Vanilla Sky (2001)
Review by HTQ4
Film:
DVD:

Written by Cameron Crowe, based on the film Abre los Ojos written by Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil<
Directed by Cameron Crowe
Starring Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell, Jason Lee, and Noah Taylor

Features:

• Running audio commentary by director Crowe and composer Nancy Wilson, featuring a conversation with Cruise
  
• Two Featurettes
  
  • Prelude to a Dream
    
  • Hitting it Hard
    
• An interview with Paul McCartney
  
• Music Video "Afrika Shox" by Leftfield/Afrika Bambaataa
  
• Unreleased Teaser Trailer
  
• Gag reel
  

David Aames (Cruise) has it all; he's the head of the hottest publishing company in town, he's rich, he's got a great car, and he's got a beautiful girlfriend. However, one night at a party, he meets the new woman of his dreams named Sofia (Cruz). His psycho ex-girlfriend (Diaz) sends this all completely into the toilet when she runs them off the road in her car. Once his life is thrown on its ear (literally, in fact), he begins to discover a truth that will shake the very foundation of his existence.

I have to admit that I didn't get this movie the first time through, and after another couple of times through, I'm still not sure I get it. I like to think of myself as a quasi-intelligent being, and I hate it when I think I don't get something. It just doesn't seem accessible to me. I'm sure that Crowe has some wonderful ideas that he tried to express, but I'm just not sure that casting Cruise/Cruz was the best way to accomplish it. Neither one of them seemed to have the acting chops to pull off what this script and story demanded of them. The rest of the cast really know that they are there simply to do what they can to help make the Cruize couple look good. I have to say that after sitting through these times, the movie isn't worth the supposed payoff that we are waiting for. It feels more like a let-down.

I think that Crowe had it right when he put the DVD menu together. Perhaps it is best that we see his introduction, called Prelude to a Dream, (complete with camcorder shots from behind the scenes) before you watch it...even if it's not for the first time. Crowe tells us that we should pick up on new things about the movie every time we watch it; that you can study it, or you can let it just wash over you. Well, the only movie that I like to study are the kind that seem to actually have a point. I shouldn't have to study it in the hope that one day--miraculously--it might make sense.

That having been said, I was hoping that his commentary track might be able to provide some insight into this movie. I have to admit that I was disappointed a bit in this, too. All he could really talk about how cool Abre los Ojos was and how often he tried to pay it homage. He tries to explain some of the "clues" into what the movie is about.

I hate to be the one to tell you this, but that's about all there is on this disc. The other featurette, called Hitting it Hard, is really nothing more than a collection of images and camcorder shots from their worldwide press tour promoting the film. You get Crowe and the Cruize couple jet-setting around the globe in almost every major city that you can name doing interviews and signing autographs. There is no real point to it other than to show how exhausting that kind of press tour can be. Then all that remains is a very brief interview with Sir Paul McCartney which is supposed to be about how he came up with the idea for the title song of the film. What we get is that Crowe asked him to do it, and he said yes. And, yes, that's about how long the "interview" is on the DVD. What's left is a still photo gallery (which I don't see the point of anymore) and the music video of "Afrika Shox" (ditto the music videos on DVDs). So, what looks like a lot of stuff on the back of the DVD case, really just boils down to a commentary track. I guess we should be thankful that we have that at the very least.

I can't go on without talking about the gag reel that is also part of this DVD package. It's an easter egg, so you have to go about looking for it (or go visit our friends at DVDEasterEggs.com to see how to get there). It's actually very well done. It moves a little too fast, but there are some funny moments. Mostly, though, there are some moments that you can tell there was something that didn't go quite right, and the actors made a funny face at it. The content is not that great, but the editing job is nicely done.

I would have to say that this one stays on the rental list. Crowe can do some really nice work, but this is not one of his stronger ones.