When it comes to modern film auteurs, Quentin Tarantino's sitting in the back of the theater, applauding at what's happening in cinema while knowing he has been cooking crack since the early '90s, barely staggering. Seriously: Even his "worst" films still get "B" ratings on CinemaScore. His visual stew, which mixes hefty doses of pop culture references alongside homages to the genre flicks that he grew up loving, has helped Tarantino craft one of the most stellar feature filmographies in the modern era.
With Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood's release in 2019, the inevitable debate has arisen: Which Tarantino flick is the illest? This is the guy who's not only reinvented what popular culture wanted from cinema but refined his approach with every new flick. He may pull from the films of yesteryear, but he's also influenced a generation (or two), with tomorrow's filmmakers possibly not even realizing how much of their style he authored. He's that damn good.
With the credits out of the way, here's our ranking of Tarantino's best films.
11.
When it comes to modern film auteurs, Quentin Tarantino's sitting in the back of the theater, applauding at what's happening in cinema while knowing he has been cooking crack since the early '90s, barely staggering. Seriously: Even his "worst" films still get "B" ratings on CinemaScore. His visual stew, which mixes hefty doses of pop culture references alongside homages to the genre flicks that he grew up loving, has helped Tarantino craft one of the most stellar feature filmographies in the modern era.
With Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood's release in 2019, the inevitable debate has arisen: Which Tarantino flick is the illest? This is the guy who's not only reinvented what popular culture wanted from cinema but refined his approach with every new flick. He may pull from the films of yesteryear, but he's also influenced a generation (or two), with tomorrow's filmmakers possibly not even realizing how much of their style he authored. He's that damn good.
With the credits out of the way, here's our ranking of Tarantino's best films.
10.
9.'The Hateful Eight'
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, James Parks, Channing Tatum
Release date: December 25, 2015
The Hateful Eight grew on me. I checked it out during a screening and felt the first half dragged and the overall movie was too long. But then it hit Showtime (before I cut the cord for a better life) and they always had it on. I could not get enough of this fucking movie. It didn't matter which point it was at when I turned to it—I'd even use it as background noise. This ensemble killed it—Jennifer Jason Leigh should've won a Golden Globe and an Oscar, Samuel L. Jackson and Walter Goggins came through with some of the best performances of their careers, and Kurt Russell's John Wayne impersonation plays really well to me. It may be last on this list, but Hateful Eight is a great film that's a lot of fun. Tarantino's "worst" is still better than most. —Angel Diaz
8.'Death Proof'
Starring: Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan Ladd, Rose McGowan, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Tracie Thoms, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Zoë Bell
Release date: April 6, 2007
Most Quentin Tarantino films can be reduced to one primary goal: restoring the feeling.
Tarantino's first two films may have reshaped a certain sector of the crime thriller in his image, but all of his films are molded around his memory. Homages to influences from his formative years run deep—and sure, we see the most extreme example of such in his latest opus, but he's long used his films as an excuse to excavate the totems from his fondest memories that have since gone out of style. Restoring a feeling.
Death Proof, ultimately, doesn't amount to much more than feature-length, glorified episode of, like, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. There's nothing particularly grand about it, nor paradigm-shifting. Stacked against the measure of almost all of its siblings, it will always inevitably bring up the rear. All of that is to say, damn, this is a great movie. As the halfway point in Tarantino's proposed oeuvre of 10 films, Death Proof is a palate cleanser tasked with restoring a feeling, and, well, not much else.
The lost art this particular installment takes concern with? Car chases. Towards the tail end of the aughts, Tarantino saw the overabundance of CGI driving sequences as a deepening uncanny valley systematically robbing one of cinema's most palpable experiences of their grit and engrossment. What we have here, then, is an excuse for two setpieces built to recapture the glory of '70s road films, with the added twist of being Tarantino's take on a slasher. His killer of choice marks the movie's second, much more specific restoration: Kurt Russell, the veteran movie star who, by the aughts, had seen a career as leading man badasses in grizzled action classics mature into playing chipper dads in family-friendly fare.
