Zodiac

[GoldGoblin]

That shouldn't even have to be asked.

One word: Fincher.

^Yeah,he made Seven.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

The movie theater I work at is having a private screening for employees tomorrow night.

I'm thinking of checking it out or seeing it on opening night. Overall it looks great, sounds great, and I most likely will enjoy it since I LOVED Se7en and Panic Room.

And about letters resurfacing? Who knows. Could be someone playing a trick or could be the real person. Either way it's pretty damn creepy.

 

[GoldGoblin]

What if the Zodiac killer went on a shooting spree in the theater he is in.If drive-ins were still around I wonder if anyone would even watch this movie in one.

 

[Edd Extraordinaire]

While I am a big Fincher fan, Fight Club is probably my favorite movie of all-time, I did not enjoy Panic Room one bit. I mean, it could've been so much more but in the end it just turned out to be money. It could've been something completely awesome like a rare artifact or some ****. But it was just money. Kinda spoiled it.

 

[Octoberist]

That shouldn't even have to be asked.

One word: Fincher.

I love Fincher's work on Se7en and of course, my most fav movie of all time...FIGHT CLUB.

 

[Octoberist]

The movie theater I work at is having a private screening for employees tomorrow night.

I'm thinking of checking it out or seeing it on opening night. Overall it looks great, sounds great, and I most likely will enjoy it since I LOVED Se7en and Panic Room.

And about letters resurfacing? Who knows. Could be someone playing a trick or could be the real person. Either way it's pretty damn creepy.

Not a Fight Club fan? Or is it WB's lame marketing?

 

[LastSunrise1981]

Not a Fight Club fan? Or is it WB's lame marketing?

To be honest I haven't seen Fight Club. I've seen like bits and pieces, but never actually sat down and watched it. Heard a lot of great things about it though.

 

[Cinemaman]

I love Fincher's work on Se7en and of course, my most fav movie of all time...FIGHT CLUB.

You can just say people "Read Cine's sig to know what I think about FC"

 

[War Party]

The only complaint I been reading is the running time. But from what I been reading in many reviews, it seems necessary for the amount of content in the film. I can't wait to see this tomorrow, because the Zodiac has been an interest in mine.

 

[Rez]

Just got back from a preview screening.

Yes, it's amazing. But I'd say Se7en and Fight Club are far better, and while obviously more forgettable, Panic Room still edges it out by quite a bit. The Game is perhaps what I would be able to contend it with, but it has been a while since I've seen it. Alien3, well, the less said the better.

After hearing about how nonlinear and unconclusive it was, I was very pleasantly surprised. Of course these same things were also said about A Prairie Home Companion, and just because a plot is simple doesn't mean it's nonexistant.

The film is bookended very well, and contrary to many early reviews I'd read, Jake Gyllenhaal is very much the main character and doesn't just pop out of nowhere for the third act. There's also a decent amount of humor(my favourite reminding me of the Paxton "have you ever been mistaken for a man?" bit from Aliens) and some great creepy moments.

There's a few really cool shots, most notably an overhead following a car, and the best- centered on the Golden Gate Bridge.

But in between it all there's a lot of fluff, a lot of name dropping, and leads and plotlines that go nowhere or dissappear for so long that when they return you just get lost in it all. I don't think it's hard to say that it is less about the Zodiac and more about the people who become obsessed with the Zodiac, and while I got more closure than I thought I would with the actual "Whodunnit" of the case, the characters are just left to never be seen or heard from again until those annoying paragraphs of text pop up at the end of the movie(and there's a ton of them, a good 12 or so)telling you who's died and who's divorced since 1991.

1991 you say? That's another thing. The movie plays out like a nearly 3 hour episode of Law & Order, skipping around to different locations and dates complete with white subtitles telling you exactly where and when **** is happening every 2 minutes. Not exaggerating. I think Babel had fewer subtitles(ha).

Also annoying are the slow motion parts in the death scenes, it's jarring and out of place for something that's supposed to be so real- I didn't expect a bunch of people to be shot and stabbed the same way Jack blows Tyler's brains out in Fight Club.

