453 - Open Your Eyes, Spain, 1997. Dir. Alejandro Amenabar.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

453 - Open Your Eyes, Spain, 1997.  Dir. Alejandro Amenabar.

Cesar is a good-looking man.

Or is his face disfigured?

He is successful in wooing Sofia and dating her.

Or is he dating Nuria?

Nuria is pursuing him relentlessly and he is trying to evade her.

Or has Nuria died in a car crash in which she was driving?

Or is Nuria alive and really Sofia?

Cesar is really frustrated.  He keeps waking up from his dream only to discover that it too is a dream.

Or else he is really awake but then dreaming again.

What is happening in his dreams and what is happening in reality?


Eduardo Noriega plays Cesar, and he is a good-looking man whether he is awake or asleep.

Penelope Cruz plays Sofia, and she is equally beautiful.

You may remember that Penelope Cruz also plays Sofia in Cameron Crowe's 2001 movie Vanilla Sky, starring Tom Cruise.

It is the same story.  Vanilla Sky is the American remake of Open Your Eyes.

A science-fiction, fantasy, romantic mystery.

This film was directed by Alejandro Amenabar.  His second feature film.  Which put him on the map.  It was nominated for ten Goya Awards in Spain.

It also launched Penelope Cruz's career.  At least internationally.  It was around her sixteenth film to make in Spain in five years.  Within three years she would be big in Hollywood.  She is still going strong.  So is Noriega back in Europe.

Perhaps all will end well with Cesar if he can only wake up.

Or maybe he is trapped in an endless cycle.

Who is lying and who is telling the truth?

And when will all this stop?

If he can only open his eyes.