Quentin Tarantino is one of the world’s greatest living film directors, but he’s fed up with the current state of Hollywood filmmaking. In a scathing new op-ed for Sight and Sound, the Oscar-winner said he’d “rather read a book” these days than watch new movies.
The 63-year-old lamented: “I loved going to the movies. These days, however, the concept of what is a movie is more inclined to inspire contempt in me than generosity. Which is fair enough, because by comparison the movies of the last six years make the ‘80s seem like the ‘30s.”
However, he named the only four films he has enjoyed over the last six years, and strangely, none are particularly fondly remembered.
First up, Tarantino praised Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story, which also featured on his Top 20 films of the 21st century so far. Although well-received at the time of release, the musical played it pretty safe and has largely been forgotten.
Next, he lauded Kevin Costner’s Western passion project, Horizon: An American Saga Chapters 1 and 2. The Hollywood star put in millions of his own money into what is planned as a quadrilogy. Yet the first film was a box office bomb, meaning Chapter 2’s release beyond film festivals has been delayed indefinitely. Both parts 1 and 2 received mixed reviews.
Finally, Tarantino’s fourth choice is perhaps his most surprising.
Tarantino shared: “However, a new movie has now come out that did grab me and held me for its entire duration: Joe Carnahan’s The RIP, starring the dynamic duo of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The film is an exciting cop thriller with a novel premise that manages to deliver the goods in really clever ways. The whole package worked for me: Carnahan’s direction, the splendid cast, the look of the film (courtesy of cinematographer Juan Miguel Azpiroz)-but the real powerhouse component of this splendid collection is the sensational screenplay by Carnahan and Michael McGrale. It’s been such a while since I saw a truly satisfying cop flick that I practically forgot what it felt like. The RIP doesn’t just invoke that type of film fondly; it’s one of the finest examples.”