Solaris

It’s similarly difficult to grasp as 2001: A Space Odyssey, but equally strong in its interpretative depth, perhaps even stronger. Tarkovsky's film doesn't rely on visual spectacle; instead, the Russian creator opts for philosophical sci-fi where everything unfolds primarily through dialogue and memories rather than necessarily through visuals. There are scenes inside ships, but they are very limited. This is how sci-fi can be filmed, mainly because the narrative is equally strong. (09/05/2014)

Technically brilliant and incredibly profound. Sometimes even unattainable. Andrei Tarkovsky is very demanding on the viewer with his abstraction and does not take it easy on them even for a second with his long-winded visions in his realm of philosophy. However, all inaccessibility is beautifully erased by the simple central theme of conflict between the most desperate emotions and the cold, meaningless scientific research. Most importantly, I guarantee that if you let yourself get absorbed, you won't be able to get the majority of the scenes out of your head due to their ambiguity. (08/10/2007)

The more times I see it, the more I love it. Maybe the runtime is excessive, maybe some of the scenes don't make sense (and yet they still feel magical, for example the drive down the highway), but everything else – especially the atmosphere, the visual compositions hand in hand with the haunting music, the interesting philosophical musings, etc. – all make Tarkovsky's film one of my most magical cinematic experiences in years. This is the kind of uncompromising artistic statement you hardly see anymore in modern cinema. (01/21/2009)

A non-commercial, artistic sci-fi masterpiece that doesn't have that much to say compared to the brilliant Stalker, but it remains more than pleasant to watch after all these years. Unfortunately, I don't like it much when I'm sucked into a whirlpool of dense atmosphere, timeless motifs and tiresome philosophising for three hours, only to not understand the final twist at all and not be able to put all the beautiful pieces of the complex puzzle together into an even more impressive whole. Maybe one day the Holy Spirit will shine on me and I will be able to appreciate this formally perfect film as it surely deserves, but in a normal state of mind, that's not in sight. 70% (03/08/2014)

The Tarkovsky scarecrow may not be such a major problem if we view Solaris through the lens of contemporary science fiction. The result will, unfortunately (or thankfully), be just another film that has not withstood the ravages of time. Of course, you can also read Lem's novel, watch the modern remake and, with a slightly ironic smile, look for the old TV version. All science fiction before Star Wars has its limits, including Tarkovsky's opus. I really don't appreciate a spaceship whose integral part is the icons of Andrei Rublev spread out in the cabins. I really, really don’t. (06/15/2017)