Quentin Tarantino Forum

"Still, I guess it was better than Drive."

Quentin Tarantino has as good a grasp of cinematic history as anyone under 50 or so, so it's always interesting to see the kinds of films that he reacts to, whether positively or otherwise. Being an industry insider, he's not going to burn any bridges by calling out crappy movies, instead focusing on the films that actually made an impression, as he's done with his second-annual "Top 11 Films" list. It's a...curious list, to be sure, with The Three Musketeers actually earning a place on it, above what are subjectively much better films that are relegated to his also-ran section, and The Artist and Our Idiot Brother actually earning a tie.

The Quentin Tarantino Archives, where the list was originally posted, is now down, but Deadline has the full list, including some other categories that I'm not going to copy/paste here. Check it out if you're interested to know more. There's no real context to these choices, but if Tarantino's interested in repeating his performance from last year, we might get a video overview of his choices sometime soon.

1. Midnight In Paris
2. Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
3. Moneyball
4. The Skin I Live In
5. X-Men: First Class
6. Young Adult
7. Attack The Block
8. Red State
9. Warrior
10. The Artist/Our Idiot Brother (tie)
11. The Three Musketeers

Others he liked (no particular order)

• 50/50
• Beginners
• Hugo
• The Iron Lady
• Carnage
• Green Hornet
• Green Lantern
• Captain America
• The Descendants
• My Week With Marilyn
• Fast Five
• Tree Of Life
• The Hangover Part II
• Mission Impossible 4
• The Beaver
• Contagion
• The Sitter
• War Horse

Nice Try Award

• Drive
• Hannah (sic)
• Drive Angry
• Real Steel

What puzzles me most here is the relative dismissal of Drive. It's been a divisive movie, but again, it's one that also rewards a general knowledge of films, and you know that Tarantino gets the 80's references that it throws out there. I don't have a problem believing that he likes a retro-pulp film like Drive Angry, but really? You liked 25 other movies more than Drive? Including Green Lantern?

Although Tarantino is my favorite director, his top lists have always been pretty weird to me.

Love Quentin Tarantino's films but every single thing I've heard about him makes me hate him.

@walkingcarpet said:

It's weird how little he liked Drive. Maybe it was too arty for him or something. Also, I still don't get the hate for Green Lantern. It was kind of a mess, but I still thought it was fun.

It felt like a very unnecessary movie, outside of being fan service. It didn't do anything especially well, and was pretty boring in it's execution of what could have been exciting material. I felt like I was watching something that was going through the numbers, kind of like the Fantstic Four movies.

"he's not going to burn any bridges by calling out crappy movies,"

A lot of other sites that posted this list included a category called 'worst movies':

Sucker Punch
Potiche (Trophy Wife)Miral
Insidious
Rampart
Straw Dogs
Paranormal Activity 3
Meek’s Cutoff

Keep in mind, Tarantino isn't solely a reviewer, and I could see this list as movies that are enjoyable, or they at least resonate with him. Any movie that I catch myself thinking about a day or even a week later I have to give props to, but probably not to the extent of putting it on a top list.

And I suspect he didn't like Drive because where his own films are arduously paced, he fills that time with snarky or witty dialogue, whereas Drive thrives in its silence.

His top 11 list is totally fine except for Musketeers.(Fuck Multi-Pass)

People don't understand why I don't like Tarantino. I hope this serves as an explanation. Someone who considers Red State and The Three Musketeers to be some of the best films of last year has poor taste.

@sissylion said:

People don't understand why I don't like Tarantino. I hope this serves as an explanation. Someone who considers Red State and The Three Musketeers to be some of the best films of last year has poor taste.

I think Red State definitely qualifies to be on this list. It's a horror film that doesn't really follow many of the tropes of that genre and we all know that Tarantino loves him some horror. But its also a drama that isn't really a drama, and it dips into a lot of other genres as well. I'm betting that's why he likes it.

I have no idea why Three Musketeers makes it though. At least Red State had some good ideas in it. Musketeers is just... no.

@yewn said:

"he's not going to burn any bridges by calling out crappy movies,"

A lot of other sites that posted this list included a category called 'worst movies':

Sucker Punch
Potiche (Trophy Wife)Miral
Insidious
Rampart
Straw Dogs
Paranormal Activity 3
Meek’s Cutoff

I don't see those on the originally linked list. Maybe they're sourced from elsewhere?

Tarantino's one of my favorite directors but I don't even get some of his tastes in movies sometimes. Particularly how he said Battle Royale was his favorite movie since he started directing.

I still fail to understand why anyone cares about Tarantino enough, to give a shit what he thinks.... he just appears to be a strange drunk these days, and his work is vastly over-rated

also.... The Three Musketeers.... REALLY!

To each their own, but The Hangover part II? Whahuh?

Well, he is a great director, but come on. From all the movie references he's put into his movies, we already know he has pretty weird taste. By weird I of course mean bad.

Some people didn't like Drive. Why does that bother Drive fans so much? Why aren't they secure enough in their belief in Drive that they let this bother them? This man has opinions that are his own. What is his rationale? No idea as I'm not Quentin Tarantino. The relative nature of truth in action. And hey, I love Rise of the Planet of the Apes and haven't seen Midnight in Paris so cool man, nice to hear his thoughts on this past year of films.

Hannah is easily in my top five. Neck-crackingly good.

And putting it in a "Nice try"category... what condescending bullshit is that?

I loved Drive (fav of the year), but all of the people being all elitist over it is dumb as shit. Everyone has different opinions and they are allowed to have that. Sure he put some pretty crappy stuff over some great stuff, but that is his personal prefrence. Who cares if Quentin Tarantino liked The Three Musketeers over Drive...who cares. Are we really that stuck up over it? I mean come on!

Although, I was happy to see Midnight In Paris on top! The GG for best screenplay was a delight as most awards this season had been ignoring it! Go Woody GO!