Rating: 
Summary: Art movie?
Review: This was a huge disappointment. I cannot imagine what possessed Cruise to get involved in a film with such a confusing plot. Besides that, the characters of both the Diaz and Cruz ladies irritated me no end. I want to be entertained and this effort was just too much hard work, in fact it completely drained me. Some scenes are quite artfully filmed though. This is strictly for those people who want to be challenged by the movies that they see, and perhaps for lovers of so-called European Art Movies.
Rating: 
Summary: Good movie
Review: This movie is the best I have seen in this year. The complex, intriguing storyline, combined with superb acting makes watching the movie a touching experience.The theme, is about true love as much as about dream and reality, a very relevant topic in the age of abundance of virtual reality. Although pretty trite the plot is after the charismatic Matrix, it still is a touching one, with the help of the atmosphere, especially the "vanilla sky". The acting is beautifully spontaneous, lively, and exemplary in every respect. You can say Tom Cruise was "overacting", but that is what acting is all about. The DVD comes with a short documentary of an around the globe promotion trip of the movie, and a commentary of every scene in the movie by the director. I found the commentary very interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: Take Your Mind On This Cruise!
Review: This film was provocative and interesting, and caught my imagination at several points, although I sometimes suffered from the twists and turns that became outrageously confusing enough that they broke into my enjoyment. To say this remake of the original Spanish version of the film is an exercise in stream of consciousness and exploration of different reality perspectives and multiple forms of truth and experience is the understatement of the year. At several points I got a headache trying to figure out what was really going on, and although it was obvious that a lot of the sequences were dream-based excursions, trying to keep any kind of meaningful storyline straight became personally difficult. Finally, then, I gave up the ghost of logic, and just enjoyed the sequences for what they were; an emotional roller-coaster ride. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the film, for the performances of Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, and Cameron Diaz were all quite good. Based on what I understood, I thought Cameron Diaz literally stole the movie in terms of the level of performance she delivered, with a range of emotions so well covered that she was entirely believable throughout the film. Penelope Cruz is drop-dead gorgeous, and could make me believe anything she wants with a simple flutter of her eyelashes and those big beautiful eyes. And even Tom Cruise, a terrific actor who sometimes grates on my nerves with his reliance on his over-earnest macho deadpans as a way of "emoting" was very good here. His sense of desperate bewilderment and incomprehensible confusion is telling, and he really does seem to be way over the edge and visibly out of control and out of his element as a result of all that whirling around (and within) him. The movie is well choreographed and extremely pleasing in terms of the way it has been filmed, so that it is very colorful, eventful, and suspenseful. The plot is so convoluted that no mathematician could unravel it, so the best way to approach the movie is as an object exercise in alternative realities and how one copes with the possibilities. It is a bit pretentious in its ambitions, and it by no means successfully executes whatever vision it has. But it is good (if sometime confusing) entertainment, and I highly recommend it. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Stop Looking So Hard
Review: The beauty, or some would say the downfall, of this movie is its multi-level intricate workings, that you can't pick up on all entirely would you watch this movie for 2 years straight. Open YOUR eyes, and stop looking for clear meanings or 'deep' meanings that are blatantly obvious. It's different for everyone. Cameron Crowe himself realized in the end the movie made its own directions, with or without his guidance. Maybe the movie is a futuristic erotic thriller. Is it a fever pitch of maudlin sentimentality? A tragic love story? How bout just a dream inside of the coma. Was that voice in the end waking David up to the future? And maybe, just maybe, the whole thing was Jason Lee (such a great actor)'s novel he so desperately worked on between the lines in the movie. So pick a direction, or just watch the movie for its beauty. It has tons of small nuances that you will take with yourself into the rest of your life, because its always those small things that you remember. Maybe how a lover threw her arm around you, or how you held off on a kiss, and not the sex that came and went. Just watch the movie for its appreciative beauty, and like it or hate it, it's one of the best movies of all time.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Cinematography.....Stupid Plot
Review: I'm sure that you've read all of the mixed reviews surrounding Vanilla Sky at this point. I'll be honest the movie starts of well, and right after the suicidal car crash, the movie literally crashes. What could have been a great film actually declines rapidly trying to be some sort of Nuevo avant-garde wanna be Sundance psychoanalytic thriller. The best performance in the film is surprisingly delivered by Cameron Diaz, who seems to be the only one who can play a character with any credible substance. Every other cast member seems to just overact their part to the extreme, especially Cruise and Cruz. In some parts the film even attempts to be humorous but the comic relief that surfaces fails considerably. A geek with a pocket protector and a Member's Only Jacket wouldn't even be able to find any of the humor in this film funny. This twisted plot fails so miserably when it finally unfolds in the last 15 minutes. Watching this movie will make you want to grab a Gillette razor and slice your vein. They should make contestants on Fear Factor watch this film, the first one that suffocates or falls asleep looses. However, The only good quality conveyed here is Cameron Crowe's beautiful cinematography. The camera work is in a class of its own. The Time Square scene in the beginning is awesome. But at times, I will admit, you don't even know if you're watching Vanilla Sky or a reject IKEA/Banana Republic ad. So if you do decide to buy or rent this, I suggest viewing it for the visual art and not the demented storyline.
