Quentin Tarantino has revealed part of his highly anticipated ranking, sharing his selection of the greatest films of the 21st century thus far during his appearance on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. This new Quentin Tarantino best movies list, announced in June 2024, has drawn widespread attention, especially as the director made bold and unexpected choices for his No. 20 through No. 11 picks.
Tarantino’s Top Movie Picks from 20 to 11 Revealed
On The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Oscar winner Quentin Tarantino listed his choices for the 20th to 11th best films of this century, spanning a broad range of genres and international cinema. These picks include Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” at No. 20, Eli Roth’s “Cabin Fever” at No. 19, Bennett Miller’s “Moneyball” at No. 18, Prachya Pinkaew’s “Chocolate” at No. 17, Rob Zombie’s “The Devil’s Rejects” at No. 16, Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” at No. 15, Richard Linklater’s “School of Rock” at No. 14, Jeff Tremaine’s “Jackass: The Movie” at No. 13, Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado’s “Big Bad Wolves” at No. 12, and Kinji Fukasaku’s “Battle Royale” at No. 11.
His selections highlight iconic directors such as Steven Spielberg and Mel Gibson, as well as international talents like Prachya Pinkaew and Kinji Fukasaku. Including cult classics alongside widely celebrated titles, Tarantino’s list is as unpredictable as his own filmography, making it a point of conversation among cinephiles and fans alike.
Reflecting on the Influence of “Battle Royale” and Its Reception
For those familiar with Tarantino’s cinematic passions, his admiration for “Battle Royale” by Kinji Fukasaku comes as no shock. Over the years, Tarantino has consistently referenced this violent, dystopian film among his personal favorites. The story, based on Koushun Takami’s novel, follows a group of junior high students who are compelled by a totalitarian Japanese government to battle one another until only one survivor remains.
Tarantino has openly compared “Battle Royale” to the “The Hunger Games” series penned by author Suzanne Collins. Both franchises have similar plot foundations: young people placed in a deadly competition orchestrated by an authoritarian regime. Tarantino voiced his disbelief that the “Battle Royale” creators never pursued legal action against the American franchise’s author.
“I do not understand how the Japanese writer didn’t sue Suzanne Collins for every fucking thing she owns,”
said Tarantino.
“They just ripped off the fucking book! Stupid book critics are not going to go watch a Japanese movie called ‘Battle Royale,’ so the stupid book critics never called her out on it. They talked about how it was the most original thing they’d ever fucking read. As soon as the film critics saw the film they said, ‘What the fuck! This is just ‘Battle Royale’ except PG!’”
—Quentin Tarantino, Filmmaker.
Tarantino narrated his personal experience discovering “Battle Royale,” having been friends with its director while visiting Japan to do preliminary work for his own film, “Kill Bill.” Tarantino recounted,
“I had no idea what the fuck I was about to see,”
he said.
“And holy fucking shit! I don’t even know what I saw. It was so wild… three months later I was at the Seattle Film Festival. They were going to be showing ‘Battle Royale’ at midnight. Nobody had seen this in America yet. I got to the midnight screening and that was one of the most exciting screenings as I waited for the movie to start. I knew what they were going to see. This is going to deliver more than they even know! They are not prepared for how this is going to deliver. To have that knowledge was power.”
—Quentin Tarantino, Filmmaker.
Unexpected Praise for Diverse Films and Directors
Tarantino’s selections featured both celebrated dramas and unconventional comedies. When discussing “West Side Story,” his twentieth pick, Tarantino applauded Steven Spielberg’s recent remake.
“This is the one where Steven shows he still has it. I don’t think Scorsese has made a film this exciting [this century],”
remarked Quentin Tarantino, Filmmaker.
Among his most surprising inclusions is “Jackass: The Movie” by Jeff Tremaine. Tarantino explained,
“I laughed the most at these last 20 years. I don’t remember laughing beginning to the end like this since Richard Pryor… As I was making ‘Kill Bill’ I thought this movie was so fucking funny I had to show it to the crew, so we found a print, and we watched the movie and just died.”
—Quentin Tarantino, Filmmaker.
This appreciation for a wide array of genres, from serious dramas to offbeat comedies, underlines his complex and often turbulent taste in film. His list covers directors as varied as Richard Linklater, Rob Zombie, Aharon Keshales, and Navot Papushado, as well as movies from diverse regions and cultural backgrounds.
Looking Ahead: Tarantino’s Top 10 and Film Legacy
The partial release of Quentin Tarantino’s selections has fueled anticipation for the remainder of his Quentin Tarantino best movies list. Fans and critics alike now eagerly await the unveiling of his definitive top 10 films of the 21st century on the next episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast.
Tarantino’s opinions continue to spark debate among filmmakers, critics—including book critics and film critics—and audiences worldwide. They also put a fresh spotlight on underappreciated works from directors like Kinji Fukasaku and international filmmakers such as Prachya Pinkaew, while reigniting discussion over the influence that films like “Battle Royale” have had on global pop culture.
As Tarantino, an Oscar-winning filmmaker known for his unpredictable perspectives, prepares to release his top 10, the film industry and fans will be watching closely. The impact of his choices, given his standing as a director and cinephile, is expected to resonate for some time and may even prompt re-evaluations of overlooked films both in America and abroad.
