I realized looking at some of my favorite directors that I had not seen all of David Ficher's work. Here below I have filled in the gaps including "Panic Room" and "The Game."
What I love about David Fincher's work is the recognizable visual style of shooting in low-key lighting situations and the color tone that seem to run from "The Game" through "Gone Girl." I am not going to touch on TV projects here all though, remarkably, we have his visual style in those projects also.
I also will not touch on his music video and commercial work (which is extensive) though it is important to note that the theme of commercial advertising/mainstream media as a form of brainwashing is in several of his films including "The Game," "Fight Club," and "Gone Girl."
Alien 3 (1992)
Plot: After her last encounter, Ellen Ripley crash-lands on Fiorina 161, a maximum security prison. When a series of strange and deadly events occur shortly after her arrival, Ripley realizes that she has brought along an unwelcome visitor.
A better film than it is given credit for, this is a movie that defined Fincher's career by being a nightmare to make and inspiring him to never do this type of filmmaking again...and instead focus on lower-budget genre films focused on character, dialogue and suspense.
For these reasons "Alien 3" is the film that made Fincher do the best things as a filmmaker including focusing on making what he loved and not playing the studio "game."
Se7en (1995)
Plot: Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.
One of Fincher's best works. This is an A+ buddy-cop film with excellent action, character development, ending, interesting and unique villain and atmosphere - - - created through weather and low-key lighting.
The Game (1997)
Plot: After a wealthy banker is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, his life is turned upside down when he becomes unable to distinguish between the game and reality.
A sleek and predictable thriller thats only major weakness appears to be its screenplay.
Fight Club (1999)
Plot: An insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soapmaker form an underground fight club that evolves into something much, much more.
A film for the ages - it is likely this will be the film everyone remembers David Fincher for, though we are thriller he is still exploring, creating and working on the genre films he loves and does so well.
Panic Room (2002)
Plot: A divorced woman and her diabetic daughter take refuge in their newly-purchased house's safe room, when three men break-in, searching for a missing fortune.
An interesting choice but not his best, "Panic Room" is described by Fincher as one of his "movies" not one of his "films."
Zodiac (2007)
Plot: In the late 1960s/early 1970s, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.
An unbelievably top-notch thriller with great actors.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Plot: Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with consequences.
A solid drama with some interesting special effects.
The Social Network (2010)
Plot: As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea, and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
A very good thriller with a drama wrapping. Fincher brings palpable mystery and suspense to a much less interesting story in another director's hands...the effect is remarkable.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
Plot: Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.
One of my personal favorites by David Fincher. The reasons you watch this film are the plot twists, some excellent performances, top-notch cinematography and the bad-ass score/opening title sequence.
Gone Girl (2014)
Plot: With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.
Not what everyone was expecting at all...much better than even the first half of the film appears to be "Gone Girl" is an excellent film and honestly Ben Afleck at some of his best ever.
