In Hollywood, it’s hard to make a well-known name for yourself, especially in the ongoing transitions of the present-day industry. There are some directors, however, that have stretched their notoriety through the course of over two decades, achieving success in both mainstream and independent fields. In the middle of their extensive resumes though, there are films that sometimes get overshadowed by their most popular achievements, therefore the following Netflix recommendations will focus on that theme.
Christopher Nolan has made a big name for himself with his “Dark Knight” trilogy and “Inception.” However, in 2001 he made his breakthrough with “Memento.” This film stars Guy Pearce as a man with anterograde amnesia, who uses Polaroid photos, tattoos, and handwritten notes to help himself track down the presumed killer of his wife. “Memento,” in my opinion, is Christopher Nolan’s best movie, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that its narrative is told in both a chronological and reverse chronological order. Though this structure proves to be quite the head scratcher after a first viewing, the re-watches that follow show the ingenious execution Nolan took to create one of the most creative mystery thrillers in some time.
“Fight Club,” “Se7en,” and “The Social Network” are three of several films that have made David Fincher the premier auteur of dark, yet extremely artistic thrillers. On the other hand, one film of his that deserves far more credit than it got during its theatrical release is “Zodiac.” The film is a retelling of the hunt for the infamous San Francisco serial killer known as “Zodiac,” who taunted police and the media with cryptic ciphers sent to the Bay Area newspapers. “Zodiac” is without question Fincher’s most atmospheric film to date, as he vividly recreates the detail of late 60s/early 70s era San Francisco, and also lends a methodic pacing to the lengthy investigation of the case. Best of all though, the film’s journalistic portrayal of both news media and police work ethics breathes realism that is the movie equivalent of how both are showcased in the HBO series, “The Wire.”
Quentin Tarantino has been the mastermind behind stylish masterpieces like “Pulp Fiction” and “Kill Bill,” but it’s “Jackie Brown” that shows how his brand of filmmaking can work on a more dialogue-driven story. The dialogue of this film is incredibly well written and enhances the already superb performances by Pam Grier, Robert Forster, and the extremely charismatic Samuel L. Jackson. Also, the sting heist that serves as the film’s climax is executed more freshly than you’ll most likely ever see in any other film of its genre.
Recommending movies is something I do almost every week for friends of mine, and I’ve had a lot of fun taking this tactic to a wider majority. This will be my last edition of this column, so I hope you take these suggestions into effect, and hopefully discover more movies on Netflix that you haven’t seen before.
