The MoFo Top 100 of the 2000s Countdown

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And for anyone unaware, if you like Fincher and Zodiac, Mindhunter on Netflix is phenomenal.
Oh yeah. Let's hope they can figure out how to make season 3.
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Nice. Gonna use this as an excuse to pimp my first ever essay on this site: Christopher Nolan's Useful Lies (discussion thread here).
Bravo, brother! This was a very, very good read.



It's been too long since I last commented to really go into detail or write much about films I've either not seen or didn't like, so I'll just say that it's lovely to see Amelie as high as it was. I've not seen Memento since around the time it came out but I saw it few times back then because Guy Pierce is Neighbours alumni and I used to always try and catch those. I remember it really being very different back then and showing, once again, how good an actor Guy is. Zodiac I've only seen the once but I really liked it and wanted to see it again. I'm sure I've got it somewhere.

The list is so bad we let Hedwig get on it.
I would post a reaction to this but I think it'd be deleted pretty quickly.

Bad mouth the list all you want... Just pick your targets better.
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A system of cells interlinked
Zodiac was #3 on my list. Perhaps one of the best period pieces ever filmed, I have seen this film many, many times. I am a massive Fincher fan, and this is near the top of the list for me as far as his catalog is concerned. The more I watch it, the more I realize I am watching a master at the top of his game. Sure, it's dark, and my wife leaves the room every time the lake scene appears, but I just keep watching it...

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Society ennobler, last seen in Medici's Florence
#9 Zodiac - I heard this movie title about two years ago and that's all. Still don't plan watching.
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I've seen Zodiac once. I'm like a few others above, that it felt just OK but maybe I need to rewatch it. Who knows, maybe I was expecting another Se7en, too.

Seen: 49/92

My Ballot:
1. Let the Right One In (2008) [#29]
5. Watchmen (2009) [#87]
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) [#15]
8. The Descent (2005) [#80]
13. The Children (2008) [DNP]
16. Tideland (2005)[DNP]
18. Battle Royale (2000) [#77]
19. Chocolate (2008) [DNP]
22. Noroi (2005) [DNP]
25. Harry Brown (2009) [1-pointer]
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Zodiac was #3 on my list. Perhaps one of the best period pieces ever filmed, I have seen this film many, many times. I am a massive Fincher fan, and this is near the top of the list for me as far as his catalog is concerned. The more I watch it, the more I realize I am watching a master at the top of his game. Sure, it's dark, and my wife leaves the room every time the lake scene appears, but I just keep watching it...

That lake scene is disturbing AF. It makes me really glad these killings were before my time. I’ve been to Berryessa so many times.



Hadn't seen Zodiac even though I'm a fan of Fincher and some of the actors.

Also, Observe and Report > Paul Blart: Mall Cop



The trick is not minding
I finally watched Zodiac for this countdown and was impressed, as I usually am, with Fincher’s deft craftsmanship. It’s more than a story on the mysterious serial killer, but rather a study on how it effected those who were involved in his case, and how to changed their lives, even if some of it were dramatized (RDJ’s portrayal especially).

But I don’t come for a history lesson, so the facts can be played around with, within reason, of course.

Regardless, I did end up cutting it off of my ballot.



A system of cells interlinked
That lake scene is disturbing AF. It makes me really glad these killings were before my time. I’ve been to Berryessa so many times.
Seriously harsh, that scene. The first time we saw it, we were both talking about it for days afterward.



I forgot the opening line.
9. Zodiac : This never really had a chance of making my ballot, but I think it's certainly a solid film - I gave it a rating of :
when I reviewed it late last year. If I'd been submitting a top 50 it definitely would have had a better chance. Did anyone notice recently that the Zodiac's last cipher, which had gone unsolved for close to 50 years, was solved just recently? Anyway, the film very much piqued my interest in the case, and I wouldn't mind getting a hold of Robert Graysmith's book and reading it. I really thought opinions were divided on this film, but I guess even so, it could garner enough votes to crack the top 10 - with those who like it really holding it in high esteem. I agree that it's one of those films that has a 'rewatch' factor. I've seen it a few times, and admire Fincher's ability to imbue his movies with atmosphere and dread. The real Zodiac must be dead by now, and it's very probable that we'll never know who it really was.

Seen : 79/92
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Zodiac is my favorite Fincher film but I didn't put it on my list even as much as I like it. Still it's very deserving of its Top Ten placing.

#3. The Dark Knight 10
#4. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 15
#5. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 63
#8. Unbreakable 62
#10. Million Dollar Baby 57
#15. Shaun of the Dead 20
#18. The Royal Tenenbaums 35
#20. Iron Man 83
#21. Finding Nemo 44
#22. Fantastic Mr. Fox 70
#23. The Descent 80
#25. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 76
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Critics




Critics thoughts on our #9, Zodiac...



It currently has an 89% Certified Fresh Tomatometer score among critics, and a 7.7/10 score on IMDb (with 511,000 votes).

Roger Ebert gave it ★★★★ and said:
"The film is a police procedural crossed with a newspaper movie, but free of most of the cliches of either. Its most impressive accomplishment is to gather a bewildering labyrinth of facts and suspicions over a period of years, and make the journey through this maze frightening and suspenseful."
Meanwhile Bruce Westbrook, of Houston Chronicle, gave it ★★ and said:
"The most perverse thing about Zodiac isn't that its Hollywood's umpteenth serial-killer flick, when such crimes are rare in reality. It's that Zodiac, though based on actual crimes, is one of the dullest of these films to date."
As for our MoFo reviewers, @TylerDurden99 said:
"I can't praise this film enough, and I can't decide what I like most about it. And that's why I think it's the perfect film. Everything is near-perfect, from the acting to the cinematography to the writing. But it's Fincher, who deserves most credit, as he provides a haunting character study that resonates long after the first viewing, and all the viewings after that."
And @John McClane said:
"Zodiac is an unconventional thriller because not only do we know the outcome, but it does not rack our nerves with gruesome scenes or scary twists. The director and cast keep us on the edge of our seat with a story of facts and reality which might very well bore some fans of the genre. The movie is still an amazing piece of cinema and should be seen by extreme movie buffs and casual people alike. It is exciting to see that Fincher is still making amazing features to satisfy our eyes and movie taste buds."



Awards




Now to the awards received by Zodiac...

  • Dublin Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director (David Fincher)
  • Golden Train Award Grand Jury Prize (Fincher)
  • International Film Music Critics Award for Best Original Score for a Horror/Thriller (David Shire)


Personally, I think it is insane that these are the only awards this film won. I mean, I've skimmed the list of awards won by pretty much every single film in this countdown for this posts and in almost 100% of the cases, I've only picked a handful to highlight while dismissing others. But for this film? this is ALL that it won. It's crazy, IMO.



Trivia




Zodiac



Did you know that...
  • director David Fincher has cited All the President's Men as the template for the film?
  • when casting the film, Fincher had a conversation with Jennifer Aniston and asked her what actors she had enjoyed working with? She mentioned Jake Gyllenhaal (The Good Girl) and Mark Ruffalo (Rumor Has It)
  • Fincher initially wanted to cast Brad Pitt for the role of Paul Avery before settling on Robert Downey, Jr?
  • Gyllenhaal became extremely frustrated with Fincher's methods and his penchant for numerous takes?
  • director Bong Joon-ho called the film a "masterpiece"? He said "there was really nothing to find fault with about it, down to the cinematography, art direction, and action."
  • the Zodiac case was re-opened after the release of the film?




I'm stickin' with the ten in the order I predicted. Until the streak is broken. Which should be today.

I am guessing Pan's Labyrinth is eighth.
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