The David Fincher Lists

With his tenth directorial feature, Gone Girl, hitting theaters today, David Fincher is a name and director you should know. I love the fact that when you turn on one of his films, you can almost instantly tell it's from his world: the blue and green color tints, the low key lighting, and the low angles. He cut his teeth making many classic music videos, leading others (*cough* Michael Bay) to imitate his work. He then proceeded to conquer Hollywood with a basically spotless record of hit after hit and two Oscar nominations for directing.

When Fincher is at his best he's tough to beat, so we ranked all of his features with . . .

The David Fincher Lists

Chris's List

9 – Alien³ (1992)

8 – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

7 – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Let's start with the bottom three . . . I actually don't hate any of these films, but I don't particularly care for any of them either. Alien³ isn't bad for a music-video-director-turned-first-time-film-director in over his head with a big franchise and bad script. Dragon Tattoo was a disappointment and derivative of his previous work. While Benjamin Button is a heavily flawed and overlong Forrest Gump remake that is beautifully shot and has only a few really great moments. 

6 – The Game (1997)

5 – Panic Room (2002)

4 – Fight Club (1999)

I always lump these three together in the Fincher filmography – films #4, 5, and 6 for him. I really like all of them (Panic Room & Fight Club could have flip-flopped too). The Game is a sharp example of a filmmaker really coming into his own. Panic Room is a taut and clever thriller. And Fight Club is a sly, but dated deconstruction of modern society and masculinity almost weighed down now by its immense cult status.

3 – Seven (1994)

Now we are getting to the really great stuff of Fincher’s career. This is a truly fantastic, grisly neo-noir armed with an enthralling and disturbing plot, career-defining performances from its three stars (Pitt, Freeman, and Spacey), and a grimy, scum-of-the-Earth look and feel that just gives you the creeps watching it.

2 – Zodiac (2007)

Fincher is a master of the moody, tense serial killer/detective drama, as he more than proved again over decade after Seven, with Zodiac, an even better entry into the overcrowded genre. The film’s opening and the scene with Jake Gyllenhaal’s character in the basement are utterly fantastic. Top notch performances from Gyllenhaal, Ruffalo, Downey Jr., and John Carroll Lynch.

1 – The Social Network (2010)

Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers and other major critics called The Social Network “the film of a generation” and one that “defines the decade.” Now while that may be pushing it a tad far by attempting to quantify something that cannot really by judged in those terms, I can see where they are going with it - beyond creating buzzworthy grabs for the movie’s poster. The film really is epic, beautifully written, directed, edited, and scored, and full of surprisingly terrific performances. Fincher himself likened the film to a modern-day Citizen Kane, which is also a lofty, but apt comparison.

Dan's List

N/A. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Somehow I never saw this movie!

Well not entirely true, I saw most of it on TV and wasn't impressed.
However, I can't pass a final judgement without seeing the entire product.
Also, I'm pretty sure I own it on DVD so that's just sheer apathy on my part.

8. Panic Room

I straight up loathe Panic Room.
Saw it in the theater expecting a "taught and clever thriller," as Chris just proclaimed.
And instead got a meandering bore-fest leading me to spew hate speech about it ever since.
Chris saying that it could have been #4 on his list makes me question our friendship.
If Forrest Whitaker can't make me like it, shut it down.
By far Fincher's worst flick.

7. Zodiac

Can't imagine how much this ranking will infuriate Chris.
He's such a Zodiac Fan Boy.
Saw it once and thought it was completely forgettable.
Never picked up on the "genius" parts I guess.
I've been promising Chris that'd I'll give it a second viewing/chance, but I've been saying that for five years. No but seriously Chris, I'll watch it again (no I won't).

6. Alien³ 

Why is The Alien Trilogy so terribly underrated in film history?

Empire put The Bourne Trilogy six spots ahead of it on their all time list.
Alien is obviously incredible.

Aliens is a bad ass James Cameron action flick.
And then we have Fincher's: it's darker and nastier and a very respectable directorial debut.
"You look tired Pam" over Ripley dominating?
Erroneous.

 5. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

The series was absolutely perfect for Fincher.
It's a shame that the business side of Hollywood got in the way of the entire trilogy happening.
I would love to see his version of The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest.
Dragon Tattoo was legit and had one of the best opening title sequences in years.

