Vanilla Sky (UK)

8 / 10
3 votes cast
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Certificate: 15
Running Time: 130 mins
Retail Price: £19.99
Release Date:

Synopsis:
Tom Cruise delivers one of his finest performances in this unforgettably powerful film that reunites him with Cameron Crowe, the director of Jerry Maguire.

Young, handsome and wealthy, publishing tycoon David Aames (Cruise) can have anything his heart desires. Still, David`s charmed life seems incomplete. One night, David meets the woman of his dreams (Penelope Cruz) and believes he may have found the missing piece. But a fateful encounter with a jealous lover (Cameron Diaz) suddenly sends David`s world out of control, rocketing him on a roller-coaster ride of romance, sex, suspicion and dreams… to a shocking, final awakening you will never forget.

Special Features:
Audio Commentary by Cameron Crowe and composer Nancy Wilson, featuring a conversation with Tom Cruise
Featurettes: `Hitting It Hard` and `Prelude To A Dream`
Interview with Paul McCartney
Music Video `Afrika Shox` by Leftfield/Afrika Bambaataa
Unreleased teaser trailer
International theatrical trailer
Photo gallery with audio introduction by photographer Neal Preston
Additional scenes

Video Tracks:
Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1

Audio Tracks:
Dolby Digital 5.1 English

Subtitle Tracks:
Polish
Swedish
Finnish
English
CC: English
Hungarian
Dutch
Arabic
Danish
Norwegian

Directed By:
Cameron Crowe

Written By:



Starring:
Noah Taylor
Kurt Russell
Penélope Cruz
Timothy Spall
Jason Lee
Cameron Diaz
Tom Cruise

Casting By:
Gail Levin

Soundtrack By:
Paul McCartney
Nancy Wilson
Bob Dylan

Director of Photography:
John Toll

Editor:
Mark Livolsi
Joe Hutshing

Costume Designer:
Betsy Heimann

Production Designer:
Catherine Hardwicke

Producer:
Paula Wagner
Donald J. Lee Jr.
Tom Cruise
Scott M. Martin
Michael Doven
Cameron Crowe

Executive Producer:
Jonathan Sanger
Danny Bramson
Bill Block
Patrick Wachsberger
Fernando Bovaira

Distributor:
Paramount Pictures

Your Opinions and Comments

7 / 10
Firstly, well done to Tom Cruise for doing something different. Vanilla Sky is a complex film that needs to be seen twice to be fully appreciated. The plot is very complex and I don`t want to spoil it for you. Needless to say, it is challenging and innovative.
This of course, is the remake of Arbre Les Ojos (Open Your Eyes) which I have not seen fully, I caught the ending. Therefore, I knew what was going to happen at the end but I can`t compare the two films.
Taken on its own, Vanilla Sky is well shot, directed, acted and edited. However, until the suprise ending, people may find it vain, slightly dull and pointless.
Go in with an open mind and you will be entertained. It certainly isn`t a great film but worth seeing and talking about.
The DVD extras are sparse and slightly dull but at least they are there. Overall, a good night`s rental.
posted by morpheus177 on 21/12/2002 14:13
7 / 10
A strange but beautiful film that I haven't completely made up my mind up about yet.

The main cast (including Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell, Jason Lee & Timothy Spall) are all excellent. The film itself is well presented, shot & directed.

Disc wise, the picture is excellent, audio good, and we get a nice selection of extras (the principal components of which are an audio commentary from the director and composer, and a 2 featurettes).

Basically it boils down to this -
DISC = good.
FILM = you're going to have to make your own minds up.

Personally, I liked it, I didn't think it was the best film of all time or anything, but it is certainly worth watching. But at the same time it is a tad confusing, and to analyse it too deeply (or at all) would just spoil it. So I'm just going to chicken out, and say you have to watch it yourselves!
posted by Rich Davies on 27/6/2003 19:38