I used to love Kubrick's 2001 until I read an article where Arthur C. Clarke was explaining it all. (I haven't ever read Clarke's novel, and refuse to, because I've heard it *does* attempt to explain everything in tedious detail.) I've managed to forget most of his explanation (thank God), but I do remember it being *extremely* disappointing.

The movie's a masterpiece in large part because of the ambiguity.