Here's a curveball for you. When thinking about the next director to discuss, I thought what the hell, let's do good 'ol Clint. I had to double check with IMDB just in case there were some I forgot. Although he has directed quite a few movies, he had not done as many as I supposed. All right, let's go.

1. Million Dollar Baby - say what you want about this film, like it or not, I loved it and thought it deserved all the awards it received. It was a movie experience, when I saw it, that ranks right up there with the tops, it really hit emotionally and all the performances were top notch. So glad Clint decided to star in it (he wasn't going to act anymore) because it is one of his best performances.

2. A Perfect World - I throw this in here ahead of Mystic River, just to bring to your attention (if you haven't seen it), to this very good film. I know Kevin Costner gets a lot of mixed reviews but sometimes he's all right in my book and in this film he's at his best. Clint is good and the little boy (whose name escapes me at this name) was fabulous. And hey Laura Dern is in it too.

3. Mystic River - great cast...great script...definitely one of the finest performaces in Sean Penn's and Tim Robbins' career (even though Ben Kingsley should have won best actor)...One thing I noticed about this was how much of it is shot in "darkness" and thought that it added considerably to the mood of the film. And in the darkness of their subconscious, meaning the three boys in the beginning, the one day would resonate in the life of one and in turn would affect all of them profoundly as adults.

4. Unforgiven - yeah, we've seen Clint in many a Western, but with Unforgiven, he managed to choose a script that went against characters he might have played in the past. yeah, he's a ruthless bastard, but one that has chosen to put that life behind him, but is forced out of retirement to do one last job. Gene Hackman is terrifc as the black hat wearing bad guy, just evil to the core. Great chemistry between Freeman and Eastwood (one of the delights of MDB is seeing them team up again). Throw in the late great Richard Harris in a disturbing supporting performance and you got the makings of an Oscar winning classic.

I haven't seen Bridges of Madison County or Blood Work 

5. Absolute Power - I only saw this film once when it first came out on video, but I loved it. I was amazed at the cast he compiled and at the time didn't know who Laura Linney was, but I've loved her work ever since. Thought every one was good and contributed to the somewhat intricate plot mainly because of the number of characters.

I'll throw in the trio of The Outlaw Josey Wales, High Plains Drifter and The Gauntlet, because they are classics in the sense of Clint's persona as an actor and well he just kick ass all over the map in those films.                      

"Every day holds a new beginning and every hour holds the promise of an Invitation to Love." 

This may be where I start to upset people, but.......

Personally, while I think that he's a competent director I find it hard to warm to his films. All the hullaballoo over Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby and Bird among others left me bewildered. To be honest, I don't know what all the fuss was about.

So here's my top five:

1. Mystic River - just as SCP said, great cast, script and the rest.

2. Play Misty For Me

3. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - very overlooked and much underrated

4. Sudden Impact - OK, I'm a closet Harry Callaghan fan

5. Firefox - ridiculous story, entertainingly told

What strikes me about my list is that I appear to like Eastwood (#1 aside) when he's making (light, slight) entertainments, not when he's involved in heavyweight (possibly leaning towards the pretentious) works.

DMG

I hope they cannot see / The limitless potential / Building inside of me / To murder everything / I hope they cannot see / I am the great destroyer

Just out of curiosity, what makes a film pretentious? If a film, say Million Dollar Baby for example, which wears its heart on its sleeve, which is made in such a way where it evokes or is meant to evoke a certain emotional response. Is it pretentious? This really doesn't make sense to me why some people looks at films the way they do. I'm surprised that people on here even like the Departed, because it is made by a big name director with a big time cast, which seems to be the defining formula on labeling a film trite or pretentious. Million Dollar Baby is about 3 people looking for something. Maggie is looking to fulfill her dream. Frankie is looking for redemption, he is estranged from his daughter for some reason that is not revealed so instead he connects with Maggie and forms a bond with her, getting a second chance at fatherhood, even though he is putting her in danger by being her boxing manager. What Scrap is looking for is up for discussion. Some might think he is watching out for Frankie, but one can tell the loss of his eye plagues him still. It is essentially a very human story that anyone who has been estranged from a family member can relate to. That is all for now.

p.s. I like Midnight of the Garden of Good and Evil very much and is one of my favorite John Cusack performances.                

"Every day holds a new beginning and every hour holds the promise of an Invitation to Love."