Rating: 
Summary: OH NO
Review: This movie (DVD)is a waste of time, is one of the worst movies I saw last year. Tom Cruise is totally overacting (I believe he was trying to win an oscar in every scene) and Penelope Cruz is horrible, the only thing who saves a little is Cameron Diaz.
My advice don't waste your time and money
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies I've ever seen
Review: David Ames (Tom Cruise) is the millionaire playboy heir to a magazine empire. His relationship with Julie (Cameron Diaz) can be best described as "friends with benefits" although they use a more crass term in the film. Suddenly it becomes clear that Julie wants more, but David isn't interested, and he soon meets Sofia (Penelope Cruz) who he quickly falls in love with. Julie discovers this and flies into a psychotic rage, taking David off a bridge in a car. She is killed and David is horribly disfigured, mind, body and soul. His face is smashed and he loses the use of his arm. After this the movie takes it's turn, and if you watch it a second or third time, you'll notice when reality becomes blurred. Some people have found this confusing, but i found it all the more intriguing. Before I saw this movie, I wasn't especially partial to Tom Cruise, except for his performance in "Jerry Maguire". if you rent or buy Vanilla Sky expecting Jerry Maguire, you are mistaken, but should not be disappointed. There is a wealth of quality here, but you must remember to take everything you see on the screen at face value; put yourself in David Ames shoes the whole way through, and don't let go. In doing so, you should find Vanilla Sky much more rewarding, as I did.
Rating: 
Summary: Vanilla
Review: ... I've seen the movie just once. The experience was... What was the experience? The opening portion of the movie drew me in, captured my attention. Until a crash, laughing, masks, murder, not murder. Masks, Penelope, Cameron, Kurt, Penelope. Then the ending, which was fairly poignant and enjoyable. What is that?
Rating:
Summary: A mind warping experience
Review: Cameron Crowe's dark remake of Alejandro Amenabar's 1997 Spanish film, "Abre los ojos" (also starring Penelope Cruz) is a mind warping experience. Welcome to a world where dreams and reality are seamlessly interwoven, so it is impossible for the characters, the viewers and maybe even Crowe to tell where one ends and the other begins. This will be a frustrating film for anyone who hopes to make sense of it. To enjoy it one must relax and allow oneself to be mentally flagellated for two plus hours. Like all lady or tiger stories, the film will generate great debates among the intelligentsia about which parts of the story are real and which are the dreams. They will ponder the philosophical message regarding materialism, superficiality and emotional depth. However, for a great many the response will be, "Huh?" Crowe keeps us guessing until the very last frame at which point he throws us the final curve and abruptly ends the film. In the featurette that comes with the DVD, it is clear the Crowe is relishing his role as tantalizer, taking great pains to make each scene as ambiguous as possible to keep it open to multiple interpretations. That's what makes the film fun, if you like that sort of thing. Personally, I like closure, but I can appreciate Crowe's deliciously evil intentions. As is always the case with Cameron Crowe, the presentation is innovative and visually interesting. Crowe has a terrific and unique way of crafting his films that is very engaging. In this film, he purposely avoids defining his characters, preferring to keep their motivations abstruse. For him to maintain the vagueness, it is important that we remain confused about the characters' personalities. In this regard, he succeeds spectacularly. The film is a bit too long and bogs down slightly in the middle, but just when we are about to get bored, Crowe throws us another brain bender to keep it interesting. Kudos go to the makeup department in the creation of Tom Cruise's facial disfigurement, which is realistically hideous and effective. The acting ranges from good to great. This is a particularly difficult film for actors since the characters are meant to remain indistinct. It is hard to render a character when the director demands that his/her motivations and personality keep changing, but the cast adapts beautifully. Tom Cruise is powerful and tortured as Aames, the convoluted protagonist. Since the entire film is essentially shot from his perspective, it is important that we share his bewilderment and consternation, which means he must project those emotions onto us. This he does with extraordinary effect, delivering a gut wrenching performance that takes him (and us) to the brink of insanity. Penelope Cruz is excellent as his sexy and supportive love interest. But Cruz is eclipsed by Cameron Diaz, who steals the show with minimal screen time. Diaz swings from sweet and adorable to vicious and maniacal with such ease that it is frightening. Jason Lee is also good as Aames' fickle best friend and rival. Lee naturally projects a trustworthy persona, so when he turns on Aames it creates the startling effect that Crowe wants. Kurt Russell is okay as the psychologist, but this is a more cerebral role than his skills can handle. Russell is a naturally visceral performer, great in roles as the tough guy with a big heart. Here he seems a bit out of place. This film is deviously crafted and expertly presented with deft performances by the cast. It will drive most viewers a little nuts, which is its intention. This will also mean that some people will really dislike it. I rated it 9/10. If you think you can figure it out, you're dreaming.
Rating:
Summary: Is there any point to c this movie if it is not for Cruise?
Review: If you are a Cruise fan, you will be disappointed by this one. Half of the movie he has been put on a mask. The plot is confusing and at the last part it turned from a romantic psychothriller into science fiction, it just doen't wash. The characters are so typical hollywood types I hardly can have any empathy with them. If you are not a Cruise fan, simply skip it. I would rather recommend "The Game" over this one.
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