Rating: 
Summary: CONVOLUTED MESS!
Review: The ultimate tease and let down. The first hour and a half was pretty engaging and interesting and then the film imploded in sci-fi nonsense. Was this Cameron's homage film to Brazil (a much much better film)? If so, he fails miserably. Better luck next time Cameron!
Rating: 
Summary: Good acting...mediocre story
Review: The acting in this movie is rock solid all around...Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, et al do a very solid job...Problem: The script and storyline turned out to be very very weak. What started off as intriguing turned out to be monotonous and boring and ridiculous...and it seemed to go on and on and on and on and on and on...the first 45 minutes or so are excellent, but after that...no thanks
Rating:
Summary: unnecessary, gratuitous, forced
Review: crowe's "adaptation" of amenábar's film attempts to make majesty of rape. unfortunately, no flower grows from this evil; this isn't france and crowe isn't baudelaire. the decadent references to popular culture make this film more about the dynamic between creation and cultural history than anything else. however, too
little too late. the obvious formal parallels between vanilla sky and abre los ojos force the former to adopt the psycho-metaphysical preoccupations of the latter. to vanilla sky's peril, this undermines crowe's only potential subject: history and the mind. crowe's schizophrenic reliance upon's amenábar's carefully crafted, meticulously executed structure strips this film of any actual substance. in this way, crowe's excessive appeal to music and cinematography as kinetic properties of the mind becomes unnatural and unorganic, rather than subtle and directive. crowe hopes that by lifting lines and crux sequences right out of amenábar's work this film will share something of amenábar's talent. cruise, whose performance deserves praise, does his best to save this film from wreckage, but it just isn't enough. crowe tries to make jerry maguire out of eraserhead; there's just no way. one star for cruise, and one for john toll's photography, which is impressive. structural referencing only works if it improves the source material (i.e. chaucer's reworking of de lorris, or shakespeare's of belleforest). this is something crowe should learn before trying to rewrite a masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Here's my "Minority Report" on Vanilla Sky...
Review: There's a great performance in "Vanilla Sky," but it's not by Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Jason Lee or even His Most Imperial Majesty Emperor Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. It's by Kurt Russell, playing Cruise's psychiatrist. Unfortunately, you have to describe the plot in detail to say why Russell's performance is so effective, and that would take more space than I have here, not to mention that divulging the plot of "Vanilla Sky" to anyone who hasn't seen it should be punishable by guillotine. Let's just say that when Russell learns the secret of the plot, his air of gentle resignation is more moving than anything else in the picture. NONE of the critics mentioned Russell in their reviews--except to say he was in the movie--and those who post here are saying things like, "EVEN Kurt Russell shines in this movie." This is all too typical of Russell's career. He acted Cher off the screen in "Silkwood," but guess who got the Oscar nomination?
And "Vanilla Sky" itself? It has a number of dazzling set pieces, and it's certainly worth seeing, but it doesn't hold together in the end. Again, you would have to describe too much of the plot to say why it doesn't work; I would note, however, that it's kind of galling that Jason Lee's character is described at the end as a "true friend" to Tom Cruise's, when his actions throughout--even when you sort out actual vs. illusory actions--show him to be anything but. Cameron Crowe, that sanest and most humane of directors, has the technical prowess to bring off the special effects here, but the crazed, misanthropic tone of the movie plays him for a loss. Cruise also has some brilliant moments, but it becomes plain before the movie is half-over that "Vanilla Sky" is a Tom Cruise vanity production, with the other performers allowed to shine intermittently only by the sufferance of the star. That Russell comes across so strongly--in a very quiet performance, yet--is a great tribute to a much underrated actor. I would recommend "Minority Report" over "Vanilla Sky." Steven Spielberg is enough of a star (and control freak) in his own right to glide over plot holes and keep Tom Cruise's ego in check.
Rating:
Summary: Clever, thought-provoking or not?
