Tarantino expressed profound admiration for ‘Black Hawk Down’. “It maintains the intensity for 2 hours and 45 minutes… my heart beat the whole time of the movie; it caught me and did not let me go… The feat of directing is more than extraordinary,” he stated.
In a surprising second place, according to reports from the specialised blog World of Reel, Tarantino ranked ‘Toy Story 3’ (2010), directed by Lee Unkrich. He highlighted the film’s emotional power, noting, “Those last five minutes just tore my heart out… It’s almost a perfect movie.”
Tarantino’s complete top ten list showcases a diverse range of genres and filmmakers:
- ‘Black Hawk Down’ – Ridley Scott
- ‘Toy Story 3’ – Lee Unkrich
- ‘Lost in Translation’ – Sofia Coppola
- ‘Dunkirk’ – Christopher Nolan
- ‘There Will Be Blood’ – Paul Thomas Anderson
- ‘Zodiac’ – David Fincher
- ‘Unstoppable’ – Tony Scott
- ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ – George Miller
- ‘Shaun of the Dead’ – Edgar Wright
- ‘Midnight in Paris’ – Woody Allen
Tarantino had previously disclosed positions eleven through twenty. This portion of the list included unexpected entries such as ‘Jackass: The Movie’ (Jeff Tremaine) at number 13 and ‘School of Rock’ (Richard Linklater) at number 14. The list concluded with Steven Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story’ (2021) in twentieth place.
Quentin Tarantino names his 10 favorite movies of 21st century — and he ranked this ‘extraordinary’ film No. 1 https://t.co/nyjaKxmGfK pic.twitter.com/WaEONQOfAC
— New York Post (@nypost) December 3, 2025
Read: Quentin Tarantino Names His Top Films on Church of Tarantino Podcast
This ranking offers a unique window into the cinematic tastes of one of modern cinema’s most influential auteurs, blending revered critical darlings with populist hits and genre films, all united by his distinct perspective on directorial achievement and emotional resonance.