Open Your Eyes
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Movie Reviews of Open Your Eyes
Movie Review: Simply incredible...
Summary: 5 Stars
If you like films that keep you guessing until the end, you'll love this Spanish film. The editorial review gives as much a synopsis of the plot as possible, to give you more of the story would be unfair. It is only after the last 5 minutes of the film that you realize exactly what's going on - but the ride there will keep you enthralled. It is one of the best psychological thrillers I've ever seen, taking you deep into the twisted "reality" of a disfigured man (Eduardo Nuriega), haunted by his love for the beautiful Sofia (Penelope Cruz at her finest!) But if you think this is a film that just depicts a man dealing with disfigurement, you've only touched the surface. I found myself thinking about this film days after watching it the first time, and now after having seen it at least 5 times it still invokes questions inside of me on some of the deeper aspects of life. "What is success, beauty, love and happiness?", "Who would we be and what would we do if everything was taken away from us?". In the end, I analogize this movie to a lesson on reincarnation. Think of that during the last 60 seconds of the film...as you find yourself covered in goosebumps.
Buy this film, because you'll have to watch it at least twice.
Movie Review: "Abre Los Ojos"...Makes "Vanilla Sky" look very bland...
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw "Abre Los Ojos" quite a while before I saw "Vanilla Sky," and to me it is far superior. Cameron Crowe's version of this dark and twisted dreamscape is so prettied up and sanitized that much of the impact of the story is lost--as is the case with many Americanized versions of foreign-language films. Eduardo Noriega is amazing (and beautiful)in "Abre Los Ojos," giving the character of Cesar a sense of darkness as well as vulnerability, not to mention the egocentricity of a spoiled child that is expected in the character--Tom Cruise, on the other hand, just seems like a movie star throughout his entire performance in "Vanilla Sky." Penelope Cruz's performance in this original version is much more believable...ironic, considering she and Cruise became a couple. The chemistry between Cruz and Noriega is much more palpable. The Madrid scenery is amazing, and there is a dreamlike quality to the film that comes from excellent cinematography and just plain good film-making...not Hollywood "magic". The characters are believable, and the ending is not as "sugar coated," so that it has an even bigger impact on the audience. Skip the Vanilla...and open your eyes.Movie Review: Cruz shines as does Eduardo Noriega in Open Your Eyes
Summary: 5 Stars
Anyone who saw Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky and loved it should really seek out this film, the original, "Open Your Eyes." Although less technically savvy and a lot quieter than Vanilla Sky (I actually missed Crowe's use of music), this Spanish language version is definetely worth seeing. Alejandro Amenabar's story is a highly complex psychological thriller, and the main leads couldn't be more watchable. Eduardo Noriega gives Tom Cruise a run for his money in this role (and vice versa, I thought the acting in Vanilla Sky was excellent). It was nice to see the original version of what is arguably one of the most interesting films to come out in the last couple of years. This film is destined to become a classic, like Vanilla Sky in its own right. The DVD has a small, four page commentary on the film and its meaning, or at least the meaning that Amenabar intended. I found that interesting, as well as the short cast biographies/filmographies. I was very impressed with Cruz(again) and Noriega, and plan to see more films starring them.
Cruz fans should check out the wonderful romantic comedy Twice Upon a Yesterday and the delightful Woman on Top as well.
I highly recommended this film. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Movie Review: Come here when 'Vanilla Sky' confuses the heck out of you
Summary: 5 Stars
'Abre Los Ojos' - or 'Open Your Eyes' - is Spanish director's Alejandro Amenábar's master work. Amenábar is famous here in the United States for his subsequent work with Nicole Kidman in 'The Others,' but he first burst into international prominence as the writer and shaper of the wildly inventive 'Ojos.'And that caught the attention of the international film set, including director/screenwriter Cameron Crowe and Tom Cruise. They re-shaped the 1997 release of Madrid-based 'Ojos' into 2001's NYC-based 'Vanilla Sky'.
Without getting into a lengthy blow-by-blow comparison of the two releases, let's just say that anyone who sees the original after the re-make has the same comment: "I really wish I had seen the original first."
Exactly. It's the far superior film. Crowe/Cruise add nothing to it, and in fact seem to have suceeded only in totally confusing or frustrating their audience.
Although I should point out that Cameron Diaz is really brilliant in 'Sky' as the doomed femme fatale, far better than Najwa Nimri, who played the same role in 'Ojos.'
Movie Review: Great Movie If You Like Alternative Realities
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great movie I feel if you are fan of unorthodox ideas and stories.
I heard an interesting theory which is we can be reincarnated into any time period past or future or even live the same life over again to try to change something that we deeply regret.
This movie gets into some of those kinds of ideas.
I don't want to ruin it by saying too much more about the plot.
Jeff Marzano
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