4. The Game

One of the most underrated films of the late 90s.
How good is this film?
Well they came up with nine taglines for it, so you know it's gotta be amazing!
My favorite and obviously one of the worst taglines in history:
The object of the game is to discover the object of . . . The Game

3. Seven

David Fincher, Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey.
Today, on paper, that's an absolute homerun, but in 1995, none of them had achieved even a tenth of the fame they have currently. Fincher was best known for directing music videos, Freeman was mostly a supporting actor, Pitt was just "that guy from Legends Of The Fall" and Kevin Spacey was on the verge of becoming a mega star. The Usual Suspects was out for a month before Seven, but it made less than a quarter of the money. After this film all four of these guys became industry giants and have not looked back.

2. Fight Club
The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club.

1. The Social Network
A perfect film and the David Fincher film.
As I type this, I'm walking over to pick it off the shelf and put it on.
The combination of Fincher, Aaron Sorkin and The Cast was exactly why I go to the movies:
To see great filmmakers, writers, and actors produce an exciting, unique experience.
It made the Final 4 of our Best Films From 2000 To Now, losing to the overall winner.
It's a great one to watch again and again with that being said . . .

 

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And Check Out Our Other Best Of Lists:

Denzel Washington - Robin Williams - Christian Bale – Matt Damon – Johnny Depp – Jamie Foxx
Wes Anderson - Ron Howard – Tony Scott – Michael Bay – Stanley Kubrick 
Badass Ladies – Movie Lawyers – Movie Bars – Concert Movies
Baseball Movies – Films From 2000-Now – Movie/Video Game Combos - Kill Bill

The Denzel Washington Lists

Denzel Washington is a terrific actor with a career spanning 30 plus years and over 40 films. In that time, he has turned in numerous standout performances and netted 6 Oscar nominations with 2 wins. He's had hits, misses, pay check flicks, and the uncanny ability to deliver fantastic performances just when you've almost forgotten he is one of the best actors alive.

With his new film The Equalizer hitting theaters today, North/South takes a look back at his career:    

The Denzel Washington Lists

Chris's List

5 - (tie) Malcolm X and Inside Man
These two Spike Lee joints tie here... I really like Inside Man, but it is tough to call the ensemble film a true "Denzel Washington movie." It's pretty great regardless. And while I don't love Malcolm X as much, it really is one of Washington's best overall performances.

4 - Man on Fire
Co-star Christopher Walken said it best, "A man can be an artist... in anything, food, whatever. It depends on how good he is at it. Creasey's art is death. He's about to paint his masterpiece."

3 - Glory

Denzel's real breakout film and his first Oscar win. 
In a film full emotional and powerful performances, he stood out.

2 - Remember the TitanS
I'll admit, this is not a great film, but I just can't help but love it. It's Denzel being Denzel (at his best), and the film is the absolute gold-standard of formulaic Disney sports movies.

 1 - Training Day
I have always loved this film. Denzel's larger-than-life performance, as well as standout turns from Ethan Hawke and Scott Glenn. The story is engrossing and the action is enthralling. Denzel has probably, and director, Antoine Fuqua, has definitely not, done anything as good since. We'll see if their re-team this week can live up to it (possible spoiler alert - I doubt it).

Dan's List

5. Training Day

When a character says stuff like "King Kong ain't got nothing on me." it's hard to keep the lack of subtly from becoming absurd. Denzel manages to go the edge of crazy without becoming comical and won an Oscar for his performance. He is great in it, but Training Day became heavily overrated after his win and a huge second life on DVD and TV. End Of Watch makes Training Day look like Cop And A Half.

4. Malcom X

We often associate Denzel Washington with director Tony Scott (Crimson Tide, Man On Fire and three others), but he has also had huge success with Spike Lee at the helm.

He has starred in four Spike Lee Joints, including two on my list.

Malcom X is a heavy film. It strips away any kind of made for TV version of the civil rights movement and captures the bleakness of the time. It’s powerful and worth watching if you've got three and a half hours.

3. Remember The Titans

"Coach Boone is the new head coach in town. They tried to make him leave, but Denzel ain't no clown." Those immortal words from Froggy Fresh's epic song "Denzel Washington" say it all.

He wouldn't let hatred, crooked referees or the loss of a star player derail him from winning a title.

"Fake 23 Blast with a Backside George Reverse" is such a great play call in that spot. My sandlot go to was the Double Reverse Pass with the throw going to the original Quarterback . . . great minds thinks alike.

2. Flight

One of the aforementioned "comeback" performances, Denzel proved he could still bring it with this role. I liked Flight as a nice Saturday matinee. Sure, it was predictable and had a bad ending, but it was far better than average. And this scene was well worth the price of admission.

