Are these Tom Hanks’ four “pretty good” movies?
Recognised as one of the best and most beloved actors in all of American cinema, Tom Hanks has had the good fortune of working with some of the greatest filmmakers of all time, creating works of art that have long stood the test of time. Collaborating with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Paul Greengrass, Ron Howard, Robert Zemeckis and Baz Luhrmann over the years, Hanks has long been considered a Hollywood icon.
It was therefore curious when the actor recently reported that only four of his movies were “pretty good”. Boasting a glittering filmography that includes well over ten classic films, Hanks’ announcement sparked discussion across the internet, with fans wondering which four films the actor considered to be truly great. Which classics would he omit? Which directors would be snubbed?
We’ve taken it upon ourselves to pick Hank’s four “pretty good” movies for him and let us tell you, it was no easy task. One clear omission is the lack of 1994s Forrest Gump, a film which may not actually be as good as fans remember it being, telling a strange, saccharine view of American history. Take a look at our four exclusive picks, below.
Our picks for Tom Hanks’ four “pretty good” movies
The Green Mile (Frank Darabont, 1999)
Based on the novel by Stephen King, Frank Darabont’s Green Mile remains a firm fan favourite 23 years after its premiere, with this being the main reason that the film might make it into Hank’s four. Starring Hanks, the tale of fantasy and magic on death row features a supporting cast that includes Michael Clarke Duncan, Bonnie Hunt, David Morse, Sam Rockwell and Harry Dean Stanton.
Brutally emotional, The Green Mile is a three-hour epic character study that explores the morality of corporal punishment as well as the blossoming of humanity in life’s strangest places.
Philadelphia (Jonathan Demme, 1993)
Winning his very first Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 1994, it was Jonathan Demme’s Philadelphia which would establish Hanks as a true Hollywood icon. Surely the actor’s breakthrough film would make it into his top four, with the celebrated release telling the story of a man with HIV who is fired from his law firm because of his condition, only to hire a homophobic small-time lawyer as the only willing advocate for a wrongful dismissal suit.
Starring beside an impressive supporting cast that includes Denzel Washington, Roberta Maxwell and Karen Finley, Philadelphia is an important 1990s classic.
Saving Private Ryan (Steven Spielberg, 1998)
War is hell; this is no doubt, with Steven Spielberg showing this to be overwhelmingly true in his classic war drama Saving Private Ryan in 1998. Starring Tom Hanks as Captain Miller, a man tasked with leading a group of U.S. soldiers who go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action, the war film is an intense piece of drama that doesn’t hold back.
With a supporting cast of Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Bryan Cranston and many more, Saving Private Ryan has to be in the top four – it’s a war movie classic.
Toy Story (John Lasseter, 1995)
For Toy Story’s sheer technological innovation, Pixar’s delightful animation would have a significant effect on the industry’s future, becoming the very first feature film ever made entirely on computers. Demonstrating the sheer possibility of digital technology at the border of the 21st century, Toy Story shifted cinema from celluloid to the domain of digital, forever changing its makeup.
Tom Hanks was at the very forefront of this revolution, providing the voice of the lead character, Woody, in a charming children’s film that spoke to the struggle of the adolescent transition.
