On this snowy Sunday afternoon DB and I found ourselves snuggled up in front of the TV watching 'You've Got Mail' for the four-hundred-and-eighty-forth time...well, maybe not that much but it's a near thing... and you know what? I'll probably watch again in the next year and find it just as charming.
Here is one of my favorite scenes from 'You've Got Mail' where Meg Ryan asks "What is it with men and The Godfather?" DB is a total Godfather fan so I could relate to the banter that fallows...
I've never really thought of myself as a huge Tom Hanks fan as he is the kind of asexual, uncontroversial, and unassuming stars who, while universally known and loved, is far from creating tabloid fodder or fan club groupies... Instead, he consistently and brilliantly chooses moves that you can count on to be at the very least interesting, and at best, an Oscar winning classic.
DB and I were thinking back at his most notable roles and marveling at just how rich, diverse and iconic of characters he has played over the years.... in fact, I literally grew up watching Tom Hanks movies! When I was a little girl I remember swimming around my Granny's pool pretending to be a mermaid like Daryl Hannah in Splash.
Or sitting in front of the TV, with my big sister and I in matching pyjamas, singing "Down Down Baby" (From "Big", remember that one? Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Pop, shimmy shimmy rocks... here is Tom Hanks doing it in an interview...
and watching 'Turner and Hooch', 'The Money Pit', or 'Joe vs. The Volcano'....
Later in life I came to appreciate movies like Philadelphia, Cast Away (WILSON!!!!!) and the Green Mile.... and of course, the great 'Forest Gump'....
It is amazing how he can bring a bit of himself to each role but still create characters that are so vastly different... I mean, you couldn't get two people any less alike than the crude drunk Jimmy Dugan (A League of Their Own) and the reserved lawyer Andrew Beckett (Philadelphia) and yet, they are both so very Tom Hanks!
And dont forget he produced some great movies too! Like Momma Mia, Where the Wild Things Are and My Big Fat Greek Wedding!
Here is IMDB's list of Tom Hanks movies.
Which is your favorite?
Angels & Demons (2009) .... Robert Langdon
The Great Buck Howard (2008) .... Mr. Gable
Charlie Wilson's War (2007) .... Charlie Wilson
The Da Vinci Code (2006) .... Dr. Robert Langdon
Cars (2006) (voice) .... Woody Car
Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D (2005) (voice) .... Narrator
The Polar Express (2004) .... Hero Boy / Father / Conductor / Hobo / Scrooge / Santa Claus
... aka The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience (USA: IMAX version)
Elvis Has Left the Building (2004) .... Mailbox Elvis
The Terminal (2004) .... Viktor Navorski
The Ladykillers (2004) .... Professor G.H. Dorr
"Freedom: A History of Us" .... Abraham Lincoln / ... (7 episodes, 2003)
- A Fatal Contradiction (2003) TV episode .... Abraham Lincoln
- A War to End Slavery (2003) TV episode .... Abraham Lincoln
- Independence (2003) TV episode .... Paul Revere
- Liberty for All (2003) TV episode .... Daniel Boone
- Wake Up America (2003) TV episode .... Reporter
(2 more)
Catch Me If You Can (2002) .... Carl Hanratty
Road to Perdition (2002) .... Michael Sullivan
"Band of Brothers" (2001) TV mini-series .... British officer (unknown episodes)
Cast Away (2000) .... Chuck Noland
The Green Mile (1999) .... Paul Edgecomb
... aka Stephen King's The Green Mile (USA: complete title)
Toy Story 2 (1999) (voice) .... Woody
... aka Toy Story 2 in 3-D (USA: promotional title)
Toy Story 2 (1999) (VG) (voice) .... Woody
You've Got Mail (1998) .... Joe Fox
Saving Private Ryan (1998) .... Capt. John H. Miller
"From the Earth to the Moon" .... Jean-Luc Despont (1 episode, 1998)
- Le voyage dans la lune (1998) TV episode .... Jean-Luc Despont
That Thing You Do! (1996) .... Mr. White
Toy Story Activity Center (1996) (VG) (voice) .... Woody
Toy Story (1995) (voice) .... Woody
... aka Toy Story in 3-D (USA: promotional title)
Apollo 13 (1995) .... Jim Lovell
... aka Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version)
Forrest Gump (1994) .... Forrest Gump
Vault of Horror I (1994) (TV)
Philadelphia (1993) .... Andrew Beckett
"Fallen Angels" .... Trouble Boy #1 (1 episode, 1993)
- I'll Be Waiting (1993) TV episode .... Trouble Boy #1
Sleepless in Seattle (1993) .... Sam Baldwin
A League of Their Own (1992) .... Jimmy Dugan
"Tales from the Crypt" .... Baxter (1 episode, 1992)
... aka HBO's Tales from the Crypt
- None But the Lonely Heart (1992) TV episode .... Baxter
Radio Flyer (1992) (uncredited) .... Older Mike
The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990) .... Sherman McCoy
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) .... Joe Banks
Turner & Hooch (1989) .... Det. Scott Turner
The 'burbs (1989) .... Ray Peterson
Punchline (1988) .... Steven Gold
Big (1988) .... Josh Baskin
Dragnet (1987) .... Pep Streebeck
Every Time We Say Goodbye (1986) .... David Bradley
Nothing in Common (1986) .... David Basner
The Money Pit (1986) .... Walter Fielding, Jr.
