If you’re a film lover, and if you watch Hollywood films, you know Tom Hanks. He started his career in movies from He Knows You’re Alone in 1980. From then, he has become the face of Hollywood. In the present day, Tom Hanks is regarded as one of the best actors in Hollywood. Here are the 5 best movies of Tom Hanks:
[P.S.A. 📢 This is a personal opinion of the writer. Disagreements are welcomed.]
5. Road to Perdition (2002) – IMDb 7.7
An American crime-drama directed by the most acclaimed Hollywood director Sam Mendes, Road to Perdition picturizes the practice of contract killing during the Great Depression. The role of Michael Sullivan played by Hanks is totally different—and practically new for Hanks’ audiences. The movie shows the dark side of America as well as the father-son relationship.
The movie also stars famous names like Jude Law, Daniel Craig, and Paul Newman. Overall, the film is about a mob enforcer whose wife and younger son get killed, and then he escapes to Chicago to save his elder son. In Chicago, he tactfully steals the money deposited by mob enforcers and then travels to Perdition. Later, he gets killed by Harlen Maguire (Jude Law).
4. Philadelphia (1993) – IMDb 7.7
The duo of Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington in American legal drama directed by Jonathan Demme raises the issue of Homosexuality and HIV/AIDS. The hatred of being homosexual in America during the 90s is reflected in this film. Hanks worked very much in his body to play the role of a gay lawyer named Andrew Beckett. He lost nearly 12 kg to fit in the character of Andrew Beckett.
Hanks won the ‘Best Actor’ award in 66th Academy Awards and the film was nominated in various categories. Philadelphia is regarded as one of the best movies which raise the issue of LGBTQs and HIV/AIDS patients. This movie led the support for a revolution of minorities which later succeeded after establishing rights in American law.
3. Captain Phillips (2013) – IMDb 7.8
Hanks surprised his audiences starring as Captain Richard Phillips in a biographical drama-thriller film Captain Phillips directed by Paul Greengrass. His acting skills are unquestionable—and rarely criticized, which he again proved in the movie. The role of merchant mariner was praiseworthy, as well as Barkhad Abdi’s acting as a Somali pirate also couldn’t be neglected. Abdi got nominated in the Academy Awards for the best supporting actor because of his performance.
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The depictions of trauma and being held a hostage distorts the world of imagination and takes us to reality. The effort of the U.S Marine to save him makes us emotional. Phillips’ devotion to his staff makes us[viewers] realize the devotion to the work, ethics, and morality.
2. Cast Away (2000) – IMDb 7.8
A person working for FedEx embarks on a journey in the airplane to deliver goods in Malaysia. Suddenly, the plane crashes into the Pacific Ocean and Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) survives. Hanks played as a modern-day Robinson Crusoe who inhabits the uninhabited island.
His friend Wilson—an inanimate object, becomes a hope for his survival. The movie is packed with intense drama and suffering of a man who is on his own. Hanks was nominated for the best actor in Academy Awards for his performance in this movie. Robert Zemeckis and Hanks duo again rocked in this movie!
1. Forrest Gump (1994) – IMDb 8.8
Tom Hanks played as Forrest Gump— a slow-witted and awkward, but kindly hearted character in American comedy-drama film Forrest Gump. His southern accent—and some dialogues like “Run Forrest! Run!”, “My Mama said. ‘Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’” and, “Mama said, Dying is a part of life. I sure wish it wasn’t” are unforgettable.
His encounters with Bubba—and only conversating about shrimps is also funny and remarkable in the film. This movie was based upon the 1986 novel of the same name which was written by Winston Groom. The movie won six Oscar awards. Tom Hanks won Oscar for ‘Best Actor’. Robert Zemeckis put a lot of effort and Hanks added flavors in the movie.
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