Rating: 
Summary: A film that proves there is Genius in Insanity...
Review: I actually ordered this film on a wim, I had heard a little something from my friend Zach. But it was little more than "Vanilla Sky was cool..." So while bored, I ordered the film.
At first, I was a little taken back. But ten minutes into the film, I was in awe. Little things, stood out to me. Listening to David (Tom) and the changing of his character throughout the story, almost makes watching it worth wild.
Now I won't say it didn't have flaws, or that this film is for everyone. For it most certainly is not, this movie isn't for someone who is looking for a quick, understanding plot and kisses and hugs for an ending. the ending DOES leave possibilities, but there is also your lingering. "Why couldn't?", before I continue, a basic outline of the film.
David Aames (Tom Cruise) is wealthy, has a wonderful "Girlfriend", and almost anything he wants. When he meets Sofia, (Penelope Cruise) he starts a somewhat blossoming relationship when his world shatters... Julie (Cameron Diaz) his earlier "Girlfriend" takes David on a drive, aiming for a two way suicide. She explains to him she loved him, and that she is not just a sex plaything. He tries to console, but in the end, she crashes the vehicle. Julia dies, while David lives. But in a horribly disfigured shape, he then moves on and regains companionship with Sofia.
As the story progresses, you will see David and Malkave (Kurt Russel) discussing a murder and David's involvement.
In the end, things are summed up fairly well. And the whole story is rather fascinating and deserves a second or third watching to fully understand. All and all, this film is for someone who is willing to watch a film for the FILM itself. Who is willing to pay attention, and dedicate themself to that two hours and sixteen minutes. And appreciate everything it has to offer, with that I leave you with this..."I will see you again, in another life... When we are both cats," ~ Watch the movie to see what I mean,
Rating: 
Summary: Deep and True
Review: An impressive effort that will probably much better appreciated on DVD than it was in the theatre. The two documentary shorts by Cameron Crowe that are included on the DVD are extremely helpful in appreciating what Crowe, Cruise, Cruz and Diaz were trying to accomplish in this film. I never saw the original "Abre Los Ojos", but I am extremely curious after having viewed this interpretation of the story. This film is not for those who watch movies for "entertainment" this movie is definitely for those who like to have an experience when they watch a film. This movie makes you think and challenges the viewer to find the meaning for his/herself. So pick Vanilla Sky up and enjoy it for what it is or don't. Not every movie is for everyone.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Movie
Review: Vanilla Sky is an excellent movie... The acting from Tom Cruise is nothing short of brillant,Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz also add unforgettable roles to the movie. The storyline at FIRST is somewhat hard to follow but at the end of the movie it all comes together and all the blanks are filled in. The second viewing of this film seems to be even better. Overall this movie is a great story and it shows how money and power are not needed in love, and what counts are the feelings deep down inside of the individual.
Rating:
Summary: Vanilla Sky is just as unique as Abre Los Ojos...
Review: Based on the Spanish movie Abre Los Ojos aka Open Your Eyes, Vanilla Sky is different, but as equally compelling as the original. Vanilla Sky copies several scenes right out of the original movie. There are parts that are eerily similar, especially with Sofia being played by the same actress who played her originally, yet there are several different parts as well. Vanilla Sky is more lengthy, and goes into more detail with everything. The Times Square scene was brilliant, and even more fascinating than the one shot by Amenabar (the director of Open Your Eyes) in the original, partly because Times Square is something that exists closer to home, rather than something in far off Spain. Eerily shot, it features the entire Times Square in New York empty, with not a single person in sight, and is a brilliant setup to the rest of the movie. While Vanilla Sky has many similarities to the original, the most fascinating thing I found was that two things made experiencing Vanilla Sky totally different from experiencing Open Your Eyes for me. The first was the lighting. In the original, the lighting is very dark, and chilling, and the movie has a very dark thriller tone to it. But Vanilla Sky is shot with brilliantly bright colors that make the entire movie glow with a certain vibe and energy, and that exist to make the movie sometimes even more chilling in its own right. The second was the music. While the first featured a deep and amazing score by Amenabar, this second featured many pop culture references, and a more modern sound to it - something that Cameron Crowe is known for. These two factors make the two movies entirely different, but in both cases, they enhance the experience. The mystery tone itself is hard for me to judge, partly because seeing the original took out all the mystery in Vanilla Sky anyway. But even without having a sense of mystery for me to judge, it was still a stunningly original experience, and one which had me engrossed in the entire movie. It didn't hurt either that Cameron Diaz had what was one of the best performances of 2001. There is always a certain moment in a brilliant performance that defines the entire role, a certain scene in which I can only describe as a spark, a place where the actor/actress connects with the audience. Fionnula Flanagan had it when she regally gave the keys to Nicole Kidman in The Others, Kate Hudson had it when she was torn between crying and laughing in Almost Famous, Naomi Watts had it in her audition in Mulholland Dr, and now, Cameron Diaz had it when she laughed and looked into the camera with those almost maddening and insane eyes in Vanilla Sky. The rest of the cast was also stellar as always, though I would have liked to see more of Kurt Russell as the psychiatrist at the end of this movie. Many will interpret this film differently. Some will take the ending literally and utterly without question. Others may interpret this in an entire other way. There are at least three main paths that someone could argue this movie takes, and as the director said, every one of them could be right. All in all, Vanilla Sky is one of the more intelligent, compelling, and fascinating movies of 2001. I am glad to say that Vanilla Sky is a piece of art in its own right, as equally colorful and vivid as the Monet painting hanging in David's apartment.
