THE film of its time.

Rating: 9/10 (26 August 2015)

As I watched this film for the first time today, I wondered what it might have felt like to experience the work of Kubrick in his own era.
I am a college student living in the 21st century. My era is crowded by quick fixes and easy solutions. We need entertainment now and it must be easy for us to understand otherwise it is seemingly impossible to enjoy.
And I believe that to a lesser degree, the 1960s were the same way. People were well accustomed to the television and the shallow entertainment that it made possible. Where every episode could follow the same basic model as long as it came to a clean conclusion in the end.
So even at the time of this film's release it must have been a daring thing to feature 10-15 minute shots of space equipment floating in a void. The fact that this film has endured these 4 decades is a testament to its power.
Though it displays beauty and creativity unlike any film in those days (and indeed most today), its true power is derived from the imagination of its creator.
Essencially this film describes the human experience. Consciousness and intellect, the two defining factors that have propelled us to prominence as a species. Here we are, but how? Here we live, but to what purpose? I don't profess to fully grasp this film and every aspect therein, but it has sparked in my mind a feeling of inquisitiveness. I hope to return to this film soon to experience even more wonder and curiosity.
Wonderfully imagined, vibrantly executed, and brilliantly timeless. Enough said.
Give it a shot.