Masterpiece Cinema - Vanilla Sky

You know, the more reviews I write, the harder it becomes to come up with vaguely witty things to say before getting started. Seeing as this weeks edition is extra-long, how about we call it quits and just begin? Cool? Cool.

Vanilla Sky

Starring Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Jason Lee, Kurt Russel and Cameron Diaz.

Written by Alejandro Amenabar & Mateo Gil (Film Abre Los Ojos) and Cameron Crowe (screenplay)

Directed by Cameron Crowe
Genre: Drama
Released: 2001
Running time: 135 minutes.
Rated: R (American rating for Sexuality and Strong Language).
IMDb link: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0259711/

There's only two things I remember about Vanilla Sky when it first opened in 2001;

1) It had a confusing ad that didn't really tell you what the hell it was about.
2) It got its arse blown to bits by critics, and it subsequently tanked.

There was this big, stinky cloud surrounding it. People said it sucked, that it was confusing and overblown. The negative reviews made me hesitant to see it, despite the fact that it was directed by Cameron Crowe, a filmmaker whose work I generally like, and it starred Tom Cruise, an actor whom I also liked (despite his weird scientology bent and how unhip it is to like him.)

So, when I rented it a couple of weeks ago, I was very pleasantly surprised. About half-way to two-thirds of the way through, I got that feeling you get when youre watching something and it slowly dawns on you how much youre loving it. Ive had this feeling a number of times the movies Ive covered in this column are all movies that have given it to me. And now, I count Vanilla Sky amongst them.

The reason for the confusing-ad-that-doesnt-really-tell-you-that-much is simple. Theres so much in this movie that if you were to give away too many plot details, you'd ruin the experience of it.

And the reason it got its arse handed to it by critics and average filmgoers alike? Well, I think that answer is a bit more complex.
[BB]
1) 'Vanilla Sky' was based on a Spanish film called Abre Los Ojos, made in 1997. The argument runs, Why bother remaking a film thats already out there, is still pretty current and is itself exceptional? Whats the point?' I haven't actually managed to see Abre Los Ojos (translates to Open Your Eyes, a phrase used numerous times throughout Vanilla Sky.) Dont blame me, though. It's yet to be released here in Australia, so theres no way for me to compare the two. Even so, I can understand peoples misgivings about remaking whats supposed to be an already great movie, and so soon after the first of the two was released. But then, as I was listening to the audio commentary on the DVD, Cameron Crowe referred to Vanilla Sky as his cover version of Abre Los Ojos, and it all made sense to me.

As big a movie fan as Cameron Crowe is, hes probably an even bigger music fan. He started his career by writing for Rolling Stone when he was only fifteen, interviewing and going on tour with such bands as the Allman Brothers and Led Zeppelin. His film Almost Famous was based on his life during this period. So the guy lives and breathes music and in the music world, covers are the norm. And a good cover is a great thing. It can breathe a new life into a song and bring it to an audience that would never have previously had the chance to hear it. Jeff Buckleys beautiful and haunting version of Leonard Cohens Hallelujah is a good example of the ideal cover. And I think, in the realm of film, Vanilla Sky is also a great example.

2) Then there is the whole Cruise, Cruz and Kidman love triangle fiasco. Everyone knows about Tom Cruise leaving Nicole Kidman for Penelope Cruz. And everyone also knows that Cruise and Cruz met on the set of Vanilla Sky. Thus, whatever negative feeling they had about that situation ended up being focused on this movie. But if thats your reason for not watching and/or not liking it, then grow the hell up. Unless you know one of these three people personally, what difference does it make in your life who sleeps with who and for what reasons? It has no bearing on the work. If you don't want to watch it because you can't stand Tom Cruise, I can understand that. As much as I like the guy, I can see how he could rub people the wrong way. But to rate this film in relation to the personal lives of its actors seems insane.

And besides its almost impossible not to develop a crush on Penelope in this movie. I was indifferent about her before. This movie changed my mind.

3) The movie is driven by plot twist after plot twist and has a self-indulgent running time. This reason I understand. I watched the movie on a Saturday night when I was house-sitting so I had no interruptions and nothing else to do. The fact that it went for over two hours didn't really concern me, but for a person in the wrong frame of mind, I can see how they would feel that it drags on and on, seemingly without end. I personally dont feel that way, but I can see that point of view.
[BB]
As far as the amount of plot twists goes I loved every one of them. This was one of those movies that really left me with a lot to chew on, and of course, I scoured the Internet looking for opinions on it. It's always a mistake, whenever youre in this mindset, to go to the Internet Movie Database and read what the people there think. The IMDb is a great resource, but boy, does it ever have a mixed community surrounding it the mentally stunted and the arrogantly pompous.

