9. Million Dollar Baby
Questionably marketed as a female Rocky by Warner Brothers during its publically run, Clint Eastwoods baby is a different brawler altogether. Whereas Slys calling card punched with optimism, hope and built up to an exhilarating climax, Clints effort sees his underdog (Hilary Swank in thumping form) walking a familiar path, but towards a fate that is both unexpected and ultimately bleak. Directed classically and with only the occasional visual flourish Million Dollar Baby is driven by character. While Swanks portrayal of Maggie, a down on her luck waitress come boxing champ in the making, remains the film's main event, plaudits should also go to Eastwood as her gruff trainer on the edge of redemption and Morgan Freeman as an aging boxer and narrator of the piece. On first watch, you step into this one with optimism and anticipation for a grandstanding finale. In reality, only a fraction of this hope is delivered, with the film taking a breakneck turn in the final third that still thuds like an emotional gut punch on repeated viewing. Clint called this his interpretation of the American Dream - we'll leave that one upon to interpretation.