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VANILLA SKY (2001)
Director: Cameron Crowe
I've seen the Spanish film "Open Your Eyes" that this movie is adapted from, and I liked it a lot. I think as a movie it is much better, but for different reasons.
"Vanilla Sky" is just an enjoyable Americanized version and that doesn't seem to be enough for the critics. First off I understand why the person who has seen "Open Your Eyes" would be upset. I saw Vanilla Sky first, and was not aware of there being another original film it was based off of.
Months later I saw the original and was instantly in love with it's uniqueness and surreal feel.
Then I tried Vanilla Sky again and JESUS CHRIST, forget it! I'm not reviewing the original, I'm reviewing the remake and the remake only, as a standalone film.
As a standalone film, Vanilla Sky is very powerful. It is not perfect. By not perfect I mean that it has a few moments of dopeyness and convenience. I just happen not to care. Tom Cruise does some of his very best work in this film. I know Cruise is the poster child for deranged and spoiled. He's a super wealthy leader in a hack religion and he jumps on couches and does his own stunts and probably thinks he's better than you. I honestly don't care. As an actor he is terrific. In this film Vanilla Sky he gets me very emotionally involved because his face is so experienced with conveying emotion. He does have a great smile, and he was in good shape and he did wear cool clothes and had a stylish haircut and yes, I enjoyed all of this. This surface material helps put across who he is, and it shows his power as a star. I've always liked Tom Cruise a lot as an actor. He doesn't burn out with his eyes. He believes everything he says and does. I have never once seen a fast cutaway from a Tom Cruise expression because he may have faded out and stopped believing after a line reading. No. Tom Cruise believes his world. He believes what he has created. Call him crazy. Make fun of his nose to knock him down a peg, ridicule his religion, but don't say Tom Cruise cannot act because you've only seen "Top Gun" and Mission:Impossible".
The story, I am not going to get into because the film works best as a surprise, and frankly, I don't care to try and sell this film. I enjoyed it and just wanted to get my thoughts out about it.
I genuinely got choked up from this movie. It was able to create a deep sadness and cold reality that Cruise played with absolute perfection. There's a scene where he calls his love interest up on the phone and has to leave a message. He is so manic and nervous. It's heartbreaking. His insecurities have him delusional. Or maybe his delusions have him more confident?
Another scene is where Cruise's character calls a bartender out for not being face to face with him. After he gets the bartender's attention, Cruise goes limp and humble as he follows up his original hostile comment with a respectful reply. He just wants to be accepted. Cruise sells of all of this. I just can't stress how impressed I am with Tom Cruise in this movie.
There are plenty of scenes that showcase Cruise's ability as an actor as he plays a privileged, good looking millionaire as well as an isolated, deformed and devastated man in love.
As far as Tom Cruise being a "this" or "that" because he decided to help finance a pet project, ..so what? He clearly loved the original film enough to want to have a chance to play this part. The music was more than solid, the camera work amazing, great performances all around, and some typical American hit you over the head - easy to read lettering to ensure everyone can have a piece. What some viewers may have overlooked is that Vanilla Sky is a great movie on its own. It's not a perfect movie, especially if I were to insist on comparing it to the original film it was spawned from, but I had it as a new experience when I originally saw it, I feel lucky about that, and never had a deep hatred for Tom Cruise to begin with. Yeah, I know he's got issues..and money..and power. I simply do not care. He's a tremendous actor when he gets the right role. Roman Polanski goes around raping chicks and fleeing the country and that guy gets stroked off at every turn. At least Cruise tries to help people when he's not holding his family hostage with the help of the satanic, excuse me, scientificoligologically challenged church.
He got the right role. Good on him for seeing that opportunity and taking it for himself.
I know this movie didn't do well critically. That was a gamble. But I connect with this movie so I'm glad I don't always listen to critics or else I might have missed this one.
Since I originally saw this back in 2002, I've re-watched it a handful of times. This latest time I was sure I would think this movie was just mediocre. I was surprised to find myself loving it all over again like it was the first time.
Now I'll have to go and get "Open Your Eyes" and watch that again.