Ultimately, it pains me to see so much talent put into a project like this. I don't want to call it a waste, that's untrue. Everyone here is at top form, and while there are things that could have been done to improve upon it, there is one massive problem that could never be dealt with: It's a true story. And true stories just aren't as good as some masterful work of fiction, and unfortunately for Fincher he already made a masterful movie about a serial killer that toyed with police... except he didn't have to bog it down with all the stuff that actually happened.

I can't help but feel like the best parts of this we've already seen all before.

 

[War Party]

So wait.. is it amazing or just ok?

 

[Rez]

From a technical aspect, it's amazing. But the film fails to engage; I didn't particularly care or feel for any of the characters(Downey Jr. excluded) and just hoped to see all the talent involved make something, well, else.

 

[War Party]

From a technical aspect, it's amazing. But the film fails to engage; I didn't particularly care or feel for any of the characters(Downey Jr. excluded) and just hoped to see all the talent involved make something, well, else.

And you're right in thinking it's more about the people investigating the zodiac than the zodiac himself. At least that's what I been reading and according to Fincher.

 

[Rez]

But the problem with it is, for a movie ABOUT the characters I just didn't give a damn about them... it shows them obsessed with the zodiac but little else. When one character faces a divorce because of his obsession, I was like, "Oh, ok." When one character ruins his life and job over it, I was like, "Oh, ok.. guess we won't see much of him anymore.."

It should have had some emotional impact; it had none.

 

[War Party]

But the problem with it is, for a movie ABOUT the characters I just didn't give a damn about them... it shows them obsessed with the zodiac but little else. When one character faces a divorce because of his obsession, I was like, "Oh, ok." When one character ruins his life and job over it, I was like, "Oh, ok.. guess we won't see much of him anymore.."

It should have had some emotional impact; it had none.

Well, I'm seeing it tonight. I'll let you know what I thought about the film.

 

[WeeZiTe]

A review I did for my site:

Zodiac (2006)

I’ll get this out of the way. I love David Fincher movies. LOVE THEM. I even enjoyed Panic Room, even though I admit it was not one of the greatest flicks around. But come on, this dude made Fight Club and Seven, two of my favorite movies. I was really hoping that this film was going to help boost him out of his cult film reputation and push him into the spotlight.

And you know what, I think it will.

Going into this movie, you really shouldn’t be expecting another Seven, because they’re two entirely different movies. While Seven focuses on the murders, this movie focuses on the investigation of who the killer is. That being said, there are certain parallels to Seven that you’ll notice here, such as phone conversations and other small things. If anything, going into the theatre you should be expecting a mishmash of JFK and Seven, with more emphasis on JFK.

This movie is about 2 hours and 50 minutes long and the best thing about it is that it basically covers all bases. You ever see a movie that you absolutely hate in theatres and then see an extended version and absolutely fall in love with it? This is that Directors Cut. Nothing is glossed over and everything is thoroughly explained. And unlike many movies that almost have a 3-hour long running time, this one is completely bearable. You never look at your watch to see when it’s going to be over. Never have I been on the edge of my seat for the entirety of a movie almost 3 hours long… Until today.

The film is beautiful to look at. The techniques that Fincher and co. used while editing really make it look nice. Unlike Seven where everything is dark, the bright colors are accentuated and it makes for a film that is very pretty to look at. The film also captured the feel of the 70’s very nicely. While the TV spots use music to make the film seem tongue in cheek, it blends in seamlessly during the actual movie and you realize that there is no joking around at all.

The cast is great. While Gyllenhall is made out to be the lead, he’s mainly just a side character until the last third of the film. He does a great job of showing how a clean cut, boyscout type of man can become completely consumed with the case. Robert Downey Jr. was also really great in it. Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards play frantic cops that become more and more disheartened as their leads fail. Just overall a great performance by everyone.

So Zodiac is definitely a film you should see. While it’s not one of my favorite movies, it’s probably the most interesting film I ever saw. It keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout and there was never a dull moment. I highly recommend it to all.

