Tom Hanks Top 10

Tom Hanks happens to be my most favourite actor. He is one of the most versatile actors we have, who can play any role given to him with ease. I have watched every movie of his multiple times and love them a lot 🙂 I thought it was time for me to mention some of those movies of his that I love the most. I am sure many people would have watched these movies and those who haven’t, please go ahead and grab the DVDs. I feel these movies must not be missed at all. Each is a classic in its own way.

Forrest Gump (1994)

I am sure no human exists on this planet who has not watched or heard about this movie. One of the best movies ever made in Hollywood. This was the movie which made me fall in love with Tom Hanks’ acting. I am sure no other actor could have done justice to the role. “Stupid is as stupid does” is something that was one of the most amazing dialogues in the movie. I love this quote from the movie: “My momma always said, Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” 🙂 The movie has humor, romance, drama, tragedy everything and is very entertaining. One wish I had was to see Bubba Gump shrimp Co. restaurant and I saw one, though could not take its picture.

The Terminal (2004)

This is another great movie which must not be missed. Tom Hanks gets stuck at an airport in US since his passport becomes invalid. The way he learns how to speak English, the way he goes to that girl every single day with the hope that she might put a stamp, the way he pushes carts to get cents is really touching. Catherine Zeta-Jones looks amazing. She is seriously very pretty in this movie.

Favourite quote:

Frank Dixon: Sometimes you land a small fish. You unhook him very carefully. You place him back in the water. You set him free so that somebody else can have the pleasure of catching him.

Green Mile (1999)

Very few movies touch your heart and this is one such movie. I literally cried at the end, since I had hoped for a happy ending.  But nevertheless, it makes an entry into my all-time favourite movies. Based on the novel by Stephen King, it is little violent at some parts. This is one dialogue by Tom Hanks that I liked the most in the movie : “I’ve done some things in my life I’m not proud of, but this is the first time I’ve ever felt in real danger of hell.” and this dialogue too : “On the day of my judgment, when I stand before God, and He asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I gonna say? That it was my job? My job?” And the way Tom Hanks delivers these dialogues makes the scene so touching. Whenever I watch a movie, the most powerful dialogue makes an impression on my mind and it stays in my mind for a long time 🙂

Cast Away (2000)

This is another movie which will bring tears to your eyes. I hoped for a happy ending in this one too, but it was not so. We can relate to his character so much. What would we do if we accidentally ended up at a marooned island, all by ourselves? Watch Tom Hanks struggle in one such island. The scene where he loses his pal Wilson is the most touching scene in the entire movie.

Chuck Noland: We live and we die by the clock, that’s all we have.

Chuck Noland: Don’t worry Wilson, I’ll do all the paddling. You just hang on.

Chuck Noland: I couldn’t even kill myself the way I wanted to. I had power over nothing.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Matt Damon and Tom Hanks in a single movie. This is a war movie where Tom Hanks is assigned with the mission to rescue Matt Damon, since all his brothers are dead. I just loved the movie. It was such a different role that Tom Hanks played in this movie compared to all his other movies which were more on the emotional front, but still he did complete justice to his role.

Favourite quotes

Captain Miller: It’s like finding a needle in a stack of needles.

Captain Miller: He better be worth it. He better go home and cure a disease, or invent a longer-lasting light bulb.

Captain Miller: I just know that every man I kill, the farther away from home I feel.

Apollo 13 (1995)

I am so crazy about science that I had to watch this movie. With my favourite actor in it, it couldn’t have gotten better in any way. I love the way Tom Hanks keeps his calm throughout the movie, even though they are in such a dangerous situation. When I attended a training sometime back on conflict management, they actually showed us a scene from the movie where Tom Hanks tries to resolve a conflict that arises between the other two astronauts. Apollo 13 was indeed a very unlucky mission for NASA, just like the unlucky number 13 but thankfully they managed to save the astronauts. The most famous words from this movie are “Houston, we have a problem” 🙂

Some more favourites:

Jim Lovell: Gentlemen, it’s been a privilege flying with you.

Gene Kranz: I don’t care about what anything was DESIGNED to do, I care about what it CAN do.

Gene Kranz: We’ve never lost an American in space, we’re sure as hell not gonna lose one on my watch! Failure is not an option.

I read a book by the same person about it titled “Failure is not an option”. Amazing book!

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

One of my most favourite romantic movies of all times. This movie is such a cute movie that you will fall in love with the characters. Meg Ryan looks amazing in this movie and I really started liking her after watching this movie. Even the story is so sweet. A kid talks to an RJ about his concern that his father might never marry again. I love the kid and I so badly wanted to visit Empire State building after watching this movie and it really is very romantic up there  🙂 One of the favourite quotes: “Destiny is something we’ve invented because we can’t stand the fact that everything that happens is accidental.”

Another quote:

Sam Baldwin: [looking at a photograph] She looks like my third grade teacher, and I hated my third grade teacher… wait a minute, she IS my third grade teacher!

Catch me if you can (2002)

This movie has two of my most favourite actors. I love Leonardo Di Caprio too 🙂 He plays the role of a crook  whose ways of cheating are amazing and Tom Hanks is the cop. Their relationship is beautifully depicted in the movie. When I received the book on which this movie is based on from a security company, I was really excited to read it. I loved the movie and love the fact that it is based on a true story. It is funny in some parts.

I like this dialogue :

Frank Abagnale, Jr.: Stop chasing me!
Carl Hanratty: I can’t stop, it’s my job.

You’ve got mail (1998)

Another cute romantic comedy movie of the same couple. My liking for Meg Ryan increased after watching this movie. It is a movie about how two people who have never met, start chatting on the Internet and then end up liking each other. I love this dialogue the most:  “Well, let me ask you something. How can you forgive this guy for standing you up and not forgive me for this tiny little thing of…putting you out of business?” Aww I felt so bad when he says that.

Road to perdition (2002)

This is a completely different kind of role that Tom Hanks has portrayed. He is a hitman in this. I love the relationship that he shares with his son. Even though I usually don’t like such movies, I really loved this one and its ending too.

Michael Sullivan: So what does the clutch do?
Michael Sullivan, Jr.: It clutches

These are not the only Tom Hanks movies I love; there are many more. Probably I will make another list of his other good movies. Do you like Tom Hanks’ movies? If so, which one was your favourite? Is your favourite amongst the ones I have mentioned or something that I have missed out here?