Quentin Tarantino’s fondness for the movies is well-documented. Besides his own work as a filmmaker, he’s also worked to get several of his most beloved films wider release and now owns a movie theater; he’s also written a work of nonfiction about going to the movies.
But what about the flip side of that metaphorical coin? In other words — is there an equally rarefied group of films that Tarantino strongly dislikes? As IndieWire recently revealed, Tarantino also has a significant list of his least favorite films — and it’s as wide-ranging as the list of his personal favorites. IndieWire’s Alison Foreman reviewed interviews, podcasts and prose from Tarantino to zero in on 14 films that are expressly not recommended by the director.
Several of Bill Murray’s films from the 80s and 90s were among those critiqued — namely, Striped, Scrooged and Groundhog Day. “I’ve always rejected the idea that Bill Murray’s characters needed redemption,” Tarantino wrote — and criticized all three films for the heavy-handed ways in which they made their lead characters more likable.
Tarantino has also not been shy about criticizing follow-ups to work he did like, with the second and third Matrix films and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me both facing harsh words. In other instances, he’s also been willing to critique films he had a closer connection with — based on the quote cited in the article, he’s not a fan of the approach Oliver Stone took for Natural Born Killers.
Whether or not you agree or disagree with his takes on these films, there’s a lot to think about here — and, perhaps, some commentary that might impact the way you process films yourself.
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