David Fincher is one of the most iconic and acclaimed directors of our time. With a filmography that includes some of the most well-known and critically acclaimed movies ever made, it can be hard to know where to start when looking to watch his work. In this list, we will take a look at 10 of the best films by David Fincher, from psychological thrillers to dark comedies. If you’re a fan of cinema or are just looking for something new to watch, then these films are a must-see!
These are just a few of the great films that David Fincher has directed. If you’re looking for a place to start when exploring his work, then these ten films are a great choice. So grab some popcorn and settle in for a great movie-watching experience. Fincher’s films are known for their dark themes and complex characters.
Top 10 David Fincher Films
It’s worth mentioning that besides his talent for feature films, David Fincher is also notorious for his work in television, having been showrunner for Netflix’s House of Cards and Mindhunter. He’s also the director of great music videos like Madonna’s 1989 “Express Yourself” and “Vogue,” George Michael’s “Freedom ’90”, and Aerosmith’s “Janie’s Got a Gun”.
10. Alien3 — 1992
We kick off our list with Fincher’s debut film. Firstly, this movie follows Ellen Ripley —played by Sigourney Weaver—as she crash-lands on a prison planet and must fight for her life against the deadly aliens that are also on the planet. This film is a suspenseful and action-packed thriller that is sure to keep you entertained from beginning to end.
9. Se7en — 1995
Se7en is a great movie starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, and Gwyneth Paltrow. It tells the story of two murder detectives following the trail of a serial killer in a city that commits heinous murders —all with the seven deadly sins theme. The movie’s great, it has a compelling performance from Freeman, Spacey, and Pitt, and the ending is a mind-boggling twist that will leave you wondering what happened there. Very excellent David Fincher material.
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8. Panic Room — 2002
This movie stars Jodie Foster, Jared Leto, Forest Whitaker, and Kristen Stewart. Also, it is Fincher’s fifth feature film. It was written by David Koepp, and it is a gut-wrenching thriller. Now, the story goes like this, Jodie Foster plays Meg Altman, a recent divorcee who has claustrophobia and has a giant house in the posh Upper West Side in the Big Apple. It turns out that the previous owner had installed a “panic room” to protect the occupants in case of a burglary.
That’s when the bad guys come in —played by Leto and Whitaker— they’re in to steal a safe that has some important treasure bills. When Foster’s and Stewart’s characters take notice of the break-in, they lock themselves in the Panic Room. But as it turns out, the bad guys are familiar with the panic room and start chopping the house out to dig their way in.
7. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button — 2008
If you’re a fan of David Fincher’s work, then I would definitely recommend checking out “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”. This movie tells the story of a man who is born an old man and ages in reverse. It’s a unique and heart-wrenching story that is definitely worth watching. It stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Trailer:
6. The Social Network — 2010
If you’re looking for something a little lighter, “The Social Network” is a great choice. This movie chronicles the founding of Facebook and the lawsuits that followed. Although it may not be as action-packed as some of Fincher’s other films, it’s an incredibly well-made and thought-provoking film. The acting by Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg is compelling, as well as Justin Timberlake’s and Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Eduardo Saverin. Moreover, the movie’s score was developed by Nine Inch Nails’ own Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. As if that weren’t enough, Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay. It’s definitely a must-watch!
The Social Network Trailer:
5. Zodiac — 2007
‘Zodiac’ is another great movie by David Fincher. It’s a dark and gritty thriller that tells the true story of the hunt for the Zodiac Killer. A man who was never found and committed gruesome murders and then left ciphered coded messages in the San Francisco Bay area. This movie is full of suspense and will keep you guessing until the very end. The movie stars a great ensemble cast starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, and Chloe Sevigny.
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4. Gone Girl — 2014
Gone Girl is David Fincher’s adaptation of a book by Gillian Flynn. This great thriller stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Emili Ratajkowski, Carrie Coon, and Kim Dickens. And it deals with themes of media exposure, gender roles, and manipulation in compelling roles by Affleck and Pike. It’s a mystery and —kind of— film noir-ish in which Affleck’s character becomes the prime suspect of the disappearance of Pike’s character. For this film, Fincher once again had Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross do the score, and it is a great movie.
Gone Girl Trailer:
3. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo — 2011
Based upon Stieg Larsson’s book, “The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo” is a slow-burn thriller that tells the story of Mikael Blomkvist (played by Daniel Craig), a journalist down on his luck as he’s hired by a billionaire to track down a woman who vanished from the public sphere over forty years ago. To aid him, he recruits rogue hacker Lisbeth Salander, played by Rooney Mara.
This movie also stars Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgard, Joely Richardson, and Robin Wright. It is one of Fincher’s best works, and it is a violent, graphic film set in Sweden. As usual, the cinematography —by Jeff Cronenweth— doesn’t disappoint, and it is beautiful. Also, the score was developed by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. If you haven’t seen this one, you definitely should!
2. The Game — 1997
This is David Fincher’s third movie, and it is a personal favorite of mine. If any movie defines his style is this one. Starring Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger, Peter Donat, and Carroll Baker, it is a dark, cerebral thriller set in San Francisco, California, where investment banker Nicholas Van Orton (Douglas) receives a birthday gift from his brother (Penn). The gift consists of a tailored game, a participation play that becomes part of his everyday life.
Van Orton is a control freak and doesn’t like what he’s gotten himself into. He thinks he was rejected from the game, but it was a ruse. All of a sudden, Van Orton’s personal life, finances, reputation, and safety go awry. He becomes paranoid and starts chasing those around him. But it turns out that his paranoia is part of a wicked game. And what a wicked game it is! You’ll love this thriller!
1. Fight Club — 1999
And the gold medal goes to the cult-classic 1999 film Fight Club starring Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham-Carter. Based upon a novel by Chuck Palahniuk, it falls upon Unnamed narrator Norton to portray a dissatisfied white-collar worker in the film. When he meets Tyler Durden, his life changes dramatically. They start a street fight club and begin recruiting members. And then, the realities become blurry between who’s who.
Fight Club Trailer:
How did you like our countdown of the best David Fincher films? We hope you enjoyed it. Maybe you found a movie you didn’t see before, and now you might feel enticed to add it to your watch list this weekend. If so, pop that popcorn in the microwave and enjoy one of the best directors that Hollywood has to offer. From our side, here at Otakukart, we’re signing off, wishing you a good movie marathon, and asking you to please come back to our website for more daily updates on all things entertainment. See you soon!
