Quentin Tarantino Names the Movie He Thinks is an Absolute Masterpiece

During a deep-dive conversation with author Bret Easton Ellis for his eponymous podcast, Tarantino discussed his favorites of the 21st century and singled out a Pixar classic for the highest honors.

Toy Story 3 is a masterpiece and was my favourite movie of that year, he declared, referring to the 2010 blockbuster that notoriously moved audiences to tears. To Tarantino, the film isn’t just a great cartoon; it is a “magnificent” piece of storytelling that he considers one of the best movies he has ever seen.

The director’s admiration for the Toy Story franchise is so intense that it has actually prevented him from keeping up with the newer installments. He believes the third film provided such a flawless conclusion to the journey of Woody and Buzz that any further exploration of their world is unnecessary.

He has famously stated that he refuses to watch the fourth film because the ending of the third was the greatest end of a trilogy he had ever witnessed, comparing its impact to the legendary western The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

Tarantino’s surprising soft spot for family-friendly media has only deepened since becoming a father. He recently shared that he has spent a significant amount of time exploring the world of children’s television with his young son. In an interview with Empire, he jokingly made a bold claim about a certain farm-dwelling character. I actually do like Peppa Pig; I watch it a lot… I’ll say it – Peppa Pig is the greatest British import of this decade, he admitted with a smile.

While he enjoys the simpler pleasures of British animation, his first official movie-watching experience with his son was a bit more of a marathon. He recalled watching the Illumination sequel Despicable Me 2 in small bites over the course of an entire week. Tarantino noted that while he found the experience consuming, it was a fascinating way to introduce his child to the basic concepts of cinema and long-form storytelling.

Beyond these children’s favorites, the director has occasionally touched on more avant-garde or adult-oriented projects that flirt with the medium. He has previously praised the psychedelic visuals of Gaspar Noé’s Enter the Void, which utilizes heavy digital manipulation and animation techniques. He also remains a vocal fan of the puppet-led satire Team America: World Police, which he views as a unique and effective use of non-human performers to tell a biting political story.

As of early 2026, Quentin Tarantino’s professional life is in a state of major transition following his shocking decision to scrap The Movie Critic, which was intended to be his tenth and final project.

Instead, he has focused his energy on writing, recently serving as the screenwriter for the upcoming David Fincher-directed sequel, The Adventures of Cliff Booth. The film, which wrapped production in January, stars Brad Pitt and serves as a direct follow-up to the world of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

The director is also keeping busy as a theater owner, having recently overseen a massive renovation of the Vista Theatre in Los Angeles. He has spent much of the last year hosting exclusive 70mm screenings and promoting his latest non-fiction books on film history. While he has hinted that his final directorial effort may not go into production until his son is at least six years old, his influence on Hollywood remains as potent as ever through his scripts, theater curation, and frequent podcast appearances.

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