Cast Away, which landed Tom Hanks another nomination for Best Actor, is the most 2020 film to be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020. Think about it. FedEx systems analyst executive Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) finds himself in the most 2020 position possible: stranded on a deserted island. The film takes place in 1995 and Noland is in the worst possible position with no food, water, shelter, or company. His only food comes by whatever…
"Cast Away Marks 20th Anniversary"Tag: Tom Hanks
Sully revisits the fateful January day when Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger pulled off the Miracle on the Hudson against all odds. January 15, 2009 is a date that will live in history for New Yorkers. This is the day when 155 lives were saved on US Airways Flight 1549 when it crashed in the Hudson. What the film delivers isn’t so much a biopic in the traditional sense. Yeah, we get some flashbacks to his…
"Sully: The Miracle on the Hudson"
Bridge of Spies reteams director Steven Spielberg with two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks to bring us a thriller set during the height of the Cold War. A Cold War setting usually screams thriller. However, this film is a mix of thrills and drama in one epic. And this is in spite of the CIA’s involvement in rescuing pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell). Everything leads up to the exchange on Berlin’s historic Glienicke Bridge. This…
"Bridge of Spies: The Height of the Cold War"
You’ve Got Mail manages to reunite writer-director Nora Ephron with both Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan for another romantic comedy. Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) is a member of the family that runs mega bookstore chain Fox Books. Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) runs a small independent bookstore, The Shop Around The Corner. They develop an online relationship after meeting in a chatroom but don’t know that they live in the same Upper West Side neighborhood. He…
"You’ve Got Mail: Hanks and Ryan Do It Again"
Sleepless in Seattle, a timeless classic, marked the second pairing between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the Nora Ephron film. New York City may be the city that never sleeps but there’s no sleeping in Seattle. I kid, I kid. But seriously though, this film is recognized as one of the top romantic comedies of all time. The film hits all the basic genre beats while featuring the classic ending on top of the…
"Sleepless in Seattle: A Classic Rom-Com"
Inspired by true events, Saving Mr. Banks is a film that takes us behind the scenes of how Mary Poppins came to the big screen. The art of filmmaking is a painstaking process. This is something I’ve learned not just through watching bonus features but reading biographies about classic Hollywood. On paper, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the film. It’s only when you dig deeper into the actual story where the film has its faults. …
"Saving Mr. Banks Goes Behind The Scenes"
Tom Hanks puts on one of the best performances of his career in Captain Phillips, a very intense film directed by Paul Greengrass. In 2009, the Maersk Alabama was hijacked by Somali pirates. Paul Greengrass revisits the hijacking while directing from a script written by Billy Ray. In this instance, the main focus is on Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) and pirate captain Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi). It may be hard to believe but Phillips…
"Captain Phillips: A Great Tom Hanks Performance"
Steven Spielberg manages to change up his filmography with the incredibly true story of Frank W. Abagnale, Jr. in Catch Me If You Can. Spielberg may be reuniting with Tom Hanks but the film marks his first collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio. Moreover, Frank W. Abagnale, Jr.’s story is one that was just ripe for filmmaking. It was in development hell since 1980 but never really made any progress until Spielberg decided to take it on.…
"Catch Me If You Can: An Incredibly True Story"
A League of Their Own is a beloved comedy which not only celebrates women in baseball but continues to serve as an inspiration to women today. The 1992 baseball classic recently recieved an upgrade to 4K Ultra HD. This came in part due to the film being included in the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 1. Columbia has a vast library but this is an inspiring film to include. It comes with a…
"A League of Their Own Is Still Beloved"
There’s no escaping military thrillers for Tom Hanks as the actor is back this week in Greyhound, now releasing July 10 exclusively on Apple TV+. The film takes place in Winter 1942. While Nazi forces are doing as much damage as they can in Europe, all eyes turn towards England. American ships travel from North America in order to deliver men and supplies across the pond. Longtime U.S. Navy officer Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) is…
"Greyhound: Tom Hanks Back In Military Thriller"