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59 comments
49 comments
Rank This Matchup or Comment/Reply Below
on 8/23/2009
Are you f...ing kidding me?!! How can you choose between these two masterpieces? I'll go with 2001 because it was such an avant-garde piece of work but man...
I totally agree with your comment.
on 8/25/2009
Given your choice of profile picture, I'm not surprised ;D
Star Child ordered the hit on Don Corleone.
on 8/27/2009
Don Corleone said "For once, I've got no better offer" ;)
on 8/28/2009
GODFATHER is a great flick, but it is limited by being simply the best film of its kind. 2001 was a new kind of film, something emulated by the great filmmakers, inspiring a watershed of daring cinema. GODFATHER inspired films that we really didn't need and never equaled the original, so "watershed" just doesn't apply. So if it didn't really do anything new and didn't lead anywhere great, 2001 simply has to take the prize. Oh, and 2001 is also twice as good.
on 11/10/2009
Godfather for me. I'd rather watch it again eternally over everything.
on 11/13/2009
2001: A Space Odyssey is a rarer masterpiece. It's not often that you see high science fiction of its caliber. And I can't even call The Godfather the best mob film of all time, believe it or not. The Departed holds that crown.
on 11/14/2009
I don't understand, how could Star Child have ordered the hit on Don Corleone? He doesn't appear in the chronology of 2001 until the very end, The attempts on Vito take place in the 40's or 50's... some 50 years (at least) before the Star Child is "conceived."
on 11/17/2009
2001 is my hands-down favourite movie of all time. The Godfather is amazing, but I've got to give it to HAL.
on 12/17/2009
Dude, you're crazy, that blinking light's got nothing on Brando!
on 12/19/2009
This is a rough one. Both could be part of a class for aliens visiting earth, learning about humainty. Both iconic, 2001 gets the nod for being way ahead of its time.
on 7/11/2010
The Godfather, but just by a smidgen.
2001: A Space Odyssey by a smidgen.
on 7/16/2010
2001 wins out in this battle. Ahead of its time and the best Sci-fi movie ever made. Such a well made movie that makes use of everything the medium has to offer.
It's a very tough choice but I'm going with the Godfather
on 7/17/2010
2001, for achieving higher consciousness through film, and because the Godfather is good but vastly overrated.
What admiralpiet said flipped and reversed. (Barring the higher conciousness metaphysics stuff of course.)
on 6/9/2011
Don't get me wrong,2001 is one of my favorite films,But the Godfather...It's a movie you can't not fall in love with,It unfolds in a near-flawless fashion.
on 6/22/2011
2001 for sure
on 6/25/2011
I'll go with the Godfather. Lot of strong opinions here for 2001, but it just didn't work for me like Godfather did...
on 7/5/2011
Both in my top 5. But 2001: A Space Odyssey will take this round. The only reason is I get mildly annoyed at the amount of times the main theme in the godfather is played. Such a small complaint. But when dealing with two masterpieces, there's really only small complaints left.
on 7/20/2011
i'm sorry but this is impossible. no, i mean it, this is absolutely impossible. the two are completely different from one another, and i love them both so much. but this site made by the devil is forcing me to choose, so i'll have to go with the godfather, only because i haven't seen it as much as 2001, and so has been less worn out.
on 7/21/2011
This choice isn't impossible for me. It's definintely The Godfather.
on 8/31/2011
2001
on 1/6/2012
Both are great ofkoz, but I'll have to go with 2001, just because I was stunned bit more after seeing this.
on 1/19/2012
Godfather was the first film that truly interested me in cinema and I think it's a film anyone can love but 2001 is different its more out there the godfather is a strait forward story but 2001 is more of a Rorschach test you are the interpreter and there are hundreds of interpretations of the film but you decide what to believe and while the godfather was somewhat innovative it didn't break new ground like 2001 which is why i consider 2001 to be the better film but they are both great love 2001's musical score
on 1/20/2012
2001 is just perfect.Fantastic visuals!
on 2/4/2012
Both are fine films that shaped cinema and their respected genres for life, but The godfather had better acting and plot.
on 2/6/2012
The Godfather owns
on 2/7/2012
Both are masterpieces, but I have to give this one to the Godfather.
on 2/13/2012
The Godfather.
The Godfather. 91% sure.
on 5/15/2012
2001 for me.
on 6/30/2012
I can't watch a 4 hour movie ever in my life. I was very disappointed in The Godfather. I loved 2001
on 7/13/2012
I can't believe 2001 is winning this. The Godfather dude. No fucking contest. The acting, the writing, the cinematography - The Godfather beats 2001 in every single department. Okay maybe not in the SFX department but The Godfather wasn't a sci-fi flick, remember? No director can beat the Coppola of the 70s. Not even Kubrick. The Godfather had masterful direction and an engaging story. 2001 can't compare. Plus, only one of these films was actually entertaining and it wasn't 2001.
