Legendary – and frequently outspoken – director Quentin Tarantino has unveiled the first half of his best 21st Century movies list, but it comes with a hot take so nuclear that I feel like my face is melting off, Ark of the Covenant style.
Speaking on the Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Tarantino began his top 20 with Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of musical West Side Story – a critically acclaimed darling that was nominated for Best Picture and netted a Best Supporting Actress win for Ariana DeBose at the 94th Academy Awards.
“This is the one where Steven shows he still has it,” Tarantino remarked (H/T Variety). “I don’t think Scorsese has made a film this exciting [this century].”
An eyebrow-raising take, for sure – even if you’re a major supporter of West Side Story (unfortunately, audiences didn’t exactly flock to the cinema in their droves, with it grossing only $76 million).
For his part, Martin Scorsese has released multiple films that have become modern classics in the past quarter-of-a-century. His full 21st Century filmography is: Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Hugo, Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence, The Irishman, and Killers of the Flower Moon.
In terms of pure crowd-pleasing excitement, it might be hard to argue with Tarantino’s take, but the jury is still out for those who champion Scorsese’s work.
If you were curious, the rest of Tarantino’s ordered list so far (with the next 10 being revealed in the next episode) include: Cabin Fever, Moneyball, Chocolate, The Devil’s Rejects, The Passion of the Christ, School of Rock, Jackass: The Movie, Big Bad Wolves, and Battle Royale.
Next up for Tarantino is a maximalist re-release of Kill Bill, titled The Whole Bloody Affair. The remaster packages together both Kill Bill parts into one ultra-long cut, including a “never-before-seen” anime sequence.
For more, check out our ranking of the best Tarantino movies.
