Quentin Tarantino just torched modern Hollywood, but one recent movie earned his rare stamp of approval. The legendary director shared his unfiltered thoughts on the current state of filmmaking. Further, he revealed the single film that actually impressed him.
Quentin Tarantino blasts modern Hollywood
Quentin Tarantino has harshly criticized the current state of Hollywood in a new piece for Sight & Sound magazine, as reported by Variety.
The Oscar-winning director described the industry as a “flavorless sausage factory that used to call itself Hollywood.” He added, “Flaws, implausibilities, audience pandering, miscast performers or just plain stupid shit usually torpedoes every new movie.”
Tarantino explained that the modern concept of filmmaking now “inspires contempt” rather than “generosity” in him. He noted, “By comparison, the movies of the last six years make the 80s seem like the 30s.” The director also admitted he would now rather read a book than watch new releases.
However, Tarantino did acknowledge a few recent films he enjoyed. He named West Side Story (2021) and both chapters of Horizon: An American Saga (2024) as exceptions. Still, he said nothing truly “held me in its grip and swept me away to the magical land of enjoyment.”
One film did ultimately break through his skepticism. Tarantino praised Joe Carnahan’s Netflix crime drama The Rip, starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. He called it “an exciting cop thriller with a novel premise that manages to deliver the goods in really clever ways.” He specifically highlighted “the sensational screenplay by Carnahan and Michael McGrale” as the film’s standout element.
Meanwhile, Tarantino is currently developing a play titled The Popinjay Cavalier for London’s West End. The project is described as a “swashbuckling comedy” set in 1930s Europe, with a planned 2027 premiere. The director has not yet announced his final feature film before his planned retirement from cinema.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on ComingSoon.
