2001: A Space Odyssey

⭐ 9.0/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

Whew boy, hard to put a number on this one. I initially thought this was something like Close Encounters or even Star Trek - an older sci-fi movie with charm and humor. But this is not that at all. This movie, whether you enjoy it or not, is a dedicated work of art. It's definitely unique stylistically, but straightforward enough for the first 2 hours. The finale, however, is a thirty minute acid trip, abstract and unclear. It reminded me of classics like Apocalypse Now, or even more recent movies like Annihilation or Ad Astra. You rate the movie one way but a lot of how you feel about the movie depends on how you like abstract endings.

Anyways, this movie is super cool. It's a 60s look at what 2001 will be like, and honestly not far off though they were definitely optimistic about space travel. It looks absolutely incredible for a movie this old, holding up with basically anything from today. I have no idea how they did it, but I imagine sorcery was involved. The score is classic, going from lots of classic pieces to jarring, unnerving bursts throughout.

The cinematography is also really interesting, giving you more of a visual/audio experience than an acted one. There are probably only a few minutes of total dialogue, though they definitely maximize this. The plot, though minimal, is super gripping. The world building is great, the ideas are great, the sci-fi is great. It's a fascinating movie!

But again, it just depends on what you think of the ending. I don't like movies that end like this, but I admit I tend to think more positively of them after a time. I think that's the point, and it'll probably be the case here again, especially after Google spoon feeds me some articles. This is a classic and I'm glad I watched it. If you have an interest in sci-fi or space movies, I feel like this is an essential especially considering its impact on culture. I'll give it a touch higher than my actual feelings because I know with a high level of confidence that I'll think of this often, and think better of it in a year.