Changed cinema from a direction point of view.

Rating: 4/10 (8 September 2011)

I finally saw 2001: A Space Oddysey about a month ago after almost a lifetime of hearing how great it was. How it changed the art of cinema, and is Stanley Kubrick's Magnum Opus. Then a little bit before I watched it, I saw the review by Confused Matthew. Confused Matthew, for those who don't know, is an internet reviewer who mostly reviews movies that he didn't like, that the mojority did like, examples include: Back to the Future Part 2, The Lion King, No Country for Old Men, Minority Report, and this. Normally I disagree with him, but unfortuantly this time I agreed, while 2001: A Space Oddysey is no where near terrible, it is probably one of the most over rated movies I've ever seen.
Really the best way I can review this film is to just tell you to go watch Matthew's review, because he pretty much says what I think.
Now I do agree that this film did change cinema in terms of direction, visuals, all that. This truly is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen, had I never known, I never would've guessed that this movie was made in 1968. Kubrick is a great director, and now that I've seen a some of his movies, I can consider him one of my favorites. But really, the best way to describe this movie is "empty." I literally fast forwarded through an hour of this movie, I nearly fell asleep twice, and it is because half of the movie is just spaceships flying across space, looking at landscape, people walking around. And sure, the visuals look nice, but look at the six Star Wars movies, they looked nice, and they actually had plots. Even though I fast forwarded through an hour of a 2 hour 14 minute movie, I didn't miss anything.
They go to Jupiter, the HAL 9000 goes crazy, kills most of the crew, then Bowman goes through the stargate finds himself as an old man and then turns into a fetus. What does it all mean? You know what, I couldn't care less. Sure HAL was pretty cool, but he really was only in about twenty-thirty minutes of the movie. Yes, I know that I'm pretty much repeating what Confused Matthew said, and I tried to give it a chance, I even came on to MFC right after watching it and saying it was basically OK. Yes, the visuals are amazing, but if you want to see a really good Kubrick movie, go see THe Shining, that's a brilliant movie. Hell, go see A Clockwork Orange, it was weird, but good, I think. Full Metal Jacket, sure the first half is far better than the second, but at least stuff happens in that second half.
I know that this film is loved by millions of people, and to be honest, I don't hate the film, but I don't see myself ever watching it again. If you like it good for you, but I'm with Matthew on this one.