Delayed Reaction: Full Metal Jacket

The Pitch: One day, Stanley Kubrick decided that Coppola's Apocalypse, Now didn't go crazy enough.

How I Came Into It: I saw the first part of the movie several years ago and didn't know what to make of it. Beyond that, I've seen a good sampling of Kubrick's work (The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut, A Clockwork Orange, 2001, Dr. Strangelove) so I know to go in prepared to be a little confused by what he's trying to do.

Why I Saw It: (Club 50) This is the kind of war movie I'd expect from Stanley Kubrick. It's all about the madness of war. It's essentially two smaller movies with a loose connective tissue that inform one another. I was tense the whole way through in an intended way. R. Lee Ermy is a force the whole time he is one camera. All the actors are pretty great in this, from Matthew Modine to Vincent D'Onofrio to, hey, was that Adam Baldwin?

Why I Wish I Hadn't: I was removed from it the whole time. Like most of the other Kubrick movies I've seen, this felt more like a thought experiment than a movie for long stretches. I'm glad that a filmmaker like this can get his voice out there. It's just not one that I'm all that committed to rewatching.

Verdict (?): Weakly Recommend