Mike Goes To Movies

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Kubrick's 2001 is a masterpiece that lives behind a locked door. To access it, one must open themselves up to the journey, the mystery, and the purpose of the challenging film. Especially by the nature of today's increasingly inattentive and unfocused, the incomparable potential of 2001 may be lost or missed by some viewers. However, for those that are willing to embrace Kubrick's unparalleled sci-fi vision, there is currently no other - and may never be another - like 2001: A Space Odyssey. The behind-the-scenes of 2001 is almost as interesting as the film itself - but I will not deep-dive into that here. What I will briefly mention is that Kubrick teamed up with sci-fi writer, Arthur C. Clarke, to help develop the story. Remarkably, while Kubrick was filming his movie, Clarke was simultaneously writing a novel that was also based on the story he and Kubrick came up with. The intersections and divergences between the two still remain a p...

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) Today marks the 20th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick's final film, the infamous, sexually-charged Eyes Wide Shut. In structure and theme the film centres upon dreams and desire. Dr. Bill and Alice Harford, portrayed by A-listers (and then-married) Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, are a married couple heading a seemingly standard American nuclear family. Below the surface of the couple however lie deep-seated jealousies, desires and lust. Like most of Kubrick's films, Eyes Wide Shut requires multiple viewings - every scene and every shot is constructed to be a masterpiece in its own right with hidden meanings and secrets littered throughout. It is a testament to Kubrick's auteur that this film does not rank among his very best, however, given to most other filmmakers it would certainly be marked as such. Eyes Wide Shut is a voyeuristic experience into the erotic dreams of an upper-class New Yorker - here, Cruise's Dr. Bill. Upon hearing his wife...