Bold claim: Quentin Tarantino’s top 20 of the 21st century redefines what a “great film” looks like, and it’s not shy about provoking debate. Tarantino has shared a refreshed, director-limited list that includes unexpected inclusions like Toy Story 3 and Shaun of the Dead, alongside modern heavyweights such as Dunkirk and Lost in Translation. This isn’t a casual best-of; it’s a carefully curated survey of contemporary cinema chosen by a filmmaker known for precise taste and fearless opinions.
The full lineup (presented in reverse order) unfolds as follows:
- 20. West Side Story, directed by Steven Spielberg
- 19. Cabin Fever, directed by Eli Roth
- 18. Moneyball, directed by Bennett Miller
- 17. Chocolate, directed by Prachya Pinkaew
- 16. The Devil’s Rejects, directed by Rob Zombie
- 15. The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson
- 14. The School of Rock, directed by Richard Linklater
- 13. Jackass: The Movie, directed by Jeff Tremaine
- 12. Big Bad Wolves, directed by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado
- 11. Battle Royale, directed by Kinji Fukasaku
- 10. Midnight in Paris, directed by Woody Allen
- 9. Shaun of the Dead, directed by Edgar Wright
- 8. Mad Max: Fury Road, directed by George Miller
- 7. Unstoppable, directed by Tony Scott
- 6. Zodiac, directed by David Fincher
- 5. There Will Be Blood, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
- 4. Dunkirk, directed by Christopher Nolan
- 3. Lost in Translation, directed by Sofia Coppola
- 2. Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unkrich
- 1. Black Hawk Down, directed by Ridley Scott
Among the standout moments, Tarantino pauses on his top pick, Black Hawk Down, noting how Ridley Scott’s war epic grew on him over time. He explains that while it captivated him at first, its intensity needed time to settle in, ultimately recognizing it as a masterwork. Tarantino highlights how the film achieves a blackened, Apocalypse Now–level sense of purpose and scale, making it, in his view, the century’s defining cinematic achievement—so far.
For readers curious about the methodology, Tarantino limited each director to a single entry on the list, underscoring a preference for breadth and cross-genre variety over franchise familiarity. The broader conversation from Ellis’s podcast reveals a mix of mainstream hits, genre-defying titles, and provocative choices that invite fans to reexamine what counts as essential modern cinema.
What do you think of Tarantino’s selections? Do you agree with his top pick, or would you champion a different film for the century’s crown? Share your thoughts in the comments and tell us which title you’d add or remove from this list.
