Glimpse of Insanity -- 8 (Very good)

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2005)

I was surprised by Last Samurai, hugely disappointed by Collateral, but was still in the video stores looking for more Tom Cruise. What's wrong with me? Have I turned into a fanatical Tom Cruise stalker in the past few months? Well, the last time I checked I have yet to start dotting my I's with hearts, so I should be in the clear. No, rather I think that since the days of Cocktail and Days of Thunder, Tom Cruise has chosen better and better work for himself with each project he commits to. Ever since Magnolia my respect for this internationally renowned mega-star has consistently increased movie by movie, although the overall quality of the movie sans Cruise still remains a crap-shoot. Take, for example, the OPEN YOUR EYES Americanized remake, VANILLA SKY.
I started watching VANILLA SKY with my girlfriend, and about thirty minutes into the movie I started looking at my watch wishing it to be over. The Cruise, Cruz, Diaz, Lee love quadrangle starts of ordinary as hell, and I was mumbling to myself, oh great, another plastic family feud flick. Why didn't I just watch Friends instead, saving myself from this boredom.
At the thirty minute mark, Cameron Diaz snaps like a flaky twig and drives Cruise and herself off a bridge. In sixty seconds the Friends-fest turns into a psychotic nightmare, and from there on out, VANILLA SKY runs its course as deranged as a Cronenberg film to the end in this grotesquely beautiful film.
Anyone who's ever felt confined knows what it's like to hear things that aren't there, to believe in conspiracies, and to have waking life haunted by self-generated fiction. Cruise starts to lose his mind, no longer sure whether Cruz is Diaz or whether Cruise ever knew Cruz to begin with. VANILLA SKY portrays the insanity with simple and editing, paying homage to Bergman's Persona. My girlfriend and I took a cigarette break two-thirds into the movie, and she admitted that she was beginning to feel a little crazy herself. It's okay, don't worry. Sometimes these movies get to you.
I've been trying to figure out why it isn't as popular as other Cruise movies, and I'm beginning to think that Cameron Crowe probably intended to fool the movie-going public around the world. Please imagine with me the following scenario. Nothing sexy is playing over the weekend, so you bring your family to VANILLA SKY since it has Cameron Diaz and since it might be like the Mask that your family loved so much. After going through psychotic hell and back, you storm out of the theaters saying, honestly, I don't know what's happening to America these days, but I'm going to write the mayor about this god forsaken vanilla trash. It's those crazy communist bastards in Hollywood destroying this country, you know. Our taxes used to go to decent, American Tom Cruise movies that make you feel good and sure of yourself. Now all you got is What, honey? Crazy? No, I'm not crazy, you're the one with the hippie parents! C'Mon kids, get into the freaking car! I'm cold.
I can't comment on OPEN YOUR EYES since I haven't seen it.
You know, the next Cruise movie should be a martial arts flick with Keanu Reeves Hong Kong style. I think that would be cool.
I cannot remember which girlfriend.
JY
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