3. Seven (1995)
Seven is the film that really announced the arrival of David Fincher as a top talent in Hollywood. A nearly flawless mystery-horror mash up, the film is a perfect union of plot, tone, and style. Two cops (Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt) are on the hunt for a killer using the Seven Deadly Sins as his modus operandi. The closer they get to catching him, the more disturbing the case becomes, and eventually we lose track of whos really chasing who. The finale, an unforgettable scene, ties everything up in a way that stays with us for a long time. Fincher drenches the film in grainy stock and rain, a tone that suggests an unending storm. The slow death of a city by desensitization to its own rot. Full of impossible moral and ethical questions, at its heart, Seven gets to the worst kind of evil: the kind that honestly thinks its doing the right thing. Gripping no matter how many times you've seen it, with layers to discover on each viewing, Seven is essential viewing for any fan of mystery, suspense or horror films.