Review: For me, Vanilla Sky wasn't clever at all, and the only thought it provoked was "why am I still watching this". Now before anyone leaps on me for missing the point - yes I understand it was supposed to be a complex plot, with twists and turns. But does that mean we needed to have a story where you had to not only suspend disbelief, you had to throw it out the window completely! [Plot spoilers coming up - Go no further if you intend to watch the movie - I warned you] Excuse me, but if you're in cryogenic suspension - you do not dream (no matter how much money you have. Now if it had been a coma, maybe I wouldn't have been so outraged. The complete spoiler for this movie though is the poor character development. Are we really supposed to dislike Tom Cruise's role as much as I did? It was one of those movies that not only did I dislike the ending - I didn't care anyway. I just wanted the movie to end so I could say I'd seen it and relegate it to the 'Don't bother watching again pile'. Don't get me wrong, I like complex material. But this was not like a 'Thirteenth Floor', 'What dreams may come' or anything like it. I gave this movie 2 stars (rather than none) simply because its one of those movies that many people will tell you was brilliant - you therefore have to see it yourself and make your own mind up. Personally, I ignore other critics reviews and prefer to decide for myself. But don't say I didn't warn you.
Rating: 
Summary: Rob
Review: Tom Cruise needs to move to Australia where he will not be at risk from terrible America. The same America that gave that little dweeb everything he has. He is right up there with Jane Fonda and the Baldwin brothers. If you buy his movies, you are supporting his anti-american stance. Send a message, let his image fall from the screen into the dust.
Rating: 
Summary: A twisted movie ( in a loving way )...
Review: Despite the fact that the movie is somewhat different from its original, this movie is capable of great achivements. It keeps you on the edge of your seat most of the time, always wondering what is actually going on. Not only it is a satisfying experience for the viewer, but also it is attractive and well built(the plot). What makes this movie so enjoyable is that it confuses you, so you are not always sure that what you think is happening is what it really is indeed.With that, the audience will be expecting twists and events that drastically change the movie's course (keeping everybody tunned). The movie has its flaws however, and the most significant of them is the ending, that was never given in the original and that was shown. So instead of making up your own end, you will end up accepting the end given by the director. But anyway,its definitely worth seeing.
Rating: 
Summary: Blown Away
Review: I read the other reviews written by other customers, and I couldn't disagree any more. The film is absolutely fantastic with it's mysterious and confusing scenes. Tom Cruise is great as David Aames jr. and together with Cameron Crowe he has created a piece of art. I hailed Steven Spielberg and his A.I., and I totally see some resemblence between the two extra-ordinary motion pictures. The search for thruth and real life is an important theme in both movies and they have great endings that you never could have imagined. I recommend this movie to every person that loves surrealness and like to be confused until the end when the answer is presented in an unlikely fashion. The score to the movie is excellent with artist like Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney. Even though there are many great scenes in this motion picture, my favourite is the end. But don't worry, I won't spoil the surprise.
Rating:
Summary: A wild ride!
Review: I loved this movie! Actually I love any movie that is different and unique, and Vanilla Sky certainly fits the bill. I also love any movie that after is finished you NEED to see it again because so many details come untangled at the end that you need to re-see some scenes to fully understand what's going on! This movie is a wild ride the first time you see it, and a thrill each subsequent time you see it, as you will catch many details that you missed because you were so confused the first time! Very fun.
Rating:
Summary: A Dream Project That Turned into A Nightmare
Review: I can't speak for the experiences of director Cameron Crowe or star Tom Cruise or even the rest of the cast, but "Vanilla Sky" is certainly not a pleasant time for fans who expect better from such an ambitious project. The movie is kinetic and nicely photographed...but poor Crowe is so wrapped up in trying to impress himself that "Sky" eventually becomes so overdone that it explodes like the bomb that it is, full of too many pretentious musings on the Truth of Life. Crowe should avoid exploring his dark side if all it reveals is a deep, chilly cynicism. As well, Cruise should shouldn't be so lazy with his performances...even the most popular actors can only throw away so many roles before their egos make them unappealing.
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