Quentin Tarantino has gone full scorched earth on the films coming out of Hollywood post-pandemic, branding the industry a “flavorless sausage factory.”
The maverick filmmaker said he has not really seen any recent film that has tickled his fancy, except for a Netflix thriller starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
Tarantino has also been involved in a heated back-and-forth with some of his industry peers, including Rosanna Arquette and Paul Dano, calling the latter the “weakest f-cking actor in SAG.”
Tarantino has never been one to mince words, but his latest critique of the film industry appears to be one of his most scathing yet.
Writing for Sight & Sound magazine, the Oscar-winning director took a swipe at the current state of films coming out of the industry, describing modern Hollywood as a “flavorless sausage factory.”
Given his experience directing hit classics like “Pulp Fiction” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” Tarantino revealed that “it’s almost impossible” for him to see any new movie and not pick it “to death.”
“Flaws, implausibilities, audience pandering, miscast performers, or just plain stupid sh-t usually torpedoes every new movie coming out of the flavorless sausage factory that used to call itself Hollywood,” the director lamented.
Tarantino Says New Films Inspire ‘Contempt’
In his writing, Tarantino also claimed that the movies coming out these days fail to move him in the least, before noting that they cannot be compared to the motion pictures of the ’80s.
“These days, the entire 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 said.
However, the director pointed out that some films have managed to stand out for him, though given the poor quality of the majority of modern releases, he would now “rather read a book.”
“I’ve seen movies I liked since then – ‘West Side Story’ (2021); ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ Chapter 1 and 2 (both 2024), a few others, but nothing that really held me in its grip and swept me away to the magical land of enjoyment that I use to visit regularly and was the reason I loved movies above all other artforms. These days, I’d rather read a book,” he said.
Quentin Tarantino Praises Netflix Thriller ‘The Rip’
Tarantino reserved special praise for Netflix crime drama “The Rip,” directed by Joe Carnahan and starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The cast also includes Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, and Kyle Chandler.
The story follows two police officers in the Miami-Dade Police Department who uncover corrupt practices linked to $20 million in cartel money.
“A suspenseful new movie has come out that did grab me and held me for its entire duration,” Tarantino wrote. “The film is an exciting cop thriller with a novel premise that manages to deliver the goods in really clever ways.”
He continued, “The whole package worked for me: Carnahan’s direction, the splendid cast, the look of the film (courtesy of cinematographer Juan Miguel Azpiroz) – but the real powerhouse component of this splendid collection is the sensational screenplay by Carnahan and Michael McGrale.”
Tarantino Clashed With Rosanna Arquette
It has been an onslaught of major attacks from Tarantino over the past couple of months. He and his “Pulp Fiction” actress Rosanna Arquette were on each other’s necks earlier this year when she criticized his use of the N-word in films.
Speaking in an interview with The Sunday Times, Arquette discussed her role in the hit movie, saying that while it is “a great film on a lot of levels,” she disapproves of his use of racial slurs in his films.
“Personally, I am over the use of the N-word — I hate it,” she said at the time. “I cannot stand that he [Tarantino] has been given a hall pass. It’s not art, it’s just racist and creepy.”
However, the director fired back in a letter, calling her out for making light of the film and showing “a decided lack of class, no less honor,” per Deadline.
Quentin Tarantino Was Brutally Critical Of Paul Dano
Tarantino sparked major controversy when he appeared on Bret Easton Ellis’ podcast to discuss his ranking of the best movies of the 21st century. He said he would have chosen “There Will Be Blood” as his first or second choice, but Paul Dano’s performance made him relegate it to fifth, per Variety.
He then went on a lengthy rant about how the movie was supposed to be a two-hander with lead actor Daniel Day-Lewis, but Dano could not manage to pull it off. Tarantino called him the “weakest f-cking actor in SAG” and “an uninteresting guy.”
However, his criticism backfired as fans and industry figures threw their weight behind Dano, including George Clooney, who said he “would be honored to work with” Dano.