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12 comments
14 comments
Rank This Matchup or Comment/Reply Below
on 7/5/2010
A really great matchup, I loved 2001 but I loved Taxi Driver even more.
There are those movies that I can turn on just about anytime and watch from beginning to end. 2001: A Space Odyssey is not one of those movies. As much as I enjoy the visuals and atmosphere, I cannot always get into it unless I specifically have the urge to do so. Taxi Driver, on the other hand, is a movie I'm always ready to sit down with. I don't have to be in a certain mood to be entertained by it. Like all my Immortal favorites, Taxi Driver represents a fundamental aspect of what I love about all cinema, and so there is no occasion where my esteem for it is diminished. 2001 has much more limited significance.
I can support these dudes. Human psychosis owns robotic psychosis every time.
I prefer the space epic.
on 7/9/2010
2001 was about as close as a movie can get to a religious experience for me, and much like religious experiences, it's not something you can casually enjoy or pick up halfway through. I totally understand the argument of "I'm not always ready to watch it", but 2001 is so ineffably unique, so transcendent and so lucid, there is no way Taxi Driver - a fantastic movie in its own right - can approach it.
I believe movie appreciation is a syncretistic type of deal. You speak as though cinematic enlightenment is possible only through 2001. Not so, my good fellow, not so. My religion worships at the church of Taxi Driver, among others. Many wonderful things have been revealed to me. (I will admit that 2001 is more of an "experience" than Taxi Driver because it's not as grounded by a conventional narrative. Because 2001 relies heavily on sights and sounds to convey its story, the viewer may relate to it on a more intuitive, emotional level. I think.)
on 7/22/2010
kingofpain: I wish I had your experience watching Taxi Driver, a movie I thoroughly enjoyed (and was more excited about than just about any other movie, after I had seen Goodfellas), but one I felt kept me at a distance somewhat with a fascinating but alienating protagonist. Paradoxically, in 2001, the symbolism,the discordant-yet-supremely-original images, the audacious time line, the refusal of simple explanation - all of these things drew me closer and entranced me from beginning to end, even at an early age. I think this is because it refuses to explain, but demands an interpretation - like an abstract painting, and like abstract art, plenty of people will see it and say, "what's the big deal?" This is an unanswerable question, because what this movie speaks to (the desire for immortality/perfection, the eternal struggle of all living things, sentience, the power and dangers of technology, etc. etc.), and more importantly, HOW it speaks to these things, cannot be summed up in a simple blurb. But that's just my take.
on 2/4/2012
Battle of two fine films, please dont make me choose....... OMG 2001
on 7/13/2012
Taxi Driver by far. And I mean really far.
on 5/10/2013
2 favs
I just wanted to chime in and say that AdmiralPiett has perfectly described my sentiments of 2001. Spot-on dude. Two thumbs up!!!
Travis Bickle over HAL. Gotta do it....
on 7/11/2013
You talkin to me?
Travis Bickle manhandles HAL
This may be the matchup that most makes me question the binary nature of Flickchart comparisons. Both of these are absolute masterpieces; both succeed at creating choate and coherent universes within their reels; both ponder deep philosophical questions. I'll pick Taxi Driver because 2001 did not have a De Niro, but a very difficult choice.
Wow, this is tough. Two excellent movies that have the potential to become masterpieces in my eyes after repeat viewings. Think I'll go with Taxi Driver.
on 7/31/2014
I love 2001,but I gotta admit,it's not a movie I could just sit down and watch anytime,whereas Taxi Driver is.
on 8/22/2014
Both absolute masterpieces. Ugh meow.
on 9/25/2014
not an easy choice both classics and are powerful films on different aspects of human evolution and speak to the violent nature of men but the triumphant spirit of the human condition for me its 2001!
on 6/9/2018
Both are my toppest row but 2001 takes this nod.
on 3/1/2019
2001: A Space Odyssey, a fairly easy choice I say.
on 6/5/2019
Taxi Driver all the way. IMO 2001 was a pretentious garbage.
on 12/26/2020
One of the toughest matchups but Taxi Driver wins barely for now
on 6/30/2021
Both deal with existentialism, but 2001 does it on a FAR MORE massive and ambiguous way.
on 11/12/2021
2001: A Space Odyssey is my #1 but Taxi Driver is definitely also top 10.
on 11/1/2022
2001 is one of the most boring movies I have ever seen but it started getting better when dave and hal came. Taxi driver on the other hand was entertaining from start to finish
on 5/8/2023
I think 2001 has a slight edge over Taxi Driver, considering the fact that 2001 is one of Scorsese's favorite movies
