Bold claim: Quentin Tarantino’s top-20 list of the 21st century proves even a legendary maverick can surprise us with a mix of mainstream hits and unexpected picks. Here’s a fresh, fully reworded version that preserves every key detail while making the ideas feel new and accessible.
If there’s one filmmaker who seems to understand the magic of a great movie, it’s Quentin Tarantino. Several of his peers’ films—most notably Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs—have long earned spots on our best-movies rankings, and a 2020 list highlighted more 21st-century greats. Now, due to a conversation on the Bret Easton Ellis podcast, we’ve learned which films Tarantino personally regards as the century’s finest—and the lineup features titles like Toy Story 3, Shaun of the Dead, and Dunkirk.
Tarantino kicked off his countdown on Ellis’s podcast, allowing himself just one film per director. He named favorites such as School of Rock, The Devil’s Rejects, and, in a move that sparked widespread online debate, Battle Royale among his top choices. The second half of the discussion has now revealed his definitive top 20, listed here in reverse order:
- West Side Story, directed by Steven Spielberg
- Cabin Fever, directed by Eli Roth
- Moneyball, directed by Bennett Miller
- Chocolate, directed by Prachya Pinkaew
- The Devil’s Rejects, directed by Rob Zombie
- The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson
- The School of Rock, directed by Richard Linklater
- Jackass: The Movie, directed by Jeff Tremaine
- Big Bad Wolves, directed by Aharon Kishales and Navot Papushado
- Battle Royale, directed by Kinji Fukasaku
- Midnight in Paris, directed by Woody Allen
- Shaun of the Dead, directed by Edgar Wright
- Mad Max: Fury Road, directed by George Miller
- Unstoppable, directed by Tony Scott
- Zodiac, directed by David Fincher
- There Will Be Blood, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
- Dunkirk, directed by Christopher Nolan
- Lost in Translation, directed by Sofia Coppola
- Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unkrich
- Black Hawk Down, directed by Ridley Scott
Tarntino has often admitted that, while his top pick might surprise some, it’s a film by Ridley Scott that grew on him over time. He previously felt it started too intensely and didn’t stay with him as permanently as it should have. Yet after revisiting it a few times, he calls it a masterwork—the only film that fully captures an Apocalypse Now–level sense of purpose, intensity, and visual impact. By his account, Black Hawk Down stands as Tarantino’s century-defining movie so far.
This list invites readers to question conventional rankings and defend personal favorites. Do you agree with Tarantino’s picks? Which film would you swap, and why? Share your take in the comments.
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