Ranking Quentin Tarantino's Films

Before ranking one of the greatest filmmakers of all time's works I feel that it is

necessary to mention another film associated with Quentin Tarantino that being From Dusk Till Dawn.

From Dusk Till Dawn = Score 8/10

This film is unique in that I feel there are two movie to be found within its run time. For the first half of the film the movie works well as a sort of oddball horror/thriller film as Tarantino and George Clooney quip witty dialogue back and forth as they seem to bounce between crimes. As Harvey Keitel and Juliette Lewis fall into the mix their interactions with our two leads are both believable and add to the gripping and suspenseful plot. Halfway into the film the movie turns completely on its head as it morphs into an action/horror film along the lines of the Evil Dead on cocaine. The sequence of events that unfolds for the rest of the movie's run can only be described as one of a kind. This is one of those films along the lines of Donnie Darko and Repo Man which belong in a genre of their own. Any fan of over the top movies that are capable of blending between genres should check this film out, though many current movies such as Under the Silver Lake have tried to harness the the magic of unconventional genre blending narratives it is rare to find a film such as From Dusk Till Dawn which does it with such precision whilst never feeling bloated or pretentious.

9 - Jackie Brown = Score - 4/10

The biggest problem with Jackie Brown is its run time. The film has been described as Tarantino as a sort of hang out movie. Though at times it can come close to the level of enjoyment of watching the Dude at the bowling ally in the Big Lebowski this film unfortunately is dragged down by an extended run time, unnecessary characters and retracing events we have already seen several times over again just to gain insight into the different characters' perspectives. As well, the best 'hangout' moment of the movie occurs within the first minutes leaving the rest of the film to feel overshadowed by the promise of a strong opening scene which is never fulfilled. None of the acting here is as good as it could have been. Robert Forster stands out as the most natural and believable performance whereas much of the rest of the cast felt as though they were reciting dialogue. Additionally, whereas many of Tarantino's films, even when they are not his best, are filled with memorable moments one can often look back on fondly, this film to my recollection only has one or maybe two. Michael Keaton here is especially bad due to his bipolar performance muddled under the sound of him constantly chewing gum. Once the conclusion of the film rears it's head it becomes clear that although at times you can see glimpses of the brilliance of Tarantino's work it does not justify enduring this excruciatingly slow and overdrawn movie that just doesn't have much to say at all.

8 - Kill Bill Volume 2 = Score 7/10

Not being a big fan of the first Kill Bill it was no surprise to me that the second film felt much the same, though there are many moments of greatness much of the film felt unmemorable. Though I will never forget the 'an eye for an eye' moment it is hard to look past some of the goofier moments in the movie such as the training sequences and the opening wedding scenes. The film does have a nice conclusion though if I am being honest neither this nor the first film's plots intrigued my greatly and I find it hard now to try and recollect what exactly occurred in these movies. Though I enjoy these films as there are some great moments herein its hard to recommend watching these movies when it would probably be more satisfying to just watch the elongated fight scene from the first movie on YouTube and go on with the rest of your life with a few extra hours to spare.

7 - Kill Bill Volume 1 = Score 7/10

Kill Bill Volume 1 has more artistic creativity as compared to the second volume however I still feel upon watching this film that the entire revenge plot never really feels satisfying. At its best this film rivals Indiana Jones for its use of great cinematography and extraordinary action sequences. At its worst the film becomes so unbelievable goofy that it is hard to get invested in the characters or feel any sense of satisfaction as our main protagonist overcomes obstacles and fights bad guys. I do not mean to say that both these Kill Bill movies are not good movies because they are fun and exciting films however they are not perfect in my opinion and I feel that the excitement of the action and beautiful camera work heavily overshadows the plot which at times feels paper thin and overly convoluted. None of the performances in either film are particularly noteworthy, David Carradine is alright at playing the big bad guy at the end and Uma Thurman at times can be brilliant but there are other moments in the two films where it she can become so calculated in her thoughts and actions that it is hard to relate to our main protagonist. Michael Madsen does not work well in this film, he seemed to have been placed in the here simply out of loyalty to Tarantino as his acting in the film is particularly one note and cringe worthy.

6 - Inglorious Basterds = Score - 8/10

This film reaches a level of excellence many other films never come close to but it is brought down by its extended run time and long scenes of foreign dialogue where subtitles are required. I am not against subtitles and am a fan of foreign films and TV shows such as Narcos that use them extensively, however, Tarantino's dialogue at times loses its effect when the audience must switch between reading yellow font at the bottom of the screen and watching the nuance of the actors performances. The plot of this film never reaches the same level of excellence as the amazing performances of all the actors. The third act of the film puts everything together well however at times during the first two acts it can feel as if the plot is not heading in any particular direction. Christoph Waltz performance in this film is one of the greatest I have ever seen, every single time his character is on screen you feel as if you are watching a performance more suited for a Stanley Kubrick film. Melanie Laurent is also excellent in this film and her interactions with Waltz are filled with tension and subtle expressions which are both satisfying to watch and exciting. Brad Pitt at times is fun to watch in this film but also can feel a bit too stiff and macho and almost laughable but in the end I think it works more than it fails. All in all this is definitely a film worth watching though at times it can feel as if the film cannot justify its run time.

