Here’s how to watch the whole bloody affair of his films.

A guide to Quentin Tarantino’s movies in order, from his daring debut to his double features

Here's how to watch the whole bloody affair of his films.

January 12, 2026 12:08 p.m. ET

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Three of QT's muses: Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, and Christoph Waltz. Credit:

Andrew Cooper; Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection; Francois Duhamel/Weinstein Company

For more than 30 years, Quentin Tarantino has been among the most famous directors not only of his generation, but of all time. Not bad for a high-school dropout who worked at a video store and in bit parts on sitcoms before getting his big Hollywood break.

Tarantino’s movies are known for pithy, profane dialogue and are liberally peppered with pop-culture references, graphic violence, and over-the-top cinematic flourishes. They serve as road maps to the filmmaker’s own cinematic obsessions, from Hong Kong actioners to old TV Westerns and beyond, and in his later years have doubled as pulpy reimaginings of real history.

It’s difficult to overstate how influential Tarantino and his films have been in American cinema since the mid-’90s — so much so that it’s probably best to see for yourself. His movies are also, for the most part, commercially successful, which means they stay in circulation even when the studios behind them change.

Here’s where to catch up with every stage of Tarantino's arc, from wisecracking upstart to Hollywood royalty.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

The fellas! Mr. Blonde, Mr. Brown, Mr. White, Nice Guy Eddie, Joe, Mr. Orange, and Mr. Pink.

Miramax Films/Courtesy Everett

Although Tarantino had already made headway in the industry — writing and selling the script that became *True Romance *(1993), directed by the late Tony Scott — his feature directorial debut still announced the arrival of a major talent.* Reservoir Dogs* was a Sundance sensation, one of a handful of films that made that festival the center of indie film culture in the ’90s and into the new millennium.

At the time, buzz around the movie made Tarantino one of the most talked-about filmmakers in town, setting the stage for his later blockbuster success. These days, the tale of Mr. Pink, Mr. Blonde, and their bank-robbing cohorts is a bit more divisive, drawing particular criticism for its use of racial slurs.

Where to watch *Reservoir Dogs*: Amazon Prime (to rent)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson on the verge of divine intervention (maybe) in 'Pulp Fiction'.

Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection

Tarantino's debut made him an indie darling, but *Pulp Fiction* made him a household name. The pop-culture impact of his second film is difficult to overstate: It won top prizes everywhere from the Cannes Film Festival to the MTV Movie Awards and got parodied by *The Simpsons* and *MADtv*. It revived John Travolta’s career and made bona fide movie stars of Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman.

The film introduced new slang into the lexicon, repopularized surf rock, and spawned dozens of fast-talking imitators. None of them, however, could match the “cool factor” of Tarantino’s film, whose highly quotable dialogue won him the first of his two Academy Awards for screenwriting.

Where to watch *Pulp Fiction*: Netflix

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Jackie Brown (1997)

Pam Grier, knowing she has Robert Forster and Michael Keaton in the palm of her hand, in 'Jackie Brown'.

Miramax Films/ Courtesy Everett Collection

Tarantino followed *Pulp Fiction*’s massive critical and commercial with this smaller, more mature drama, the only Tarantino film to be based on someone else’s source material.* Jackie Brown *comes from a place of deep love and respect both for Elmore Leonard — whose novel *Rum Punch* was its basis — and star Pam Grier, who built her reputation on ‘70s Blaxploitation movies and hadn’t had a starring film role in almost 20 years.

Neither had Robert Forster, who stars as Grier’s foil (and eventual love interest) alongside Robert De Niro, Bridget Fonda, and a ponytailed Jackson. While its financial and critical response was a bit cooler than its predecessor, *Jackie Brown*’s reputation has only grown over time, now topping many critics’ lists as Tarantino’s best.

Where to watch *Jackie Brown*: Amazon Prime (to rent)

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

The Bride dons Bruce Lee's duds and takes on the Crazy 88 in 'Kill Bill: Vol. 1'.

The first half of Tarantino’s epic action-movie mixtape *Kill Bill* is both ultra-stylish and ultra-violent, qualities that blend to create a kinetic blur of flashing blades and spurting arteries. In this installment, the assassin known — for now — only as the Bride (Uma Thurman) takes her single-minded revenge campaign to Japan (plus a stopover in the American suburbs).

Lucy Liu is one of the Bride’s most ruthless ex-cohorts, a samurai sword-wielding yakuza boss with an anime backstory, part of a larger tribute to iconic Asian directors epitomized by the film’s famous “House of Blue Leaves” sequence.

Recently revived theatrically as part of the unrated *Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair,* that extended segment, like the movie in general, continues to thrill audiences.

Where to watch *Kill Bill: Vol. 1:* Amazon Prime (to rent)

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

Let's just say it was a messy breakup. The Bride (Uma Thurman) finally meets her prey (David Carradine).

*Kill Bill* slows down in its talkier second half. Save for a flashback in China, where the Bride — her name finally un-bleeped as Beatrix Kiddo — trains with martial-arts master Pai Mei (Gordon Liu), *Kill Bill: Vol. 2* takes place in Texas and Mexico, a change in location that necessitates a shift in filmmaking style. Tarantino’s primary influence here is the Spaghetti Western, reflected in the film’s stunning landscape photography and operatic sense of destiny. (Ennio Morricone needle-drops complete the effect.)

