Quentin Tarantino Ranks His Top 20 Films of the 21st Century

It’s amazing to think we’re already a quarter of the way through the 21st century. I remember celebrating the year 2000 like it was yesterday, and considering how many movies have been released since then, it feels like decades have passed. Director Quentin Tarantino, known for his love of classic films and strong opinions, recently shared his list of the top 20 movies of the 21st century so far. He revealed his picks in two groups of ten on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, and World of Reel has published his comments about each film.

Quentin Tarantino is known for doing things his own way, and that definitely shows in the variety of films he’s made. You’ll find some predictable choices, and others that might surprise you. Here’s a complete list:

1. Black Hawk Down (2001) dir. Ridley Scott
2. Toy Story 3 (2010) dir. Lee Unkrich
3. Lost in Translation (2003) dir. Sofia Coppola
4. Dunkirk (2017) dir. Christopher Nolan
5. There Will Be Blood (2007) dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
6. Zodiac (2007) dir. David Fincher
7. Unstoppable (2010) dir. Tony Scott
8. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) dir. George Miller
9. Shaun of the Dead (2004) dir. Edgar Wright
10. Midnight in Paris (2011) dir. Woody Allen
11. Battle Royale (2000) dir. Kinji Fukasaku
12. Big Bad Wolves (2013) dir. Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado
13. Jackass: The Movie (2002) dir. Jeff Tremaine
14. School of Rock (2003) dir. Richard Linklater
15. The Passion of the Christ (2004) dir. Mel Gibson
16. The Devil’s Rejects (2005) dir. Rob Zombie
17. Chocolate (2008) dir. Prachya Pinkaew
18. Moneyball (2011) dir. Bennett Miller
19. Cabin Fever (2002) dir. Eli Roth
20. West Side Story (2011) dir. Steven Spielberg

This collection of films is definitely thought-provoking. There’s a lot of excellent work here, but also some choices that might surprise or puzzle viewers. While some of the directors included have faced justified criticism, Quentin Tarantino seems to have avoided that fate. And true to form, he doesn’t shy away from offering praise alongside subtle jabs. If you read his full comments on Deadline, you’ll see he’s incredibly outspoken.

He spends his blurb talking about Battle Royale bashing The Hunger Games:

I’m shocked the Japanese author of Battle Royale didn’t take legal action against Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games. It was a clear case of plagiarism. Book reviewers, unfamiliar with Japanese cinema, praised The Hunger Games as incredibly original. But once film critics saw the movie, they immediately recognized it as essentially a toned-down version of Battle Royale.

Yes, no one ever made anything about kids forced to kill each other before this movie.

For Midnight in Paris, it’s just about how he dislikes Owen Wilson:

I initially disliked Owen Wilson when I first saw the movie, but my opinion changed with each rewatch. At first, I loved the film but couldn’t stand his character. By the second time, I started to warm up to him, and by the third, I found myself focusing on him specifically – I was actually enjoying his performance!

And perhaps the most aggressive, completely taking Paul Dano to the cleaners.

While There Will Be Blood is a strong film that could easily rank among the best, it’s held back by a significant weakness: the performance of Paul Dano. Although the movie is intended to focus on two main characters, Dano’s portrayal doesn’t quite measure up, and the dynamic feels unbalanced. The speaker believes Austin Butler would have been a much better fit for the role, finding Dano’s performance unconvincing and unremarkable, even calling him one of the weakest actors in the Screen Actors Guild.

I usually like Tarantino’s films, but I’m always a bit puzzled by his interviews. It seems like you can praise something without constantly pointing out its flaws. For example, it’s simple to say, “This is my favorite Owen Wilson role,” or “Battle Royale was a groundbreaking film that doesn’t get enough recognition.” It’s just easier to be positive. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this list of movies – most of them are actually quite good.

Kyle Anderson is a Senior Editor at TopMob and the host of the “Laser Focus” podcast, where he dives deep into pop culture. He also writes film and TV reviews, and you can find his Letterboxd profile for more.

2025-12-04 00:04

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