ACTOR SPOTLIGHT

[Guest Choken One]

I decided to do what will be a Weekly Series Here...

 

I decided to Honor a certain Hollywood Actor/Actress each week by having a field of Dicussion/criticism about the selected Actor and his/her accomplishments.

 

I decided to Start off with The Modern Day James Stewart.

 

 

 

That Actor is...Two Time Best Actor Academy Award winner...Tom Hanks

 

This is the Filmography of his Illustrious career...

 

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Road to Perdition (2002)

Cast Away (2000)

Green Mile, The (1999)

Toy Story 2 (1999)

You've Got Mail (1998)

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

That Thing You Do! (1996)

Toy Story (1995

Apollo 13 (1995)

Forrest Gump (1994)

Philadelphia (1993)

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

League of Their Own, A (1992)

Radio Flyer (1992)

Bonfire of the Vanities, The (1990)

Joe Versus the Volcano (1990

Turner & Hooch (1989)

'burbs, The (1989)

Punchline (1988)

Big (1988)

Dragnet (1987)

Every Time We Say Goodbye (1986)

Nothing in Common (1986)

Money Pit, The (1986)

Volunteers (1985)

Man with One Red Shoe, The (1985)

Bachelor Party (1984)

Splash (1984)

 

 

 

Let's Make this a Weekly series shall we?

[WrestlingDeacon]

Tom Hanks is very interesting to see how he morphed from being a very light comedic actor to a more serious leading man, but there's still that charm and "friendly" quality to him. I think comparing him to Jimmy Stewart is very apropos.

 

My favorite Hanks film is Nothing in Common, due to the chemistry he has with Jackie Gleason. It's a very overlooked and underrated little film. Probably Hanks best early performance and it kind of foreshadows the actor he would grow to be.

 

My least favorite is probably Punchline. I found it to be painfully unfunny and dull. I would also say that Hanks is trying to hard. He's a funny guy, but he's not a stand up comedian.

[Crimson Platypus]

Philadelphia made me cry. For that it gets my vote. And just for the record - sad movies NEVER do that to me. I think he did an incredible job in that movie.

[nl5xsk1]

I voted other, with the other in question being Dragnet. Considering how much I hated it when it came out, it actually cracks me up now.

 

P.A.G.A.N. (People Against Goodness and Niceness) = good stuff.

[WrestlingDeacon]

Let me second the Dragnet love. That movie is hysterical. Dabney Coleman is genius in it. I love the song over the end credits with Hanks and Aykroyd pseudo-rapping.

[Youth N Asia]

That's a tough call. I said Saving Private Ryan. Probably cause I've seen that more then any of the other movies.

[godthedog]

'big' by a fuckin mile, baby. oh my god is he awesome in that.

 

in general, i'm a much bigger fan of hanks when he does light stuff than dramatic stuff. not to say he doesn't do drama really really well, but his natural charm steers him more toward comedy.

[Zorin Industries]

I orignally voted Tuner and Hooch, then i remebered the Burb's, thats a great fucking movie

[starvenger]

Anyone remember him as the "drunk uncle" on "Family Ties"?

 

Anyways, I chose Big for nostalgia reasons.

[Toshiaki Koala]

I voted for Cast Away, despite the awful ending. I also enjoyed "Catch Me if You Can" very much.

 

Road to Perdition was a horrible film. It was beautifully photographed, had fine set design, and good performances. However, it comes straight out of the "Everyone dies -- Masterpiece" school of filmmaking. It is no more than a grim bloodbath. In some movies, you can tell a character is going to die by the way his is handled and introduced. In "Road to Perdition", however, the fact that a character has a name usually indicates their coming death. I don't think Hanks cracked a single smile during the whole two hours.

[the max]

Forrest Gump is one of my favorite movies of all time, but I voted "Big"

[Guest SweetNSexyDiva]

Oh, I love Forrest Gump! His intentions are always so naive and innocent, it is hard not to love him. Damn that Jennie!

[RavishingRickRudo]

Gump all the way.

 

I'll say this about Hanks, if there was anyone else cast in his role in CastAway, I would have hated that movie.

[Guest Retro Rob]

I'm going to say Gump, followed by Big.

[Bruiser Chong]

For a while there, I was wondering if you were going to start a sentence with something other than, "I decided..."

 

Anyway, I give a nod to Philadelphia, which is a very emotional film, with only a couple scenes that I could do without. I teared up at the end, as did most of the class (which should show you how much of an impact it produces, since the class were full of people you wouldn't expect to see cry over a movie).

 

If you want a fun Hanks movie, I'll go with Bachelor Party, all the way. Not only do you see a lighter side to Hanks, but you get an entertaining comedy, as well.

[Vern Gagne]

Hanks is funny on Bosom Budddies. You can see the comedic talent Hanks brought to a very mediocre show.

[Rendclaw]

I'll say this for Hanks.

 

He outdid Robin Williams.

 

I remember the days where Robin started going for more serious roles in movies because he wanted to be a serious actor. That effort met with mediocre success.

[Guest Ray]

I strongly prefer drama to comedy, so it's either-

 

-Saving Private Ryan

-Cast Away

-Philadelphia

 

Saving Private Ryan is usually what I go with, but that's more a group effort that just Hanks.

 

Cast Away was all him, and his performance really got to me.

[Guest Choken One]

I'll say this for Hanks.

 

He outdid Robin Williams.

 

I remember the days where Robin started going for more serious roles in movies because he wanted to be a serious actor. That effort met with mediocre success.

Good Morning Vietnam

Awakenings

Good Will Hunting

Dead Poets Society

Insomina

One Hour Photo

World according to Garp

What Dreams May Come

 

call me crazy but I think those by FAR out do the comedies.

[spiny norman]

I'm suprised at the absence of a single vote for The Green Mile.

 

I voted Road To Perdition, because although yes it was obvious who would die from about three seconds in, it was still told so exceptionally well and made me cry at the end despite me knowing it would happen from fairly early in.

[Guest Choken One]

Hanks underplayed The Green Mile role making MCD standout more...Hence is why he isn't asstociated with the movie as much

[RavishingRickRudo]

Yeah, Williams has had a horrible career in dramtic roles...Cause that thing... what was that thing called... um... err... oh yeah, the OSCAR for GWH, yeah, that's just the bottom of the barrel.

[spiny norman]

But Williams did undoubtedly peak with Mork & Mindy. Then he probably turned 33 or something.

[WrestlingDeacon]

Williams has been nominated for four Oscars and won one. Hanks has five nominations and two wins. I don't think that's shabby on either front. Although I believe that Mrs. Doubtfire is his highest grossing film to date.

[Guest Choken One]

Indeed.

 

307.1 Million.

 

Hanks all time BO movie? Not ounting the animated movie Toy Story

 

456 with Gump