1. He Got Game

I love He Got Game and Jake Shuttlesworth.

Sure, he's the definition of an overbearing sports parent, but he is magnetic.

Denzel takes the tortured soul of Jake and redeems him as much as possible.

It's a movie about New York basketball from the most famous New York basketball fan alive.

I'm not sure if it's my favorite Spike Lee movie, but it's my favorite Denzel and I will forever drop
"I think I'll go around again" during games of one on one . . .

Now Cue The Track!

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And Check Out Our Other Best Of Lists:
Robin Williams - Christian Bale – Matt Damon – Johnny Depp – Jamie Foxx
Wes Anderson - Ron Howard – Tony Scott – Michael Bay – Stanley Kubrick 
Badass Ladies – Movie Lawyers – Movie Bars – Concert Movies
Baseball Movies – Films From 2000-Now – Movie/Video Game Combos - Kill Bill 

Chris's Review: ‘Frank’ - You’re just gonna to have to go with this

Frank has a big head. Not in an egotistical way, but in an actual big head way. Well, not an actual head, but a giant papier-mâché head that he wears over his real head (which he refuses to let anyone see). Sounds weird, right? Well it is, but strangely enough, it is also kind of endearing.

As one of the film’s characters explains early on, “Frank, even with all his issues, is without a doubt, 100% the sanest cat I’ve ever met.” He continues, “Look, you’re just gonna have to have to go with this.” Of course, this advice comes from a guy with a serious fetish for mannequins, but that’s just the kind of film Frank is, and as an audience, we are just gonna have to go with it.

The Robin Williams Lists

The Robin Williams Lists 

Robin Williams. What can we say that has not already been said? He was a truly gifted actor. He set the standard for comedians crossing over to make a name for themselves as successful dramatic actors. Williams was a  four time Academy Award nominee (winning once, in 1997, for Good Will Hunting), won several Golden Globes, Grammys, and many other awards in a four decade-plus career.

From the stories being told by those who knew him best, he was clearly a very kind-hearted and generous man as well. The world, not just Hollywood, lost a truly great man this week. And in the midst of the countless tributes to him, Dan and I offer our Robin Williams Lists, to humbly share how he and his films forever touched us both:


Chris's List

5 - Insomnia / One Hour Photo
Robin Williams had long since proved his mastery of both comedy and drama by the early 2000s when these films came out. But with them, he displayed his ability do dark and creepy as well. Both are sinister, eerie performances from an actor that most people expected nothing but laughs.

4 - What Dreams May Come / The Fisher King
Though it is one of his most polarizing films, I personally love What Dreams May Come. Sure, it is flawed, but it is a truly beautiful film with an extremely interesting premise and a fantastic performance from Williams. The Fisher King, on the other hand, is a really good film (with another great Williams performance), but is often overlooked in his diverse filmography. 

3 - Mrs. Doubtfire / Hook
These two movies are perhaps how I will remember him best. For a movie watching child of the '90s, they are the quintessential Robin Williams.

2 - Aladdin / FernGully: The Last Rainforest
No one could do more voices than Robin Williams. These two animated, off-the-wall characters were tailored made for his multifaceted, rapid fire style of comedy and they were beloved by children everywhere.

1 - Good Will Hunting / Dead Poets Society
Perhaps Williams' finest two performances from two of his best remembered dramatic films. Williams made both of these films great. I'll just leave it with this:

Dan's List

5 - Jack
Sure it was probably pitched with one sentence and is a kind of a gimmick film, but it's also funny, heartfelt and really proved that Robin Williams could do anything. I cannot think of a single other actor that could make Jack work. When he gives the graduation speech and the score kicks in, it gets a little dusty in this house.

4 - Dead Poets Society
I firmly believe that most, if not all, teachers want to be like John Keating. Inspiring, candid and brilliant, he took a class of repressed, Vermont prep-schoolers and made them realize that there is some beauty in art and life. Sure they got him fired, but he definitely made an impact.


3 - Mrs. Doubtfire
The little comedy that could, Mrs. Doubtfire finished second at the 1993 box office to Jurassic Park and at the time, was the fourth highest-grossing comedy in history. The virtuoso performance won Williams a Golden Globe and introduced an entire generation to his talent.

2 - Aladdin / Good Morning, Vietnam
Let Robin Williams do his thing. Both of these films were built around and carried by that simple concept. Before Will Ferrell was improvising his way to an empire, Williams was the guy who gave screenwriters the day off. His creative charm made both of these films huge hits, and gave us a song to be treasured forever.

