Favorite Kubrick film?

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To me, Stanley Kubrick will always be the greatest director. The attention to detail, technical mastery, and endless layers of meaning embedded in his films is almost without peer. Of course, some people insist his films are too cold, or unemotional. I disagree. I think they can be extremely emotional, just not in the instantly-gratifying, fast, cheaply romanticized way that most films are. Instead, Kubrick takes a detached view and trusts the viewer to sort out the emotions of the scene on their own. His films seem to aim for a sense of the "sublime" more than anything, a kind of cosmic awe (or dread) that sticks in the mind long after viewing. They're also ridiculously re-watchable. Indeed, the first viewing of a Kubrick film is usually confounding and gives off mixed or confused reactions, only for everything to start falling into place on repeat viewings; his films somehow deepen and get more powerful every time one sees them.

It's been speculated that Kubrick had Aspergers, and while this remains nothing more than speculation it is interesting to consider. His reclusive lifestyle (rarely leaving the house, preferring people come to him instead), extreme reticence to talk to the media, intense interest in certain topics (hence the historical and technical accuracy of his films), perfectionist attitude to making films, plus of course the aforementioned attention to detail and utter single-mindedness in achieving what he wanted to, all are potential AS traits I suppose. And without some of these traits his films wouldn't be nearly as special as they are.

My favorite is probably 2001, but with Barry Lyndon at an extremely close second. I also love Eyes Wide Shut and The Shining nearly as much. He just made so many masterpieces.

2001, though Barry Lyndon I saw with a date (what a mistake that was...

Barry Lyndon first.

I agree, he's one of my favorite directors. My favorites are Eyes Wide Shut and Full Metal Jacket.

Dr Strangelove, Spartacus and Full Metal Jacket.

I like plenty of his films, but I think my favourite is A Clockwork Orange.

A Clockwork Orange > Dr. Strangelove > 2001: A Space Odyssey > Full Metal Jacket > The Shining

all of them!! !

Particularly, Paths of Glory and Lolita.

I wrote a paper on the historical accuracy of Dr. Strangelove... gives the whole "it's funny because it's true" thing a scary, new spin.

And who CAN'T like Full Metal Jacket?

So many great quotes...

Private Joker:

Pogue Colonel:

Heh... don't get me started on Gunny Hartman!

Oh, I can't resist doing a flow chart like this. Of his films I've seen;

A Clockwork Orange> 2001: A Space Odyssey > Full Metal Jacket > Paths of Glory > Dr. Strangelove > Eyes Wide Shut > The Shining > Spartacus > Lolita

I really ought to see Barry Lyndon.

I agree that Kubrick definitely had some very aspie traits. He certainly was a different sort of cat, a rare bird.

For me, it's Full Metal Jacket > Spartacus > The Shining > Dr Strangelove > 2001 > A Clockwork Orange > Lolita

Years ago I would often say Kubrick was my favourite director on the basis of 3 films: Full Metal Jackey, The Shining and Dr Strangelove.
But IMHO he still never made anything as good as Star Wars

That Sgt Hartmann scene never get old.
The Dr Strangelove quotes on the other hand ("You can't fight in here, this is the war room!") I think I've heard a few too many times.

The only one that I've seen of his that I liked was A Clockwork Orange. The only other ones I've seen are 2001, The Shining, and Eyes Wide Shut. I didn't like any of those.

Dr. Strangelove

My brother loves Full Metal Jacket. He went through a period of time when he'd watch it over and over... and over... and over... By now I am really tired of Sgt. Hartman and Private Pyle.

My brother also likes The Shining. He always says "Jack Nicholson is epic!"

I tried to watch Dr. Strangelove, but I didn't find it funny. I actually found it to be a little unsettling, thinking "what if this kind of thing happens in real life?" Besides, I didn't think the title character got nearly enough screen time.

Damn... That's a hard one as Stanley Kubrick is my favorite Film Maker of all time...
I guess I'd have to choose Full Metal Jacket...

Dr. Strangelove, followed by Full Metal Jacket. I didn't like 2001.

Roughly ranked in order of preference:

Dr. Strangelove great satire
Full Metal Jacket incredibly visceral
2001 breathtaking and inspirational but incomprehensible at the same time.
Clockwork Orange the whole movie feels like an orchestral composition. Great language.
Shining Jack before he became a caricature. red drum.
Eyes Wide Shut lacked the edge of his earlier work.

Only saw bits of Paths of Glory and yet to see Barry Lyndon so can't comment. Can't think of any of his others.