I’ve been a fan of David Fincher movies ever since I sat in a darkened theatre and watched his sparse, gritty take on the Alien franchise. Since that time, the talented filmmaker has focused on literary adaptations and tense thrillers, all shot with a distinctive palette of colors and featuring modern-day icons such as Brad Pitt, Jodie Foster, Michael Douglas, and Morgan Freeman.

For those unfamiliar with his work, I’ve included a complete list of David Fincher movies below. I urge cinephiles to explore each work on the list, preferably starting at the beginning of his career and moving forward. I think you’ll find a talented craftsman who’s still refining his abilities. In short, the best is yet to come from Mr. Fincher.

• Alien 3 (1992) – With little time to prepare and facing constant interference from the studio, David Fincher made his big-budget directorial debut with this third film in the Alien franchise. This time around, the escape pod carrying Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and pals crashes onto a prison planet, killing Newt and Hicks in the process. Now placed amidst a colony of convicted rapists and murderers, Ripley must once again face a marauding xenomorph intent on killing everyone it encounters. Reviews were not positive for the film, and many (including former members of the cast and crew) were not happy about Hicks and Newt being killed off so casually. Still, it’s an interesting movie that offers a distinct change of pace from previous installments.

• Se7en (1995) – A masterpiece of nail-biting terror, Fincher helms this tale of a deranged serial killer (Kevin Spacey) at work in a grimy city where the sun never shines. As he inventively kills people who’ve committed one of the seven deadly sins, he’s pursued by a pair of mismatched homicide detectives (Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman). The cinematography creates a gloomy, nihilistic feeing throughout the film, and the performances are outstanding across the board. If you’re looking for a thriller or crime film that’ll keep you guessing all the way till the end, then Se7en is the movie for you.
• The Game (1997) – Michael Douglas plays Nicholas Van Orton, a wealthy and powerful investment banker who’s on the verge of celebrating his 48th birthday. As it turns out, Nicholas saw his own father leap to his death on his 48th birthday, so the upcoming date is no cause for celebration. Then his rebellious younger brother (Sean Penn) shows up out of the blue and gives him a birthday present–a voucher for a unique and mysterious game. Once it gets underway, Nicholas is kept guessing at every turn, especially when the game takes a decidedly deadly twist. Much like Se7en before it, The Game will keep viewers guessing right up until the final minutes.
• Fight Club (1999) – Adapted from the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club follows a nameless protagonist (Edward Norton) as he lives out a mundane existence and dreams of something better. Then he meets Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a no-holds-barred soap maker who fancies himself a sort of social terrorist. Together, the two men form a club where disillusioned males batter each other senseless, and the idea soon becomes a global underground phenomenon. But as time goes by, our nameless hero begins to sense that Tyler has greater, more destructive, ambitions. Helena Bonham Carter co-stars as the dysfunctional woman torn between the two men. Filled with plenty of quotable lines and bloody fight scenes, it’s an absolute treat for the Maxim crowd (not to mention women who want to see a shirtless Pitt and Norton).
• Panic Room (2002) – Jodi Foster and Kristen Stewart star as a mother and daughter who seek refuge in a panic room while the robbers search for the millions in cash hidden within the walls of their recently-purchased home. The crooks are played by Jared Leto, Forest Whitaker, and Dwight Yoakam, and the latter two are especially entertaining as the criminal-with-a-conscious and trigger-happy maniac, respectively. Fincher shows off his technical expertise as a director, and Foster delivers a gutsy performance that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

• Zodiac (2007) – Based on the novel about a real-life serial killer who wreaked havoc in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1960s and 1970s, Zodiac focuses on Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), a political cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle who becomes obsessed with learning the identity of the killer. Fincher fills the movie with suspense, occasionally punctuating events with moments of bloody, random terror. A must-see movie for fans of true crime, the film co-stars Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, and Chloe Sevigny.
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) – Based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this combination fantasy/drama stars Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button, a man who ages backwards through some of the most tumultuous events of the 20th century. Epic in scope, the film also manages to be deeply personal in nature thanks to Benjamin’s age-spanning romance with Daisy Fuller (played as an adult by Cate Blanchett). The film received 13 Oscar nominations, including one for Fincher for Best Director.
• The Social Network (2010) – A look at the early days of the Facebook phenomenon, with special attention paid to the men who created it. Based on a book by Ben Mezrich, the film plays fast and loose with the real-life facts, but it nonetheless remains a compelling motion picture thanks in large part to Fincher’s talents as a director and a brave performance by Jesse Eisenberg. Also starring Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield, and Brenda Song.

David Fincher Music Videos

Before he achieved success as a filmmaker, David Fincher was also a noted director of music videos and commercials. Here’s a list of David Fincher music videos that you’ll want to check out on YouTube. Each one features beautiful cinematography, and you’ll be treated to sights such as Madonna drinking milk from a cat’s bowl and George Michael pretending to be overly heterosexual.

• “Forever Your Girl” by Paula Abdul (1989)
• “Express Yourself” by Madonna (1989)
• “The End of the Innocence” by Don Henley (1989)
• “Cold Hearted” by Paula Abdul (1989)
• “Janie’s Got a Gun” by Aerosmith (1989)
• “Vogue” by Madonna (1990)
• “Cradle of Love” by Billy Idol (1990)
• “Freedom ’90″ by George Michael (1990)
• “6th Avenue Heartache” by The Wallflowers (1996)
• “Only” by Nine Inch Nails (2005)

Here’s hoping that this list of David Fincher movies and David Fincher music videos will provide you with a glimpse of this filmmaker’s genius. If you truly want to experience the magic, however, reading about them is a poor substitute for watching them. But before you head over to Netflix or your local video store, be sure to check out these fine article from Odd Films:

• Criminal Couples Movies
• Botched Kidnapping Movies
• 13 Scariest Movie Moments