Volunteers (1985) .... Lawrence Whatley Bourne III
The Man with One Red Shoe (1985) .... Richard Harlan Drew
Bachelor Party (1984) .... Rick Gassko
Splash (1984) .... Allen Bauer
I love Tom Hanks! But I totally agree with you, he's almost too "normal" to be a big Hollywood star lol
ReplyDeleteOK my fav TH movies are:
Saving Private Ryan (although I never really think of it as a Tom Hanks movie)
Big
Cast Away
Forrest Gump (who doesn't love Forrest?!)
A League of Their Own ("there's no crying in baseball!!")
You said it perfectly, Tom Hanks is reliably an amazing actor to watch.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite will always be Forrest Gump, we watch that one every year.
You've Got Mail is on my list too, I accidentally turned it on last year on cable (I hadn't seen it in about six years) and I sat there and watched the whole thing!
me loves me some Tom Hanks! I also watched You've Got Mail a few times this weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteJust watched Polar Express a couple nights ago, and was reminded how he does such a great job, even as animation.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hope y'all can still hear the Christmas Bells!
If you have not seen Polar Express, nevermind.....
Tom Hanks grew up here near where I live! Not that I ever have met him, but I could have and not even known- we are the same age- same class-
ReplyDeleteHe is an every man- like all the greats- John Wayne, Jimmy Stewert,Robert Duvall- he's a wonder! I even liked his TV show- the one with the funny talking roommate...Favorite scene in You've got mail- the one where he goes to Megs home and she's sick, and his look at her is so tender...
Gosh-where does a person even start with all of the great movies he has made?
ReplyDeleteForrest Gump for sure.
Saving Private Ryan makes me cry EVERY freaking time.
I love how ballistic he goes in The Money Pit(and I am not a big Shelley Long fan).
The Green Mile and the Da Vinci Code. I haven't seen Angels and Demons yet, but want too.
The fact that he has kept out of the spotlight and avoided becoming tabloid fodder just makes me respect him that much more.
This is so true...I never really think about Tom Hanks, but now that you mention it, he's got some pretty amazing acting chops. Guess I haven't been giving him the credit he deserves. But, dude, that is one scary picture with the crazy hair!
ReplyDeleteOh yes! Tom Hanks! What a great actor. I loved Forrest Gump. I have to admit I haven't seen You"ve got mail.... heh heh
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHA my WV is "Trators" I guess I better watch it. he he
Love tom hanks!
ReplyDeleteFav's include (in no real order)
Big(love that piano scene!), Cast Away, The Terminal, LOVE Forest Gump, the burbs was fun, Green mile...
what cant this man do?
hes awesome!
I've always loved Tom Hanks. He is a professional and just has a charm and wit that I adore in movies. He is truly going to be a great one, I mean he is, but years from now, he will be remembered as a great one.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Rob Pattinson will be remembered as a great one? ;)
p.s. I use to cat-sit a Persian named Wilson, after that volleyball!!