Quentin Tarantino hates modern movies apart from ‘The Rip’: “These days I’d rather read a book”
Quentin Tarantino has criticised the current cinematic landscape, admitting he’d “rather read a book” than go to the cinema.
Tarantino, whose last film, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, came out in 2019, has been a vocal critic of modern movies, and in a new essay, he’s reiterated his less-than-favourable stance.
In a new essay for Sight and Sound (via World of Reel), the director shared how he’s fallen out of love with the practice of going to the cinema, writing, “I loved going to the movies. These days, however, the concept of what is a movie is more inclined to inspire contempt in me than generosity. Which is fair enough, because by comparison the movies of the last six years make the ‘80s seem like the ‘30s.”
He then listed a small selection of unlikely films that have impressed him in recent years, which were all maligned by the general public, sharing, “I’ve seen movies I’ve liked since then — West Side Story (2021); Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 & 2, a few others.”
Tarantino admitted, “But nothing that really held me in its grip, and swept me away to the magical land of enjoyment that I used to visit and was the reason why I loved movies above all artforms. These days I’d rather read a book.”
However, there is one 2026 movie that has seemingly reinvigorated Tarantino’s belief in cinema, which is Joe Carnahan’s The Rip, starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, that arrived directly on Netflix in January with no cinematic release.
Tarantino said of the film, “However, a new movie has now come out that did grab me and held me for its entire duration: Joe Carnahan’s The RIP, starring the dynamic duo of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.”
His latest remarks on the world of cinema come just months after he upset many by taking shots at Paul Dano, Matthew Lillard, and Owen Wilson while naming his 25 favourite movies of the 21st century so far.
Notably, while neither Horizon: An American Saga made the cut, he did include West Side Story in his list, and if his latest comments are anything to go by, The Rip would be among the top places when he next updates the ranking.
Tarantino is currently not occupied with Hollywood; instead, his creative focus is on his upcoming debut West End play, The Popinjay Caveli, which is set to arrive in London in early 2027.
The official synopsis for the play reads, “Set in 1830s Europe, The Popinjay Cavalier is a rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the grand swashbuckling epics of stage and screen. A sweeping celebration of theatre and its heightened romance, told with Tarantino’s signature style and unmistakable wit.”
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