Clint Eastwood Western "Pale Rider" (1985), the war films "Where Eagles Dare" (1968), "Kelly's Heroes" (1970), and "Heartbreak Ridge" (1986), the action thriller "In the Line of Fire" (1993), the romantic drama "The Bridges of Madison County" (1995), and the drama "Gran Torino" (2008). In addition to directing many of his own star vehicles, Eastwood has also directed films in which he did not appear, such as the mystery drama "Mystic River" (2003) and the war film "Letters from Iwo Jima" (2006), for which he received Academy Award nominations, the drama "Changeling" (2008), and the South African biographical political sports drama "Invictus"
Angelina Jolie felt that she had "nothing else to give." She separated from Miller and moved to New York, where she took night classes at New York University to study directing and screenwriting. Encouraged by her Golden Globe Award win for "George Wallace" and the positive critical reception of "Gia", Jolie resumed her career. Following the previously filmed gangster film "Hell's Kitchen" (1998), Jolie returned to the screen in "Playing by Heart" (1998), part of an ensemble cast that included Sean Connery, Gillian Anderson, and Ryan Phillippe. The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Jolie was praised in particular; "San Francisco Chronicle"