What could there possibly be to not like about Tarantino dusting off a defanged Snake Plissken, revitalizing him as psychopath stuntman who uses his death-proof car to stalk and murder women in an extended homage to Vanishing Point? Especially when the women who fight back are comprised of some of the best, most colorful female characters he's created to date? Rosario Dawson, Zoë Bell, Tracie Thoms, and Sydney Tamiia Poitier—Sidney's daughter, who, despite being a part of the weaker, first group, should have and could have become a star in her own right after this movie—especially attack that Trademark Tarantino Banter like a Peter Luger's porterhouse. It's true: The first half is unevenly paced, with characters whose interior lives and ambitions don't amount to much by way of excitement or interest. But that second group? Bell, Dawson, Thoms, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead's diner shoot-around is almost like a gender inverse of Reservoir Dogs. I could've watched them talk about purse guns and The Rock over pancakes for another 30 minutes. Instead, they engaged in one of the tensest daredevil stunts and, subsequently, one of the most thrilling car chases of this century so far. Bad movie? Sure, only by this list's standards. —Frazier Tharpe
7.'Reservoir Dogs'
Starring: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen
Release date: October 23, 1992
Before Tarantino became an adjective for modern pulp, the virgin director kicked off his career with an opening scene about Madonna. This mix of pop-culture-infused (and obsessed) wit and John Woo homage pulses through QT's feature debut, gifting us a great film while creating the formula for his future work (and plenty of indie crime thrillers that followed).
Pulp Fiction's non-linear narrative, Django's Spaghetti Western-style standoffs, Kill Bill's cinematic gore: You name it, Reservoir Dogs did it. A heist film where you never actually see the heist, this is far from Tarantino's most developed or complex work. But, for a director who has at times stumbled in terms of pacing due to lengthy self-indulgence, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Ricocheting between pre-heist backstory and post-heist mayhem, Reservoir plays like the lean low-budget it is, using every moment to highlight its standout ensemble comprised of future QT troupe mainstays, and the directorial, auteurist flourishes that would go on to make Tarantino, well, Tarantino. The shining example of this, and perhaps the most thrilling moment of the entire film, is the torture sequence perpetrated by Michael Madsen's character, Mr. Blonde. Yet, even as one of Tarantino's career-best scenes, and still delivering the same shockingly entertaining effect it must have at its '92 Sundance premiere, it can't help but feel tame when compared to contemporary pieces of the canon.
In hindsight, Reservoir Dogs is a perfect debut that would go on to be bested by the man himself. But, upon re-watch, there can be no doubt it's still one of his best. —Nate Houston
6.'Django Unchained'
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, Michael Parks, Don Johnson
Release date: December 25, 2012
Truth be told, I'm so tired of slave films. They can just be a lot. And even though Tarantino seems to bask in his ability to throw the word "nigger" (uttered about 100 times in Django Unchained), if I need to watch a slave film, I'd rather it be something like Tarantino's revisionist history. Similar to Kill Bill, the film is ultimately a revenge tale, but soaked in the real-life slave trade. While both DiCaprio and Foxx did the damn thing in the film, neither got their propers for AWARDS SZN (although Christopher Waltz won much-deserved statues for his Dr. King Schultz at the Oscars and the Globes). In the end, it's a satisfying flick with memorable scenes that, while dope AF, is a hair away from the cream of Tarantino's crop. —khal
5.'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood'
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Margaret Qualley, Timothy Olyphant, Austin Butler, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Al Pacino
Release date: July 26, 2019
In 2007 when Matthew Weiner previewed his '60s-era drama Mad Men for the TV critic Alan Sepinwall ahead of the pilot, he teased, "It's about time travel." I thought back to that quote following my second time watching Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood in its opening weekend, a movie that isn't merely set in 1969 Los Angeles so much as it fully immerses us in it. From sensory flourishes like the radio to, of course, the aesthetics like the landmark neon signs that illuminate the city to the Hollywood universe and its interweaving cast of characters (Cliff Booth's run-in with Bruce Lee is the front-page news, sure, but note Sharon's flashback to training with him as she watches her big fight scene in the theater), Once Upon a Time is as if Tarantino hopped on the nostalgia carousel and got stuck there. And much like Mad Men, the movie is less a pulp thriller with history-altering implications than it is a living, breathing snapshot of a culture on the verge of a seismic shift, simultaneously a love letter to both the mid-transformation era it depicts and the golden years its leads long to recapture in vain.
