17) Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Tarantino’s latest movie showcases a low-key, more reflective entry into his filmography. Taking a more slice of life approach, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino uses the life of actor Richard Dalton and his bodyguard to profess his love for classic Hollywood at his most explicit. On top of Leonardo DiCaprio’s powerhouse performance and Brad Pitt showing off an old-school approach to cool, Tarantino gushes with old-Hollywood references and filmmaking techniques. Tarantino clearly wanted to tell this story for a long time, as on top of the fun exploring 60’s Hollywood there is clear anxiety in this film about his own relevance as a filmmaker, and how to move forward if he feels he peaked. It’s still Tarantino, so we do get some violence and bombast, but it never loses its reflective tone, which makes the film a unique entree into his ever-colorful oeuvre.
