With the new groundbreaking space opera Interstellar out in theaters, it seems appropriate to revisit the AFI’s number one science fiction film, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Directed by Stanley Kubrick, 2001 seeks to ponder questions of the origin of humans, raising the issue of creationism versus chaos theory, a la Prometheus. The film spans four million years, from the ape men of the prehistoric age to some of the first interplanetary explorers. The second half details a mission to Jupiter to find extraterrestrials, whose monolith is believed to have guided evolution. Once the mission reaches Jupiter, the film becomes trippy to say the least, yet there is hidden meaning that is yet to be determined in a unified voice of critics and fans. 2001 a classic worth watching despite an herbal induced trip at the end.