1 - Good Will Hunting
"Sorry guys, I gotta see about a girl." This scene and film will always be my favorite work from Robin Williams. His character carries so much weight on his soul that you can feel it with every story and action. He deservedly took home an a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this role and gave us an acting master class that we can take over and over. Rest in peace, Mr. Williams and thank you for everything.

Thanks For Reading!

Follow Us On Twitter For Movie News and Links: @NorthSouthFilm

And Check Out Our Other Best Of Lists:
Christian Bale – Matt Damon – Johnny Depp – Jamie Foxx
Wes Anderson - Ron Howard – Tony Scott – Michael Bay – Stanley Kubrick 
Badass Ladies – Movie Lawyers – Movie Bars – Concert Movies
Baseball Movies – Films From 2000-Now – Movie/Video Game Combos - Kill Bill 

Chris's Review: ‘Boyhood’ is admirable, but falls short of perceived greatness

Late in Richard Linklater’s episodic and ambitious new film, Boyhood, the main character, Mason, asks his father, “So, what’s the point?” To which his laissez-faire father laughs and replies, “What’s the point? I sure as shit don’t know. But neither does anyone else. We’re all just winging it. The good thing is you’re feeling stuff.”

As if explaining life and the film all in one line, that is a pretty neat and tidy way to tie up and add meaning on to a grand, yet scattered film. And for the most part, it works within the confines of the film, and against my better judgment, actually provides a quasi-satisfying ending.

North/South Film's Top 10 Films of 2014 . . . So Far

Chris's Top 10 (In Loose Order)

10 – The Double

A puzzling film, that wasn’t quite what I expected it to be (not a bad thing). But once you settle in to its off-kilter tone and atmosphere, it gets much more enjoyable and filled with bizarre humor.  

9 – Joe

David Gordon Green is one of my favorite filmmakers. And after last year’s return to form with Prince Avalanche, he is back with another gritty, Southern coming-of-drama starring a subdued, but still electric Nicholas Cage. Read my review here.

8 – Guardians of the Galaxy

I really liked, but didn’t quite love Guardians. In any case, the film was still a lot of fun. A delightful mix of Star Wars and The Fifth Element. An energetic sci-fi tangent from the Marvel Universe. Read my review.

7 – Venus in Fur

Not a film I thought I would like going in, but I was more than pleasantly surprised with the latest from director Roman Polanski. The film, which takes place in one setting with only two characters, is a sensual and playful blending of film and theater. Read my review here.

6 – Enemy

This film utterly baffled me while watching it and I couldn’t stop thinking about it for days. Dark, atmospheric, and full of twists and weird turns. Cronenberg meets Hitchcock with one of Jake Gyllenhaal’s best performances.

5 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier

The first of two great comic book movies this year (the previously mentioned third one, just falls into the really good category). Cap is quickly coming to rival Tony Stark as my favorite Marvel hero (they both pale in comparison to DC's Batman though). Read my review here.

4 – X-Men: Days of Future Past

The other great comic book movie. A brilliant, highly opportunistic melding of two of separate, but, of course, interconnected film series. Fun, ambitious, well-made, and hugely entertaining.

3 – Snowpiercer

A rich, multi-layered social commentary disguised as a summer blockbuster (minus the big box office numbers, unfortunately). The film has a really cool premise, a fantastic set piece, multiple great action scenes, and several terrific performances (Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, Allison Pill).

2 –The Grand Budapest Hotel

How could you not love this movie? So elaborate, whimsical, and hilarious. Featuring a fantastic cast and probably the best performance of the year from Ralph Fiennes, Wes Anderson’s latest is a farcical homage to the classic comedies of the ‘30s and ‘40s. Read my review of the film here.

1 – The Immigrant

They don’t make movies like this anymore – classic cinema on the grandest scale, 1970s style. This overlooked early year film from director James Gray stars Marion Cotillard as a newly arrived immigrant forced into unfortunate circumstances upon her arrival in 1921 New York City.  The film also stars Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner. Barely in theaters, the film is now available on Netflix Instant, so check it out!

