Vanilla Sky

Rating:
Summary: A complete waste of time.
Review: I must admit that the previews to this movies sparked my interest but I should have stuck to just watching them. The plot of this seemingly endless movie could have been delivered in less than half of the time. Tom Cruise is wealthy and spoiled and sleeping with his "friend" Cameron Diaz. He meets Penelope Cruz and after one night of talking to her he gives the impression that he is in love. He leaves her apartment in the morning and Diaz is outside waiting on him. He tells her that she is following him she admits it and then he gets in her car at the promise of one last romp! After he gets in the stalkers car she starts rambling angerly about how she loves him and how he dosen't care about her and then proceeds to drive the car at a high speed off a bridge killing herself and disfiguring him. From this point the movie goes nowhere. You sit there watching intently waiting to see what in the hell is going on for about an hour and a half and when you finally do find out you want to hurt the people that made this movie and those that sold you the tickets for letting you waste your money. (...) My advise if you're thinking about watching this movie go to your local video store and rent something, it'll cost you less and (...) it's probably better than Vanilla Sky.

Rating:
Summary: Major Dud
Review: The other reviews here have nailed it as far as what a horribly lame piece of (insert flowery expletive) VANILLA SKY is, so all I can do it add a few thoughts: 1) Cameron Diaz was very good as a psycho-chick; I've known a few of these and she really played the role convincingly. 2) The only truly enjoyable element of this film, to me, was spotting locations-- most of which are right near my building (e.g. "wow, i parked there last week!" -and-"oh no! he's going the wrong way on 73rd street!" -and-"whoa, they shut down times square!! what a waste of money!!")
and finally, 3) penelope cruz's acting is a crime against humanity. when she's onscreen it's like a bad high school play. totally unconvincing, and almost so bad that it's funny.

cameron crowe hopefully will redeem himself before too long.

Rating:
Summary: Vanilla Sky
Review: When it was over and there were 50 people waiting in line, I wanted to say, "Turn Back, go get your money back". At the end of the movie, we were all just waiting for that 4 minutes where it all comes together and ties in and makes sense. Even though I guess I "got it". I wish I hadnt got it and I wish I hadnt spent my free night and my $8.75 on it. I wanted to like it, I really did.

I love Tom Cruise, I liked the Mission Impossible movies for action and adventure and Jerry Mcguire for romance. I like Cameron Diaz and think she is beautiful and saw her in Charlies Angels and liked it.

And I must admit I wanted to see why Tom left Nicole in the sense of who is Penelope. And I could see how he could fall in love with a beautiful girl so young?!

But I was disappointed by the movie (...)

Rating:
Summary: one of the best of the year
Review: First this movie is not for all people. To answer one reviewers question Tom's character got in the psycho girl's car because she tempted him with sex and like most men(think i would have done the same)was thinking with another head. No that i got that out of the way the casting, acting, and direction were all top notch. The soundtract was perfect, i don't care for the beach boys but the song was, here it goes again perfect for the moment.
Great story with a great ending, and i wouldn't call it a twist ending buy any means. To me the movie was about love and redemption. A strange way to discus the issues but it pays off for me. You will either love or hate this movie...one mor note john toll is awsome. the opening shots of new york show why the city is one of the greatest places on this earth. And i cannot stress how happy it felt to see the twin towers standing there...

Rating:
Summary: Just doesn't work
Review: The story idea is too far fetched. I would have definitely believed it only if I would have cared for any of the main characters. The first few minutes of the movie did seemed promising but pretty soon I was looking at my watch.
I believe that viewers could buy any far fetched storyline if they develop some sense of what main protaganists are about. Throughout the movie you don't feel any emotion other than boredom. A good movie usually has ability to get emotional response from the audience that it targets.
I would rather recommend watching "The man who wasn't there" or "Mulholland drive" this winter.

Rating:
Summary: Wow.
Review: I knew nothing of this movie before sitting down to watch it. I guess I should have known what I was getting into. I saw that the theater was getting really full, so I turned to my wife and asked if this was a chick flick. The place was packed.

I'm not going to spoil the flick like the other postings, but let me tell you, this was stunningly good. I have always thought of Tom Cruise as a cheesy actor of low talent. Well, I was wrong. He did a terrific job.

The story has innumerable twists and turns. I am usually pretty good at figuring the story out rather quickly, but this one had me stymied. I was thrilled to the end. I really couldn't believe how good this was.

The special effects were great. If you want a good time, go see this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Some people just don't get it...
Review: What if you always had everything you ever wanted? What if you were the god of you own world? How close to reality would you be? Would you see the world like the rest of us?

This film is an outstanding metaphor of what it's like to [figuratively] wake up and realize you have a life to live (and that you haven't been living it the way you should). Many stories have tackled the whole reawakening concept, but none so originally as Vanilla Sky (not counting the original of course).

Simply put, this is an amazing film. (...) This film is supposed to be confusing. It's told from the perspective of a man who cannot seperate dream from reality. The character is going mad from confusion. [Cameron] Crowe masterfully conveys this confusing madness to the audience. (...)

Tom Cruise plays a detestable person who leads a detestable life, but one most all of us wish we had at one point or another. Jason Lee plays his everyman friend (the one most of us are more like). He doesn't have the looks, the charm, the fame, or the money, but he is a wiser man because of it. Cruise can't stop himself from screwing up his life because he doesn't have any sense of value [in what's really important in life]. While Lee doesn't have the great life that Cruise does, neither does he have the ignorance it takes (as Cruise does) to screw it up.

