Vanilla Sky

Rating:
Summary: Really a depressing film from people I love.
Review: I love all the people involved in the project. But simply this film is way too depressing. Great concept, it just doesn't work and now I need some happy pills.

Rating:
Summary: MASTERPIECE!!
Review: Tom cruise and Penelope Cruz are at their best in this film. For critics to say "I cannot understand this movie.", I say, WHERE WERE YOU DURING THIS MOVIE? THIS MOVIE REQUIRES YOUR FULL ATTENTION. This movie was better than I expected. All the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the end. Films like this come few and far between. I highly recommend this epic!! went beyond all expectations.


Rating:
Summary: Rent first, ask questions later...
Review: Try as I might, I cannot neglect the fact that Tom Cruise is a talented actor, and "Vanilla Sky" may be his best performance since "Born on the 4th of July". That said, the vehicle in which we see him practice his craft -- this film -- is like a Schwinn bicycle with a powerful speedboat motor fitted to it. The result: "Vanilla Sky" goes nowhere.

It has it's moments: I loved the soundtrack and I appreciated that Crowe was trying his hardest to create his own "Memento". I'm also glad that I rented it first -- I certainly won't see it a second time. While listening to Crowe's so-so commentary, I understand that for him this was a huge artistic risk. I also get the feeling that, depite the sincere effort, even he deep down realizes that the film fails.

The basic plot points are straightforward enough: the man who has everything overreaches and loses it all, only to finally understand that he never had anything in the first place. Except, maybe love, and we're not sure if that's what it was because it too was taken away before its time.

To go into more detail wanders into spoilers territory -- suffice it to say the zinger at the end nearly destroyed this movie for me. What was an interesting psychological drama, buttressed by Cruise exceptional performance, fell apart into a very pap, kindler-gentler Twilight Zone ending. I place the blame squarely on Cameron Crowe -- after setting me up by delivering a huge emotional impact surrounding the main character's tragedy, he pimps it out with a bogus sci-fi wrap-up. I felt cheated and betrayed by it.

The other element that came pretty close to wrecking "Vanilla Sky" was Penelope Cruz. I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt that she isn't well-trained to act in English, and that she really is an good actress, but her performance was so bloody lifeless I couldn't understand what Cruise's character was smitten over (besides her astonishing beauty). "Vanilla Sky" would have been better served by another actress in such a critical role.

Rating:
Summary: People who cannot understand the movie SHOULD NOT REVIEW IT.
Review: I have become sick of people reviewing this movie who took no effort in understanding and analyzing what it was about. Naturally, when the toughest movie for them to understand is 'America Pie,' you DO NOT even come close to reviewing Vanilla Sky. So people, please ignore the negative reviews.

Vanilla Sky has a lot of philosophy to it. Dont worry, its not that deep. But the movie has its grounds in it. Tom Cruise is a rich and handsome kid who succeeds his father's multi million dollar corporation. He has everything he wants...women, sex, clothes, cars, yes-men and everything you can think of. He takes the world for granted. Nothing can bring him down...except love. He meets a beautiful girl (penelope cruz) and feels his life has been flipped. But soon an incident takes place that shows him how shallow the world can be. And the best part about the movie is his quest to do the impossible.

Vanilla Sky is a movie that requires thinking and deciphering. But it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure it out. A lot of people have been whining that "its too wierd" and "I cannot understand it." Most of these whiners are people who only find solace and comfort in watching 'Friends', American Pie, Eurotrip and other teen romance/sex comedies. Vanilla Sky is an exceptional movie and I hope it takes you a dream world where the impossible becomes the possible.