My husband is as old school scifi fan as it gets, a book scifi guy. He can tell you any book’s title damn near by the description. he’s read an seen them all. He doens’t like 2001 the movie either. Book, yes. Movie now. And why not? Boring, insensible and largely self-agrandizing in the way that many 70’s movies were when they tried to come of as deep message thinker aka weird for weird sake.

Watching the movie pretty much acts like it’s saying “I’m really much too cool for you, you just don’t get it you lowbrow cow.”

No, I get it, movie, you liked pot – ALOT. I get it. In your drug addled directors mind this made complete sense. Well I wsn’t on pot while watching this so I am possibly missing the “link” to make it.

I agree with the “peer pressure” with movies. There are those you’re suppoed to fawn over, and those you are supposed to turn your nose up at and HOW DARE YOU when you don’t step into the popular line.

It’s boring. I hate it. Suck it. I ain’t changing my opinonon it, I’m 40 this year I can think for myself. (Oh BTW most of Tarrantino’s shit is awful too!)

That said, i didn’t understand the movie at all for the first 5 or so watches. I’m only starting to now get a better understanding of it almost 15 years after my first viewing. I have read the book too, which helped quite a bit actually.

Anyway, everyone i’ve ever introduced to this movie, has either asked for it to be turned off, or has fallen asleep. So i can understand that some people don’t like it. But for me. I love it.

The notion that 2001 is art no matter what is the central core of my comment. Not to me. To me, it’s a long, boring, incoherent mess. To many people Jackson Pollock’s work is just paint dribbled on a canvas, not art. Same thing. Sorry if that upsets you.

You example of Citizen Kane is a good one. I barely got through that one. I also can’t stand The Sound of Music. Ugh, enough with the singing already.

To each his own!

2001 is not just a piece of Scifi art, is a piece of art PERIOD. Slow, not obvious and no easy ending. But that’s the beauty of it.

Let’s be clear on one thing however – you and your feelings about 2001 are not the minority, you are the majority.

2001 is regarded what I’d say as “most” movie goers as a classic. A film that deserves the lavish praise heaped upon it. AFI voted 2001 A Space Odyssey 21st on their top 100 films of all time, so it is not you and your love for the film that are in the minority, Louie, Jen and I are. Does 2001 deserve the critical success it has received? In many ways, yes it does. It was far, far ahead of its time and it is constructed with love by its director down to the smallest detail. Its built on a book by author Arthur C. Clarke so if I have to fault the story in the film, I must also therefore fault the book.

I was discussing the film again tonight with Louie and he and I both agree that there seems to be some kind of cinematic “peer pressure” to like movies like 2001. Since it, and others like Citizen Cane, Full Metal Jacket, etc are considered classics, if you *don’t* like them, something must be wrong with you. I’m here to say there is nothing wrong with not liking 2001. Its simply not my cup of tea.

That being said I think its totally awesome that you love it so much. That is your right as a movie goer. You went to see it with your Dad and it made an impression on you. Something similar happened to me when I was a kid and went to see Airplane! with my father. It was the first time in my young life I had seen my father literally laugh out loud so hard I thought he would bust a gut. That added to my enjoyment of the film, even today.

In the end, if you like a movie, that’s all that matters. I’m sure you’re children will probably love it too when they see it for the first time, with you at their side.

I also recognize the real aspect to this film, no sounds in space, slow moving spaceships, etcetera. I understand this. The only problem I have with this film is its composition as a whole. Yes, these things take time, and transporting a spaceship would take maybe even longer than five minutes, but because the cuts were long, I did not enjoy the film. It did not entertain me.

That being said, of course, it did precisely what you like most about it: it sparked conversation. I did, in fact, publish a post about my opinions, as you did here, which is fantastic. It did have the ability to inspire thought and spark conversation.

I appreciate this film for its beauty, and it’s concept, but I do not necessarily approve of it’s execution, as a whole.

Thanks for giving me your point of view, Dave.