Rating: 
Summary: Quite possibly, the worst movie ever
Review: What a piece of pretentious garbage Cameron Crowe and Tom Cruise have served up here! I loved "Almost Famous," and have enjoyed many of Crowe's other films. I'm not a big Cruise fan, but he's been good in some films, including "Jerry McGuire." Notwithstanding, it wouldn't have been a shock if this movie was merely mediocre. But it's way worse than that. It's positively hideous. The movie wants you to care about the fate of a spoiled brat, whose struggle throughout the movie is his yearning desire to remain a spoiled brat, and not grow up. And although the storytelling is murky to say the least, it appears, at the end, that against all odds, he remains a spoiled brat. You're supposed to be happy about this outcome, because in between being a spoiled brat at the beginning and a spoiled brat at the end, the character apparently suffers. But he suffers in the most undignified, obnoxious way! Cruise's character has friends and lovers, but you can't see why. They aren't golddiggers, though in the real world, a guy like Cruise would only be surrounded by golddiggers and yes men. These friends are presented as being people of depth, but the very fact that they fight so hard to remain his friends makes you question their sanity. There is simply nothing to recommend this guy, nothing that would inspire loyalty in a normal person. My sense is that success has ruined Crowe. He's lost touch with what his audience would find compelling, and has run out of things to say. So instead you get a lot of psuedo-inventive filmmaking and non-linear storytelling, and a lot of retro-psychedelic party and nightclub scenes, and some third-rate X Files type paranoia, which may seem very interesting to a jaded, overpaid, overpraised media hypester, but mean nothing, nothing, nothing to the audience. I've yet to find anyone who liked this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Into the breach . . .
Review: Against my better judgment, I'm going to enter the fray. Apparently Vanilla Sky doesn't offer much of a middle ground. This is one of those films that people either love, or hate. Recently my wife went out to rent a couple of DVDs and returned with Vanilla Sky. Since I am not a Tom Cruise fan, I was disappointed. I was prepared to do something more interesting like clipping my toenails, or re-organizing my toolbox, while she watched this movie. Ultimately, she did not enjoy Vanilla Sky, my toenails didn't get clipped that night, and my toolbox is still a mess. Apparently if my wife's reaction, coupled with the response from other reviewers, is any indication, Vanilla Sky tends to appeal more to non-fans than fans of Tom Cruise.
If your goal is pure entertainment, or if you want to sit back in your chair and go along for the ride, this movie is not for you. It's not simply a spectacle. To understand and enjoy this movie, you must participate, you must think. While not completely predictable, this film contains frequent clues and hints regarding its outcome. Vanilla Sky is beautifully filmed, and includes remarkable performances from Cruise and Cruz. Tom Cruise (As David Aames) is forced to act without the benefit of his famous good looks for perhaps only the second time in his career. He delivers an emotional performance that is pact with charisma and depth. You cannot help but fall in love with Penilope Cruz as Sophia. Kurt Russell was definitely well cast as Dr. McCabe (A psychiatrist who also appears to function as a spiritual guide for Cruise). Personally, I believe this movie's greatest flaw was the casting of Cameron Diaz as Julie Gianni. While the casting of Diaz may have been good for the box office, her performance was weak, childish, and consistently broke the pace of the movie. Vanilla Sky inspired me to run out and purchase "Abre Los Ojos" (Open Your Eyes), the Spanish film by Alejandro Amenabar. For those few readers that don't know, Vanilla Sky is a remake of Abre Los Ojos. I've read and heard criticisms of Vanilla Sky as it compares to the original. One frequent comparison between the two films is that Vanilla Sky "over does it", especially when Tom Cruise's David Aames is compared to Eduardo Noriega's Cesar. While David Aames is the extremely wealthy head of a New York publishing firm (To a small extent David Aames struck me as a JFK JR type), Cesar is a moderately wealthy partner in a catering company (US extravagance vs. European moderation). In both versions of the story our protagonists clearly have access to the finest physicians available, and they can afford the ultimate solution depicted in this film. Regardless of any reall or imagined differences between US and Spanish health care costs, and the diferences between lifestyles depicted, in a nutshell both characters must have access to great wealth. Frankly, I don't believe that an American audience would accept that the owner of even a large catering company would have access to the kind of wealth that would make this story plausible. Also, the David Aames position in society adds another dimension to this film. Do you have friends, or just people who need something from you? While both are essentially the same films, they were created for different target audiences. Both films stand on an equally firm footing.
