Gone Girl is an exceptionally made film. That's the first and undeniable observation that one must make about David Fincher's new film. Fincher is a master of the craft and his command of the filmic language gets more impressive with each film he makes. The editing, angles, words and plot turns in Girl are all as razor sharp as the box-cutter that proves so pivotal in the film's most dramatic scene. I don't think Girl tops Fincher's best work (Zodiac or The Social Network), but it's certainly one of the most cinematically accomplished American films to be released this year.

The Social Network is more than just a Fincher film. It's a time-capsule for our time—a document of a curious revolution in social communication, economics, and the shifting notion of "status" in a world where roots, tradition, and familial privilege are less important than the ability to navigate media and manipulate tech-enabled perceptions of one's digital self.