Rate a classic movie: "2001: A Space Odyssey"

[white Boy]

I still have to watch this and Clockwork Orange, I'm missin out on much of Kubrick's work.

yes, you def have to...and in case you haven't seen them either, there's also "The Shining" and "Full Metal Jacket". "Eyes Wide Shut" is a good movie too IMO

don't forget Dr. Strangelove, theres also lolita, which im luke warm about, and i need to see Spartacus, Barry lyndon, and paths of glory

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Just answer me this: The part part about the primates have anything to do with that actual story, or is it just to set tone/mood/mindset/whatever of the story?

It's suppose to show the contrast between man and ape.  Remember how they encounter the monolith again at the moon?  The ape reaction was so much different to the human reaction.  The apes were really scared but curious going after it.  The humans on the other hand just didn't give a fuck and walked to it and even decided to videotape it.  What I believe, and many others as well,  is that some sort of alien put the monolith on Earth and the Moon to see how far has mankind gone, in terms of evolution. 

I think it's pretty obvious that the aliens put it there. It says so in the book, doesn't it?

It's probably obvious in the book, but the origin is unknown in the film.

In the book it doesn't directly say that aliens did it. But it is more then obvious. The monolith actually controlled the man-apes movements to try to teach them.