Barry Lyndon (1975)

This year I’ve filled in a lot of holes in the Kubrick filmography. I’ve now seen half of all the films he’s directed. Barry Lyndon stood out from the first 5 minutes I had it on, to the hours after I turned it off. The film is so visually stunning; it’s easy to get swept up in every scene. This odd story about a sort of anti-hero as he manipulates his way up the economic and social ladder has so much character. The whole film is shot using natural light and flame. Kubrick worked with his DP to build a camera that could use lenses developed by NASA. Ryan O’Neal gives an outstanding performance as the titular Barry, somewhat surprising considering O’Neal’s past roles. There’s so much care put into every moment of this film one of my new favourites. I would recommend to any fans of Kubrick who haven’t seen this one yet.