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Quentin Tarantino Movies, Ranked

It’s time to roll out my ranking of Quentin Tarantino movies, seeing as the director has announced that his next film will be his last. Sometimes I wish I’d been…

Quentin Tarantino Movies, Ranked

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

It's time to roll out my ranking of Quentin Tarantino movies, seeing as the director has announced that his next film will be his last.

Sometimes I wish I'd been born at a different time. For instance, if I'd been born in 1962 instead of 1977, I would have been 15 in 1977 and been able to bear firsthand witness to the birth of punk and hardcore. But then I eventually come back around and feel grateful to have been born when I was born.

Being born in '77 means in was 15 in 1992, and that's when Quentin Tarantino released his first film, Reservoir Dogs. The movie was a revelation for Generation Xers like me. Infinitely quotable, unexpectedly cool, and with a soundtrack of '70s throwbacks that our parents hadn't beaten to death. It's a strong debut for a first-time director, and it set the tone for what was to come from Tarantino.

Flash-forward two years and you get Pulp Fiction, Tarantino's breakthrough film. More of his signature cool-and-kitsch, more of his '70s fetishism, more killer tunes on the soundtrack. And it was rewarding when Pulp Fiction blew up: now a whole bunch of new fans went back to Pulp Fiction, and it's always fun to share your favorite films with friends.

I remember watching Reservoir Dogs on VHS at a friend's house, probably rented from Blockbuster Video. And I remember taking a date to see Pulp Fiction when it first hit theatres. I was so blown away I went back to see it a second time with friends. So you can probably guess--spoiler alert--that those two will end up pretty high up in my ranking.

Quentin Tarantino Movies, Ranked

All nine of Tarantino's films (so far), ranked from the one I liked the least to the one I liked the best. Pass the popcorn.

 

9) The Hateful Eight

It's not a bad film at all. It's just too damn long.

8) Death Proof

I like Tarantino's grindhouse goodies fine, they're just not my favorite.

7) Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

I feel like, in time, this one will move higher in the rankings for me. But right now, it's in the bottom-third.

6) Inglorious Basterds

A testimony to Tarantino's talent is that you can make the argument that this fine film is his sixth-best.

5) Jackie Brown

Pam Grier is so damn good, as is Robert Forster.

4) Django Unchained

Christoph Waltz.

3) Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Volume 2

Tarantino considers the two parts to be one film and I concur and add that they're one amazing film.

2) Reservoir Dogs

My favorite, but his second-best.

1) Pulp Fiction

The greatest.

adam12Writer
Adam 12 is the Program Director of Boston's ROCK 92.9, heard weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. He's been flexing his encyclopedic rock knowledge in New England for over 2 decades, both on-air and online, at WBCN, WFNX, Boston.com, and indie617. At ROCK 92.9, he keeps you in the know on the big stories from the Boston music scene and writes about great places to eat, drink (beer), and to spend time outdoors in and around Boston.