AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 99


Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films.

No. 99: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Original List Ranking: 22
Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, and Harold Rain
Director: Stanley Kubrick
About: This is the first of a number of entries from Kubrick, who if nothing else was a filmmaker that made films people continue to talk about. This was his only film to win an Academy Award. It took home one award for Best Special Effects, which feels fitting. It wasn't an incredibly celebrated film at the Academy Awards when it came out, but for many it's become an iconic classic. And I get it. The score here, especially the triumphal opening number, is iconic. You can't hear it without thinking of the film. It's ironic the score didn't earn a nomination. But the shots in this film, and the special effects do a great job of creating the wonder of space. And this was a film that was released a year prior to our landing on the moon. It is the fore runner of all the space films that came after it. The craft is amazing. Visually it's unlike anything we had seen or have seen. But for me, this comes down to the story. Either it works for you or it doesn't. I don't feel drawn to the narrative here, which makes this feel over long. I appreciate the craft, but that's why it lands near the bottom of this list for me.

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