With two Oscars and 31 directing credits to his name (his 32nd , J. Edgar opened in theaters yesterday) there's no question that Clint Eastwood has secured his legacy as one of Hollywood's premiere filmmakers. But when you produce that many movies over the course of a multi-decade career, there are bound to be a few flops... just ask Woody Allen. And going by the majority of reviews, J. Edgar may be one of the films that's omitted from Clint's career highlights reel. We'll have our own thoughts about the film next week, but in the meantime here are our picks -- in chronological order -- for Eastwood's five worst movies as a director.

I think the Casting Gods are teasing me. First off, there's a rumor going around that Clint Eastwood might just sign on to play the mayor of Gotham City in the next Batman movie. And secondly, reports have surfaced that Nicolas Cage got cast in a movie that otherwise sounded like it would have been perfectly good. The two tidbits are such polar extremes they threaten to cancel each other out. My Nicolas Cage gag reflex hit me at about the same time as my Clint Eastwood WHOO! reflex, and I had to lie down for a second.

You all remember how mad Spike Lee was at Clint Eastwood (and the Coen Brothers, too) at Cannes, right?

Well, as one would expect from Dirty Harry, Eastwood came out with guns blazing in response, in an interview that ran Friday in The Guardian. All of the buzz about Clint's interview is focusing on one line: that Spike should "shut his face." Clint did say that, but the interview contains plenty more controversial tidbits:

Wake up, Bruce. It's time to let Die Hard die.

If you are looking for a movie to take your dad to see (or a dad looking for something to see this weekend), this is it. It has sports and Clint Eastwood, is completely inoffensive and well-acted and is a pleasant enough way to spend a few hours. But while that may make for a fine bonding experience, it doesn't really make for a memorable movie.

With the new horror movie The Woman in Black, Daniel Radcliffe takes his first big step beyond Harry Potter, the decade-long film franchise that made him a household name. Transitioning from that kind of a long-running and/or hugely popular series to other roles can be an enormous hurdle for an actor. For assistance, Radcliffe can study the career trajectories of the following performers, each of whom left the security of an established franchise -- which, in many cases, rocketed them to stardom -- behind for less familiar standalone projects.

The New York Film Festival has announced its complete lineup, and it looks like they've gone bargain hunting at Shop-Rite's Cannes Cannes bash. In addition to the opening night presentation of Palme D'Or winner The Class, the snobfest I've attended 14 years in a row is also including Steven Soderbergh's Best Actor winner, Che, and Angelina Jolie's Changeling. Chouga and A Christmas Tale are also slated during the fest, which runs September 26 to October 12. Cue Cookie Monster's voiceover: "The New York Film Festival is brought to you today by the letter C for Class, Che, Changeling, Chouga, Cannes, and A Christmas Tale!" Completely by coincidence? Methinks not!

Eva Mendes is in talks to work with director Werner Herzog and Nicolas Cage in Bad Lieutenant, which makes me wonder: Hasn't she been reading about all of the crazy that is Herzog and this movie? Well, Eva, read along here for a brief catch-up:

The Festival de Cannes announced most of its 2008 lineup this week. In a Moviefile entry last week, I mentioned that Hollywood expected to have a meager showing in the competitive portion of the Festival. One article said that Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York might be the only entry, unless Steven Soderbergh could complete his mondo four-hour Che Guevara biopic under the wire. Soderbergh appears to have accomplished this feat, as Che is listed in the Festival's recently released press kit.