Open Your Eyes
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Movie Reviews of Open Your Eyes
Movie Review: Example of fine movie making out of Europe...
Summary: 5 Stars
Outstanding film. Bought this DVD after seeing and enjoying Vanilla Sky. If you liked Vanilla Sky, it's pretty interesting to see Abre Los Ojos, the inspiration for it. In fact, I was surprised how closely the stories stuck together. Scene for scene they unfold in almost the exact same way (unlike some Hollyweed remakes of foreign flicks). To be honest, I like both movies a lot, and for slightly different reasons. Not sure why some folks slam the heck out of Vanilla Sky and praise this to pieces since they're so similar (quite a few foreign film snobs seem to lean that way--which I don't understand since almost half of my DVD collection is comprised of non-American productions). Abre Los Ojos did an awesome job crafting a story that was interesting and pulled the watcher in without a bunch of over-the-top special effects. One of its strengths is just the sheer way it pulls you in with the simplicity of executing a far-from-simple story. I do think Penelope Cruz' performance was stronger in this version. She adds a little more depth to her character, and it feels a little more fleshed out. Conversely I think the Nunia/Julie Gianni character (the spurned love interest in the story) is better executed by Cameron Diaz. She injects just enough of an eery quality into her character that puts you cautiously on edge. Najwa Nimri, the actress in Open Your Eyes, does the roll well, but with less dimension. Another noticeable difference is Noriega's `César' (the main character). In Abre Los Ojos, he comes across as more of a naďve victim of circumstance. Yes, he's callow and cocky, but not necessarily conniving. Cruise' character seems much more aware of his circumstances and bit more manipulative. Regardless of the differences, both flicks are way worth watching, and need to be given more than one viewing to be really appreciated. Strong performances across the board support an interesting and twisting story line that might leave you a little confused at times, but definitely not bored. Five stars, two thumbs up, and a `hip hip hooray'!!Movie Review: An Essay on The Dark Haired Girl (here - Najwa Nimri.)
Summary: 5 Stars
Amenabar (and his associate Medem) are clearly erudite fans of literate SF and there can be little question that Abre tus Ojos was heavily influenced by Philip Kendred Dick's UBIK. (Avail. in the book area - go buy it.) The confusion over life and death and the brilliant incarnation of PKDs Dark Haired Girl by Najwa Nimri seem to seal it. Of course in Vanilla Sky, the same character is blonde Cameron Diaz (who finally demonstrated in John Malkovitch that she could act.) In Blade Runner, Pris, PKD's clearest written incarnation of this symbol, was played by blonde Darryl Hannah, and in Total Recall (blech) by blonde Sharon Stone.This won't matter to the 99.9% of the viewers unfamiliar with PKDs brilliant literature, but the symbol of The Dark Haired Girl is so central to PKDs fiction and outlook on life that they are missing out on a whole alternative layer of meaning.
The Dark Haired Girl was only portrayed once by a dark haired actress in a full on adaptation, by Anne Brochet in (Confessions d'un) Barjo the film version of Confessions of a Crap Artist (available under books - go buy it.) (ATT: Image Video since you seem to be the only people really trying, please put this out on DVD.)
I can think offhand of two other films with avatars of Pris. Medem's Tierra (buy it, and excuse me, but WHY isn't Los Amantes del Circulo Polar on DVD???) has a wonderful performance by Silke Klein as Mari.
This is more of a stretch (besides crossing both the Atlantic and the Equator) but since Argentinian Eliseo Subiela's Hombre Mirando al Sudeste (DVD, please) was very PKD in tone and had a character named Beatriz Dick, the character of Death, played by raven haired Nacha Guevara, in his Lado Oscuro del Corazon (DVD PLEASE)is a good candidate. I just found that a part 2 version of the last was released. Not only will it never come out on video (ANY video) I'm sure I will never see it in the theatre.
On that depressing note......