Director: Cameron Crowe
I've seen the Spanish film "Open Your Eyes" that this movie is adapted from, and I liked it a lot. I think as a movie it is much better, but for different reasons.
"Vanilla Sky" is just an enjoyable Americanized version and that doesn't seem to be enough for the critics. First off I understand why the person who has seen "Open Your Eyes" would be upset. I saw Vanilla Sky first, and was not aware of there being another original film it was based off of.
Months later I saw the original and was instantly in love with it's uniqueness and surreal feel.
Then I tried Vanilla Sky again and JESUS CHRIST, forget it! I'm not reviewing the original, I'm reviewing the remake and the remake only, as a standalone film.
As a standalone film, Vanilla Sky is very powerful. It is not perfect. By not perfect I mean that it has a few moments of dopeyness and convenience. I just happen not to care. Tom Cruise does some of his very best work in this film. I know Cruise is the poster child for deranged and spoiled. He's a super wealthy leader in a hack religion and he jumps on couches and does his own stunts and probably thinks he's better than you. I honestly don't care. As an actor he is terrific. In this film Vanilla Sky he gets me very emotionally involved because his face is so experienced with conveying emotion. He does have a great smile, and he was in good shape and he did wear cool clothes and had a stylish haircut and yes, I enjoyed all of this. This surface material helps put across who he is, and it shows his power as a star. I've always liked Tom Cruise a lot as an actor. He doesn't burn out with his eyes. He believes everything he says and does. I have never once seen a fast cutaway from a Tom Cruise expression because he may have faded out and stopped believing after a line reading. No. Tom Cruise believes his world. He believes what he has created. Call him crazy. Make fun of his nose to knock him down a peg, ridicule his religion, but don't say Tom Cruise cannot act because you've only seen "Top Gun" and Mission:Impossible".
The story, I am not going to get into because the film works best as a surprise, and frankly, I don't care to try and sell this film. I enjoyed it and just wanted to get my thoughts out about it.
I genuinely got choked up from this movie. It was able to create a deep sadness and cold reality that Cruise played with absolute perfection. There's a scene where he calls his love interest up on the phone and has to leave a message. He is so manic and nervous. It's heartbreaking. His insecurities have him delusional. Or maybe his delusions have him more confident?
Another scene is where Cruise's character calls a bartender out for not being face to face with him. After he gets the bartender's attention, Cruise goes limp and humble as he follows up his original hostile comment with a respectful reply. He just wants to be accepted. Cruise sells of all of this. I just can't stress how impressed I am with Tom Cruise in this movie.
There are plenty of scenes that showcase Cruise's ability as an actor as he plays a privileged, good looking millionaire as well as an isolated, deformed and devastated man in love.
As far as Tom Cruise being a "this" or "that" because he decided to help finance a pet project, ..so what? He clearly loved the original film enough to want to have a chance to play this part. The music was more than solid, the camera work amazing, great performances all around, and some typical American hit you over the head - easy to read lettering to ensure everyone can have a piece. What some viewers may have overlooked is that Vanilla Sky is a great movie on its own. It's not a perfect movie, especially if I were to insist on comparing it to the original film it was spawned from, but I had it as a new experience when I originally saw it, I feel lucky about that, and never had a deep hatred for Tom Cruise to begin with. Yeah, I know he's got issues..and money..and power. I simply do not care. He's a tremendous actor when he gets the right role. Roman Polanski goes around raping chicks and fleeing the country and that guy gets stroked off at every turn. At least Cruise tries to help people when he's not holding his family hostage with the help of the satanic, excuse me, scientificoligologically challenged church.
He got the right role. Good on him for seeing that opportunity and taking it for himself.
I know this movie didn't do well critically. That was a gamble. But I connect with this movie so I'm glad I don't always listen to critics or else I might have missed this one.
Since I originally saw this back in 2002, I've re-watched it a handful of times. This latest time I was sure I would think this movie was just mediocre. I was surprised to find myself loving it all over again like it was the first time.
Now I'll have to go and get "Open Your Eyes" and watch that again.