Haven’t we all had our ups and downs in our lives? Tom Hank likewise had his own rollercoaster ride! But the true hero is the one who knows how to make his way out. Right? Well! Tom Hank has become a true cultural star in recent years. He didn’t just get there in one night. He had taken risks, like when he played the role of a villain and a hero in Cloud Atlas.
However, if we go a little back and talk about the 1980s, Tom Hank mostly appeared in comedy movies which are now hugely overlooked. But the 90s was Hanks’s year in which he won Oscars and established himself as a renowned dramatic actor.
But we are talking about Hank here, who is still young and looking for new and interesting opportunities. According to him, life is either a daring adventure or nothing! Here we have made a list of his best movies, displaying the diversity of his roles. So, let’s dive in.
Courtesy: IMDb
Angel and Demons
Year: 2009
Runtime: 2 hr. 18 mins
Genre: Action, Mystery, Thriller
Director: Ron Howard
IMDB rate: 6.7
Star cast: Tom Hank, Ayelet Zurer, Evan McGregor
The movie offers a lot with a fast-paced journey of discovery via the art and architecture of an old European city. If you enjoy lousy airline thrillers, I bet Angel and Demons would be the best choice for you!
A symbolist and a scientist discover the revival of an old fellowship, the Illuminati. He travels to a different country to warn their most disliked rival. Following a string of ancient symbols, the symbolist hopes to warn the Roman church about the deadly scheme of Illuminatis.
Courtesy: IMDb
Sully: Miracle on the Hudson
Year: 2016
Runtime: 1 hr. 36 mins
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Director: Clint Eastwood
IMDB rate: 7.4
Star cast: Tom Hank, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney
Sully is an Award-winning movie for sound and editing. The plot centers on a captain, Chesley, who landed on the Hudson River when birds struck his plane. Well, he became the hero of 155 passengers by miraculously saving them all.
However, the whole situation may take a turn if there is an investigation at the scene. The film involves a mystery about what actually happened that makes the pilot have an emergency landing.
Courtesy: IMDb
Apollo
Year: 1995
Runtime: 2 hr. 20 mins
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Director: Ron Howard
IMDB rate: 7.7
Star cast: Tom Hank, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon
It is an exciting masterpiece featuring the astronaut’s world where three astronauts find themselves stranded on their damaged spacecraft. It is one of the great examples of how they should make historical films.
Apollo will be an eye candy if you are fond of science and space. Besides, the most gripping thing is that the movie will take its audience through the same stress level as the astronauts.
Courtesy: Disney Plus
Toy story
Year: 1995
Runtime: 1 hr. 21 mins
Genre: Animation, Drama, Family, Adventure, Fantasy
Director: John Lasseter
IMDB rate: 8.3
Star cast: Tom Hank, Tim Allen, Don Rickles
The story occurs in a setting where dolls become real when people are not around. The movie centers on the connection between a vintage pull-string cowboy doll, Woody, and a contemporary space action figure, Buzz Lightyear.
When Woody sees his owner’s attention is mainly on Buzz. He grows resentful of Buzz as he becomes his owner, “Andy’s” new favorite.
Courtesy: IMDb
Catch me if you can
Year: 2002
Runtime: 1 hr. 21 mins
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
IMDB rate: 8.1
Star cast: Tom Hank, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Walken
When anytime, if you are in the mood for actual drama, “catch me if you can” is the right pick for you to watch. It’s a real tale of a con man who tricks people for money and gets successful in deceiving them most of the time.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays the role of the young con man. The film is truly incomplete without his outstanding performance.
An investigator (Hanks) gets obsessed with finding the con man and putting an end to his games. It is considered a classic cat-and-mouse tale which the movie’s name also expresses.
Courtesy: IMDb
Captain Phillips
Year: 2013
Runtime: 2 hr. 14 mins
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, Action, Thriller
Director: Paul Greengrass
IMDB rate: 7.8
Star cast: Tom Hank, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman
From the filmmaker’s particular viewpoint, it is both a suspenseful thriller and a nuanced study of the many consequences of globalization. The film displays how a captain tries to save his crew from the pirate attack.
The Somali pirates attacked the ship on its way to Kenya. The captain, with his wits, tried negotiating with the pirates to get out of there unharmed and alive.
Courtesy: Amazon
The Green Mile
Year: 1999
Runtime: 3 hr. 9 mins
Genre: Fantasy, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Director: Frank Darabont
IMDB rate: 8.6
Star cast: Tom Hank, David Morse, Micheal Clarke Duncan
The movie is a tragic visual feast that perfectly translates King’s text as it is a movie inspired by a Stephen King novel. A sad tale of a gifted Black man who was convicted of the crime of killing two sisters.
However, after observing the black man’s naive and soft nature, the death row supervisor questions whether he is capable of such a crime and investigates the matter by himself. The movie is suspense, drama, tragedy, and supernatural, all packed in one reel.
Courtesy:IMDb
Saving Private Ryan
Year: 1998
Runtime: 2 hr. 49 mins
Genre: Drama, War
Director: Steven Spielberg
IMDB rate: 8.6
Star cast: Tom Hank, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore
An action and thriller story that pictures the climactic battle of World War II. In this chaos, the group of troops was assigned to search for Private Ryan, whose brothers were killed during the war.
Each man sets out on a mission of discovery. They develop their ability to overcome an unpredictable future with integrity, dignity, and bravery. They become their best version in the process of saving Ryan in the harsh realities of wartime.
Courtesy: Rotten Tomatoes
Forrest Gump
Year: 1994
Runtime: 2 hr. 22 mins
Genre: Drama, Romance
Director: Robert Zemeckis
IMDB rate: 8.8
Star cast: Tom Hank, Robbin Wright, Gary Sinise
The movie features an intellectually disabled man (Hank). In the span of a few years, he takes the audience on a walking tour across America. With a very low IQ, he leads anything except a free life but inspires people to be the best version of themselves.
It is considered one of the best Hollywood films. It has everything, including drama, romance, and suspense altogether. The movie Forrest Gump is a classic that continues to be adored by viewers today.
Courtesy: IMDb
Cast Away
Year: 2000
Runtime: 2 hr. 23 mins
Genre: Drama, Romance, Adventure
Director: Robert Zemeckis
IMDB rate: 7.8
Star cast: Tom Hank, Helen Hunt, Paul Sanchez
It is a real-life tale of survival and a one-man show. The movie features a punctual FedEx executive traveling to Malaysia for a task. When a superstorm causes his jet to collapse over the Pacific Ocean, he fails to contact for help.
He was the only survivor on an island and had to live alone for years. Instead of giving up, he learns the basic survival skills to live in a harsh, fatal environment.
