Zodiac (2007)

Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo

Overall Rating: 98.0

Based on the true story of the Zodiac Killer during the 70's, "Zodiac" is David Fincher's homage to not only one of the greatest serial killers in U.S. history, but the lives of those tasked with tracking the notorious killer and the effects felt even by those who weren't victims.

The beginning of "Zodiac" feels like any other suspense thriller about a serial killer: dark road, unseen figure, murdered teenagers, etc.  However, as the audience soon realizes, "Zodiac" isn't necessarily about the Zodiac Killer, but rather the people whose lives were forever tormented by the killings in an indirect way.  The newspaper reporter who unknowingly finds himself as a target, the police detectives who see years go by without any new leads, and the cartoonist who has a penchant for cracking codes and puzzles all obsess in their own destructive ways about finding this mysterious killer.  

Based on the book by Robert Graysmith (the aforementioned cartoonist who ultimately cracked Zodiac's code), the majority of the film follows Graysmith's character (Gyllenhaal) on his quest to uncover the killers identity, if only for himself.  Along the way, Graysmith creates bonds with Paul Avery (Downey), the popular San Francisco Chronicle reporter following the case and Dave Toschi, the lead detective on the case throughout the years. 

It's these relationships that carry the suspense of the film.  Sure, when the audience is occasionally shown the killer and his victims there is plenty of suspense, but those scenes primarily lay the foundation as to why the other characters feel the need to catch this man.

Taking place in 1970's San Francisco, director Fincher manages to stay ultra-realistic in his setting.  This being Fincher's first "period piece", everything seems appropriate in its setting.  While it is the 70's, and especially San Francisco, Fincher avoids the use of hippies, flower power, and tie-dye, and instead sticks with his trademark darkness.  There are plenty of visuals to take you back to the time, including the clothing the detectives wear, the automobiles, and even a time-lapse of the Transamerica Pyramid building in downtown S.F.

David Shire's soundtrack also completely encompasses the suspense of the subject matter, and allows the audio to pour out of the screen.  Right off the bat, Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" sets the immediate tone for the film.  Plenty of under-appreciated songs of the 70's make their way into the film, each providing an ample tone for the scene they represent.

"Zodiac" takes the role of the murder-mystery and completely encapsulates the audience into asking questions.  Every time you as a viewer think they've found the missing piece to the puzzle, you realize the piece in question was to a completely different puzzle all together.  "Zodiac" keeps you guessing until the very end, and even though the film takes a few liberties based on Graysmith's theories involving the murderer's identity, knowing the actual killer was never identified only makes the suspense of the film stand out so much more.  It's a gripping drama that makes you feel for the characters, but also engulfs you in the mystery of the identity of the killer.

Individual Ratings
Enjoyment Factor: 10
Dialogue: 9
Acting: 9
Direction: 10
Audio/Visual: 10

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Directed by: David Fincher

Starring: Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig, Christopher Plummer

Overall Rating: 97.6

As is always the case, David Fincher proves himself as the go-to director when it comes to telling a dark, psychological thriller with "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo".  From start to finish, "Dragon Tattoo" leaves you on the edge of your seat, captivated by the immense story and dark direction. 

Rooney Mara explodes off the screen as the troubled freelance hacker, Lisbeth Salander.  After casting her as the love interest in "The Social Network", Fincher says he fell in love with Rooney and easily saw her playing this intense, universally loved character.  He was right.  As Lisbeth, Mara shows the widest range of emotions, from fear and pain to all out ballsy confidence.  She makes you feel bad for her, fear her, and attracted to her all at the same time, a feat that very few but Mara could pull off.

The story follows a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) who is hired by a man (Plummer) to help solve a 40 year murder mystery involving his family.  Along the way, Blomkvist brings on the young Salander to assist in his research and attempts to uncover the murderer's identity.

Based on the universally acclaimed Stieg Larsson novel out of Sweden, Fincher and company do a good job of keeping true to the source material, while still maintaining a uniqueness all their own.  They even include plenty of references to the original Swedish version of the film from 2009, including using the same location and house for shooting.

The sound design is essential to helping keep the suspense building.  Teaming up again with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Fincher uses the sound to not only startle you, but to unnerve you.  Certain scenes alone are tough to sit through, but with Reznor's industrial music in the background, it's enough to make you wish you could turn it off.  But you can't, and you shouldn't.

Visually, the snowy Swedish landscape again takes you to a place of non-comfort.  With the snow so pure, it's easy to get lost in the wintry wonderland, but instead are trapped in a murder mystery where anyone and everyone is a suspect.  Throw in an opening credits sequence that rivals any Bond opening, mixing industrial imagery and Karen O's cover of "Immigrant Song", and it's one of the more impressive visual films in recent memory.

Fincher's ability to alter your mood through a couple hours of film has always been apparent.  With "Dragon Tattoo", he completes his best work since 2007's "Zodiac".  It's a powerful performance by Mara that shouldn't be missed.

