3. Mystic River
This rare film that Clint Eastwood only served as director and producer (as well as score composer) is a masterpiece of innocence lost and your past haunting you forever. Focusing on three childhood friends (Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon) whose lives come together during a murder investigation, this drama-thriller features stellar performances by the entire cast of players, skillfully brought together by Eastwood. This film has such raw emotion: each character given an opportunity to deal with their own feelings of pain, regret, fear and forgiveness. Mystic River began another phase in Eastwood's career, as a skilled master of the cinema and one of the most respected director's in Hollywood. Mystic River was honored with 6 Oscar nominations (including 2 more for Clint for Best Director and Best Picture) and richly deserved wins for both Sean Penn (Best Actor) and Tim Robbins (Best Supporting Actor), won in no small part thanks to Eastwood's sure handed direction.