your father. But he tells you he's the prison psychiatrist, and he's here to question you. For you, every rational piece of evidence available affirms, have strangled and murdered your beloved. Confession No.1: you, Cesar, were a rich bachelor living the highlife in Madrid. Never see a woman more than once, that would ruin the playboy reputation. Your friend, skinny, and less successful then you are complements you; "you have recipe for Coca Cola," he jokes. And you do. The next day, at your modern, luxury flat, that friend brings Sophia along, and you get that "stupid feeling", love. You, cruelly but inevitably steal her from you friend. She is an actress. "Aren't you ashamed", you ask her, "being an actress. A fake?" The next morning you see an incensed woman from your past. She offers you a ride. You accept. Crash and burn. The left side of your face is open flesh, the right is a rumpled mass of matter. You are a beast. You dream of Sophia, in the park, with your face intact. You see Sophia in the park. She can't get herself to look at you. It is raining. The pain is unbearable. "I dreamt of this", you tell her, "but in my dream something was different. It wasn't raining." Confession No.2: Money cannot work miracles. Doctors can't either. But doctors with money can. There is a light at the end of your nightmare, a surgery. Life can be bearable. Your friend has accepted Sophia and you. The friendship you share is more important than any woman. The accident is behind you. You go home to your dream girl, and you are back in your own private nightmare. Confused? You are in Alejandro Amenbar's 1997 thriller/drama, which some misguided critics seem to think it is a science-fiction film. It may well be. A more appropriate interpretation would be a portrait of crippling insanity. The distinction is never made. It's three story lines first run parallel, then intersect. The result is one of the most disorienting films ever made. I remember seeing it a month ago and being arrested by its demanding plot and haunting imagery. I saw it again tonight, and discovered something more. The reviews have been mostly respectable of it twisty psychedelic boldness, its cleverness. And here is one of the most glaring fallacies of film criticism: critics, for the most part, only see a film once. "Open Your Eyes" is not merely a clever film, it is a great one. When a man's leg is amputated, he is said to feel pain in that leg. The leg no longer exists, but the nerves connecting it to the brain still do. They are irradiated. And they tell the patient that his leg is hurting him. In medicine, they call this a "phantom limb". Miscellaneous sweets have cured headaches. Crooks the world over use the power of "the Lord" to cure illnesses. In medicine, this is called the "Placebo effect". If you think its real then it is. Our minds are slaves to our perceptions. Amenbar exploits that imprisonment. In "Open Your Eyes", the protagonist's dreams and/or nightmares AND reality are slaves to his memory. In one version of his confession he wears his fearsome prosthetic mask on the back of his head, a frightening two faced beast, standing, in the middle of the night waiting for the woman he reveres. She, in another confession, which in turn could be a nightmare or fact, was his murderer AND his victim. "Aren't you ashamed?" the question I quoted before, "being an actress. A fake". It is only then that you understand the origin of that image, the two faced beast. And so, with eagerly anticipated repeated viewings, the picture becomes clearer, fuller, deeper. The film is like a puzzle, once solved; it gives the viewer a profound exhilaration. There is also a more visceral pleasure to be had; the film starts and ends with its protagonist (and by extension you the audience) in the dark. "Open Your Eyes," the voices whisper. And you pray, to God, the doctors, your sub-conscience or whoever controls what the world will be like when you wake, that it does not make long for the darkness again.
Rating: 
Summary: open your eyes
Review: I saw this almost by accident late last night on cable. What a great piece. Good acting, confusing plot twists. Brought to mind the great FX as well as Sliding Doors, Truman Show. I never felt let down, even by the end. My advice is don't start watching until you have your popcorn ready and have gone to the bathroom, etc. 1 minute away from the screen and you will have missed the boat. What a nice midnight surprise!
Rating:
Summary: It opened my eyes
Review: I started watching this movie not knowing anything about the story or the actors at first i was like huh but then it just grabbed me what a great movie the acting is really good pennelopy cruz is going to be a great actress the only reason I have not purchased it yet is because its not on dvd yet. the story line is original something Ive never seen before great movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointment
Review: After reading all the rave reviews of this film, I was severely disappointed by the anti-climactic reality of it. Part of my disappointment, no doubt, hinges on my expectations - I was expecting a clever twist-thriller similar to The Usual Suspects. Rather, it was more like a science fiction film, borrowing heavily in plot devices and scenes from Total Recall (a great film - just not what I was expecting) - derivative and lacking in originality and cleverness.
