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2010: The Year We Make Contact

2010: The Year We Make Contact

List Price: $9.97
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: my opinion, better than 2001!
Review: theres a differnce between a movie being memorable and being entertaining. 2001 was a landmark in film history but it puts you right to sleep at times! the sequel has a fast paced story and a very enetaining plot. Of coarse critics would say 2001 is soo much better but dont listen to what critics say, watch what you think is intersting and entertaining.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Best Sequels Ever Made...
Review: In a Hollywood culture that gives us such disappointing films as "American Pie II," "Highlander II," "and "Jurassic Park: The Lost World" the intelligent film viewer wisely looks at a sequel with a critical eye. This is even more so if the sequel is following up a movie that has become the arguably the most recognized science fiction film of all time.

Will "2010" ever rate higher than "2001"? Probably not, if a poll was taken. However, Hyams managed to make a thrilling and timely film that certainly stands up to the original while making its own specific statement. And for my money, I liked "2010" better than I liked "2001."

"2010" is a very DIFFERENT film from "2001." "2001" was almost an "art film." "2010" is a straight, intelligent, science-fiction drama. But what is different is not necessarily worse and "2010" proves that. One of the charms of "2001" is that it gave us mystery. Interestingly, one of the charms of "2010" is that it gives us answers.

Here we get to meet HALs father and sister. We meet the engineer who build the Discovery. And we get a rollocking good, solidly built film. And who knows, with the recent theories on Jupiter's moon Europa this film might be well turn into science-fact!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Interesting tale
Review: Roy Scheider is one of my favorite actors, and this is one of my favorite films. I had the video version for a long time; it was the first film I purchased when I got my 52" projection screen TV in the late '80s. When I got a DVD player, it was one of the first DVDs I got for it. I enjoyed the coherence of the story, the fact that it attempted to make some sense of the parent film 2001, the charm of the various characters, and the incredible special effects. The view of Jupiter, Io, and Europa are breath taking. On a 52" screen it makes you feel like you're right there. Bought it once, bought it twice, would buy it a third time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Deletious meal for Sci-Fi fan
Review: Much better than Cubrick's 2001. Me was surprised by great effects. Collectors add-in.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: FOLLOWING A TOUGH ACT
Review: An excellent movie in its own right, although not quite at the artistic level of its predecessor (but then so few are).

Several problems, however, stem from inaccurate packaging. The box claims "enhanced for 16x9 TVs", but unfortunately it's not. The picture is quite good, however, for a non-anamorphic transfer. The other problem is the "documentary", which becomes a "featurette" on the menu, and by the time you play it it's a "preview". Anyhow, it's 9 minutes of short interviews and behind the scenes shots.

Would have gotten 5 stars if not for the above.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: 2010 Superb film, slight letdown on DVD
Review: 2010 is one of the few films that reach the heights of an original. 2001 was an impossible act to follow, but Peter Hyams did the sensible thing, and didn't try to copy the original shot for shot. Instead he picked up the story from a different perspective and concentrated on the human element - hopes, fears, expectations, and ultimately answered most questions - with more questions. This leaves us with as much mystery and grandeur as before - as it should be.

The film is more acessible to a mainstream audience, but does not suffer for this.

A noble effort.

If there is one let down with this DVD presentation, it's the aspect ratio: The 16:9 transfer is non-anamorphic, so widescreen TV users will lose some detail in the picture, if they stretch the picture to fill the screen.

A 4:3 transfer is available on the flip side for conventional TV's.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An Excellent And Worth While Sequel To 2001!
Review: Opening with the haunting catchphrase ''MY GOD ITS FULL OF STARS'' every viewer will be able to tell we have a eerie squel on our hands.

As the incomplete mission report of the original Discovery mission draws to a close, we meet our so called hero Dr Heywood Floyd talking to a Russian Representitive, asking if the United States Government would like to send up 3 astronauts on the Discovery 2.This proves problems as Russia and the U.S.A are at war but they are convinced and Dr. Floyd and 2 other scientists go on the Discovery 2 mission with the Russians.

