Top three Quentin Tarantino movies

Renowned for the violence in his movies, Quentin Tarantino has scored at the box office for almost 20 years. With a loyal audience of mostly young men, even for his flops, Tarantino has followers.

Though Tarantino films aren’t always good, but when they are good, they’re genius. Only Tarantino can take conventional movie ideas like robbery and revenge, mix that in with killing Nazis, and turn it into a great film like no other.

(Courtesy of Miramax Films)

“Pulp Fiction”

“Pulp Fiction” lives up to its reputation as the best Tarantino film. He intertwines humor with reality in this film of violence and redemption. The movie follows four different stories about two mobsters, a boxer, a gangster’s wife and a diner-robbing couple. Each story interconnects in a fascinating web.

The true genius of “Pulp Fiction” is the script. Samuel L. Jackson’s monologues as Jules Winnfield feel like he is directly talking to the audience — instilling in them the power of his voice. The stories in the film seem so far from each other and yet at the end they come together elegantly.

The film resurrected John Travolta’s career and it changed how audiences viewed him. In the infamous disco scene, Vincent Vega (Travolta’s character) takes the stage with Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman). This scene makes fun of Travolta’s early career in movies, like “Grease” and “Saturday Night Fever” and shows that Travolta can laugh at himself.

“Pulp Fiction” is not predictable and it draws people in to just be along for the ride. When the ride’s over, viewers will have plenty to think about.

(Courtesy of The Weinstein Company and Universal Studios)

“Inglourious Basterds”

Since WWII ended there have been Nazi movies galore, but none like Tarantino’s creation: “Inglourious Basterds.” Set in France, the story follows a group of Jewish-American soldiers who call themselves the “Basterds.” Their goal is simple: Kill as many Nazis as possible. Though this makes the movie sound straightforward, the story evolves into a plot to assassinate Hitler and deals with countless problems.

“Inglourious Basterds” has one of the best movie openings in movie history and is beautifully filmed throughout. Tarantino gives the film a crisp and bright look, very aesthetically pleasing.

It has a great cast that includes Brad Pitt and B.J. Novak as two of the Basterds; Christoph Waltz plays Col. Hans Landa, the villainous Austro-German SS officer, also known as “the Jew Hunter.”

It also stands out for its use of language. Tarantino doesn’t have everyone speaking English; all the characters use their native tongues unless they have valid reasons to do so otherwise. Very few movies make this choice, but it adds an authentic level of credibility to an otherwise fictitious movie.

(Courtesy of Miramax Films)

“Reservoir Dogs”

“Reservoir Dogs” is a perfect example of how Tarantino can take an existing well-known plot and make it his own.

The movie is about a group of people who are trying to commit the perfect jewel robbery. None of them know each other so they go by fake names like Mr. Pink, Mr. White and Mr. Orange. The audience never sees the robbery and most of the movie is set after it’s done. Because the crime goes wrong they are trying to figure out who is the undercover cop.

The movie is fast paced and stylistic, but at the same time has a very realistic feel to it. “Reservoir Dogs” paints an accurate picture of human nature in such a crisis like this, and keeps the audience guessing till the end.

Tarantino is a director not limited by a genre; He has directed several different types of movies, and most successfully. It’s safe to say that when watching a Tarantino movie one can expect a thrilling, well-written script — the intricacies meld together into one simple conclusion that anyone can appreciate.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Brigid Igoe at Brigid.igoe@colorado.edu.