Rating:
Summary: An eye opening experience
Review: Reminiscent of Franjes' french classic 'Les Yeux Sans Visage' ('Eyes Without A Face') in its exploration of the relationship between our sense of identity and physical appearance, 'Open Your Eyes' also blends elements of 'Cyrano De Bergerac', 'Vertigo' and 'The Matrix'. And it works. I went to see this film not entirely certain of what to expect and found myself thoroughly gripped for its entire duration. The labyrinth plot of 'Open Your Eyes' begins as a love story, takes an unexpected turn into the medical horror genre and twists into thriller territory before branching off into science fiction. Without giving too much away (the surpise element is part of the delight of this movie), the film begins as a love story between Sofia (Penelope Cruz) and spoiled, womanising playboy Cesar (Eduardo Noriega in a gripping performance). When Cesar's face is irreperably disfigured in a horrific car accident involving a spurned ex-lover, he finds that he in turn is rejected by Sofia. This thumbnail sketch of the plot does no justice to a film that will take you may places both emotionally and psychologically, and none of them predictable. 'Open your Eyes' deals with themes of love and loss; of our perception of 'reality'; of identity and the metaphorical 'masks' we wear in daily life and of others ability (or lack of) to see through them (Sofia is an mime artist and is first shown with a painted face). The film also explores the randomness of existence and the way in which our actions towards others may have devastating and far flung consequences. 'Open Your Eyes' is currently being re-made as 'Vanilla Sky' starring Tom Cruise, with Penelope Cruz reprising her former role. Perhaps the change in title has something to do with its similarity to Cruise's previous film 'Eyes Wide Shut'. Although the Hollywood version will be interesting to watch, I would strongly urge anyone to see the original, as I doubt it can be improved upon.
Rating:
Summary: An original, superior foreign thriller
Review: Words cannot describe the quiet intensity of this film; the original style it creates while at the same time skillfully weaving elements from other influences; the haunting quality of the lead performances, in particular Penelope Cruz. To give away any of the plot would be borderline criminal, but suffice it to say that this is one of the most intelligent and twisty thrillers to come from Europe in the past decade. I am curious about - but not quite anticipating - the Cameron Crowe remake starring Tom Cruise in the Eduardo Noriega role, Cameron Diaz as the "femme fatale," and Penelope Cruz reprising her role. If anything, it will be facinating to see the touches that such a personal filmmaker as Crowe brings to the story, and if exposing such a film to the United States mainstream will be a success or not.
Rating:
Summary: Must see movie!
Review: If you click on the small picture of the video you'll see why you should see this movie. Well at least that should draw the average male anyway. But nothing is at it seems in this superb film that raises so many questions, takes so many twists and turns that it captivates yoour attention for days. A smart movie with ideas that stimulates further thought, long after the images of Penelope Cruz are fading from your indelibly marked brain. The story is a combination of genres but any revealing of the ultimate story line would ruin the possibility of your own surprise. Penelope's love interest, lucky guy, sigh, is a player who gets more than he bargains for and has a terrible accident that leaves the handsome, Eduardo Noriega looking like across between the Elephant Man and the Phanthom of the Opera. This is where the story takes off from an apparent Spanish romance flick into an undefineable movie for the ages. It makes you think, questions your own ideas, leaves you thinking and as a bonus, you get to see the Spanish heart throb, Penelope Cruz.
Rating:
Summary: Open Your Eyes (This Movie Will Open Your Eyes)
Review: In this movie there is a huge psychological and philosophical twist, which will leave you thinking for a few days. On top of being a deep thought movie, you have to watch Penelope Cruz, because she is just amazing in this movie on top of being beautiful. If you have always been a curious person about our surroundings, then this is the movie to watch because even though you can get lost at times and it gets rather complex, towards the end you should see the big picture and hopefully it makes your life less complex than what you make it to be. I urge everyone to see it. It is great and you must pay close attention. If has a terrifying, fearing, backstabbing, love twist to it. So I recommend people to see it. I was dumbfounded because at the beginning the movie starts out to be so simple, yet finishes with some ambiguity. I give this movie a 4 out of a 5.
Rating:
Summary: incredible
Review: I originally wanted to see this just because Penelope Cruz is just about the hottest girl ever. When I finally did, I was blown away - definitely the best movie I have seen in several years. Makes you think about how we define reality, what we base love and our perception of others on, the trappings of society and our own minds, etc. And it's not just cerebral, it keeps you on the edge and involved until the end. You don't have to work to think about it like in many intellectually significant movies, it's so well thought out and executed that it just shakes it into you - you don't think the stuff, you feel it, then let all the thinking come later. Incredible movie. Not to mention that Penelope Cruz has to be the most beautiful girl ever to walk the face of the Earth and can act, as well. I can say without absolutely certainty you should see this and with fair certainty that you'll find it worth owning.
Rating:
Summary: Abre Los Ojos
Review: I saw this movie in Madrid while doing a semester abroad there. I already had a decent understanding of spanish but wouldnt say I was fully bilingual. I saw this with about 8 other people, and I have never come out of a movie with so many friends who were equally as amazed as I was. I've tried (in vain mostly) to describe this movie to my friends ever since I saw it, the plot twists, the reality vs non-reality aspect of it, to no avail. You have to see this movie. I would honestly put this up there with Usual Suspects. And this was all while not totally comprehending everything. I loved the periodic haunting "Open your eyes" that would start a new sequence. I can not wait till this comes out! YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!
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