10 Tom Hanks Movies Everyone Should See

Here it is, my latest ’10 Movies Everyone Should See’ List. This one is a look at the quintessential everyman of modern American cinema, Tom Hanks. Like all previous entries this isn’t necessarily a ‘Top 10’ list but rather a list of films that best represent the person’s career.

1)      Forrest Gump -1994

It’s the story of a kind of dumb guy with a heart of gold that accomplishes more than any regular guy ever would. Tom Hanks would go on to win his 2^nd Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in this film and it’s a nice blend of comedy, drama.

2)      Cast Away -2000

It's still kind of surprising how good this movie is. 2hrs of Tom Hanks alone on an island, talking to volleyball doesn't sound all that great, but 'Cast Away' is enjoyable start to finish. It says a lot about Hanks’ ability to single-handedly carry a film.

3)      Apollo 13 -1995

After an oxygen tank explosion, the Apollo 13 astronauts soon find that their spacecraft is low oxygen, experiencing power failure, and the mission is no longer to land on the moon but to make it back to Earth alive. This movie is tense, exciting, and one of Tom Hanks’ best performances.

4)      Big -1988

A kid wants to be an adult and by way of a magical fortune teller machine his wish comes true and hilarity ensues. This could've been a really dumb movie, but instead it turned out to be one of Tom Hanks' best.

5)      Bridge of Spies -2015

The 4^th pairing of Director Steven Spielberg and Actor Tom Hanks (the previous three films being ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘Catch Me If You Can’ and ‘The Terminal’) may actually be there best. It’s a pretty outstanding Cold War, espionage movie.

6)      Road to Perdition – 2002

Tom Hanks stars alongside screen legend Paul Newman in this exciting crime film set in the 1930’s. In addition to Tom Hanks’ solid performance, the cinematography in this film is great, and this would also end up being one of Paul Newman’s final big-screen roles.

7)      Toy Story -1995

Every so often a movie comes along that is a complete game-changer for the industry. This is one of those films. Tom Hanks voices a toy cowboy named Woody who is jealous of new toy, Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Tim Allen) in this computer animated, comedy. Pretty much every animated movie since has strived to be the next ’Toy Story’.

8)      Splash -1984

Over the years Tom Hanks has been in some great and memorable movies. So it's easy to forget the one where he falls in love with a mermaid... It's not great or his best, but it is fun, light-hearted entertainment.

9)      Philadelphia -1993

Up until this film Tom Hanks had best been known for his comedic roles in film like ‘Big’, ‘Bachelor Party’, ‘The Money Pit’, etc. However, this movie about HIV, homosexuality, and homophobia proved that Hanks could tackle some heavy dramatic roles too.

10)   Saving Mr. Banks -2013

The film is about Walt Disney’s desire to obtain the film rights ‘Mary Poppins’ from author P.L. Travers. The dynamic between Tom Hanks (Disney) and Emma Thompson (Travers) is really entertaining. Also, Paul Giamatti is in the film, so that’s a plus.

Honorable Mentions: Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Catch Me If You Can (2002)

For more like this one, I’ve also previously posted ’10 Movies Everyone Should See’ lists focusing on the films of Sean Connery, John Travolta, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alfred Hitchcock and Chuck Norris.

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