Yeah, The Godfather by about 2001 miles.
on 8/19/2012
The Godfather for sure.
on 11/26/2012
2001 kinda suffers Trout Mask Replica syndrome; it's got this spurious reputation for being totally inaccessible and artsy, so you're either gonna make up your mind from the getgo and put the film through all kinds of confirmation bias, or come out of it like "what's the big deal?" A lot of those visual and musical choices go right for your instinctive parts--right for the lizard brain--totally bypassing all the cerebral blah blah calculated blah Kubrick too tired to make any grammatical sense, you know what I mean. So anyway, 2001. Oh, and Brando wasn't even that good in The Godfather for christ sake. Suitable, but usually too affected and cartoony.
on 1/25/2013
2001, easily. The Godfather didn't have a space fetus, or a star gate light show, or things floating around in space set to classical music. Alright, joking aside, The Godfather is more my kind of movie.
The Godfather for me
Going with my home dawg Kubrick. We real tight and stuff.
on 1/26/2013
The Godfather definitely! Need to watch it again and enjoy it more but I did not like most of 2001 A Space Odyssey.
on 3/7/2013
Both movies could legitimately be #1 on someone's all-time list without me questioning their taste in movies. Godfather gave us a rather unrealistic peek into the lifestyle of the mafia. 2001 inspired us to think outside of the box. It's sci-fi but ironically, it infers there's a higher form of intelligence looking down on us all and ultimately in control of the process of evolution. Really, it's suggesting that science and religion can and does co-exist. Breath-taking when you think about it. And this is decades after the movie came out. Much of this line of thinking has been expressed in today's society, but at the time 2001 hit the big screen, I'm sure this line of thinking was pretty uncommon. And I'm sure that no one had scripted a movie that accurately portrays such thinking. I'd even venture to say that 2001 probably sparked some of today's views on the matter. I'd imagine this movie was completely mind-blowing back when it first came out considering we hadn't even had our first lunar exploits at the time. As great as Godfather is, 2001 wins on originality, innovation, and its thought-provoking quality.
on 4/12/2013
HOLY CRAP! The Godfather is the fucking greatest film ever made in my opinion. 2001 A Space Odyssey is so horribly paced that it feels like it goes on for 2001 minutes! The only engaging aspect of the film was the visuals and the music...but visuals cannot make the film great without an engaging plot, and no that doesn't require any action sequences of any sort.. A prime example of that is the masterpiece 12 Angry Men..The Godfather is so rich with amazing characters and a fantastic plot, and a film I could watch everyday...I don't think I'll ever be able to sit through 2001. The Godfather masters in writing, acting, cinematography and everything else PiccoloKing mentioned! The Godfather, the Godfather...There can only be one answer
on 4/15/2013
See, this is where I think the greatness of 2001 eludes many people. It's not just about "amazing characters" and "fantastic plots". It's a movie that dares to delve into the most two most thought-provoking topics of all time: 1. The origin of humanity; 2. The meaning of life. Whereas Godfather has great characters and a great plot, 2001 accomplishes a greater feat with accurately portraying outer space as well as creating a movie that gives you enough to broaden your imagination about our origin and purpose but also strategically withholds so that it leaves room for you to further imagine. With 2001, Kubrick basically kick-starts your thinking process and then takes the training wheels off of your brain and says, "Go!!!" As for re-watchability, I've watched 2001 about 5 times this year!!! No kidding. I love the movie. Every time I watch it, I my appreciation for it grows stronger. I don't fault anyone for picking Godfather over 2001 because they're both all-time great movies. However, I don't understand how anyone can fault the next person for choosing 2001 over Godfather. In my opinion, they're both atop their respective genres. I just tend to lean toward a great sci-fi film more so than a great mafia movie.
