Zodiac (2007) David Fincher

[Black Narcissus]

This is a goddamn masterpiece.

RDJ gave a damn about acting in this.

Discuss.

 

[A Necessary Evil]

This movie rules

 

[titansupes]

Ha, all the excitement over this movie carries on from the Gone Girl thread, eh?

As I said there, I saw it for the first time about a year ago, and two or three times since. For such a slowburn movie, it only gets more interesting to me. By coincidence, it's on yet again this Friday night. So I look forward to watching once more (one night after I see Gone Girl, no less!).

 

[Pittman4Two]

Two favorite scenes in this movie.

1) the taxi scene. To this day, I cannot figure out how they filmed this as if the camera was fixed to the taxi, however it was about a 100 ft. above it. Was this CGI?

2) The lakeside murder. Really creepy how the camera was stationary looking back at the trees and watching the Zodiac killer move in on the couple. The POV was just below the tall grass where you could barely make out the large tree and the Zodiac killer approaching.

Fincher is definitely one of my favorite directors.

 

[TheNextNolan22]

My 2nd favorite Fincher film behind Se7en. An underrated classic that I actually find creepier than Se7en. Whereas Se7en is a creepy psychological thriller, it was fictional. Zodiac is a creepy psychological thriller that actually happened and that is what really gets me about this film.

 

[titansupes]

It was on TV last night and yeah, it's still pretty tremendous.

 

[Piper Maru]

Donovan - Hurdy Gurdy Man

[YT]emNyJKWtK3E[/YT]

 

[Schlosser85]

I'd never seen this before, and I just randomly was browsing Netflix the other day, thought what the hell, and got all wrapped up in it.

I found the detail of police procedural fascinating, and the lakeside murder is disturbing without being sensationalized or a gorefest. In fact, I think it's how almost clinical, docudrama-style it's filmed that makes it more disturbing.

Gyllenhaal, Ruffalo, and Downey were all great too.

I don't know if Arthur Leigh Allen was Zodiac or not (although there was an awful lot of circumstantial evidence, plus a survivor fingered his photograph), but John Carroll Lynch was super creepy for only having one big scene and like 2 tiny ones. It seems like a tricky balance to be that creepy while still leaving that air of ambiguity and never actually doing anything onscreen, but he nailed it. Gives me the heebie-jeebies when his voice suddenly goes all flat and cold and he says "I'm not the Zodiac...and if I was, I certainly wouldn't tell you".

I thought it was neat that Zodiac was actually played by like 3 different actors, and how a couple of them, what little you saw, sort of looked and sort of sounded like John Carroll Lynch but not quite, like they were just adding to that uncertainty, where you can never be quite sure.

 

[TheNextNolan22]

The scene at the Ace Hardware store at the end of the movie still gets me.

 

[titansupes]

^ Love that scene. First time I saw it I was certain his face changed a lot, to say "Yep. It's me". But it was more subtle than that on repeat viewings. Even though I still think that's what it was, it's subtle enough where he could have just been given a curious/annoyed look to this guy who keeps staring at him.

The scene that still freaks me out-
"Not a lot of people have basements in California."
"I do."

The whole time I'm willing Graysmith to get the **** out.

 

[Piper Maru]

The scene in the basement gets me everytime.

[YT]p2esJ_ypn7Y[/YT]

 

[The Shape]

It's been quite awhile since I saw this. Since I'm sick and feel lousy, I might settle in and revisit this tonight when I'm home from work.

 

[MrMaooz]

The basement scene is one of the scariest and most creepiest movies scenes I've ever seen.

 

[Schlosser85]

The basement scene is creepy as hell.

I'd kind of like to know how John Carroll Lynch played Arthur Leigh Allen in his own mind. Like, did he consciously play him as if he was Zodiac, or did Fincher just tell him to act creepy and ambiguous, or what.

 

[Schlosser85]

Love that scene. First time I saw it I was certain his face changed a lot, to say "Yep. It's me". But it was more subtle than that on repeat viewings. Even though I still think that's what it was, it's subtle enough where he could have just been given a curious/annoyed look to this guy who keeps staring at him.

To me, it looks like recognition dawns on Allen when he realizes who Graysmith is, and he gives him this "GTFO" face.

But does he glare at him because Graysmith is onto the truth, or is he just annoyed by people snooping around bothering him and thinking he's Zodiac? it's up to interpretation, like every scene involving Allen.

 

[E.NormusJohnson]

northern california during that era was just creepy in general... and fincher I thought nailed that vibe

 

[flickchick85]

This is my favorite Fincher movie by far. A true masterpiece. And John Carroll Lynch is just one of the greatest character actors we have, imo. He was phenomenal in this.

 

[Schlosser85]

^ Especially considering Lynch was in it for what, 10 minutes tops, out of a 2 1/2 hour movie?

 

[Schlosser85]

 

[TheNextNolan22]

 

[TheNextNolan22]

 

[Schlosser85]

I thought Gyllenhaal and Ruffalo were underrated in this too. Downey was more flamboyant, but I didn't think he was better.

 

[titansupes]

I thought Gyllenhaal and Ruffalo were underrated in this too. Downey was more flamboyant, but I didn't think he was better.

Absolutely.

 

[Rocketman]

Definitely Fincher's masterpiece, in my opinion. I'd say it's the greatest serial killer movie ever made, the second one being Se7en. This is what Fincher does best. It's just an absolute classic in every way. I'd even rank it among the 10 best movies made in the past 10 or so years, without question.*

It's just simply one of my favorite films ever. It's not even worth gushing over it for paragraphs and paragraphs, because it's all obvious stuff you'll all agree with. But I will say this: the last meeting between Gyllenhaal and Ruffalo in the diner in the last 15 or so minutes of the film -- one of the most flawless pieces of acting/directing/framing EVER put to film. It's just two guys talking and yet it's one of the most captivating things I've ever seen.

*And just for giggles:

Spoiler

Zodiac
Drive
There Will Be Blood
Inception
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Fountain
Black Swan
The Departed
The Prestige
The Dark Knight

 

[I Am The Knight]

This movie floored me. It's really a fantastic film, and my favorite Fincher movie. It is just so creepy, man. And the last shot with that last line is still a very haunting moment for me.