Mocking mortality itself, Clint Eastwood worked prolifically for more than three decades after directing what many thought would be a swan song. It was back in 1991 that Eastwood made Unforgiven, the Oscar-winning Western that Hollywood honored left, right, and center because it assumed that he was hanging up his boots. Little did the industry know that he would make roughly one new movie a year for the next 30 years. Tragically, Eastwood has now retired for good, having directed his last movie at the ripe age of 93. The movie in question, Juror #2, was released directly on HBO Max in 2023, and is sitting at a terrific 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s a sharp rebuke to Quentin Tarantino‘s theory about filmmakers losing their touch as they get older. Eastwood was arguably operating at the peak of his powers in the 2000s, when he made hits such as Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River, and Gran Torino.
It was during this same run that Eastwood put together perhaps his most ambitious project of the 2000s — the World War II epics Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. Both movies presented the same chapter of history from contrasting perspectives. Surprisingly, Letters from Iwo Jima, which featured a predominantly Japanese cast and offered the so-called enemy’s point-of-view, ended up receiving better reviews and delivering better box-office results. While Flags of Our Fathers grossed $65 million worldwide against a reported budget of $90 million, Letters from Iwo Jima earned nearly $70 million worldwide against a reported budget of under $20 million. The Japanese-language epic received four Oscar nominations, including in the Best Picture category.
Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz Which OscarBest Picture Is Your Perfect Movie? Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.
Parasite
Everything Everywhere
Oppenheimer
Birdman
No Country for Old Men
01
What kind of film experience do you actually want? The best movies don’t just entertain — they leave something behind.
02
Which idea grabs you most in a film? Great films are driven by a central obsession. What’s yours?
03
How do you like your story told? Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.
04
What makes a truly great antagonist?
The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?
05
What do you want from a film’s ending?
The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?
06
Which setting pulls you in most?
Where a film takes place shapes everything—mood, stakes, what’s even possible.
07
What cinematic craft impresses you most?
Every great film has a signature—a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.
08
What kind of main character do you root for?
The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.
09
How do you feel about a film that takes its time?
Pace is a choice.Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly deliberately.
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Sarah Parker is a research analyst and content contributor with a strong interest in business strategy, organizational behavior, and social development. With a background in sociology and public policy, she focuses on exploring the intersection between research and real-world application. Sarah regularly contributes articles that bridge academic insights and practical relevance, aiming to foster critical thinking and innovation across sectors.