Tarantino recently described the film as his climax, with his proposed 10th and final film set to be more of an epilogue than a big finish. He needn't have explained it; it's a sentiment the movie already gives off on its own. This isn't his best movie, but, nonetheless, it does feel like a summation of everything that preceded it. The fictional tales woven into real-life tapestries (Inglourious, Django), the Western affinity (Hateful Eight), homing in on stuntmen to symbolize his fascination with the era (Death Proof's Stuntman Mike)...this is what he's been building towards since at least the back half of his career, and I'm sure more thematic connections to more of his films will continue to reveal themselves upon further scrutiny. In lieu of having a larger statement (or, hell, just a use for) the Manson children beyond window dressing, Once's detractors argue for a Point. But what better way for the video store clerk cinephile to begin bowing out than to make a movie about the movies? This is the era that made Tarantino who he is, that informed every classic he's given us since 1992. It features, in spots, some of his most graceless writing (the narration to bridge Acts II and III is just clumsy, ain't no way around it); it features some of his most subtly stylistic directing, like the way the camera never widens or swivels when Rick flubs a take on the Lancer pilot, lest we realize we're on a set not *in* the TV show, with the camera going so far as to literally reset when the scene winds back.
I wanted more texture to the Manson family beyond Cliff's excellent visit to the ranch; I wanted more context to them beyond just showing up on Cielo Drive with knives. What we got, even amid face-bashing and flamethrowing, is Tarantino's most sentimental film to date, a meta-commentary that reckons with themes of obsoletion and value both personal and professional. It's filled with more detours and non-sequiturs than some might like, but how much can you really complain about a scenic route as beautiful as 1969 Sunset Boulevard? Once the clash of expectation versus artistic vision settles, I expect we, as a community, will be debating Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood's value for years to come—and moving it higher up the list as a result. —Frazier Tharpe
4.'Inglourious Basterds'
Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Diane Kruger, Daniel Brühl, Til Schweiger, Mélanie Laurent
Release date: August 21, 2009
Inglorious Basterds just might be Quentin Tarantino's most underrated film. It also might be the least talked about when fans bring up his catalog, even though it's one of his best. Tarantino has plenty of iconic scenes in the rafters, but Basterds features multiple moments that belong in the convo for his best. The card scene in the basement bar still blows me away. It also makes me mad for X-Men ruining Fassbender, but that's for another day. The performances in this film are killer, with Christoph Waltz and Brad Pitt turning in show stealers. Waltz, in particular, was in his bag for the entire film. Let's also not forget, for all those who complain about Once Upon a Time changing historical facts, that Tarantino dipped into that route with Basterds. And how glorious it is when that theater burns down. Time has only helped this film, and I hope people recognize how fucking real this shit was. "We in the killing Nazi business, and cousin, business is a-boomin'." I still get chills. —Zach Frydenlund
3.'Kill Bill'
Starring: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, David Carradine, Sonny Chiba, Julie Dreyfus, Chiaki Kuriyama, Gordon Liu, Michael Parks
Release date: October 10, 2003 (Vol. 1) / April 16, 2004 (Vol. 2)
Tarantino counts Kill Bill Vols. 1 and 2 as one movie, and so do we. I'm still waiting for a chance to see the Whole Bloody Affair before I die and wish they would put it out on Blu-Ray already. There have been countless times that I carved out five hours to watch these back to back on a washed-up Saturday night. This film brought out Tarantino's influences the most in a way that still felt unique. Sonny Chiba's vibe was present as the Bride had to battle with gangs in the streets while she wore a motorcycle suit that paid homage to Bruce Lee in Game of Death. His take on classic martial arts films put Kill Bill in the same category as films like Enter the Dragon and the Shaw Brothers' 36th Chamber series (featuring Gordon Liu, aka Pai Mei). And all of that was while we only heard Bill; he wasn't even seen until the second volume. Speaking of which, this saga has one of the best final scenes in Tarantino's catalog, in which Uma Thurman and David Carradine act their asses off.
