Quentin Tarantino celebrates his 56th birthday on March 27, 2019. The two-time Oscar winner has delighted audiences with his quixotic mix of violence, comedy and pop culture references since emerging with the Sundance hit “Reservoir Dogs” (1992). He’s returning to theaters this year with “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019), which promises to be another singular entertainment. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at all nine of his films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1963, Tarantino made a living as a video store clerk while penning spec scripts. He made his directorial debut with “Reservoir Dogs,” a “Rashomon”-esque crime drama about a botched jewel heist. Two more of his scripts, “True Romance” (1993) and “Natural Born Killers” (1994), were later produced by Tony Scott and Oliver Stone, respectively.
He hit the Oscar jackpot just two years after his filmmaking debut with “Pulp Fiction” (1994), a multi-narrative, self-referential pastiche about a group of criminals whose lives intersect in surprising ways. After winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes, the indie hit went on to collect a screenwriting prize for Tarantino and Roger Avery, earning nominations in Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (John Travolta), Best Supporting Actor (Samuel L. Jackson), Best Supporting Actress (Uma Thurman), and Best Film Editing. A slew of imitators followed, none matching the original’s blend of carnage, comedy, and pop culture.
Tarantino returned to the Oscar race with his World War II epic “Inglourious Basterds” (2009), which brought him nominations for writing and directing. He collected his second trophy in Best Original Screenplay three years later for “Django Unchained” (2012), a spaghetti western homage about a freed slave (Jamie Foxx) searching for his wife in the Civil War-era South. Both films competed in Best Picture, and both reaped Supporting Actor victories for Christoph Waltz.
His latest film, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” hits screens on July 26. Set in 1969, the film centers on a fading television actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stuntman (Brad Pitt) during the waning days of Tinseltown’s Golden Age. Margot Robbie costars as slain movie star Sharon Tate, whose fate intersects tragically with that of the Manson family.
Tour our photo gallery above of Tarantino movies, including a few for which he didn’t receive Oscar nominations.
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