HTF REVIEW: "Vanilla Sky" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Jason Whyte]

The biggest problem with Vanilla Sky is it's TOO much like Abre os Ojos, which is a brilliant, original piece of work from Alejandro Amenabar (hey, anyone who even liked "The Others," this film is required viewing). This remake carries over much of the same dialogue, turns in the screenplay and even some SHOTS look exactly similar. I'd almost accuse this of the Gus Van Sant "Psycho" ripoff, but it isn't as bad. It's too hip and glossy, and it doesn't help that Tom Cruise appears at times to be attempting to outperform Jack Nicholson's incredible, intentionally over-the-top performance in "The Shining."
In short, Abre Les Ojos is the way to go. It's one of the finest films of the last decade, and it doesn't help that the DVD transfer is nice, too.
All said, I may at least take a look at the Vanilla Sky disc one of these days for the Cameron Crowe features. And my my, that transfer looks outstanding.
Jason

 

[Gary Andrews]

I wanted to post this for all the fans of this film. It's from an unofficial site called cameroncroweonline. The site's owner is pretty reliable, he has interviewed Cameron before and has contacts at his company Vinly Films. This was in his news section in March:

"I talked to the powers that be at Vinyl Films to get more specifics about the May 21st release of the Vanilla Sky DVD.

The big news here is that they are also working on a longer version of this (60 - 90 minutes) which should hopefully see a release in a year or so. There was a very short window for the gang to cull everything they wanted for the DVD and it just couldn't happen. With a May 21st release, they really only had a few months to get it ready, so we can look forward to a separate DVD release of additional things (such as the longer "Hitting It Hard", deleted scenes, etc.) ala The Matrix Revisited or possibly in a Super Duper 2 Disc Special Edition (like the Untitled DVD). Be patient, this will get done when it's done, so don't expect anything for awhile (like 12 - 24 months)."

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Gary,

With all due respect, they gotta be kidding

about another 60-90 minutes of added film?

I can bet that for many people, within 45

minutes of this film you are going to be

watching your watch more than the television.

I did not want to put this in a review that

will be ultimately archived, but here is more

of how I feel...

This movie just DRAGS. You have to sit through

this dragfest only to get a payoff at the end

that really isn't worth the wait.

To anchor additional scenes into this film

that already suffers from bad pacing is just

ludicrious to think about.

 

[Gary Andrews]

Ronald~
Just to clarify, he meant a longer version of the extras "Hitting it Hard" and "Prelude to a Dream", not 60-90 minutes of footage added to the movie. Sorry about the confusion.
I personally love the film, but yeah, that would make it WAY too long

 

[brian a]

I'll add myself to the folks who have seen both films and prefer Vanilla Sky. I already have the Abre Los Ojos DVD and, while I do enjoy it, I felt that the film was a just there to convey this interesting story that he came up with. That was the most important thing. In Vanilla Sky Crowe the story had already been done, so IMHO he spent more time telling the story with style. The style of the film became important and the story was more of a vehicle for the style. To me watching Abre was little different than someone telling me plot, while VS contained much more interesting film making. Just my opinion, of course.

 

[Jeremy Conrad]

I just finished watching the flick, and am going through the extras right now, but I think I need to watch it one more time before I get a final opinion. But, I liked how it all was "revealed" at the end, but I think the movie tried a bit too hard to mess with your mind at times. I love mind f---k movies, they're probably my favorite type, but there were moments here where it was just so obvious what the movie was trying to do it you that it wasn't quite effective as it could have been.

 

[Ricardo C]

I caught the trailer for VS during my first showing of LOTR. One of the coolest trailers I've ever seen, and certainly the one with the coolest soundtrack this side of a SW movie. I decided I'd check it out, but alas... Every time I drove down to the mall intent on watching VS, I'd end up watching LOTR yet one more time :p So this DVD is a must buy for me. I HAVE seen Abre Los Ojos, but I can't wait to see what Crowe did with the story

 

[Adam_S]

I have to disagree with Ron's take on the movie, as someone else said I loved it because it left me feeling dizzy and jolted after seeing it, it was also second only to AI as a film that made me think for days on end about it(which is why it's unmovably entrenched at number three behind AI and LOTR on my 2k1 list). I can't wait to see it again because I only saw it once on it's theatrical run. I never had any problem with the pace in the film, I was transfixed the entire time, and I'm one that can't stand any part of 2001 past the dawn of man (the opening sequence is simply some of the most outstanding filmmaking ever in my opinion, I just don't like watching ships not moving in space for half the movie;P)). I don't know why you would need more in the film though because it felt like it was solid on the first go through.
cant wait to pick this up
Adam

 

[Steven Phipps]

I must disagree with Ron also. I just saw this movie for the first time and absolutely loved it!!!
I heard from others that it was crap (but they heard it somewhere else). I am so glad I have a 106" screen, because I would have kicked myself in the ass if I had not been able to see this movie on a big screeen. The visuals are absolutely stunning, the music is spectacular, and the movie left me extremely happy. I never usually get "excited" about movies, but I was just amazed. It kinda freaks me out, have you ever watched a movie and kind of wished you didn't, just so you could experience it again? That is how I felt, I may be weird, but oh well, I also like those mind f--- movies, but at least this one actually tells you, almost clearly, what it was all about!!! I don't want to cause a war here, but I liked this alot better than Mulholland Drive, and I loved MD!! It is just MY opinion though.
BTW there is a song at the end I would like to find out the name of:
it's on the roof when he is talking to tech support and then sees Penelope Cruz for the last time, as he is walking up to her.

