Video: Quentin Tarantino's 20 Favorite Flicks of the Past 17 Years

Categories: Hollywood

Battle_royale_pochette.jpg
Battle Royale
When Ella Taylor asked me to rename my top five films of all time, I tattled off the obvious titles. She then asked, "Any since the last 17 years?"

"In my top five?" I asked incredulously.

"Well, okay, top 10," she relented.

"Well, let me think about that."

And upon later reflection, I realized there was one movie released in the last 17 years that I love so much that, yes indeed, it could find its way onto that tough 10 list that constitutes the history of cinema.

That film would be the late Kinji Fukasaku's Japanese masterpiece, Battle Royale.

But upon singling out Battle Royale for all-time honor, I decided to list my top 20 films that came out in the last 17 years, 1992 to 2009. The only limitation I put on the films was they had to be able to withstand many viewings. So some great movies, like Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto, didn't make it because I've only seen them once, and once was enough. Except for Battle Royale at the top spot, the others are listed alphabetically:

Battle Royale (Kinji Fukasaku)

Anything Else (Woody Allen)

Audition (Takashi Miike)

The Blade (Tsui Hark)

Boogie Nights (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Dazed and Confused (Richard Linklater)

Dogville (Lars von Trier)

Fight Club (David Fincher)

Friday (F. Gary Gray)

The Host (Joon-ho Bong)

The Insider (Michael Mann)

Joint Security Area (Chan-wook Park)

Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola)

The Matrix (Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski)

Memories of Murder (Joon-ho Bong)

Police Story III (Supercop) (Stanley Tong)

Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright)

Speed (Jan de Bont)

Team America: World Police (Trey Parker)

Unbreakable (M. Night Shyamalan)

After I created this list for L.A. Weekly, I included it in my intro to a Sky Movies TV program in the U.K.:

Comments (11)

Josh says:

Aside from all the Japanese films, I'm amazed at how much Quentin's list reflects my faves. I was expecting something more pretentious, but it's obvious this entertaining director is inspired by entertaining films.

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 12:35PM
Scott Foundas says:

Dear Josh: As for "all" those Japanese films, there are exactly two on Tarantino's list, plus three from South Korea and two from Hong Kong.

Posted On: Thursday, Aug. 20 2009 @ 1:12PM
Rob Delaney says:

Gotcha Scott! Japan is made of about 700 different islands, two of which are South Korea & Hong Kong. They're among the newer additions though, so you are not alone in your confusion. Albany, NY & Marseilles are also part of Japan now.

Posted On: Friday, Aug. 21 2009 @ 12:22PM
frankie delmane says:

I am actually amazed at how pedestrian this list comes off....yeah there are some great movies there, but I think many many better ones- No Country For Old Men, L.I.E., Bully, Sexy Beast, Dead Man's Shoes, Mysterious Skin- for me any of these beat Lost In Translation or Speed or Fight Club (a movie I find insanely over rated). However, the inclusion of Anything Else is proof the guy really does love the movies. That's why I love art so much-it's all so subjective in the end-my faves are not his are not yours and isn't it all so fun to contrast and compare?!!!

Posted On: Monday, Aug. 31 2009 @ 3:34PM
Karen says:

Fight club is not over rated at all

Posted On: Friday, Sep. 4 2009 @ 4:44AM
Jan-Eike says:

Fight club is really not over rated at all

Posted On: Friday, Sep. 4 2009 @ 8:19AM
herro me so hohnee says:

geography class is overrated

Posted On: Friday, Sep. 4 2009 @ 7:03PM
abe froman says:

Hey Frankie, learn to read "20 Favorite Flicks" not better. His favorties.

Posted On: Saturday, Sep. 5 2009 @ 8:06PM
Brandnew says:

Really surprising list. I love Woddy Allen but I'm wondering why Anythnig Else, and not for example Everyone Says I love you which I thought was more brilliant. But it's interesting, and I'm going to watch all movies of this list, thinking what would be mine (not that anyone cares about my list ^^). He's absolutely right about Speed, today it seems boring but at the time, it was a revolutionary piece of action and it was leaving you breathless, I clearly remember that. I haven't seen JSA, but I can't believe Sympathy for Mr Vengeance and Old Boy aren't there, is they can be considered less good than JSA, man that will be something because these are two gems.

I think I would add also (also "favorites" since 1992)

- Brain Dead
- LOTR : Fellowship of the ring (the ultimate and most perfect fantasy movie I can think of, nothing beats that movie in the field)
- Teeth
- The Dark Knight
- The Girl Next door (Jack Ketchum)
- The Prestige
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- The Chronicles of Riddick

Certainly many others I can't remember right now.

Posted On: Sunday, Sep. 6 2009 @ 12:16PM
girls sex says:

I found a girls sex movie online and I can not use terms to express the feelings that watching the movie aroused. These are complex layers of desires, memories and thoughts that cannot be meerly summed up by a mere sexual release.

Posted On: Saturday, Jan. 16 2010 @ 6:34PM
Alvaro Seitzinger says:

Looks like the link is missing can anyone provide a re upload? Thanks!

Posted On: Sunday, Feb. 14 2010 @ 3:57PM

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