This is the matchup of the 2 of greatest movies in history. If I'd choose 2001 I'd say that no film in history made me feel so...confused and blown-away at the same time. I would say that is the most revolutionary film in history. However The Godfather on the other hand blew me away with it's characters and narrative. So for me it's feeling vs. narrative. I will probably go with the Godfather because it's highest on my list, and the reason for that is because I watched it recently. But who knows it might change when I see 2001: A Space Odyssey. As I said "This is the matchup of the 2 of greatest movies in history"!
on 4/16/2013
Great comment, nononsense! Yeah, this is really a matchup where you can't go wrong with either choice. And I, too, watch 2001 a few times a year, so rewatchability is not an issue with me here. Also, I still don't get the pacing issue that SLionsCricket is having with the film. I am of the opinion that you don't need a plot to make a good film. Is having one appreciated? Yeah, but it's not vital for a film to be of high quality. There are different methods of exploring the world of cinema and the basic way of story/plot+character is perfectly acceptable- as is a more abstract approach. I'm not attacking, just saying that some people like their films more traditionally structured, while others prefer it to be more indirect. So, I wouldn't say 2001's pace is off at all (I think it's paced perfectly fine, actually)- it just takes a different route which leads to what I think is a more immersive experience.
on 4/18/2013
Thank you Boonmee. It's quite alarming how polarizing 2001 tends to be. Most people that have seen it either love it or hate it. It's either one of the best movies you've seen or one of the worst you've seen. Not much in between with this movie and it's fans and critics. I personally find it to be the most intriguing and thought-provoking movie I've ever laid eyes on... without question.
on 4/25/2013
I don't hate 2001, I admire it greatly as a movie. But in order for a film to be "thought-provoking" or "deep" for me, I first have to care about what's going on onscreen, and in that department 2001 fails considerably. That's why I could never love it as a film. I have to say I thought I was going to dislike The Godfather, but I never felt it overstayed its welcome (and that was at 4AM doing an all-nighter). 2001 feels like the longer film, oddly enough. I need to watch both again, but honestly (and this surprises me considering how much I enjoy Sci-Fi as a genre), The Godfather wins for now.
on 5/2/2013
2 of my favs. the godfather wins.
on 5/4/2013
Skywalker, I've seen how you've resurrected a lot of Godfather matchups. I admire your fandom of it. In fact, that's the exact same affinity I have for 2001. I currently have Casablanca as #1 on my list with 2001 at #2. I've been seriously considering revising my list to place 2001 over Casablanca. But were talking all-time greats here. Flickchart really causes you to make some very difficult decisions. I respect you for your appreciation for The Godfather, but 2001 is my choice here. Both films are the epitome of art in the movie industry. I personally can't tear myself away from the intrigue and mystique of 2001. That's what wins it for me. Just a matter of preference when comparing these two all-time greats though.
on 5/5/2013
Well its not that i consider TGF to be superior. I just like it a bit more. But i also really really love 2001- its a very close 2nd. I don't mind watching it win. I'm new to flickchart & i'm currently busy with TGF but i'll move to 2001 real soon. I've watched both of these movies many many times & i just love them more & more. BTW i didn't like either one on 1st viewing!
on 5/12/2013
The Godfather is widely regarded as the best film of all time and it is executed almost perfectly. 2001: A Space Odyssey, on the other hand, has a lot more faults and is a very artistic film. I'm still not too sure whether I love it or hate it; it's so boring but so beautiful. I struggle to get my head round it! I thought that Godfather was a film that I wouldn't see again in a hurry but, compared to 2001, it is a very easy film to watch. I'm going to go with The Godfather for now but my opinion may change once I have reached the enlightenment of truly understand Kubrick's definitive sci-fi film.
on 6/1/2013
The Godfather owns 2001 in every department.
on 6/2/2013
The Godfather is one of the greatest films of all time, but 2001 is more ambitious, better executed, more innovative, more entertaining, has a better story (Origin of a cosmic being), and better directing.
on 7/11/2013
The Godfather is far better in pretty much every way.
on 10/17/2013
Nearly every scene in 2001 is masterful. Its philosophical, poetic, awe inspiring, and mesmerizing. The most transcendent and beautiful film ever made.
on 12/3/2013
You have to respect both as a cinefile. Is not a rule, but they just deserve it. Technical accomplishments aside,i would rather watch "The Godfather" a dozen more times.
on 12/10/2013
2001 is #1 on my list whilst the Godfather is #5
on 12/29/2013
Please don't make me choose one, Flickchart! Both of these movies blew me away and have shaped my love for movies. They are beautiful and masterful. I'm going to give the win to 2001, but it hurts to make a decision.