Honorable Mention:

Godzilla, Boyhood, 22 Jump Street, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Films I Haven’t Seen Yet That Might Have Made It On The List

Edge of Tomorrow, Locke, Obvious Child, Only Lovers Left Alive

Best Performances:

Jake Gyllenhaal – Enemy

Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Marion Cotillard – The Immigrant

Tilda Swinton – Snowpiercer

Allison Pill – Snowpiercer 

Movies I Am Most Looking Forward To For The Rest of 2014:

The rest of the year is all about 3 movies for me – Foxcatcher, Interstellar, and Inherent Vice 

But I also really can’t wait to see: Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Pt. 1, Frank, Birdman, and Whiplash.

Dan's Top 10 (In Absolutely, Definitive Order)

10 - 22 Jump Street
It didn't live up to the greatness of its predecessor, but that's okay, it still had plenty of laughs.
Jonah Hill continues to impress me and I'd love to see a third Jump Street with him and Channing Tatum as the Captains, tutoring the next generation. I'm thinking Bobb'e J. Thompson and Chloe Grace Moretz would be perfect.

9 - X-Men: Days Of Future Past
It wasn't the big reunion film I hoped for, but it still had enough cool stuff to make the list:
Quicksilver, Magneto lifting RFK Stadium, Sentinels and of course, Jennifer Lawrence. I have yet to find a flaw with J-Law or her work, so I'll keep showing up every time her name is on the marquee.

8 - Neighbors
Do me a favor? Just go ahead and put Rose Byrne in every comedy. 
She's an absolute riot and carried the film.

7 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Some of the best action sequences that we've seen in the Marvel Universe films.
I was glad Black Widow got a lot of screen time and thought Anthony Mackie, as Falcon, was a welcome addition to the series and I'm fully on-board with the possibility of him taking over the Captain's shield. 

6 - Lucy
Luc Besson knows how to make a movie. Last year, I loved his dark comedy The Family and with a such a diverse filmography, I have no problem calling him a master. Lucy is a wild action romp, even though it tries to be cerebral. I have a gut feeling it will have a huge afterlife on television and that we could also see some (probably terrible and straight to DVD) Lucy sequels.

5 - Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
You can go ahead and add Dawn to the list of sequels that surpass the original. Andy Serkis' performance as Caesar was brilliant and is yet another example of why motion capture and voice performances should be eligible for Academy Awards. Did you see Where The Wild Things Are? James Gandolfini brought me to tears with his work. Movies are about imagination, so don't negate great art simply because you can't see it.

4 - The Grand Budapest Hotel
The biggest challenge of Wes Anderson's career will be attempting to surpass his previous work. At this point, Grand Budapest as my least favorite film in his cannon. However, it's still a quality film with many high points (the toboggan chase, everything said and done by Ralph Fiennes) and is easily one of the year's best so far. Average Wes is still better than 90% of the films I see, but I really wanted to see a dissected shot of the entire hotel and its various, absurd occupants.

3 - Guardians Of The Galaxy
It was one of the year's biggest question marks and it far surpassed most expectations. It's the most adult film in the Marvel Universe and completed the task of introducing many new characters and worlds with ease. Chris Pratt vaulted himself into leading man status with his charisma and heart with edge. Don't be surprised when you hear his name getting thrown out there for every big project coming up (like an Indiana Jones reboot).

2 - The LEGO Movie
Everything is awesome in this movie! Fun songs, Brooding Lego Batman, very cool animation, a smart plot twist and that guy mentioned above, Chris Pratt. Throw in fun voice work from Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman and Will Ferrell and a world full of crazy characters and now you've got the beginnings of an epic franchise that could go in a ton of directions.

1 - Edge Of Tomorrow
Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt both kick all kinds of ass in this sci-fi, action thriller. Even though much of the film takes place in a groundhog day scenario, it never gets bogged down and is genuinely exciting throughout. The man who gave us the streak didn't disappoint and for sure earned the "Do It To 'Em Cruisey" that I will inevitably shout out at his next release.

Dishonorable Mention:

Robocop- A truely pathetic reboot. Give me action, give me comedy, just give me something!
The Monuments Men- If Bill Murray can't make it good, something has gone horribly wrong.

Films I Haven’t Seen Yet That Might Have Made It On The List

A Most Wanted Man, Godzilla, Chef, and Snowpiercer  

Best Performances:

Andy Serkis – Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

Chris Pratt – Guardians Of The Galaxy

Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Emily Blunt – Edge Of Tomorrow

Scarlett Johansson – Lucy
Rose Byrne – Neighbors

Movies I Am Most Looking Forward To For The Rest of 2014:

Interstellar, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -Pt. 1, Inherent Vice and Foxcatcher

Also: This Is Where I Leave You, Nightcrawler and Gone Girl
Check out many of the trailers here.



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