From “Black Hawk Down” to “Toy Story 3” – the star director’s surprising list.
What are your favorite films of the last 25 years? For many people, the answer to this question would certainly include one or two films by star director Quentin Tarantino. He was now asked himself and gave a list of his favorite films since the turn of the millennium. There are a few surprises to be found here.
When you think about Quentin Tarantino’s favorites, it’s not far off the mark that there are a handful of arthouse films on this list that tend to swim under the radar. It is well known that the director likes to be inspired by B-movies and independent films for his own works. He now spoke about this with US author Bret Easton Ellis in a podcast. The list includes some surprises and well-known blockbusters.
Much love for “Black Hawk Down”
The list mentioned by the 62-year-old includes 20 films from different genres. Many big blockbusters from recent years are included. The director’s personal number one is the war drama “Black Hawk Down” by Ridley Scott from 2001. The film is inspired by true events during the civil war in Somalia in 1993. Quentin Tarantino called the film a “masterpiece” and described Ridley Scott’s directing performance as “simply extraordinary.” The film doesn’t let him go from start to finish: “I watched it again recently – my heart was racing throughout the entire running time of the film.”
The animated film “Toy Story 3” also made a lasting impression on Quentin Tarantino. The end broke his heart. “And if I even try to describe the ending to you, I’m close to tears,” said the 62-year-old. That is “simply remarkable”.
However, Quentin Tarantino first had to warm up to “Dunkirk” by fellow director Christopher Nolan. He was overwhelmed when he first saw it. However, after seeing it more times, the director was blown away: “The second time I saw it, my brain was able to process it a little better. And the third and fourth time it was just ‘Wow’. It blew me away!”
Other big names from the top ten include Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris” and also “There Will Be Blood” by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Quentin Tarantino is upset about “Hunger Games”
Eleventh place on his list is “Battle Royale” by Kinji Fukasaku. While the director was talking about this, he began to get excited about the successful “Hunger Games” series. For Quentin Tarantino, there are enormous similarities between the books by Suzanne Collins and that of the Japanese Koshun Takami, who created the template for “Battle Royale”. “They just stole the damn book!” complained the director. “The Hunger Games” will probably not make it onto any of Quentin Tarantino’s top lists in the future.
Quentin Tarantino’s favorites at a glance
This is what Quentin Tarantino’s top 20 list looks like:
20 – “West Side Story” by Steven Spielberg (2021)
19 – “Cabin Fever” by Eli Roth (2002)
18 – “The Art of Winning – Moneyball” by Bennett Miller (2011)
17 – “Chocolate… sweet and deadly!” by Prachya Pinkaew (2008)
16 – “The Devil’s Rejects” by Rob Zombie (2005)
15 – “The Passion of the Christ” by Mel Gibson (2004)
14 – “School Of Rock” by Richard Linklater (2003)
13 – “Jackass: The Movie” by Jeff Tremaine (2002)
12 – “Big Bad Wolves” by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado (2013)
11 – “Battle Royale” by Kinji Fukasaku (2000)
10 – “Midnight in Paris” by Woody Allen (2011)
9 – “Shaun of the Dead” by Edgar Wright (2004)
8 – “Mad Max: Fury Road” by George Miller (2015)
7 – “Unstoppable” by Tony Scott (2010)
6 – “Zodiac: The Killer’s Trail” by David Fincher (2007)
5 – “There Will Be Blood” by Paul Thomas Anderson (2007)
4 – “Dunkirk” by Christopher Nolan (2017)
3 – “Lost in Translation – Between the Worlds” by Sofia Coppola (2003)
2 – “Toy Story 3” by Lee Unkrich (2010)
1 – “Black Hawk Down” by Ridley Scott (2001)