2001: A Space Odyssey

Rating:
Summary: 2001: a space odyssey DVD review: Great movie!
Review: This movie continues to amaze me. First, the quality of this science fiction movie created in the late 60's is quite amazing. Also, the cerebral storyline. It's one of those moves that you can watch over and over again and it may have a different meaning for you.

The use of silence, great special effects and colors is done well in this movie.

I'm sure many of you seen this movie and were either amazed or bewildered by it. It was like watching a great musical theater experience with a dash of horror with the name of "HAL" and guess what? It never looked and sounded so beautiful until this DVD version which has a new Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. The sound gets high marks and be careful to putting this so loud and having people close by because there are some ear piercing sounds in this movie. As mentioned earlier, the video is beautiful and the colors are still very "beautiful".

But sometimes the best movies can be the worst movies for some people. As mentioned, this movie is not the typical sci-fi movie that everyone will love. It's one of those slower paced movies that moves in slow increments and also it's a thinking movie. I happen to love these type of movies, I know many people who don't.

So, the movie can be rated differently by viewers but if you liked it the first time, you like it again and again. As for the special features, I wish there was more added but you get the two trailers for "2001" and "2010" and the old interview with Arthur C. Clarke. There is an 8-page booklet but I wish they added this on the DVD. I wonder if there could of been more added, deleted scenes and more but then again, this movie was made back in 1968. Nevertheless, I highly recommend this DVD for true sci-fi fans who have a great imagination, who are great thinkers and can watch a somewhat cerebral movie and have a fun time. The beautiful visuals and audio will hook you.

Again, this movie is not for everyone but it's one of the best true film masterpieces of all time.

Rating:
Summary: A giant achievment in film history
Review: Well not just the greatest Sci-Fi film of all time, but one of the five greastest films (of any genre) of all time ! Kubrick's vision in this film is unparalleled. Only he could have invisioned a film of such depth and magnitude. A film that spans over four million years. From the "Dawn of Man" to four million years later with the most famous single cut in film history. One moment we are terrified of HAL, then we can't help but have sympathy for him. This amazing journey then takes a strange but brilliant turn to the "Cosmic Bedroom" to man evolving to a higher form. A cornerstone film that is required viewing (multiple times)for anyone of loves "film".

Rating:
Summary: the greatest science fiction experience of all time
Review: You have not seen "2001: A Space Odyssey" until you see it on DVD, with the proper sound system. In this setting, the film is nothing short of mindblowing, and comes as close as possible to the big screen effect. Where do I begin in quantifying this film's greatness? It is the work of a man, Stanley Kubrick, so completely sure of his skills (and correct in his assessment) that he is totally unconcerned about the glacial pace of the film, and doesn't do anything to pander to the audience's shorter attention spans. Yes, it is slow, but each...unfolding...moment...allows...the...viewer...to really contemplate what they are seeing, and the effect, combined with the stunning, impeccably selected classical music, is nothing short of mesmerizing. The scenes with the prehistoric apes discovering weaponry are amazingly staged. Yes, it's people in ape suits...but are they? The sequence is completely, incredibly believable. And then the millions-of-years jump cut...wow. This is simply one of the most rewarding, sublime, creative, gorgeous movie-watching experiences in cinematic history, and I really wish I could give it more than 5 stars. The special effects, for a film 32 years old, still look fresher than anything CGI geeks could dream up. See this film on DVD. Please.

Rating:
Summary: ART
Review: This movie is another testiment to Mr. Kubrick being a true genius and master of his craft. Everyone says that it is boring. I admit, it is slow, but not boring. Those people just show how chatty sitcoms and no-brainer action movies have given us the attention span of children. If you just go into it with an open mind, and look for subtleties, you will definately love and understand this movie. It is a masterpiece the likes of Stephen Spielberg, Jerry Brukheimer, and James Cameron can only look up at and drool with confusion. I couldn't believe it when i read here that someone (cough* May 27, 2000 from brooklyn *cough) said that ET, Aliens 2, and Planet of the Apes were better than this. OK, Planet of the Apes is great, but ALIENS 2? He actually called that an "intellectual science fiction movie"! I really hope that was a joke.

Rating:
Summary: One of my all time favorites
Review: This movie is incredible and deserves its top 100 status. From the black monolith to HAL this is a movie that works on all levels and really makes you think. If you've never seen it before (shame on you if you haven't!) it is well worth your while to check it out!

Rating:
Summary: How man interacts with technology through the ages
Review: Books have been written about what this movie is about, but for myself, one theme that gets short shrift is how man interacts with technology.

We first see man controlling technology (with a little alien help, of course) and using it to control his world.

Then we see technology controlling man. This is by no means a comedic film, but one very subtly funny moment involves Dr. Floyd studying the instructions to use the "zero-gravity" toilet on the moon shuttle...complete with 10 separate steps and hundreds of words of text.

The rest of the allusions to how technology controls our lives are obvious, such as HAL's rebellion against Discovery's crew.

Incredible film, with something new to learn every time you watch it.

Rating:
Summary: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Review: If you love special effects, then I recommend this movie. This is the slowest moving movie I have ever seen. The director stays on one thing too long so that it becomes frustrating to watch. I believe that it is not as thought provoking and intellectual as some people say it is. If you like intellectual science fiction movies with good special effects that are also exciting to watch and make you feel something other than boredom, then I highly recommend Planet of the Apes, AliensII, and ET, NOT 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Rating:
Summary: Not my fav film BUT THE GREATEST FILM EVER
Review: Ok. Some people say this film is boring and has no meaning. Don't listen to them. If they don't like it that's because they can't wrap the meaning out. This film is on another, greater level. If somebody understands this film 100% then it will be his or her favorite film. I personaly couldn't understand this film all the way through but I still think it is the most brilliant film ever made.

Rating:
Summary: Darling of the Sci-Fi film genre
Review: The sublime delicacy of this movie was fantastic. It is not so much what the director does with it, but what he leaves implied. Throughout, he allows the author's genius to shine through, illuminating the isolated, sterile space scenes and the tensioned dramas. From the mad subtleties of HAL 9000's character, to the surrealist coup de grace that finishes it, this movie combines the best aspects of Stanley Kubrick's directorship with the finest work of Arthur C. Clarke, and some amazing special effects for its day (and well enough, for ours).

The only reason I give this 4 stars rather than 5 is the composition of the DVD, which is unspectacular at best. There are minor artifacts against the black of space and other digitizing effects that can be noticed after frequent viewings. It is better than average as far as features go, though, so that makes up for this in a manner. I would give it 4.5 if I could.

Rating:
Summary: 2001's a great year already
Review: "2001: A Space Odyssey" is a movie that can be sometimes difficult to put into words. I think the reason is mostly because it's a movie that speaks for itself. But, I'm glad to see a movie that remains mostly ambiguious, letting the audience think of their own solutions and wonder what the film is trying to say.

Two astronauts, Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and Frank Poole (Gary Lockwood) are sent on a deep-space mission to Jupiter for a reason that they do not know. The ship's onboard computer, which helps them on their journey, is HAL (voiced by Douglas Rain), who begins to act strangely and starts seriously malfunctioning.

I can't stress enough how great of a job that the film does in challenging your mind. It starts off with apes in prehistoric Africa learning to survive and ends with mankind evolving beyond his physical means in one of the most beautiful and heavily debated endings in motion picture history.

It took several years for director Stanley Kubrick to fully realize this film which, not only paved the way for smarter, deeper films, but showed us that special effects can be convincing and important to the story.

The effort and time putting into making this film what it was is to be truly commended. This is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.