Quoted from RobT:Well crafted indeed. Kubrick is a master. But for me, the writing/story line (is there one?) is too vague to consider it the best ever made. I realize that many people consider that one of the films great strengths though.
Yeah, it is a very polarizing film (understandably so). It seems to be the sort of film that people can easily respect, but find hard to love.
To me it is more about the experience than anything else. It combines sound with the moving image in a way that no other movie has. Art in cinematic form and all that jazz.
I like that the film itself can be interpreted in many ways or not at all in order to be enjoyed. At a base level it can be viewed as the evolution of man, others interpret it as a cautionary tale about technology, and for others it is the ultimate trip.
I have had some great filmgoing experiences in my life, but the greatest is definitely the time I saw 2001 in the theater when it was re-released in 2001. Saw it on the Ultrascreen with a friend of mine. Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite blows away anything else I've ever seen on the big screen.
So for me, I guess it is the ultimate trip.