As with *Vol. 1,* *Vol. 2 *stands on its own. But both play even better in *The Whole Bloody Affair, *which showcases Thurman’s powerful performance with its full, sweeping emotional arc.

Where to watch* Kill Bill: Vol. 2:* Amazon Prime (to rent)

Death Proof (2007)

Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) wields his weapon in 'Death Proof'.

Andrew Cooper/Weinstein Company

*Death Proof* is the closest Tarantino has come to making a horror movie, combining the structure, plotting, and slow build-up of a classical slasher with his signature patter while painting his kill scenes as thrilling action set pieces. Stuntwoman Zoë Bell highlights a cast of heroines who find themselves in the sights of iconic action-movie cool guy Kurt Russell, playing against type as a sadistic stuntman whose custom reinforced car doubles as his weapon of choice.

*Death Proof* was originally released alongside *Planet Terror, *by QT’s longtime friend and collaborator Robert Rodriguez, as part of the duo’s ill-fated *Grindhouse *double feature. It flopped in theaters, and many still considered it a lesser Tarantino entry. Then again, his worst is better than many directors’ best.

Where to watch *Death Proof:* Amazon Prime (to rent)

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) lets his Nazi captive know who's in charge in 'Inglourious Basterds'. Francois Duhamel/TWC

This marked the beginning of a new era in Tarantino’s career. The first of the director’s alternate histories, *Inglourious Basterds *(misspelling intentional) tackles the atrocities of WWII, blending cinephilia with Jewish revenge through the story of Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent), a Parisian projectionist whose theater is forced to host a Nazi propaganda movie premiere. Her burgeoning operation happens to coincide with the plans of eponymous, Nazi-scalping commando unit, which has become the scourge of the Third Reich.

The film brought Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz into the Tarantino-verse, introducing Waltz — already a successful actor in Germany — to American audiences. As if the film’s final line didn’t make it clear enough already, the director reportedly considers this his masterpiece.

Where to watch *Inglourious Basterds: *Amazon Prime (to rent)

Django Unchained (2012)

Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx, on their way to collect another bounty in 'Django Unchained'.

Andrew Cooper/Weinstein Company

Tarantino won his second Oscar for this revisionist Western, the filmmaker’s highest-grossing movie to date.* *Like* Basterds*, *Django Unchained* takes a darkly comedic approach to righting historical wrongs. Its formerly enslaved title character, played by Jamie Foxx, is recruited by German bounty hunter King Schultz (Waltz) for a series of bounties leading up to a violent revenge plot against sadistic plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who just so happens to be in possession of Django’s wife, Hildi (Kerry Washington).

Jackson is back in the QT fold as well, in a character that reveals himself as far more than what he appears to be. Upon its release, the film was the subject of both praise — including five Academy Award nominations — and controversy.

Where to watch *Django Unchained*: Amazon Prime (to buy)

The Hateful Eight (2015)

English Pete, The Hangman, and Daisy Domergue eye each other in 'The Hateful Eight'.

Andrew Cooper/ The Weinstein Company

One might call the production of *The Hateful Eight* “troubled.” Tarantino’s script leaked online in January 2014, leading the director to consider shelving the project before salvaging it with revisions and a live read of the screenplay later that year. The frustration and conflict behind its conception translates into the film, a snowy Western chamber piece that — despite being presented in “glorious 70mm” — mostly takes place in a single (and very cold) room.

With a cast that’s equal parts Tarantino regulars and new (but famous) faces like Walton Goggins and Jennifer Jason Leigh, the pleasures of a Tarantino movie are all present here, but with an undertone that’s, well, hateful.

Where to watch *The Hateful Eight*: Netflix

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)

He's Rick ****ing Dalton, and don't you forget it: Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt in 'Hollywood'.

Andrew Cooper/Columbia

He still technically owes us one more according to his planned 10-film career arc (he counts *Kill Bill* as one movie, which is fair), but if *Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood *ends up being Tarantino’s last feature, it will be a fitting coda. Compared to early work like *Reservoir Dogs* and* Pulp Fiction,* *Once Upon a Time *is more mature and reflective, the product of a director who’s been successful for decades, now grappling with his place in Hollywood and the world.

It’s also another of his alternate histories, a love letter to late actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and a passing of the baton to a new generation of actors like Margaret Qualley, Austin Butler, Mikey Madison, and Maya Hawke — daughter of Uma Thurman, Tarantino’s longtime muse.

Where to watch *Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood*: Amazon Prime (to rent)

How to watch Quentin Tarantino’s movies in release order**

- *Reservoir Dogs *(1992)

- *Pulp Fiction *(1994)

- *Jackie Brown *(1997)

- *Kill Bill: Vol. 1 *(2003)

- *Kill Bill: Vol. 2 *(2004)

- *Death Proof *(2007)

- *Inglourious Basterds *(2009)

- *Django Unchained *(2012)

- *The Hateful Eight *(2015)

- *Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood *(2019)

- Celebrities & Creators

- Entertainment Industry Roles

- Movie & TV Directors

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Movie”