The people that hated the movie the most were the ones who said they didn't get it or that it made no sense. I suppose that would be true if your usual fare is something along the lines of Jerry Maguire or Almost Famous (some of Crowes previous works). These are movies that are told in a linear fashion with straightforward story plots. Vanilla Sky is not one of these movies even though it starts out that way. But itd be nowhere near as interesting if it stuck to a formula or didnt challenge ones perceptions.

I don't know. Maybe I'm just easily amused by flashy things and clever stories. Maybe I don't know what the crap I'm talking about. But I know I enjoyed this movie and I think, if you give it a shot, you will, too.

Thanks for reading this weeks unintentionally extra-long column. See you next time!

What's that? You want a plot synopsis? Uhwellum...Tom Cruise plays a guy whos a millionaireumfalls in lovecar crashtopsy turvyreal mind trip*cough*leavemealonenow.

Next time: We venture from the standard format (just a little!) to deliver you a classic work by comics great Alan Moore.

Politics Factzone: The truth about Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il, the leader of the free world, has decided to move on to more fertile grounds, leaving with us just the memories of 8-color rainbows, singing Korean women and couple of nuclear weapons. But who was this man whose next ambition would have been to get the next Nobel Peace prize? Here are just a few facts you should know about. more Top 5 Conspiracy Theories Related to John F. Kennedy's Assassination 26.Aug 2011 Since just after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, conspiracy theories abou...read ISRAEL KEEPING GHADDAFI AFLOAT 10.Mar 2011 ...read Glen Beck Is NOT the Anti-Christ! 10.Mar 2011 Hurtful and fiery rhetoric is now media’s default setting! This slippery and m...read Recipe for A REVOLUTION! (10 easy steps - try not to get burned!) 28.Feb 2011 Rebellion is cooking in the air. People are mad as hell, and not going to take...read THE ASSANGE CASE. CIA INTERFERED WITH SWEDISH LEGAL PROCESSES EXTREME RIGHT POLITICS A DANGER TO EUROPEAN UNITY THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY. OUT OF TOUCH, OUT OF FOCUS, OUT OF CREDIBILITY AND HOPEFULLY, OUT OF THE DOOR Opinion World governments charged with criminal negligence (in response to Megaupload case) EARTH (thecheers.org) - Federal authorities of the universe have charged the governments of all the countries in the world as well as the operators actually in power in these countries with operating a criminal enterprise, the Galaxy warriors announced Today. more The Great OSCARS 2011 – or so it would seem 5.Mar 2011 So, how exciting......a morning off, the Academy Awards. I wish I could say the...read Top 7 Expensive Bordellos. Prostitution: Shakedown, Tier Down, and Priced Out 31.Jan 2011 According to a report of the Washington DC-based US Department of State, The Ph...read The Great Secret and Reason for the JFK Assassination 11.Oct 2010 The great question is why the great secret? On June 4 1963, President Kennedy s...read Don't Do it! The 3 Worst Times to Get Tattoos 4.Oct 2010 As a general rule, tattoos gotten after 2 am are a bad idea. But in a bigger pi...read

Travel Travel Warning 13 September 2010 - DO NOT TRAVEL TO IRAN 13.Sep 2010 TRAVELWISE has been watching the situation in Iran for some months in relation ...read more TRAVELWISE TRAVEL ADVISORY 5th June 2010. DO NOT TRAVEL TO ISRAEL. 5.Jun 2010 Given the recent incident whereby the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, used...read TRAVELWISE. 16 APRIL 2010. EUROPEAN TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES 16.Apr 2010 Travelwise issues the following advice in relation to cancelled flights to, fro...read TRAVELWISE 6 APRIL 2010. AUSTRALIAN AIR TRAVEL. THE BEST WAYS TO TRAVEL BY AIR IN AUSTRALIA. 5.Apr 2010 Regular readers might have seen and read the various advisory and no-fly notice...read TRAVELWISE 2 APRIL 2010. QANTAS. 2.Apr 2010 Some concerns have been raised in relation to some of the maintenance practices...read Sport No Payoff From the Playoffs $16.50 will Get Anyone in the Hall Mr McGwire Stupid Athlete Tricks Technology Think Big! Think the World's Largest International Trade Show Top 9 cool laptop accessories for laptop geeks Twittering: I'm not that interesting Cheers Jesus' Answering Machine Brown Couch or twelve midgets in the town square How To Be Happy Drugged Out Saturday Nights Muslim Decapitation: Bad, or Simply Misunderstood?