In Space they discover another Monolith which brings up mystery just as the original monolith did.Meanwhile back on earth, The astronaut Dave Bowman [the presumed dead commander from 2001] appears on Earth to his wife and mother, declaring something wonderful will happen.Dave Bowman also appears on the Discovery to Dr Floyd.Mesmerised by it all,Dr Floyd stares on dumbfounded as Dave transforms into the star baby once more.After the appearance of Dave, Dr Floyd orders the crew to leave before ''something wonderful'' will happen.

Just as they are about to leave, one last message from Dave appears on their computer which will change the course of history and be remembered for all time....

To give away the ending would be a crime but all I can say is that it is an ending worthy of its original.Great performances from all the cast plus excellent special effects!!!

I give this movie 4 out of 5 also....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Extremely well-made sequel to an undisputed classic
Review: Let's face it, there can never be another film like Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY ever again.

That said, however, "2010" is still an excellent film in its own right, and an extremely well-made sequel to that undisputed classic.

Peter Hyams, who made other sci-fi films prior to this (CAPRICORN ONE, OUTLAND) was given the obviously onerous task of following up an overwhelming movie with this one. It is certainly much more conventional than Kubrick's was, but still I think he did a superlative job.

The film picks up some nine years later, with a joint US/Russian mission to Jupiter to find out why the U.S. spaceship "Discovery" met with tragedy. The eerie black monolith which was at the center of Kubrick's film reappears here with equal power.

"2010" is boosted by Richard Edlund's masterful special effects, David Shire's eerie music score (which wisely interpolates Richard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra", "2001"'s musical calling card), and a highly suspenseful storyline. The cast is also quite good, with Roy Scheider giving yet another great performance as Dr. Heywood Floyd.

Note (**SPOILER**): For those who get the widescreen version of "2010", look very closely at the film's Washington D.C. scene in the film, when Scheider discusses with his successor (James MacEachin) why the mission should go forth. The man sitting on the park bench a few yards away feeding the pigeons is none other than Arthur C. Clarke, the man responsible for writing both "2001" and "2010".

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very worthwhile sequel.
Review: If you haven't seen this on video, TV or on it's original cinema release, then treat yourself to a well-crafted, intelligent SF movie (and what a rarity that is).

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Something Wonderful: A Worthy Sequel to an All-Time Classic
Review: Sequels are sometimes the most infuriating devices in the world of cinema. A sequel can either transcend a series or completely invalidate it. "Terminator 2" cemented Jim Cameron's apocalyptic films as iconic emblems of the science fiction genre. On the other hand, it is commonly held that the latter two "Alien" sequels were the ruination of Cameron and Ridley Scott's compelling visions. "Psycho" did not need a sequel, but got one anyway. So did "Escape from New York".

Imagine then, the sheer audacity of creating a sequel to "2001: A Space Odyssey", not only a great science-fiction film but also considered one of the greatest achievements in the whole of cinema. Compounding this fact is that the visionary director of the first one, Stanley Kubrick, would not be helming. Instead, it would be Peter Hyams, a director whose previous forays into the genre were the decent, though not extraordinary, "Capricorn One" and "Outland".

Certainly, Hyams was aware of the act he was following and perhaps followed a line from Clint Eastwood's "Magnum Force": A man's got to know his limitations. Hyams approached the making of "2010" in the best way - by working closely with Arthur C. Clarke in adapting the screenplay from Clarke's novel of the same name. The major difference between "2001" and "2010" was that the first is a story of revelation, whereas the second is a story of explanation. In this difference, Hyams would find the avenue to deliver his own powerful vision.

"2010", as both a novel and screenplay, is a simple morality tale with science-fiction elements serving as the judge and messenger. In its own way, it is a more ambitious take on the theme and story of "The Day the Earth Stood Still". The key to "2010" was not in allegorical images, but in clear conveying of the plot while at the same time keeping the fantastic elements just beyond the full grasp of understanding. Hyams accomplishes this with his solid screenplay, first-rate special effects worthy of the groundbreaking original, a cast of versatile actors (led by Roy Scheider and Helen Mirren), and the ambitious use of Keir Dullea and Douglas Rain in their original roles. In the end, "2010" is a perfect compliment to Kubrick's original vision, a follow-up that does not try mimicking the first film, but rather stakes out its own idiom. By understanding the nature of "2010" and by respecting the work done in "2001", Peter Hyams crafts a worthy sequel and a wonderful film in its own right. Recommended to any and all.


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