Talk about it in our forums!

 

[Tempest19]

WeeZ, I absolutely agree with everything you said... although, I'd say it's one of my FAVORITE movies.

If you guys love President's Men, then you'll also probably fall in love with this film. It's that kind of film. Keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, even though we know what the ending is going to be... which is not that easy to do.

I wouldn't be surprised if Gyllenhall gets nominated in the next academy awards, or if someone gets nominated. All amazing performances that I hope will be recognized by the academy. Especially Gyllenhall due to this character arc of going from "boy scout" to someone who's absolutely obsessed with the case.

The cinematagraphy is beautiful as well, the scene that stands out in this category is the investigation on the crime scene of the murder of the taxi driver.

The ending, as Graysmith said, is the only ending that such a story like this can ever have- in a good way- and you'll see what that quote means when you see the film. Don't want to give anything away, but it will definitely illicit a certain response from the audience.

Gyllenhall in an interview said that the film is something that will stick with you and I have to agree. It takes you directly into this hunt for the Zodiac and how this has 'destroyed' everyone's life around the case.

The film leaves you wanting more, which- it's already 2 hrs and 40-50 minutes anyway... and for those who want more, Fincer said that he has a more than 3 hour cut of the film! : ) Definitely buying that along with theatrical.

All, in all, as I said in the beginning- the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. It's one of my favorite movies, up there with "All the President's Men." And I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up with many nominations (hopefully) come next academy awards.

 

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

They're playing something on WE called Case Reopened & it's about the Zodiac. That guy is creepy.

 

[Secret_Riddle]

I just saw a little movie called zodiac.

And it blew my mind, its many times better then seven and fight club. Its engaging, gory, well acted, amazingly directed, any aspect that makes a movie good, this one possesses.

It deserves oscar noms for best pic, best actor, best director, best editing, and perhaps best screenplay.

I enjoyed it way more then the departed, and i loved the departed.

See this film, its the first movie of 2007 that has made me think...wow i love movies.

By the way, by the end of this movie, i dont think theres much doubt to who the zodiac was, and its amazing.

 

[zer00]

They're playing something on WE called Case Reopened & it's about the Zodiac. That guy is creepy.

I watched that. The guy that did Zodiac's voice was too young and unsure sounding. And they glossed over a lot of info during that special.

 

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

I watched that. The guy that did Zodiac's voice was too young and unsure sounding. And they glossed over a lot of info during that special.

Well, I'm sure it was just a re-enactment. I only cared about what they said.

 

[zer00]

I've seen better

 

[Motown Marvel]

saw zodiac today. overall i really liked it, by the end i was pretty freaked out. but it was too long. the first and third act were great, the second act was kinda weak. with how it was written, there isnt much they coulda cut out...but im sure the act could have been written better to tighten it up a bit and cut down on the running time. overall, i'd definitely reccomend it.

 

[The Riddler]

i'm gonna have to see this.

 

[porchmonkey408]

Yeah, the middle was merely really good, the rest was fantastic! Its so weird this film HAD to be this long, and the middle portion could have been more engaging but even it had its great moments (like the scene with Leigh at his work in the break-room...)

Overall, this is just as awesome as Fight Club (not as amazing as Se7en however) and contrary to what someone said above, I was completely engaged in the characters and their obsessions and the subtlties were astounding with each character.

Fincher has never done work this character-oriented or sprawling before, but in the process lost a bit of his sense of style midway through, only to regain it for act 3. The first half was brilliant, the first half of the second half was good and the ending was great but cut short. I wanted one final shot of them waiting and then someone else comes in to tell them the news. Black-out. But I do enjoy me some McPoyle.

EDIT: Screw it, after looking at Se7en...this may be Fincher's best film. Its battling it out with Se7en right now in my head and I watch Se7en just to be sure.

Oh and the part with Graysmith and Leigh...holy damn. "No." Yeah. Amazing.

Fincher, I love you for making amazing films, albeit really long ones. But thats how it had to be, no doubt.