'Catch Me If You Can', 'Apollo 13' and more: Have you watched these must-watch Tom Hanks movies?
Nor can we shrug off his sheer dedication and craftsmanship towards acting, that has regarded him as an American cultural icon.
Tom Hanks
CHENNAI: For Chuck Noland, letting Wilson finally go was a down in the mouth goodbye. But we can't seem to relinquish the roller coaster of emotions Tom Hanks made us feel through his portrayal of Chuck. Nor can we shrug off his sheer dedication and craftsmanship towards acting, that has regarded him as an American cultural icon.
Here is looking at five of his best films that remain fresh in audiences' minds:
Forrest Gump
The 1994 American comedy-drama directed by Robert Zemeckis, is an adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. It follows the life of Forrest Gump, an Alabama man, and his experiences in the 20th-century United States. Hanks effortlessly portrays his character who has an IQ of 75, and is fitted with leg braces to correct a curved spine. Apart from various critical acclaim and awards, the film also gave Tom Hanks an Oscar for Best Actor at the 67th Academy Awards.
Saving Private Ryan
Hanks as Captain Miller went every extra mile, leaving no stone unturned till the very end to get Private Ryan back to his home country. Set in 1944 in France during World War II, this 1998 American epic war film is directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat. Saving Private Ryan became one of the year's most successful films, earning critical acclaim for its graphic portrayal of combat. The WWII veterans themselves described the combat scenes as the most realistic portrayal of their own experiences. Some even were unable to watch it due to their traumatic memories.
Cast Away
You saw this coming. Didn't you? Another classic by the Hanks-Zemeckis duo, the 2000 American survival drama shows the adventure of Chuck Noland, who is a FedEx troubleshooter. He ends up getting stranded on an uninhabited island after his plane crashes into the South Pacific. The plot focuses on his desperate attempts to survive and return home. It became the third-highest-grossing film of the year 2000 doing a business of over $429 million, and giving Hanks an Oscar-nomination.
Catch Me If You Can
The 2002 American biographical crime comedy-drama has the actor playing Carl Hanratty, an FBI agent. He is on the chase to nab Frank Abagnale Jr, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is a con man, but poses as a pilot, doctor and a lawyer. The film is based on a semi-autobiographical book of the same name by Frank Abagnale Jr., an American consultant and author. He claims that prior to his 19th birthday, he was successful in conning millions of dollars.
Apollo 13
Directed by Ron Howard, Apollo 13, a 1995 American docudrama film, dramatises the aborted 1970 Apollo 13 lunar mission. The film is an adaptation of the 1994 book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, by astronaut Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. Hanks aces the portrayal of American retired astronaut Jim Lovell, who hosts a party, where the guests watch Neil Armstrong's televised first steps on the Moon from Apollo 11. It is one of the great examples of how a historical film should be made.
