With his new movie, The Killer, currently in post-production, and his feature-length debut, Alien 3, turning 30, David Fincher has cemented his place among Hollywood's top directors.
Known for his signature visual flair and meticulous attention to detail, Fincher's work has enraptured audiences for years now. Starting out directing commercials, including one notable anti-smoking commercial, Fincher has since moved to the worlds of movies and television. He's a versatile director, one happy to work in any genre, from drama to home invasion. Whatever it is, the movie will no doubt be worthwhile, and these movies are his best, according to Metacritic.
The Game (1997) - 61
Starring a paranoia-fuelled Michael Douglas, The Game is Fincher's contribution to the world of the conspiracy thriller. It follows a wealthy banker who, after agreeing to participate in a mysterious game, begins to question whether there is a grand conspiracy to destroy him.
What starts out as a series of strange but inconsequential happenings just gets weirder and weirder, and there's no knowing where things are going. With a plot that twists and turns and a pace that just won't let up, The Game is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. It's a perfect movie for fans of mysteries and conspiracy theories.
Seven (1995) - 65
Arguably Fincher's most well-known work, Seven is the movie that made Fincher a household name. The plot follows detectives Miller and Somerset as they attempt to track down an elusive serial killer who kills his victims based on the seven deadly sins.
Also one of Brad Pitt's best movies, Seven is a masterclass in suspense and worldbuilding. Fincher's direction is cold and clinical, making the world the characters inhabit feel grim and unearthly. Cinemagoers will surely know or at least be aware of the twists and turns this movie takes. For those who do not know, Seven is essential viewing.
Panic Room (2002) - 65
One of Fincher's least discussed works, Panic Room tracks a single mother and her diabetic daughter as they move into a new apartment in the city. However, on their first night, the home is broken into, and the two of them have to hide out in the panic room - without insulin.
Starring Kristen Stewart in one of her earliest screen roles, Panic Room is a tense take on the home invasion genre. Fincher builds a great deal of suspense, showing he knows exactly what he is doing. This isn't your conventional home invasion flick. What sets it apart is the plausibility of the characters; none of them are stereotypes.
Fight Club (1999) - 66
Spawning a whole slew of memes since its release, Fight Club is, remarkably, ever-present in today's culture. The movie follows an insomniac office worker who befriends a soap maker whilst on a plane, and decides to make a fight club with him, which evolves into something far bigger.
Based on the controversial novel by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club is often hard to stomach. However, the experience is so worth it. The performances, particularly from Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, are exceptional, and the script is full of cynical humor. With the character of Tyler Durden becoming an iconic figure in cinema history, Fight Club certainly has staying power.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008) - 70
Receiving a vast number of award nominations upon its release, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is a movie with a ridiculous yet oddly fascinating premise: a child born ages backward. As he grows younger, so to speak, the world around him grows older.
Reuniting Fincher and Pitt, who stars as the titular character, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button is a marvelous character drama. The visual effects are convincing enough to make audiences buy into the premise, which is an impressive feat. What's more, the story and characters are engaging and full of charm. One of Fincher's more inviting works, and a great place to start for newcomers.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011) - 71
An adaptation of the classic novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo follows a journalist as he attempts to find a woman who has been missing for 40 years, and the relationship he develops with Lisbeth Salander, a young hacker.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a masterful slow-burn drama. The performances are excellent across the board, particularly that of Rooney Mara, who is positively chameleonic. The movie is also visually striking, with stark cinematography that highlights the brutality of the movie's violence. For fans of patient dramas, this picture is a must-watch.
Zodiac (2007) - 78
Still terrifying even 15 years after its release, Zodiac is all about the real-life story of the Zodiac Killer. The movie follows a budding young cartoonist in San Francisco, who becomes obsessed with the Zodiac Killer, and seeks to uncover his true identity.
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the peppy and obsessive cartoonist, Zodiac boasts an A-list cast who all deliver top-class performances. Fincher's icy-cold compositions work perfectly for the movie, giving the San Francisco landscape an unsettling quality. Zodiac is a movie that will stick with its audience, what with its ambiguous nature and lack of any true resolution; the Zodiac killer is yet to be unmasked...
Gone Girl (2014) - 79
An adaptation of Gillian Flynn's acclaimed novel, Gone Girl follows Nick Dunne, husband of Amy Dunne, who becomes the prime suspect following his wife's disappearance. While it's clear he has secrets, he's adamant that he kn0ws nothing. But does he?
Receiving praise for its fantastic lead performances, those of Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl is an excellent character study. The mystery it creates and the journey it takes viewers on is one to remember. Audiences will surely be shocked by an unnervingly dour Neil Patrick Harris performance, a side of the actor rarely seen in his work.
Mank (2020) - 79
Fincher's most recent picture, Mank chronicles the life of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, a social critic and struggling alcoholic, as he rushes to finish the screenplay for Citizen Kane, a movie oft-cited by both critics and audiences alike as the greatest of all time.
A movie about cinephiles and makers of cinema, Mank is both a love letter and a re-evaluation of modern perceptions of the Golden Age of Hollywood. It's a visually stunning, larger-than-life picture, full to the brim with wonderful performances and memorable scenes. For fans of Citizen Kane, or of biopics, Mank is necessary viewing.
The Social Network (2010) - 95
Regarded as a modern masterpiece by both critics and audiences, The Social Network documents the story of Mark Zuckerberg, the guy who invented Facebook, as he is sued by the twins who claim he nicked their idea, and by his former friend, who claims to have been cut from the business.
With a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, the master of snappy dialogue, The Social Network is one of the best-written movies of the 21st century. The characters are so well-developed, and the performances so well-realized, particularly Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg. With a Metacritic score as high as 95, it would be foolish not to watch The Social Network.