Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4096 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-11-18
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 130 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Vanilla Sky reunites director Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire) with the swoonsome Tom Cruise; adds another sexy Cruz (Penélope) and Cameron Diaz for good measure; and delivers a wildly entertaining, bizarre venture into erotic science fiction. Adapted almost exactly from Spanish filmmaker Alejandro Amenábar's 1997 romantic thriller Open Your Eyes, the film follows David Aames (Cruise) as he falls from his graceful Manhattan perch of inordinate wealth, good looks and new-found love with Sofia (Cruz) because of severe facial disfigurement resulting from a car accident caused by a suicidal ex-lover (Diaz). Reduced to wearing a latex mask and spurned by his friends, what at first promises to be a conventional allegory of redemption via true love is turned on its head as Cruise's character only wins back his princess after a miracle of plastic surgery restores his former beauty. A series of plot twists follow, as waking life, technological advances and nightmares merge to dizzying effect, leaving David face to face with his own mortality. Despite a final conceit to some vague morality, the appeal of the film is the wonderfully callous message conveyed by the whole--money and physical beauty equal happiness and an unabashed vanity perfectly embodied by Cruise and Cruz. --Fionn Meade

On the DVD: Vanilla Sky's anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen transfer is practically flawless with no visible pixilation, showing off John Toll's excellent cinematography. The audio is also exemplary, particularly with music tracks such as Radiohead's "Everything in Its Right Place". Cameron Crowe's commentary track is excellent and the other extra's consist of a couple of trailers, a stills gallery and an interview with Paul McCartney from Entertainment Tonight in regards to his Golden Globe-nominated song "Vanilla Sky". Two featurettes are included. In the first Crowe follows the surreal theme of the film. The second, "Prelude to a Dream", a "making-of" documentary, is conspicuous for it's lack of interviews or any real material about the making of the film. --Kristen Bowditch

Special Features
English Subtitles
Scene Selection
Commentary by Director Cameron Crowe and Composer Nancy Wilson, featuring a conversation with Tom Cruise.
Two Featurettees- "Prelude to dream", "Hitting it Hard"
An interview with Paul McCartney
Music Video "Africa Shox" by leftfield/Afrika Bambaataa
Unreleased Teaser Trailer
International Theatrical Trailer
Photo Gallery with Audio Introduction

Synopsis
Director Cameron Crowe (JERRY MAGUIRE, ALMOST FAMOUS) teams up with Tom Cruise once again in an adaptation of Alejandro Amenabar's 1997 Spanish film OPEN YOUR EYES. Cruise plays David Aames, a playboy publisher leading a seemingly charmed life. His most recent playmate is his "friend" Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz), who cares for David more than he realizes. When David meets the fetching Sofia Serrano (Penelope Cruz) at his birthday party, he awakens to the possibility of what true love can feel like, leaving Julie distraught. However, after an accident that changes David's life, he is forced to rethink his choices. This psychological thriller becomes roller coaster ride of flashbacks as David tries to make sense of all that has happened, relaying some surreal experiences to a psychiatrist (Kurt Russell) after being charged with murder. The film's message may differ for each viewer, but it does make one bold point: every action has consequences.
Crowe gets exceptional performances from Cruise, Cruz, and Diaz and the alluring pop soundtrack features songs from REM, Radiohead, Bob Dylan, and Peter Gabriel. Amazingly, the scene of Cruise running through a completely empty Times Square was shot on location, a major feat in and of itself.

Customer Reviews

Beautiful
I absolutely loved this movie - I found it haunting, beautiful and strange. Fantastic soundtrack too - especially the use of Good Vibrations.

My all time favourite film
I love this film, and it seems that's not always a popular decision. Some people insist it's too confusing, but for me that's the beauty, the way you are held in suspense, unsure quite what is happening until the end, where it all becomes clear. Part of the beauty of this film is the ending. Perhaps the reason I can watch it time and time again is that the ending still evokes the same emotions in me, a fear, an anxiety, a sadness, an indecision, for it's a big decision to make, and I'm not sure which path I'd choose.

Truly, this film is beautiful, and perhaps it does not match up to the original, but I wouldn't know, as I have not seen it, and somehow I don't want to, because I don't want anything to marr my enjoyment of this film that is everything I look for in a film; psychological, suspenseful, confusing and enigmatic, beautiful, and haunting.

If ever I'm in doubt, I watch it once again, and all faith is restored: Vanilla Sky remains my favourite film of all time.

Just a really great movie
This film is one of those films worth buying as each time you watch each you notice different things and it affects your view of the film and makes you want to watch it again. A great plot, brilliantly shot.