Movie Review: SEE THE ORIGINAL BEFORE the american remake :"vanilla sky"
Summary: 5 Stars
alejandro amenabar's "ABRE LOS OJOS" aka "open your eyes"...is simply brilliant!... it's one of the best sci-fi ever made!...( along with "ghost in the shell" , "blade runner" , "cube"..etc.).. the acting,plot,cinematography,music (also composed by alejandro),directing are all perfect!-the story. ...CÉSAR (portrayed by spanish actor eduardo noriega who is btw also in amenabar's "TESIS".) , is in a mental institution,where a psychiatrist (chete lera) attempts to convince him to reveal the face he hides behind a plastic mask.Cesar insists that he's horribly disfigured (do to a car accident).no matter how many times he's assured that his face has been restored through plastic surgery.
What happens next is totaly unbelievable!... the film just gets stranger and weirder till the final unpredictable conclusion. i wont spoil the rest.
the film also stars penelope cruz as cesar's fiance , najwa nimri (also played in "los amantes del circulo polar" aka "lovers of the artic circle") as nuria,who is responsible for cesar's accident,& Fele martinez(also played in amenabar's"Tesis" , "lovers of the artic circle" & "el arte de morir") as Pelayo,cesar's best friend.
other suggestions: read philip k. dick's "UBIK" , order alejandro's previous film "TESIS" or "thesis" (one of aljandro's best films!) ,also, his american debut film "THE OTHERS" , jaume balaguero's film "LOS SIN NOMBRE" (the nameless).
abre los ojos dvd offers scene index,cast & crew bios,production notes & english subtitles..no trailers,making of,behind the scenes were included,but they are compensated by a great image quality.
Movie Review: Perchance to Dream....
Summary: 5 Stars
This mesmerizing and original Spanish film from director Alejandro Amenabar is about the life we dream of, and the life we're given, and the manner in which it is told is nothing short of brilliant.
Eduardo Noriega portrays a shallow bed-hopping young man named Ceaser who has never given a second thought to real love until he falls for Sophia, who just happens to be the girl his best friend brings to his birthday party.
Penelope Cruz gives a sexy and luminous performance in her own language as the charming Sophia. Contrasting her is Najwa Nimri as the overtly sexual Nuria, the one night stand who has Ceaser's shallow number and refuses to just go away. She plays on his weaker personality by accusing him of being scared to take a ride with her for one last fling and the aftermath is a mind altering journey.
An apparently disfigured Ceaser finds himself in the criminal psychiatric ward after being accused of a murder he can't remember anything about. He tries to sort through his dreams, and possibly his memories, with the help of Antonio (Cheta Lera) and begins to slowly unravel what is real and what is imagined. To reveal more would ruin the journey for the viewer.
This film is a terrific thriller that ultimately becomes a heartfelt drama of what can happen when we put the emphasis on the shallow and realize the need for tenderness and love too late. The performances are solid, the fawn like grace of Cruz a standout, lifting this film far above its inferior American remake. The ending will linger with the viewer a long time.
This film is a fine argument for expanding your film library to include great foreign films such as this one. Pick this up as soon as you can.
Movie Review: a side bar
Summary: 5 Stars
I have not seen "Abre los ojos". I saw "Vanilla Sky" a few nights ago and liked it. And I started to read reviews for "Abre" once I realized "Vanilla" was a remake of it.The reason I'm writing this "review" is that I've noticed everyone's been giving high praises to "Abre" for its originality. Now my disclaimer is that I've only seen "Vanilla", but while I was watching "Vanilla", I felt I recognized "strong" influnces and borrowing from a 1985 Japanese novel called "Hard-boiled wonderland and the end of the world" by Haruki Murakami. "Hard" is also a sci-fi/romance/thriller type of story that fluctuates between realities and the subconscious. By the end of the story, the reader along with the protagonist eventually realize that "the end of the world" is a creation from the narrator's consciousness that theorectically can last forever, except for his own sneaky subconscious and id lurking around in the background... The protagonist in "Hard" ultimately also chose the sweet-bitterness of reality over the imaginary kingdom where he reigned. I remember the protagonist had a difficult time choosing because he had grown to love the strange world his mind had created. He also felt responsible for the people that his mind had conceived, he was torn by the realization that these people that he had come to care about are all going to cease to exist once he leaves. I loved that book.
Is there anyone out there who also see the "strong" similarities?