Hi all!

Today I am ranking all of Quentin Tarantino’s movies! He is definitely one of my favourite directors. His films fall under the genre of neo-noir violence, with razor-sharp dialogue, references to pop culture and exaggerated brutality. You could easily play a drinking game with the repeated themes found in his works. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1.) Kill Bill: Volume 1 

In first place, and one of my favourite movies of all time, is Kill Bill: Volume 1. I cannot even begin to count the number of times I have seen it. A former assassin (Uma Thurman), wakes from a coma four years after her jealous ex-lover, Bill, attempted to murder her on her wedding day. Fueled by an insatiable desire for revenge, she vows to get even with every person who contributed to the loss of her unborn child, her entire wedding party, and the lost years of her life. If you have a strong sense of justice (like myself), love kick-ass women, an incredible soundtrack, exaggerated gore and a killer cast, this is the film for you. I do believe Volume 1 is stronger than Volume 2 but that might be because Gogo Yubari and O-Ren Ishii are my favourite characters. This is peak Tarantino excellence and no work of his will ever come close to dethroning it.

2.) Kill Bill: Volume 2

Kill Bill absolutely needed to be split into two parts. Volume 2 deserves second place – continuing the same revenge-fueled storyline. It picks up where our protagonist left off. Leaving several dead in her wake, she eventually tracks down Bill in Mexico. Using the skills she learned during her assassin training, she attempts to finish what she started. It is surprisingly emotional, with a very realistic ending. By that, I mean the final scene, where our heroine is found sobbing on the floor by her daughter. Months may have passed but the trauma stays. Things aren’t simply wrapped up in a neat package because the villain is vanquished. Whilst Bill’s death is a tad anticlimactic, it is poetic in tone, given where and how The Bride learned the fatal technique. Some of her biggest foes are tackled in this sequel, with even bigger payoffs. I still quote the scene where she is driving in the car: “I roared, and I rampaged, and I got bloody satisfaction. And when I arrive at my destination, I am gonna Kill Bill.” Her perseverance is truly inspirational.

3.) Inglourious Basterds 

In third place, we have Inglourious Basterds. I guess I just love revenge-fueled stories! It is the first year of Germany’s occupation of France. Allied Officer, Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), assembles a team of Jewish soldiers to commit violent acts of retribution against the Nazis, including the taking of their scalps. He and his men join forces with Bridget von Hammersmark, a German actress and undercover agent, to bring down the leaders of the Third Reich. I remember not being able to breathe during the opening scene, when Christof Waltz’s character visits a home harbouring a group of Jewish people. Nobody does tension better than Tarantino. That scene alone was enough to put this movie in my top three. Who doesn’t love a rag-tag group of political warriors, taking down the bad guys? In this case, the REALLY bad guys.

4.) Django Unchained

In fourth place, we have Django Unchained. Two years before the Civil War, Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave, finds himself accompanying an unorthodox German bounty hunter on a mission to capture the vicious Brittle brothers. Their travels take them to the infamous plantation of shady Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), where Django’s long-lost wife is still a slave. I travelled to New Orleans in 2014 and saw some of the parts where this movie was filmed. Similar to Inglourious Basterds, this story is based on real-life events. People like this existed, and sadly, still do. Tarantino uses his films to play out revenge fantasies on those that really deserve it. Jamie Foxx’s acting is unmatched and Leo did an exceptional job. The ‘White Cake’ scene is the perfect example of how Quentin builds tension, suffocating his audience in the best way.

5.) Reservoir Dogs 

Reservoir Dogs was always going to crack my top five. I can’t hear Stuck In The Middle With You, without picturing Mr. Blonde cutting off Nash’s ear with a straight razor. Six criminals with pseudonyms – each strangers to one another – are hired to carry out a robbery. When their heist is ambushed by police the survivors realise they were set up. They must work out who the traitor is amongst them. This film has some of the best dialogue across all of Tarantino’s works, with endless quotable lines. It also has a stacked cast. Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen and Chris Penn, to name a few. It is a masterpiece and a timeless classic in Tarantino’s filmography.

6.) The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight nearly made my top five but I love Reservoir Dogs a little bit more. While racing toward the town of Red Rock in post-Civil War, Wyoming, bounty hunter, John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh), encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) and a man who claims to be a sheriff. Hoping to find shelter from a blizzard, the group travels to a stagecoach stopover, located on a mountain pass. Greeted there by four strangers, the eight travelers soon learn they may not make it to their destination after all. This film is quintessential Quentin Tarantino. It’s full of deaths, unfortunate mistakes, unreliable characters and snow. Lots of snow! It’s such a campy, good time and very rewatchable.

7.) Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

In seventh place, we have Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. This film got very mixed reviews when it was released. Actor, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), gained fame and fortune by starring in a 1950s television Western, but is now struggling to find meaningful work in a Hollywood he doesn’t recognise anymore. He spends most of his time drinking and palling around with Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his easygoing best friend and longtime stunt double. Rick also happens to live next door to Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate – the filmmaker and budding actress, whose futures will be forever altered by members of the Manson Family. The end scene (cue the flamethrowers) is absolutely the best part. It’s a long movie and slow in parts, hence why it’s lower on my list. However, I still really enjoyed it and consider it to be a great work of Tarantino’s.

8.) Death Proof

Third last, we have Death Proof. This film is just a rip-roaring good time. Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell), is a professional body double, who likes taking unsuspecting women for deadly drives in his free time. He doctors his car for maximum impact; so, when he purposely causes wrecks, the bodies pile up, while he walks away with barely a scratch. The insane Mike may be in over his head though, when he targets a tough group of female friends, including real-life stuntwoman Zoe Bell (Uma Thurman’s double in Kill Bill), who plays herself. Let’s cut to the chase here. This movie has no plot, nor does it need one. It’s about fast cars, violence, sexy women and lots and lots of stunts. It isn’t meant to be taken seriously. Just sit back and enjoy the ride – pun intended.

9.) Jackie Brown 

In second last place, we have Jackie Brown. For a film with a lot of negative reviews, I didn’t mind it. When flight attendant, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) is busted smuggling money for her arms dealer boss, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson), two agents enlist her help to bring down Robbie. Facing jail time for her silence, or death for her cooperation, Brown decides instead to double-cross both parties, making off with the smuggled money. If you want classic, tension-filled Tarantino, Jackie Brown has it in spades. Samuel L. Jackson was formidable as the villain of this film. He was so wildly unpredictable and ruthless, I was scared. I wouldn’t re-watch it but I don’t think it’s as bad as others say.

10.) Pulp Fiction  

In last place (controversial, I know) is Pulp Fiction. It follows the lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, plus a pair of diner bandits involved in four tales of violence and redemption. However, the movie’s biggest downfall (in my opinion), is that it’s anything but simple. It’s actually told in sequences that aren’t chronological. This makes Pulp Fiction very confusing and convoluted. Before I saw it, it was presented as one of the best films in cinematic history. That hype made it a let down for me. The best parts are Samuel L. Jackson’s iconic lines and Uma Thurman’s dance with John Travolta.

Thank you so much for reading! How would you rank Quentin’s movies?

Peace & Love xoxo