Fez — Quentin Tarantino’s filmography is impacting and culture-shifting.
To rank the best Quentin Tarantino movies, we balanced awards recognition, critical influence, and pure appeal, prioritizing films that reshaped genres, launched careers, or defined cinematic trends.
We considered major festival and Academy recognition, breakout performances, historical impact on independent filmmaking, and staying power with audiences and critics.
1) Pulp Fiction (1994)
The touchstone of 1990s cinema: Tarantino’s plots were often a non-linear crime mosaic that vaulted indie aesthetics into the mainstream, and cemented Tarantino’s voice. It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1994 and later earned the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, earning him praise from critics and the industry.
2) Inglourious Basterds (2009)
A revisionist WWII thriller that showcases Tarantino’s gift for slow-burn tension — with iconic scenes like the farmhouse prologue and the tavern scene. Christoph Waltz’s stunning performance as Hans Landa won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the film contended across top categories.
3) Reservoir Dogs (1992)
The debut that rewired American indie films: a heist movie that never shows the heist, built on witty and sharp dialogue and fractured time. It premiered at the 1992 Sundance Film Festival, where it earned a cult following and broader distribution.
4) Django Unchained (2012)
A spaghetti-western revenge saga and one of Tarantino’s most crowd-pleasing works. It won two Oscars — Best Original Screenplay (Tarantino) and Best Supporting Actor (Christoph Waltz) — while sparking conversation around genre, history, and representation.
5) Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood (2019)
A sun-drenched homage to late-1960s Los Angeles. The film won two Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Brad Pitt and Best Production Design, affirming its craft and enduring appeal.