Kill Bill is one of the most beautiful and well-written movies ever made. Quentin is able to capture pop culture in film like no one ever. Now we just need him to give the streets that finale and let Vernita Green's daughter get her rightful crack at revenge. —Angel Diaz
2.'Jackie Brown'
Starring: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Bridget Fonda, Michael Keaton, Robert De Niro
Release date: December 25, 1997
Tarantino's a king of homage, and when it came time to dive into the blaxploitation genre, he did the right thing by securing the legendary Pam Grier for the lead role in Jackie Brown—a film where there are so many men trying to use women to angle for some cash, it's dope that Jackie, the one woman too smart to be working a shit flight attendant gig, would outfox the rest of these pinheads.
It's been intriguing to see the appreciation for this film transform over the years. Many are revisiting the title, with its classic mall money heist sequence, the fate of Beaumont, and Ordell's ponytail turning those who might be on the fence into true believers. Not to say that Tarantino's flicks don't have replay value—I could probably run through Kill Bill multiple times a day—but the satisfaction of repeat watches, be it with De Niro's understated comedy or the beautiful throwback blaxploitation sequences, is second to none. Plus, giving a real film queen her propers later in her life is well worth the price of admission. —khal
1.'Pulp Fiction'
Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Maria de Medeiros, Ving Rhames, Eric Stoltz, Rosanna Arquette, Christopher Walken, Bruce Willis
Release date: October 14, 1994
"Seeing this movie last May at the Cannes Film Festival, I knew it was either one of the year's best films, or one of the worst." —Roger Ebert
Pulp Fiction did a lot. Tarantino's second feature film managed to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes, open the New York Film Festival, nab seven nominations at the 67th Academy Awards (winning Best Original Screenplay), revive the careers of John Travolta and Bruce Willis, mint a future star in Uma Thurman, and become the first indie film to gross over $100 million at box office. And that little list works to detail only a fraction of the impact the film had on Hollywood. Sure, it may not be surprising now, considering who Quentin Tarantino has become. But no one knew just what the former video clerk would whip up after the success of his beautifully exact debut and the two screenplays he sold that made their way to production. That Tarantino came back with such an ambitious, genre-dissolving, wonderfully disorienting mind fuck of a film told us everything we needed to know about him: He has an unwavering vision. One that he is unwilling to dilute before it hits celluloid.
Another thing Pulp Fiction did was crystalize the type of stories Tarantino loves tell. Thoroughly researched genre pieces that feature interwoven character and narrative arcs that come together to form what Peter Travers once called a "mesmerizing mosaic." In the case of Fiction, there are 12 characters, each given enough room to breathe enough life into their stories to create MCU-style spin-offs. A student of history, Tarantino loves delving into the past to create a present that bristles bright. Fiction, as the name signifies, took its inspiration from the pulp magazines and novels Tarantino read in his younger days. It's less a homage and more a loving update. You know how Nike, with its Proto line, is now taking old silhouettes and infusing them with modern-day technology? That's what Tarantino does on screen. And it all started, for him, with Pulp Fiction.
Reviewing the film after its Cannes premiere, Janet Maslin wrote, "Nothing is predictable or familiar within this irresistibly bizarre world. You don't merely enter a theater to see Pulp Fiction: you go down a rabbit hole." Everything from the wardrobe to the dialogue keeps you spiraling further and further down that rabbit hole. Fiction sometimes comes off less a movie and more a collection of blistering vignettes—ones that actors seem to revel in and enjoy nearly as much as the audience watching it. Ask anyone about the movie and they will likely reflexively mention a scene—the basement scene, the dance scene, the syringe scene, the "nigger" scene, the headshot scene, etc. And it feels as if Tarantino's been chasing that high ever since. A few of his films come close (Jackie Brown'sparking lot scene is an all-timer), but none can match the relentless excellence that is Pulp Fiction. It did just way too much. And because of that, it's perfect. —Damien Scott