(...)

Admittedly, you will find yourself very confused about what is really happening during much of this film, but there is a reason for that. The movie is entertaining. The story plays like a dream that doesn't make sense but yet is still enjoyable to experience. There is a method to Crowe's madness. If you pay attention to this film and stick with it to the end, you will be well rewarded.

Cameron Crowe's best work to date! 5 Stars!

(...)

Rating:
Summary: One Of The Best Films Of 2001!
Review: One can't really discuss "Vanilla Sky" without giving away plot-points. I just don't see how it can be done. All I can really do, is write down my reaction to the film. "Vanilla Sky" is mind-blowing and complex. And at times, some will find it confusing. Infact, I fear, the majority of audiences, will dislike this movie. It will be "too much" for them. They'll use words like the ones I just used; "complex", "confusing", & "multi-layered". "Vanilla Sky" is only for a selected audience. I'm not quite sure what type of movie the American public was expecting, but, this is clearly a movie that is not for everyone. Just because it has some big Hollywood players involved in it like Tom Cruise, or Cameron Diaz doesn't mean it's going to turn out and be your typical Hollywood movie. As I sat and watched this film, I had a love\hate relationship with it. In the first 15-20 minutes or so, I honestly wanted to walk out. I simpley felt the film is going nowhere, and I'd rather be going somewhere, like, back home! But, I stayed and finished watching the film. After a while I started to like it, then I thought, this film is going on too long. But, once again, I found myself involved again. "Vanilla Sky" is going to seem like one big disappointing(?) puzzle to a lot of people. Did you ever see a movie or have a friend tell you about a movie, and as they described the film, they happened to say, this is a movie you have to see two or three times to really enjoy it? Well, this is one of those kinds of movies. They're are so many little details flying around, it is honestly impossible to keep up with! I myself would like to see this movie at least 2 more times. It's not that I was "lost" while watching it. I think I understand about 85% of what I saw, but, I just feel like I "should" watch it again.
Cameron Crowe keeps skipping back from reality to fantasy so often, at times we don't know what we're watching. But, see, that's what I liked about the movie. It's that level of suspense that kept me going along with it. That feeling of not knowing what's going to happen next. I can't tell you how many movies I've seen this year where I was able to actually predict the film. Films like "Joy Ride" and "Domestic Disturbance" were such simple-minded films, that I felt a great relief when I watched this movie. "Vanilla Sky" does have some great performances. I don't know how many people have heard but, a lot of critics said this is one of Diaz's best roles, and they were right! I think we are talking Oscar nomination for best supporting actress here. Kurt Russell was also very enjoyable in this movie as well. He gave a very good performance as a, uh, I'm not going to say lol. Tom Cruise is OK. Believe it or not, but even he has done better before. He's not really "strong" enough to carry the whole film on his shoulders. This is really an ensemble piece.I honestly wasn't too crazy about Penelope Cruz, and yes I know she was in the original film, "Open Your Eyes". Besides some nice moments of acting there are a lot of nice visual shots here. Very good cinematography by John Toll and nice art direction by Beat Frutiger and John Chichester.
I know I've given a very vague description of this movie, but, after you see it, you'll know why. It's a very hard film to describe. So despite the fact this movie can be perplexing at times, I think it was a stylish, sophisticated movie, that stands as one of the best films of 2001!

Rating:
Summary: Sorry if you had to think
Review: Okay, maybe this film will actually make you think, God forbid! Most films have the inability to keep your attention purely on the plot. Instead, they have to blow things up and do martial arts a-la-Matrix to have any chance of recouping the overpriced salary they slipped the leading actor(s) (for example, consult Jet Li's latest winner, The One).

Vanilla Sky is different. I wouldn't put this in a category with Memento because they're two totally different movies, with the exception that they play with your mind the whole film. Mulholland Drive is another one to see if you're up for a confusing time in the theaters. I saw the original, and actually enjoyed this one better, most likely because American filmmaking is overall better than Spanish. Better music, better visuals, better English. Don't get me wrong, I would give the original Abre Los Ojos a 5 stars; much better plot. Just Vanilla Sky is better exectuted.

Cruise might be a little over the top, but over the top has been his specialty; Magnolia comes to mind. Penelope Cruz was fantastic, sexier than in the original. And Cameron Diaz makes a much more convincing bed-fellow with Cruise than the original. Diaz has actually made some decent movies in the past few years, Being John Malcovich being a fave.

So go see this film. Disengage mouth, engage brain

Rating:
Summary: Run, don't walk...as far away from this movie as you can...
Review: AWFUL. Bad writing, horrible plot, painful camera work. I wish I would have walked out. I kept thinking it had to get better, and it kept getting worse. Not even the star power of Cruise/Diaz/Cruz can save it. Yes, the plot was convoluted, but it's not impossible to follow. It still stank.

The trailer is completely misleading. It looks like a good suspense movie, a sort of "Fatal Attraction". In reality, this movie doesn't know if it wants to be a thriller, a drama/romance, a suspense film, or a sci-fi movie. Since it tries to be all of them, is succeeds at none of them.

If you're looking for a movie this weekend, pick something else, or, if nothing else appeals to you, just stay home. Don't put yourself through this.