The heir to Stanley Kubrick from a directing perspective, David Fincher is best known for his crime and thriller films that have dark and moody atmospheres and the occasional narrative twist. Notorious for his extensive amount of takes and 'control freak' persona, Fincher's film always come across as polished, slickly edited productions dotted with electrifying performances. Let's take a look at his work.
11. Alien^3
It is contentious as to whether the third instalment of the Alien franchise should make the list; despite being Fincher's debut it was a butchered, studio-twisted film that the director himself wants nothing to do with. It is Fincher's only truly bad film: the infuriating handling of some of the characters from Aliens at the start sets off a narrative that feels unfulfilling and second-rate compared to the predecessors. Fincher still crafts a film that impresses visually, with a handful of famous shots, but this is one best to forget exists.
10. The Game
It is testament to Fincher's quality of output that The Game is his second weakest film. Michael Douglas plays a millionaire who finds himself playing a 'game' that forces him to question what is real, what is dangerous and what isn't. It is a firmly 1990s film, and Douglas is solid in the lead: he doesn't 'lose it' too early so as to stagnate the rest of the film but there is still a seething sense of frustration coming from his performance that really works. Let down by a twist that forces you to forget a lot of what came before, The Game is adequate as a slow burner, but not overly memorable.
9. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Fincher's only fantasy-romance film, Benjamin Button is ferociously long for a short story adaptation, but the concept of a man who lives his life backards is utilised well. Anchored by a stoic Brad Pitt performance and some helpful visual effects work, Fincher smoothly resurrects the early 20th century with immaculate costumes and sets. Ultimately the picture doesn't have too much to actually say beyond 'old people and babies have similarities' but there is a literary feel to the film that makes for pleasent Sunday afternoon viewing.
8. Mank
Fincher's most personal film is his most recent. Adapting his late father's screenplay, the picture charts Gary Oldman as Herman Mankiewicz, the screenwriter of the legendary Citizen Kane, who tussels for creative control in the Golden Era of Hollywood. For lovers of Kane, Orson Welles, classic films and the era as a whole, this is a gem to behold. Packed with authentic detail, gorgeous monochrome photography and a unique, highly designed sound scape, it is a cornucopia of film Easter eggs. But whilst it is technically impressive, the story and purpose of the film are sketchy. Much like Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Mank serves as a visual autobiography for its director who struggles to get his vision in modern Hollywood. Fincher must see something of himself in the screenplay, because there is little else to thematically and emotionally attatch to here.
7. Zodiac
This may seem like heresy to some to have Zodiac slap-bang in the middle of a Fincher ranking, and it's understandable why this is a highly appreciated film. Drawing on three engaging performances from Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo, Fincher's childhood obsession with the Zodiac killings is painstakingly animated into celluloid. The killings are exceptionally directed and the screenplay is chock full of details and theories that demand further research. The basement scene is also outstanding too. Where the film suffers is its length. This is the longest 160 minute film going: if you don't look at the time then it can become impatient as it mercilessly continues to include seemingly every important date and detail in the case. It is documentary-esque in approach and perhaps that is the alternative for this story so as to condense the bum-numbing run time.
6. Panic Room
A moderately underrated thriller. Fincher goes full Hitchcock for this one, following a stylish opening credit scene he sets the cameras up in a rather nice, empty new home in the city and never leaves it for two hours. Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart are the mother and daughter who have just moved in and find themselves under siege in the house's panic room when Jared Leto and Forest Whitaker break in for some illegal antics. If the set-up feels too basic for a 120 minute picture, then marvel at how Fincher and cinematographers Conrad Hall and Darius Khondji find new and inventive ways to smoothly move the camera around to create a very dynamic experience within the confines of the claustrophobic setting. The payoff does have its ex machina moments, but as a thriller that thrills effectively, it accomplishes exactly what it intends.
5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
A worthy English-language remake, this Daniel Craig-starrer has all the murkiness of Denis Villenueve's Prisoners. Boasting astounding work from Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara and Stellan Skarsgaard, Dragon Tattoo is crisply shot and filled with some horrific, unforgettable images. Often unflinching, Fincher directs with utter calmness whilst the Oscar-winning editing is truly flawless. Having made this so swiftly after The Social Network is a feat unto itself.
4. The Social Network
A critic's favourite film, this is frequently cited as one of the greatest films of the 2010s. It's easy to see why: Fincher is fully in control of the subject matter as he chronicles the emergence of Facebook and the appalling behaviour of the insufferable Mark Zuckerberg. Aaron Sorkin's high energy script absorbs from the first scene, and the irritating Jesse Eisenberg is annoyingly good casting as the equally irritating tech giant. The score is mesmerising and Andrew Garfield knocks it out of the park too. But please Fincher, what did you do with the other Armie Hammer twin?
3. Gone Girl
A total surprise of a film considering how popular the novel was among mums (think Fifty Shades of Grey and Girl on the Train). Fincher is at home making elusive crime films and Gone Girl summons a shedload of the director's creative juices. Captivating through Rosamund Pike's tour de force performance, the mysteries and relationships are intoxicating dramatically. When it is violent it is very violent, but it earns the right to be due to the slow pacing and unease.
2. Fight Club
It's easy to hate on Fight Club: like Joker, American Psycho and The Wolf of Wall Street. it belongs firmly in the film-bro camp of idolised cinematic texts. Fight Club is one of two Fincher films I have seen twice and if the first time underwhelmed, the second time was a blast. The brutal fight scenes, charismatic Brad Pitt performance and its position on consumerism are fascinating, whilst the tackling of masclinity is divisive and incomplete. If it suffers from all of its narration, it makes up for it with wry humour and a total ridiculousness that makes it a terrifically enjoyable ride.
1. Se7en
David Fincher's best film, Se7en is one of the greatest films of the 1990s. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman investigating murders inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins is a tantalising prospect on its own, but the rain lashed city, unnerving third-act and haunting final lines seal this in the memory. The devil is in the details and Fincher packs the film with them: the opening credits, the macabre images and the heavy foreshadowing are joyful to unpack on second viewing. By the time the three main characters get in a car together to an undisclosed location, it's hard to blink.
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