The next time you’re wandering aimlessly through the aisles of your neighborhood video store, consider renting one of Stanley Kubrick’s films. All of his films are a cut above the typical mindless Hollywood fare.

His early films are hard to locate in video stores, especially in DeKalb, but they do show up on cable occasionally and are certainly worth watching.

His first major film was the 1957 release “Paths of Glory.” The film, starring Kirk Douglas, depicts the conflict between the leaders and the led in World War I. One of the finest war movies ever made, it effectively shows the irony of generals in plush surroundings ordering men to their deaths in filthy trenches.

His next film, “Spartacus,” was released in 1959. Also starring Kirk Douglas, this film tells the story of a slave rebellion in ancient Rome. If your tastes run toward large costume epics, you have to see this one.

Kubrick’s next movie, “Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” is considered by many to be his masterpiece. A commentary on the madness of the nuclear arms race, the film is a classic black comedy. The viewer continually finds himself laughing at deadly situations. “Dr. Strangelove” is worth checking out for the virtuoso peformance of Peter Sellers, who plays three roles, including the demented Dr. Strangelove.

His next two films, “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “A Clockwork Orange,” are tripped-out visionary spectacles. The plot of “2001” is nearly impossible to follow. It seems to be about a space mission, killer computers, the beginning of man, and a strange obelisk. Although it is hard to follow, “2001” is worth watching for the intense visual experience.

“A Clockwork Orange” is equally intense. Set in a nightmarish future where gangs of crazed thugs roam the streets looking for “ultraviolence,” the film is a probing look at the effects of social conditioning on society. The scene where the authorities program Malcolm McDowell to hate violence is one of the most chilling movie scenes ever.

1980’s “The Shining,” starring Jack Nicholson, is a terrifying look at the effects of isolation on one man and his family. Nicholson delivers one of his best performances, as a writer who is slowly driven mad by the ghosts inhabiting the old hotel he is watching for the winter.

Kubrick’s most recent film, 1986’s “Full Metal Jacket,” is another look at the horrors of war. Set in Vietnam, this film is a classic. Unlike “Platoon,” the film makes no attempt to preach, just to present the events. The film is neatly split in two, with the first half following the men through boot camp and the second half following them to Vietnam. The opening sequence in the barracks is incredible.

Stanley Kubrick is one of the most accomplished directors in film history. His films never fail to provoke an intense response from the viewer, and are definitely worth hunting down in your local video store.