5 - The Hateful Eight = Score 9/10

The Hateful Eight I found to be a great film however it is also a film I have not sought to rewatch since I first saw the film. This film I believe works as a sort of reworking of past Tarantino films, if you are a fan of Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs this film does well to remind you what those films did so well. The acting here is terrific from everyone especially Samuel L Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The plot here keeps you guessing and as each characters past and true motivations come to light the film can't help but be exciting and satisfying at the same time. The film lacks memorable scenes though in that there are no clips that I feel one will look up after the film to relieve certain moments that were particularly good. The movie only really works well as a complete narrative and no one moment of the film stands out from the rest. Since the film can only be described as satisfying when viewed entirely I believe that it is this films two hour and forty-eight minute long run time that has kept me from revisiting the film since once I have seen the plot twists there is no real point to experience them again since there is not much else worthwhile. This is still a great film but not one I think many will be watching over and over again.

4 Death Proof = Score - 10/10

Death Proof is a one of a kind film acting as a tribute to 70s drive in action and horror films. The witty dialogue, technically wonderful action sequences and plot that keeps you guessing all help to make this one of Tarantino's best films. This film is quite similar to Kill Bill in that it is an over the top action film with many cheesy characters and cheesy moments throughout. This film works better than Kill Bill since our protagonists never feel as robotic as Thurman did in the Kill Bill films. This film also works great as the sort of 'hangout' movie along the lines of what Tarantino intended Jackie Brown to be although I believe both groups of women hanging out and their banter work better here than any similar scenes from Jackie Brown. I love both the first and second half of this film which are populated by two different sets of female heroins. Both groups felt authentic due to their use of inside jokes and authentic dialogue. This film packs many exciting plot twists that do not hold back similar to the kind of shocks that come within the film From Dusk Till Dawn. The only real flaw with this film, as Tarantino has stated, is its editing. At times the editing helps make the film feel authentic to the period the director wants it to be from although this can be overdone at times as the film seems to skip and the audio tends to pop in and out. This is one of the most fun movies I have ever seen however I feel it works better as a late night movie than one that you would watch early in the day since the film is cheesy and need not be taken overly seriously.

3 - Pulp Fiction = Score 8/10

Pulp Fiction, though scored below the films listed above, has the best moments of any Tarantino film however the entire Bruce Willis narrative felt bland and forgettable. Samuel L Jackson and John Travolta have arguably the best on screen chemistry of any two actors in any film. John Travolta also has great chemistry with Uma Thurman and the diner scene and the events that come after are surely some of the best moments in film history. As soon as the film turns toward Bruce Willis and his character the film screeches to a halt and becomes almost wholly unsatisfying as we experience scene after scene of Willis moving between red rooms leaving the viewer to only anticipate the next time the film will jump to a more interesting character. There is one good plot point with Bruce Willis in this film and Ving Rhames, however, the rest feels boring and unimportant. The plot here is also not told chronologically which never really satisfies the viewer. Though the beginning and end of this film are great and the moments within are some of the best in film history the long run time, wonky narrative, Christopher Walken watch scene and too much Bruce Willis prevent this film from being anywhere near perfect.

2 - Django Unchained = Score 10/10

This film is the revenge story Kill Bill tried to be but failed. Great performances, writing, music and cinematography help to make this film near perfect. Even though this film comes in at two hours and forty-five minutes you never feel bored or that the plot is overly convoluted. Christoph Walts, Jamie Fox and Samuel L Jackson are the three standouts in this film. Leonardo DiCaprio is fun in this film though he is not in as much of the film as I would have believed before watching it. The only real actor not given much to do is Kerry Washington and she is left to only be a sort of damsel in distress which is disappointing. This is one of the best if not the best revenge plots ever brought to the big screen, one particular moment later in the film where our main protagonist frees himself and sets forth to kill his enemies is particularly fun and exciting with the backdrop of a great John Legend song to add to the momentum of the scene. The violence at the end of the film rivals the brutality of the Kill Bill films. Unlike The Hateful Eight this film has several moments that I have revisited time and time again to enjoy. This movie works on every level and is both so over the top whilst also feeling grounded that the audience is left in awe of the masterwork they are seeing. Tarantino does not shy away from gripping plot twists and unexpected character deaths that help to add to the overall enjoyment of this film. I cannot recommend this film enough.

1 - Reservoir Dogs = Score 10/10

Great acting, quick dialogue and extraordinary use of flashbacks and great music help to make this not only Tarantino's best film but one of the best films of all time. Its hard to imagine that so many great and memorable moments are jam packed within this film which only stretches one hour and thirty-nine minutes. Michael Madsen, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, and Chris Penn are the standouts in this film. The emotion of Keitel in the films last moments, Buscemi's early comedic relief, Madsen's enjoyment of the violence he performs on screen, Tim Roth's Ryan Gosling like performance and the emotion coming from Chris Penn's during the Mexican standoff help exemplify why these are perhaps the greatest performances Tarantino has ever gotten from his actors. One scene of particular note is the infamous cop torture scene. Every time I watch this film I marvel at how Tarantino mixes excruciating violence with a pop song all to be interrupted when Michael Madsen walks outside to pick up a gas can. As Madsen walks outside the warehouse the music stops and we hear nothing but typical sounds of the neighborhood. As Madsen reenters the warehouse he again begins dancing in terrifying delight all the while the music can be heard again by the audience. Brilliant. Learning the backstory of Tim Roth's character is also entertaining whilst also being a beautiful tragedy at times. The final moments of this film are beyond gripping and this is juxtaposed as we cut to the credits with yet another pop song. This movie is not bogged down in an extended run time, convoluted plot or unnecessary characters. Comedy, Drama and suspense are perfectly blended here and anyone wishing to begin looking into Tarantino should surely not miss out on his best film that being Reservoir Dogs.