"Gone Girl": 8/10
David Fincher rarely fails to disappoint, and Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike were pitch perfect in their roles. I did think some of the supporting characters were distractingly miscast, which is unfortunate because that's such a stupid way for a movie to fall short of perfection. Still, this film was a great exploration of the public's voyeuristic fascination with murder mysteries, especially those involving lovers/spouses. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.
"Mystic River": 9/10
This movie is over a decade old, but it's one I've been meaning to watch for a while now. Clint Eastwood is a masterful storyteller. There is something old school about his film-making style, including in this one. His direction is not flashy, but still manages to be suspenseful and gripping. Every performance in this movie was just top notch, and the story really gets you thinking about the impact of a traumatic experience, both on the person directly affected and to those who were tangentially affected. Great movie, although you sort of have to be emotionally prepared for some rather dark and heavy material.