2001: A Space Odyssey
This is one of those films that is too philosophical and overly cerebral for me to understand its key concepts but here’s a few things I wanna say about it and the little details I think I got it from a first-watch point of view.
—The way this film ties its thematic elements so neatly is very impressive, the best I’ve ever seen in the history of cinema. Evolution, higher intelligence, mystery of the universe, perception of time and human capabilities are weaved together so seamlessly like a web of interconnected cogs in a system
—Stanley’s appreciation for massive orchestral compositions is one that stands out in his filmography. The sound of music plays a major role in matching the atmosphere of his films and this one is no different.
—The cinematography in this film is the highlight and stands out quite nicely. The visuals are very impressive for a late 60’s film. The stargate sequence was otherworldly. How Kubrick uses color, light, motion, patterns to showcase the vastness of the universe was a testament to his genius for understanding sensory perception.
—Maybe am over-interpreting the overture in this film as symbolic in itself other than just a presentation convention borrowed from opera and broadway musicals but hear me out: The blank screen at the beginning mirrored the ending, completing a perfect loop, hence a bookend. I still don’t understand but if I can guess it is that we transcended the universe or perhaps the human intelligence capability has transcended what the human mind can perceive.
—I realized in this film the plot was thin and the dialogue even thinner but the visual storytelling made it up for it.
—This film right here is the apotheosis of sci-fi cinema. People may not agree with me but I don’t think any other film will ever surpass this one in the sci-fi genre because the scale and the ambition is a cinematic experience that will stand with you forever.
Beautiful film. Definitely Kubrick’s magnum opus. Will rewatch it again just to grasp every minute detail in this film