The One Movie Quentin Tarantino Recommends Watching More Than Once

Quentin Tarantino has never been shy about praising the work of his peers, but his admiration for Paul Thomas Anderson seems to carry a special weight. During a discussion with Sky Movies, the director of Pulp Fiction hailed Anderson’s 2007 epic There Will Be Blood as one of the standout achievements of the decade.

Tarantino described Anderson as a unique artistic force in the modern era, famously referring to him as his most contemporary, most friendly competitor and expressing his gratitude for being able to work alongside him.

However, when it came down to labeling a masterpiece, Tarantino chose to look further back into Anderson’s filmography. While acknowledging the brilliance of the oil-drilling drama, he admitted that Boogie Nights remains his personal favorite. He explained that although There Will Be Blood is a stunning piece of work, he finds himself more drawn to the exuberance of Anderson’s earlier film than the strict formalism of his 2007 effort.

One of the more interesting points Tarantino made was that the film is too intense to fully grasp after just one viewing. He argued that it is the kind of movie that practically demands a second look before anyone can have a truly meaningful conversation about it. According to him, the experience of the first viewing is so overwhelming that trying to discuss it immediately after would likely result in gibberish.

Tarantino even shared a humorous story about a conversation he had with Anderson shortly after seeing the film for the first time. He initially told the director that he was surprised by the lack of traditional cinematic set pieces. Anderson was amused by the comment, responding with a simple thank you and jokingly asking if the scene where the oil fire is extinguished counted as one.

It wasn’t until Tarantino revisited the movie that he realized his first impression was completely off. Upon watching it again, he admitted that he had been entirely incorrect in his initial assessment. He concluded that the massive oil fire sequence was, in fact, an absolutely brilliant piece of filmmaking that served as a perfect set piece.

As we move through the year, both directors are still major figures in the Hollywood landscape. Paul Thomas Anderson is currently enjoying the critical and commercial success of his latest film, One Battle After Another, which hit theaters in late 2025.

The movie, which is a sprawling black-comedy action thriller inspired by the novel Vineland, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro. It has been a dominant force this awards season, leading the BAFTA nominations and winning Best Picture at the Critics’ Choice Awards in January.

Meanwhile, Quentin Tarantino has been keeping fans on their toes regarding his tenth and final directorial project. While he famously scrapped The Movie Critic last year, his writing remains in the spotlight with the release of The Adventures of Cliff Booth. This new period comedy-drama, which Tarantino wrote but David Fincher directed, wrapped filming in mid-January 2026.

The Netflix project sees Brad Pitt return to his Oscar-winning role from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, alongside a massive cast including Elizabeth Debicki and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Do you agree with Tarantino that a movie like There Will Be Blood requires multiple viewings to be truly understood, or should a masterpiece make its point clear the first time around? Share your thoughts in the comments.