Yes, drugs help. I kept rewinding the long montages to go over them again and again, so I probably spent about 3.5 hours on this movie.

But WOW, I had no idea just how creepy the HAL-9000 would come across. Definitely a great horror story in the middle third.

As for the last third, well, seeing this after cutting your teeth on Lynch films makes it less absurd. But only a little.

it’s decent up until the last half hour, then it turns into a surrealistic masterpiece. if only all of it had been that good.

This is the ultimate example of Kubrick’s genius as a filmaker. He takes this deep and amazing story and transforms it into art. The musical montages and the vast expanses of nothingness help gain a sense of space and most of all, the solitude. This is a true work of science fiction.

It isn’t for those who are impatient and love fast-paced films. There are points in the film where a good half an hour is devoted to pure scenery and environment. Though it is my belief that this is what makes the film a masterpiece and so easy to sink into, others might not agree. If you want a better understanding of the ending, read the book (which is also amazing.)

In short, this is the best movie ever created.

There is little value in this movie for it’s length. I think the best parts of this movie can be fit into at most 25 out of the 145 minutes. It is really a movie of it’s time… I agree with lpkitten if you are going to watch this then be ready to fast forward or get some drugs ready.

i have mixed feelings about this movie. parts were brilliant and parts were boring. parts were intriguing and parts i just didn’t get. i watched it on cable in HD and the cinematography is spectacular – as are the sound effects and classical soundtrack. when i started getting bored i tried to watch it as an art piece to appreciate the direction of it. also, i appreciated it more while remembering how long ago the film was made and how much has changed in our world since. over all, i’m glad i watched it. much of it was just very cool. i’d recommend it to my friends who are thinkers or enjoy the art of film.

I’m glad I watched, for the mere fact that I can say that I have seen it. There were some interesting bits but for the most part if was just tedious and boring.

I recommend that you watch it in fast forward (we did this towards the end of the movie and didn’t miss anything) or take some sort of hallucinogenic that might make the slow pace seem more bearable.

a masterpiece, indeed. everything on it is just magical, from the scene selection to the special effects and, of course, the soundtrack. magical.

hint: I don’t think I’d enjoy it so much if I haven’t read the book before… I wouldn’t notice the little details that make it so perfect. perhaps it’s a hint for those who want to watch it, in the future.

I can see why film addicts make a big deal out of it. The use of the classical score wrings every ounce of drama it can out of the script and the cryptic symbolism is rife with opportunities for “YOU just don’t understand…” snobbery. But the SLOOOOOOOW start (about 20 minutes of the freaking ape-humans for crying out loud!) will cause many to give up before they even get to the “last supper” as some have dubbed the final scene in the “To the infinite and beyond” section of Kubrick’s flick. You should probably see it…but once will probably be enough.