This. Is. really. HARD. An epic drama of adventure and exploration wins over badass family-gangsterwars
on 12/30/2013
Probably the toughest matchup I have yet seen on the website. One is an extremely powerful,haunting and extremely well made drama about crime and family while the other is one of the most(if not THE most) ambitious film ever made. I choose The Godfather as the slightly better film..but only by a very small amount. Both are certified masterpieces though.
on 1/14/2014
2001 for this one
on 2/10/2014
This is my 1 and 2 but The Godfather wins because of the performances by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino
on 3/3/2014
I am really surprised this is so close, I love 2001, but The Godfather is just better
on 3/8/2014
2001 will win
on 3/20/2014
on 3/30/2014
These two movies are, along with Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia, the perfect movies of all time. Casablanca dominates love and drama, Lawrence of Arabia epics and 2001: A Space Odyssey controls sci-fi. Godfather dominates all movies
on 8/21/2014
They represent two completely different visions of cinema, which makes them almost incomparable. For me it's The Godfather, by some margin I might add. At the very least Coppola's masterpiece is more emotionally engaging, while Kubrick's visual and intellectual feast is quite 'dry' in this respect.
on 8/22/2014
Its a tough one, Godfather edges it out
on 12/31/2014
If I could put 2001 any lower than 630 I would but I haven't seen anymore movies than that, also the godfather is at least a good movie.
on 4/19/2015
The Godfather provides simple pulp thrills for people who aren't willing to sit through and immerse themselves in the brilliance of 2001. It's a pretty easy decision for me.
on 6/10/2015
Godfather is a much more entertaining film but 2001 hit me much much harder and I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. It wins.
Godfather all the way.
on 9/2/2015
2001 is just so slow to win against perhaps the best film.
on 9/23/2015
Both are 2 of the best movies of all time, but I'm going with 2001: A Space Odyssey, because it had awesome special effects for 1968.
on 9/30/2015
2001 wins, for me 2001 is the pinnacle Of cinemática greatness and The greatest film Of al time.
Why is this even close? The Godfather is exceptional in every way and 2001 feels like watching a high school production by comparison.
I love Kubrick buy I prefer Dr Strangelove, and Full Metal Jacket to 2001,and I like TGF more than any of them. Having said that I believe GF2 is even better than the 1st one.
on 12/29/2015
How is this even a competition?...
All respect to 2001 for being a groundbreaking achievement within the realm of cinema, but The Godfather is just the better movie. From start to finish, The Godfather never lets up. It always continues to be exciting and/or intriguing. 2001 is surely a remarkable film, though it tends to let too many of it's shots linger for far too long (not that it really matters when you have that beautiful, orchestrated sound to accompany those shots.). I think 2001: A Space Odyssey is truly one of the greatest films in history, but it doesn't grant me the same amount of energy that The Godfather does - which is also one of the greatest films in history.
on 2/14/2016
2001 is the greatest movie ever made, the godfather is just perfectly well done.
The Godfather unless you're "pseudo".
on 7/14/2016
2001 was a lot better. Call me crazy, but I never really cared for The Godfather.
on 8/9/2016
To be honest I was always ambivalent about 2001, while Godfather was pretty dang good. Also, I watched both at 2x speed so, yeah, I know how slow 2001 is.
on 2/23/2017
The two movies I believe are the two best. I like a very diverse group of films. To be honest I can't really bring myself to pick against the Godfather, but I have to say the same for 2001.
on 4/7/2017
Two of the best ever, but my vote is with The Godfather.
on 4/26/2017
2 masterpieces, but I'll go with 2001.
on 5/17/2017
Godfather is the greatest film of all time. 2001's sluggish pace doesn't compare at all
on 5/18/2017
I'm not as high on 2001 as most, I agree that it suffers from a sluggish pace. The Godfather on the other hand is brilliant. One of the better films ever made. When someone asks me what is the best classic film, this is one that comes to mind.
on 5/27/2017
It's tied and I think that's fitting because I believe these two are the two greatest films of all time. They're different but both incredibly good. However, I have The Godfather by just a little.
on 11/9/2017
i've never much liked the godfather, even though it is an excellent movie. 2001 is my #3 right now
People with simple minds need to realize that 2001 is overrated clap trap. Godfather is legend and epic film making. 2001 is NOT.
on 2/9/2018
2001 odyssey, and it's not even close.
on 3/15/2018
The hardest choice on Flickchart. 2001 wins today but my love for The Godfather could sway me tomorrow. Two perfect films . How can you choose?
on 4/3/2018
Wow, can't believe it took almost 4000 rankings to get this one. At home on a TV, it might be Godfather, but having seen both theatrically (2001 in 70mm, Godfather in 35mm), I'm confident picking Kubrick.
on 5/21/2018
I refuse to indeed competence of these great movies by choosing one over the other. Godfather set the bar for gangster movies in the 70s and was absolutely amazing and one of the best gangster movies ever. 2001 : A Space Oddyssey was very unique and presented a very scary scenario and view of humanity. Both are completely different and honestly I cant say I enjoyed one more than the other ( they are equal to me).
