1. Seven (1995)
The first real David Fincher film. It's got the mood of dread and mystery that he would later master with Zodiac and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo with the existential nihilism that would make the foundation for Fight Club. All roads of Fincher's filmography lead back to Seven. It's his first collaboration with his recurring muse Brad Pitt as well but the films greatest strength is the mood that Fincher envelops the film in. The mise en scene and photography create an incredibly bleak yet interesting world for the story to take place in. The urban setting really elevates the mystery while the fact that it seems to either be raining all the time or night time in most every shot really adds to the dread of the film. The abandonment in the look of the film at the end to a sunny and remote location gives it a strange feeling that helps mirror the startling outcome as well. It's reminiscent of the way a lot of Kubrick's films would end in totally different environments than where they began in order to create a jarring effect.
Thanks so much for reading and I'd love to hear, in the comments, any films you think should have made the list.