The One Movie Quentin Tarantino Believes Is the Greatest Hangout Film of All Time

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Quentin Tarantino started as a passionate movie buff and video store employee, eventually becoming one of the most famous and respected directors of all time. His love for film began early, with movies like Deliverance inspiring him to start writing his own screenplays at just fourteen years old.

He’s known for saying he didn’t learn filmmaking in school, but by simply watching movies his whole life. This passion clearly shows in his work, as each film is carefully made as a tribute to the rich history of cinema.

The director is famous for speaking his mind, and he often highlights the films that shaped his distinctive approach. In a recent interview where he shared his favorite movies from the late 1990s and early 2000s, he called one film the absolute best example of the ‘hangout movie’ genre.

He selected the 1993 film Dazed and Confused, a popular movie directed by Richard Linklater. The film is set on the last day of high school in 1976 Texas and beautifully captures the feeling of being young and the challenges of growing up, following a group of students as they experience this transition.

Tarantino believes the film’s charm comes from how relatable and comforting the characters are, feeling like people you’ve known for years when you rewatch it. He compares it to the classic Western Rio Bravo, praising its ability to make the audience feel like they’re just hanging out with old friends.

This movie helped launch the careers of actors like Matthew McConaughey and Ben Affleck. Though it didn’t begin as a blockbuster, it’s now considered a classic coming-of-age story.

Richard Linklater is having a very productive period as a director. His latest film, Blue Moon – a 2025 biography about songwriter Lorenz Hart – has earned Ethan Hawke an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The film continues the strong, long-lasting creative relationship between Linklater and Hawke.

The director is being widely praised for his new film, Nouvelle Vague. Shot in black and white as a homage to the French New Wave cinema movement, the French-language film debuted at Cannes and is now gaining momentum during awards season.

Matthew McConaughey is continuing his impressive career with the recent release of “The Rivals of Amziah King,” a well-received crime thriller. The film, directed by Andrew Patterson, showcases McConaughey as a captivating character in a rural Oklahoma setting, and also features strong performances from Kurt Russell and Cole Sprouse.

The actor also stars in The Lost Bus, a powerful and moving film on Apple TV+ inspired by the real stories of the California wildfires, and directed by Paul Greengrass. The team behind this critically acclaimed film consistently delivers thought-provoking work, whether they’re tackling historical ideas or contemporary issues, making them some of the most influential voices in the film industry today.

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2026-02-02 16:45