Don't even try and pretend it's anything but The Godfather here. Come on........
In my opinion 2001 came up to an excellent classic watchable stunning also above over fifty years ago this spring, Stanley Kubrick’s confounding sci-fi masterpiece, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” had its premières across the country.
on 6/14/2019
Godfather May have better acting and charecters but 2001 space odyssey has faar better cinematography and effects and not Only thta but godfather is amazing film but cant get higher than that BUT 2001 is More than just movie it is Art mysterious it is about human origin, god, LIFE, about universe what is this all suposed so mean and It makes lot of questions and to answer to those questions you have to use your own imagination its far better film than godfather and even im sight and sound top 50 greatest 2001 space odyssey was 6 and godfather 21 on critics pool and on directors pool 2001 space odyssey was 2 and godfather was 7 on american film institute top 100 godfather was 3 and 2001 space odyssey was 22 but sight and sound is better and More trust worthy pool and 2001 was listed better on More of these different pools
Godfather: amazing film 2001 space odyssey: ONE BIG MYSTERIOUS MUTOLOGY WHAT CAN ONLY DESCRIBE AS GODLIKE ART
2001is VERY MYSTERIOUS and gives More questions than answer and thats something that godfather cant reach and that is the reason why 2001 is better
on 12/7/2019
Both two of the greatest films of all time but 2001 is #1 for me
on 3/7/2020
The Godfather Easily
2001.
on 7/14/2020
2001 is far decent of tremendous good.
on 11/18/2020
2001 is better visually, but in terms of everything else The Godfather is far better. Godfather easily.
Godfather pretty easily
on 1/7/2021
The one that won best picture
on 1/8/2021
Put me down for The Godfather. Like many on here I find 2001 a challenging film and not in a bad way but many of the scenes that are meant to be mesmerizing or awe-inspiring leave me cold. I will also say it, remains, 50 years after its release, a wholly unique cinematic experience. The Godfather on the other hand is a film I could watch anytime (which is saying a lot considering its runtime) and is brilliantly acted, directed and scored.
on 1/15/2021
So, so hard. A recent rewatch of 2001 changed everything, but I gotta say GF by a hair.
on 4/25/2021
godfather is way better
This one is VERY close. 2001 and The Godfather are both cinematic masterpieces, but I have to go with 2001.
on 5/8/2021
The grand scale and bleak depiction of humanity gives 2001 the edge over The Godfather.
on 3/31/2022
2001 a space odyssey wins!
godfather is good but it aint no 2001 a space odyssey!
the godfather is MAD overrated and really boring gotta go with 2001 a space odyssey here!
on 7/25/2022
Both are fantastic movies and in my top 5 of all time. 2001 obviously has better effects and possibly even better cinematography, but The Godfather outclasses in literally every other category from storytelling to dialogue to acting. It does everything that makes a film good better than 2001 does. So yeah, I'll give this to The Godfather
on 9/24/2022
One thing I will say is that a common defense of 2001 is that some movies don't need a plot to be good. That may be true, but a truly great movie manages to balance experience, art, and story together flawlessly. Considering I have 2001 in my top 3 I think it should be obvious that I think 2001 does this flawlessly. It actually does have quite a strong story structure, the characters work, the dialogue is minimal yet still fairly engaging, but it really is the experience that takes it to the next level. The numerous thematic layers and instantly iconic imagery make it one of the best theater experiences ever. Unfortunately, I do think The Godfather did the balance better. The cinematography, the blend of different emotions in the script, the tight and dense script, the complex and memorable characters, the perfect character transformation for Michael, the flawless cast, etc., but that's just the simple stuff. There's also the deeper levels to it. The universal themes on power, family, loyalty, betrayal, evil, life, death, and change are profound and can resonate with everyone. The way it implements philosophies about nostalgia and the change towards a more nihilistic society is brilliantly executed, with the transfer of power between Vito, a man with plenty of morals and strong principles, and Michael, a man not burdened with any of those things, is subtle and smart. The commentary on the American Dream, the representation of Italian culture, the near-satirical approach to toxic masculinity and male chauvanism, and so much more are done perfectly in The Godfather. It's why I consider it to be the greatest picture ever conceived, putting it just above 2001: A Space Odyssey
on 11/1/2022
what the fuck is this. 2001 is 100x more boring than the godfather.
2001 is the better effort and godfather is near perfect
on 11/13/2022
I have to go with 2001, it's just that amazing
on 11/21/2022
This is a very close matchup but 2001 can't match the legacy of the godfather.
on 4/5/2023
Godfather Is master piece Godfather win
on 10/8/2023
The Godfather is much better
