For a long time, this was the only Stanley Kubrick movie I hadn’t seen. Barry Lyndon looked, on its surface, stuffier and less exciting than the legendary director’s edgy, countercultural lightning rods like A Clockwork Orange or genre explorations like The Shining. Like many a young, male, burgeoning cinephile, I saw costumes and period trappings and a three-plus-hour runtime and ran in the opposite direction. What an embarrassing mistake. Like its buffoon of a titular character, Barry Lyndon is beautiful, hilarious and maddening in equal measure. The innovative, sumptuous cinematography is the true star of the picture — every frame is indeed a painting. If, like the younger version of me, you’ve put this film off for too long, go see it rendered in a brand-new 4K restoration at the Belcourt like I did. You won’t be disappointed. See belcourt.org for showtimes.
Nov. 29 & Dec. 2 at the Belcourt
2102 Belcourt Ave.