Rating:
Summary: How to ruin a good movie
Review: I have never written a review before but this movie was so disappointing I felt that I had to begin now. The main reason that I felt so strongly was the fact that Vanilla Sky is a remake of a very good movie called Open Your Eyes. Vanilla Sky while not straying from the story failed miserably on all levels of movie making. Cameron Crowes use of rock songs for the soundtrack missed the mark and his rewrite of the script just missed the whole essence of the movie and the characters. I recommend Open Your Eyes which has Penelope Cruz also over Vanilla Sky 100% but it is in spanish and you have to read subtitles but it is worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Strange..... But excellent
Review: well... this movie is complicated and it is weird but it excellently done and the acting is wonderful. It is very hard to follow the first time you watch it but if you hang on you can get it. Many people say this movie is pointless but i thought it was a masterpeice and is very UNDERATED. I would recomend this movie to most people unless you don't like to think alot about whats happening during the movie and get very confused.
Rating:
Summary: A mesmerizing masterpiece
Review: I enjoyed this movie immensely. Tom Cruise proves himself to be a gifted actor, the angelic Penelope Cruz is delightful, Cameron Diaz is great; even Kurt Russell shines in his role. So many people complain about Hollywood, deriding the fact that today's movies are unoriginal, yet many folks don't seem to appreciate a truly "different" movie when it comes along. I know, this is a remake of the Spanish Obre las Ojos, yet it does represent something unique among recent American releases. I can also understand why some people may be confused about the movie as the story progresses, but I found it quite understandable by the end. The issues this movie addresses are "deep," but they get to the heart of life and existence for the individual soul. Reality, dreams, desires, disappointments--these are the determiners of life itself, and any movie that can really make you think about your own life and existence in a serious manner wins my highest praises. I won't even talk about the plot of this movie here--this movie has to be experienced; it cannot be explained. Don't worry about where the movie is going; just enjoy the ride. I would urge the viewer to devote a full 130 minutes to watching it; if you pause it to talk to your neighbor or mess around in the kitchen, you run the risk of losing comprehension and rob yourself of the spectacular aura this movie wraps around you. This strikes me as rather a bold career move for Tom Cruise, especially given the fact that his character has his face disfigured in an accident. Of course, there could be no better way for him to define himself as a great actor. I love Penelope Cruz--her beauty is matched by a mesmerizing air of mystery which plays incredibly well in this particular motion picture. As for the DVD's special features, they are OK but not exceptional. There is a seven-minute mini-feature about the making of the movie--it doesn't really give any secrets away, but I would definitely watch it only after viewing the movie. Another mini-feature provides us with glimpses of the worldwide tour by Cruise, Cruz, and director Cameron Crowe. The interview with Paul McCartney is short and sweet, and I must admit that I didn't realize that he had contributed the "title song" to the movie until I watched the interview. Even if there were no extras, Vanilla Sky is definitely a movie worth owning. While I have only watched it once, the intricacies of the plot make this a prime candidate for the mantle of rewatchability. If you approach this movie with an open mind and let the story absorb you into its unique world, I do not see how you can walk away disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: If you stole this movie, you paid too much!
Review: Do NOT buy this movie under any circumstances -- don't even rent it. To do so would be to encourage an otherwise very talented group of people to make another overly-hyped waste of time. First clue that it's a stinker: we rented three "new release" videos -- the other two were due back in two days; the video store didn't want this one back for a week. Second clue: the star is also the producer. Third clue: at the main menu (on the DVD), the first selection to play is not the movie itself, but a 10-minute hype piece about how great the movie is and about how wonderful the cast and crew are. The movie starts out very promisingly, but slides steadily downhill. For those pseudo-intellectuals who believe there's some profound meaning to this movie; you probably also think the emperor has clothes. After watching this beautifully filmed mess, we thought the special features might shed some light on what was going on in the minds of those who make this movie. Alas, there were no clues, but the promo piece did mention that the crew still gets together and talks about all the "layers" of the movie. Translation: even they don't have the foggiest idea of what they made, and they're trying to convince you to buy the movie anyway. ...
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