Individual Ratings
Enjoyment Factor: 10
Dialogue: 9
Acting: 9
Direction: 9
Audio/Visual: 10

Se7en (1995)

Directed by: David Fincher

Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow

Overall Rating: 98.5

"Se7en" was, and continues to be, one of the best crime thrillers ever put to film.  Writer Andrew Kevin Walker and Director David Fincher teamed up for their first collaboration, which would lead to future partnerships between the two dark minds.

"Se7en" is the story of a young, eager detective (Pitt) on his first major case partnering with an about-to-retire detective (Freeman).  What unfolds over the course of the film is the fact that the case they are working on is a serial killer named John Doe whose victims are all killed based on the seven deadly sins.

The story of "Se7en", however, is more than just solving a case.  It's understanding the lives and driving forces of Mills and Somerset.  We learn of Mills' psyche as he realizes the magnitude of the case he is on, and how his entire career can be shaped by a positive outcome.  Somerset however, has been around the road a few times, yet has never seen anything like the John Doe killings.  It's Somerset's mentality in nurturing and trying to prepare Mills' understanding the magnitude of what he is facing that is the driving force of the movie.  An elder passing on knowledge, and the youthful exuberance of Pitt refusing to believe him.  Add in Mills' wife (Paltrow) to play a medium between the two detectives, and it's a constant moral struggle to find proper meaning in a chaotic situation.

This movie was Fincher's second full-feature movie, and really first to create his own world (his debut was the already created Alien3 universe).  The dark, dreary, rainy world in which Fincher throws his protagonists into elevates the mood from suspenseful to outright creepy.  It's also the first time that Fincher collaborated with Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor (who would later work on "The Social Network" and "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo").  The opening credits, which takes a montage and mix-up of NIN's "Closer" is one of the most iconic openings outside of the Bond universe.

Andrew Kevin Walker's script is the perfect blend of intense and light.  Detective Mills in particular has some of the most unique, yet funny lines.  It's odd to find yourself laughing during such a dark film, but such is the intention of Walker and Fincher.  During the climactic car ride featuring Mills, Somerset, and Doe, we get a glimpse into all 3 characters minds: Doe's insanity, Somerset's intellect, and Mills' dismissive humor.

"Se7en" is the type of crime drama that despite knowing the outcome, stands up after multiple viewings.  The fast pace and sharp dialogue, mixed in with a suspenseful score and great acting performances make it a thriller for the ages.

Individual Ratings
Enjoyment Factor: 10
Dialogue: 10
Acting: 9
Direction: 9
Audio/Visual: 10

Fight Club (1999)

Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter

Overall Rating: 100.0

The movie that made me a film freak.  Before watching Fight Club, movies were just a source of entertainment for me.  After Fight Club, they became an artform.  The first time I heard David Fincher, Brad Pitt, and Edward Norton's commentary about the making of this movie and learning all of the subtle nuances that Fincher added in to honor the great Chuck Palahniuk's anarchistic masterpiece, I was mesmerized.  For anyone who's seen the movie multiple times, I'd suggest reading the trivia page on IMDb and see how of these nuances you missed during your first few viewings.  I'm guessing it's a majority.  Watching Fight Club is like watching a baseball game, every time you watch, you see something you've never seen before.

In addition to the brilliant film-making by David Fincher, there is also a lot of substance from Palahniuk's source material.  Every man on this planet has a spot deep within them that just wants to see the world crumble around them.  Palahniuk imagines a world where a simple man lives his life knowing he's an insignificant smudge on this thing we call Earth.  His name is Tyler Durden, and In Tyler We Trust. 

David Fincher was even forced to place advertising inside his movie by Fox, as they had a deal with Pepsi.  To comply, Fincher put a visible Pepsi and Mt. Dew vending machine at two points of the movie.  They also happened to be two of the most violent, gut-wrenching parts of the movie to intentionally make the viewer sick as they saw those machines.  In the Fight Club world, this is a beautiful, calculated move.

Fight Club creates a new breed of macho-ism.  It's not how one looks that defines him as a man, it's how one acts.  Fuck designer shirts and 7-minute abs.  Living in a society that focuses more on what Kim Kardashian's farts smell like, rather than mass genocide taking place in third world countries can do nothing but make anarchy look pretty damn sweet.  As you're watching the destruction on the screen, it's not horrific, it's gratifying.  Fuck credit cards and coffee shops.

The Dust Brothers provide a fantastic industrial soundtrack to accompany the dark images being shown.  Add in one of the top uses of a song in any film, with the Pixies' "Where is My Mind" closing out the final moments of the movie, and you leave the film feeling slightly exhausted, but in a good way.

A socially powerful film, Fight Club is one of those movies that any young man should watch to try to find out more about himself before entering "the real world".

Individual Ratings
Enjoyment Factor: 10
Dialogue: 10
Acting: 9
Direction: 10
Audio/Visual: 10