Vanilla Sky
Quite possibly Cameron Crowe's most controversial movie to date, the American remake of Abre Los Ojos was cast with Tom Cruise- who has always impressed me, despite his looks, Jason Lee, with whom I have loved since Mallrats, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, Kurt Russell, and a small role by Alicia Witt.
Why is it that this movie gets such a bad rap? I think it's lovely. The set, the sky, the plot, the acting, the paralells...
When I saw Atticus Finch and how they were relating Kurt Russell's character to Atticus Finch, my heart leapt. Atticus Finch is my second most favorite literary character, second only to Holden Caufield.
Tom Cruise's face was freaky, but that was nothing compared to the facial prosthetic they gave him *shudder*.
The movie, like all good movies, you need to see more than once to truly appreciate. I can tell at a glance what movies need a second chance the first time I see them, and this is one of them. (I'm going to see if Eyes Wide Shut is another one- I still can't believe that Kubrick would do a movie he didn't believe in...) Once you get past the initial "WTF is going on?!?" You start to find yourself relating to the characters- wondering if you've ever been on the edge to the point where you'd be the Julie Gianni psycho-stalker chick, or if you would love a man as disfugured as Daniel as Sofia does. For the guys, if you were introduced to a girl by your friend and felt strongly enough, would you go against your best friend's wishes? Or if the shoe were on the other foot, would you be as forgiving as Brian?
Although the whole "Life after Death" thing is kind of wacky, it does pull it together. The cinematography is picturesque- with Monet's Vanilla Sky in the background. It's so beautiful. As you relate to the characters, you start to get pulled in by the storyline. If you do not relate, you won't like it. So many people don't, but I feel it's because they don't really give it a chance. But I feel you should.
Give it a chance.
Relate to these characters.
Feel their pain.
Open your eyes.
Why is it that this movie gets such a bad rap? I think it's lovely. The set, the sky, the plot, the acting, the paralells...
When I saw Atticus Finch and how they were relating Kurt Russell's character to Atticus Finch, my heart leapt. Atticus Finch is my second most favorite literary character, second only to Holden Caufield.
Tom Cruise's face was freaky, but that was nothing compared to the facial prosthetic they gave him *shudder*.
The movie, like all good movies, you need to see more than once to truly appreciate. I can tell at a glance what movies need a second chance the first time I see them, and this is one of them. (I'm going to see if Eyes Wide Shut is another one- I still can't believe that Kubrick would do a movie he didn't believe in...) Once you get past the initial "WTF is going on?!?" You start to find yourself relating to the characters- wondering if you've ever been on the edge to the point where you'd be the Julie Gianni psycho-stalker chick, or if you would love a man as disfugured as Daniel as Sofia does. For the guys, if you were introduced to a girl by your friend and felt strongly enough, would you go against your best friend's wishes? Or if the shoe were on the other foot, would you be as forgiving as Brian?
Although the whole "Life after Death" thing is kind of wacky, it does pull it together. The cinematography is picturesque- with Monet's Vanilla Sky in the background. It's so beautiful. As you relate to the characters, you start to get pulled in by the storyline. If you do not relate, you won't like it. So many people don't, but I feel it's because they don't really give it a chance. But I feel you should.
Give it a chance.
Relate to these characters.
Feel their pain.
Open your eyes.
posted by Susan at
11/09/2004
2 Comments:
Dah!
Vanilla Sky...I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I tried. Maybe with a second viewing it'd come to make sense. But sitting there the first time, I couldn't ''get'' it.
And Cruise's face was freaky!
By
..., at 1:12 PM
This was one of the few movies I've seen that I hated with a passion. It looks great, and I was drawn into it up until the end, even willing to come back to a second viewing to figure some of the stuff out. But the ending just killed it for me... I thought it explained TOO much, and turned a good movie into a highly pretentious one. (it didn't help that they topped it off with a song by one of my most hated musicians, Paul McCartney [post-beatles of course], either).
You're probably right and that I should see it again though. I mean it IS Tom Cruise and the MF who did Jerry Maguire. so maybe I can give it a second chance...
By
Chris, at 4:51 PM
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