BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) PANIC ROOM
David Fincher is one of the best directors living today. The atmosphere and style he brings to the script pages is nothing short of spectacular. For this fourth spot it was rough. It was Alien 3, The Game, or Panic Room. I guess Benjamin Button would be an option, but I just didn’t like it. At all. And I’m sure once The Social Network is taken into account it’ll crack this four, but how high is still up in the air. So Panic Room. I liked it enough. I’d not go out of my way to watch it, but I won’t hate on anyone for having it in their collection.
(THREE) ZODIAC
In 2007, “The Finch” released Zodiac. This one starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr. Anthony Edwards, and some other awesomely casted people. Most people think this movie is one of the biggest Oscar snubs of the modern era and it’s really hard to argue that. I remember first seeing this movie and it not having a huge effect on me, but as time went on the movie built itself in my head brick by brick until I had no choice but to acknowledge that the movie was a masterpiece.
(TWO) SEVEN
In 1995, minds were blown. This greatly underappreciated movie stars Brad Pitt, in his first of three Fincher movies, and Morgan Freeman as two detectives tracking down an serial killer who kills people in honor of the seven deadly sins. The movie is graphic, harsh, and as in your face as a movie can be. The tone and feel of this movie set the bar pretty damn high.
(ONE) FIGHT CLUB
In 1999 one of the best modern movies was unleashed unto the world. Fight Club is great. There’s no other way to describe it. The shots, the coloring, the tone, and the whole atmosphere set in the movie is simply great. There’s not many other ways to say it. Brad Pitt and Ed Norton pull out all stops and the whole thing just clicks. This movie is so good that it has pretty much earned David Fincher a free pass. I don’t care if he makes a movie about something as weird or lame as facebook, I’ll give it a chance. Oh wait.
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