 

[Patrick Larkin]

I found that I was rather annoyed with Crowe's use of the same guitar-based music for many of his transitional scenes. What worked well with his previous two films, "Jerry Maguire" and "Almost Famous", was almost distracting for me as it really made me consciencious that that this was a film made by Cameron Crowe! I

i feel the same way. at time, it seems like crowe uses film as a vehicle to play his favorite music. he seems to jump at every chance to inject a pop song into a scene. Almost Famous is understandable but I feel even in that one, he made it too much of a 70's greatest hits soundtrack.

I don't remember any specifics, but I can recall thinking the same thing watching Vanilla Sky in the theater. Like, "what the hell is Crowe doing with this song here?"

 

[Jenna]

if you haven't seen the original Spanish film "Open Your Eyes" (Abre Los Ojos), definitely pick up the DVD from Artisan, IMHO a better film than Vanilla Sky

I agree. While I'm a huge Tom Cruise fan, I just thought the actor in the original film turned in a slightly superior performance.

I loved the first half of the movie, however, when it turned "sci-fi", it did get a bit confusing. A second viewing is definitely recommended.

 

[Jay W]

I agree with most here, I enjoyed the movie but thought it fell short of the original. The last 30-40 minutes did drag and include some unncessary additions in order to 'clarify' the storyline (if there is such a thing in this case).

One thing I applaude is Crowes taste in music, some of my favorite artists on this soundtrack (some I wouldn't expect to show up in a movie of this magnitude) - Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Jeff Buckley, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan... the list goes on.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I'm in the Liked It camp too. I'm not sure what was so confusing. . .sure, you're not sure what's always happening over the course of the film, but the ending spells everything out quite explicitly, I think.

As a former tech support rep myself, I got a huge kick out of the ending where he's screaming for help!


I haven't seen Abre Los Ojos, but I'd like to check it out sometime. Ron Birk told me that VS is a very close remake. I'm also curious to see if the future VS edition with more extras will materialize. (That's really good news, because the next 30 days or so are bringing a lot more want list titles than I can afford right now!)

 

[Chris Xolotl]

The worst movies I have seen in the theaters in a long time. I tried to fall asleep but I was in the Side seats near the wall and my legs kept cramping up. $6.50 matinee and I can't even doze off to this wretched movie. When it was 1-1/2 into the film I thought I was saved.... but it just dragged...

Fortunately, I relieved myself by watching Oceans Eleven afterwards.

I plan on watching Abre Los Ojos sooner or later though.

Just my $0.02....

 

[Rob Willey]

I liked this one too. I found it helpful NOT to try to figure out what was going on the first time I saw it and just to sit back and let it happen, hoping all would be clear in the end.

It was. And perhaps my only real criticism of the film is that the explanantion at the end seems overdone. Things seemed to be over-explained. A tighter cut of the ending might well have improved the film.

Recommended nonetheless.

Rob

 

[Steven Phipps]

Actually, the ending I feel was needed for people like my other half. She is the type that sits there 5 minutes into a movie, saying (what's going on?", without even giving the movie a chance to explain. While this movie takes a lot longer to explain, she loves these types of movies, but does not like to have to figure it out after, she "needs" it to at least all come together into a neat little package at the end to make it enjoyable. She hated Mulholland Drive because there was no explanation, or solid plot in the end, it was still up in the air to her. Maybe this is why they made the ending the way they did, just for my wife, Trina and people like her!

 

[Larry Bevil]

Thanks for the review, Ron. I've read some bad reviews of this film as well. I definitely will not be buying this DVD based on the reviews I have read.

 

[Margo]

I saw this last night and after reading all the bad reviews I was prepared to be disappointed. Wow! Just the opposite happened. I was pulled into this almost immediately and loved every minute of it. This touched a very deep chord for me and today I can't stop thinking about it. I wouldn't change a thing about it... but I can see how this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Some of the issues

The disfiguration of Tom Cruise's face and trusting someone that you know and having them try to kill you.


are hard ones to watch and explore. And Tom Cruise does a good job so it can be painful to watch someone else experience this. After reading some of the comments here I may track down the original to see how it compares to this remake...

 

[Dean DeMass]

I rented Vanilla Sky last night and after watching, it is on my must buy list. Cruise turns in one of his best performances and Diaz put in her best ever. The car scene was so well done, I was on the edge of seat the whole time. I have been in a situation where the driver is out of control and it is scary. Personally, I loved the soundtrack and Crowe's direction was great. I also agree with the use of the Beach Boys song at the end.

I loved the final shot of the film. It can go several ways, but I like to think that

Cruise wakes up in the future.

-Dean-

 

[Patrick Sun]

I would caution this to be a Rental title for those interested in this film (but haven't seen it). I didn't enjoy this film either. The payoff is just not enough for this film.

My one word review: Ugh.