David Fincher
I have to admit I wasn't overly excited when Rauldc wanted to do Fincher. He has two movies that I consider big time favorites but past that he is a director I respect more than I love. His movies are so pulpy that they just don't get me excited or even give me any real sense of anticipation. I always know I am going to watch his stuff with intrigue because of that greatness he has in him, and despite being mostly a pulpy director his films have a style and rhythm that are very easy to get lost in. The atmosphere he sets with his camera and music are on par with anyone else working. I guess I just wish he would steer away from his dime store novel tendencies a bit more. All that said I enjoyed my viewings, only hating a couple of his films, and those top four film are fantastic. Hard to believe that a director I only feel so-so about has four movies that I would say I love. Maybe I am under rating him a bit. Either way the rambling is over and on with the rankings.
1) The Social Network An absolutely perfect film. The first time I saw it I thought perhaps it was just timely and wouldn't hold hope. 4 or 5 viewings later and I know it is timeless. Not the normal Fincher story but all his undeniable aesthetics are there. Every time I watch it I am excited for the next scene.
2) Zodiac Apologies to All The President's Men but this is my favorite procedural. I love the characters in the film and I love watching them work. Again the Fincher aesthetic is there but no pulp in this thriller which is what sets it apart.
3) Se7en Now we get into the pulp I have mentioned too many times already. It had to be said once more though, because this is probably the greatest of those types of film. This is the Fincher to watch if you want to know what the director is about.
4) Fight Club This rating should come with the caveat that I am long over due to revisit. Might be ten years since my last viewing, which would have been my second. I will get back to it eventually but really don't see it gaining ground on those above.
5) Gone Girl I really didn't expect this to hold up on a second viewing as well as it did. Lots of humor that keeps it rolling for me. The Fincher aesthetic in full effect.
6) Panic Room I really don't think this is a very strong film but it is hard for me to rate anything where Whitaker and Foster have all the screen time very low. It ends up being a decent pressure cooker that would have been better off staying a very fond first time theater watch.
7) The Game See above. I never consider Penn or Douglas favorites but they do command the screen.
8) Benjamin Button Not going to give this a rating because I only watched it once upon release and it has faded from memory tremendously. The gimmick is the only thing that stuck. Feels the least like a Fincher joint as well.
9) Alien3 Going to give this the nod over Dragon Tattoo just because I feel like this film is made for somebody, just not me. In other words I don't think the premise was bad for an Alien movie.
10) Dragon Tattoo When I think about everything I wrote above my ratings I wonder how much of that is influenced by this being the last Fincher I watched. I really dislike this movie. Trashy in all the worst ways. Technically sound, just trashy. I should have snuck it a Zodiac viewing towards the end of our Fincher cycle. Still plenty of time for him to make a few more great ones.