Earlier this year, Quentin Tarantino, when asked to parse the high points of his filmography in an interview, described the two-part “Kill Bill” (2003-04) as “the movie I was born to make.” He added, “I think ‘Inglourious Basterds’ is my masterpiece, but ‘Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood’ is my favorite.” Might these be distinctions without a difference? I’m generally wary of artistic-birthright narratives, not least because a filmmaker of remarkable talent, consistent vision, and good fortune might well wind up with multiple candidates for the honor. Witness Ryan Coogler, who has applied the “born to make” language to both his first feature, “Fruitvale Station” (2013), and his latest, “Sinners” (2025)—his only two pictures, it’s worth noting, that aren’t installments in a studio franch

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