2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey. Stanley Kubrick's unbridled, defining film. Changed the course of Sci-Fi and the better part of film completely. Basically took the idea of French art-house films of the early 60's and turned it into one of the greatest spectacle achievements ever put to celluloid. Kubrick made his fair share of masterpieces, more than enough any filmmaker can hope to achieve, and yet 2001 feels more than just a masterpiece. It's a towering monolith of creative forces pushing and pulling together, shoving to the side any conventional aspects of normal filmmaking. It's the light peaking above Clavius from the sun. It's the moment the ape smashes the bones to György Ligeti's "Requiem For Soprano". It's when HAL takes matters in his own hands and kills every member while in cryo-sleep. It's the moment Dr. Poole goes spiraling into the vast sea of stars along with the pod he was in. It's pure, unadulterated creations of movement. It's Kubrick unhinged. It's one of the best artistic creations in any medium.
I'm baffled at how this got made. Not baffled by how producers decided to green-light it (which also baffles me), but baffled at how Kubrick actually f
ucking made this film. Some of the different frames and camera angles and shots still puzzle even the most ardent filmmakers and cinematographers to this day. For good reason as well. How could he have positioned the camera in certain ways. It's jaw-dropping material, literally dragging my jaw across the aisle at how beautiful this film looks. The atmosphere as well sets the tone right from the beginning. The first 2 minutes are of a black screen with ominous, sort of disturbing string music playing. Then the MGM logo appears. Right from the start, it takes you to a place that might not end well, and this is before the movie even starts. Before even the first shot begins. It's creepy, unnerving stuff. On the other hand, music as triumphant as the last song when giant fetus baby hovers over Earth is smile-inducing. Everything works for this film. The performances, the writing, the music, the visuals, the special effects. There isn't a single flaw to be seen throughout this film.
The single greatest moment in this entire film is when Dave is floating to the satellite to presumably change the battery in it. It's a simple task. Float over to the satellite, replace the battery thingiemadoo, but the way he floats over to the satellite in his red space suit is the single greatest shot I've ever seen in a theater experience, much less an IMAX experience.
2001: A Space Odyssey is one of the greatest achievements in the history of man. It stands high above any Sci-fi film made before or after, and the benchmark will never be topped. 2001 is in a league of it's own and if you have the absolute chance to catch it in 70mm IMAX, you'd be the biggest fool in the world to miss out on such an experience. I walked away a changed man. I've seen it a few times before, but to see it on such an immaculate screen was very life-changing in fact. If there was a score better than an A+, I would happily give it that.
A+