I try to watch it at least once a year.

Rating: 10/10 (25 August 2006)

What more can be said about this film that hasn't already been said? I'll try to throw in my two cents. I rate it as one of the best movies in all of cinema history. It is not only a mind-boggling technological achievement, but also an artistic milestone. I watched it at age 10, in a small, empty theater, and I continued to live inside it for weeks afterwards. I didn't understand it, but it was an epic experience unlike any other. It is a cinematic environment, for the viewer to inhabit, more than a plot-driven movie. It is as far as I know, the only multi-million dollar movie that truly challenges the viewer, redefines the medium, and dares asking us to fill in the blanks. It will probably remain as unique as it is, in view of the current production climate. Much has been said about the wooden acting of Lockwood and Dullea, but I feel it is just as easy to symphatize with them, if not more-so, than if they had been more traditional movie "heroes". It is easier to project oneself on the blank canvas of Dulleas face and ride along with him to the end, when there is no movie "personality" to like or dislike. For insights into the production, I recommend reading "The Making of 2001" and "2001 - Filming the Future". The amount of attention to detail and man-hours put into this film is truly astounding. A whole staff spent countless hours handpainting the mattes, a link in the chain towards the goal to expose all effect shots upon a single master, for maximum picture quality. The front-projection technique used for the opening scenes is another mammoth achievement. I try to watch it at least once a year.