Of all the contemporary film auteurs, perhaps no one’s work has permeated pop culture as thoroughly as Quentin Tarantino’s. This director’s hyper-stylized, retro fantasy worlds have come to define cinematic coolness. His clever mashups of genres, exquisite sense of aesthetics, impeccable editing, uproarious suspensefulness, and impossibly quippy dialogue have been endlessly imitated.
Given the current political landscape, Tarantino’s work has undergone a serious critical re-evaluation from Black and feminist critics and scholars who point toward both his allegedly abusive behaviors and the offensive politics and rhetoric of his films. It’s true that in this new light, for many, there may be nothing redeemable about his entire oeuvre.
However, to discard all Quentin Tarantino movies would discount the impossible talent of his frequent collaborators and stars, such as Sally Menke (who edited all of Tarantino’s movies until her death in 2010), Uma Thurman (who not only played the protagonist of Tarantino’s most iconic movies but was also credited as a co-writer on Kill Bill), Samuel L. Jackson (a frequent Tarantino star), and many more.
With that in mind, here’s our (subjective!) ranking of the greatest directed Quentin Tarantino movies of all time.
9. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
8. Django Unchained (2012)
7. The Hateful Eight (2015)
6. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
5. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Although Tarantino is an avowed horror fan, his movies rarely venture into that genre — with the exception of Death Proof. A slasher film at its heart (but replacing a machete with a racecar), Tarantino is on the record saying Death Proof is the worst work he’s ever released. It’s hard to understand why: The cast of cool women and their relatable debauched dialogue is even more lovable than the hyper-macho assassins he summons in other films. Kurt Russell as a psychopathic stuntman is creepily charming, and few emotional moments in Hollywood history compare to the triumph felt during the movie’s lengthy concluding chase sequence and the post-credit skull-crushing.[/dt_media]
3. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. Jackie Brown (1997)
1. Kill Bill: Volumes 1 + 2 (2003--2004)
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