Tom Hanks is one of the most beloved and well-known actors in cinematic history, having starred in numerous blockbusters, from Saving Private Ryan to Toy Story.
But it seems that the illustrious actor isn’t as impressed with his back catalogue of movies as we all are, having recently admitted that he has only made four “pretty good” films.
This statement comes from a recent interview with People, in which Hanks spoke about writing his first novel The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece, which spans several decades and highlights how US culture changed after World War II.
The book contains a myriad of stories, from one being about a boy who grows up to make comic books in the 1970s to a director in the present day who adapts one of those comic books into a film.
“The source for a movie can go back as many years as are in history. A story turns on a single moment in the life of someone, then all the anecdotes of the current day magnify that moment,” Hanks explained.
“No one knows how a movie is made—though everyone thinks they do,” he continued.
“I’ve made a ton of movies (and four of them are pretty good, I think) and I’m still amazed at how films come together. From a flicker of an idea to the flickering image on screen, the whole process is a miracle.”
Unfortunately, Hanks did not divulge the details on which four films he was referring to exactly. That being said, according to IMDb, Hanks’ four top rated films are Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile and Toy Story 3. Are these the four Hanks was talking about? We may never know.
1994’s Forrest Gump, widely considered as the actor’s best cinematic venture, is known across the world mostly for the iconic line “Life was like a box of chocolates.” It won an impressive six Academy Awards, and when the Oscars came around, it was up against Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction which it managed to beat—winning Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director, an even bigger feat. Pipping Pulp Fiction to the post is a conversation that arises at every awards ceremony all these years later, something which Hanks himself has acknowledged in the past by labelling the latter a “masterpiece.”
With over 80 films under his belt, both live-action and animated, the fact that the Toy Story star was able to pick only four films out of absolute classics such as Cast Away and Catch Me If You Can is beyond me. You are too humble, Mr. Hanks and that’s why the world loves you.
This year, a whole summer of festivals (and many other things) got cancelled. What can you do to kill time? Why not enjoy a summer of great movies instead? Just for you, we have compiled 10 of the best movies we’ve watched on Netflix recently. The digital platform has been especially busy this month, adding close to 100 new movies in August alone. However, Netflix also takes down about 50 movies on the first of each month, so make sure you put that subscription to good use and get watching!
First off, here are the ones not to miss with an end of month countdown. If you still haven’t got around to watching Blue Is the Warmest Colour, you’ve got until the 25 August. The movie was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and with nothing quite like it ever produced before the screenplay turned quite a few heads. This film marks a change of era, it is a modern classic. You’re welcome!
Lady Bird is another must-watch on our list. This one has been shown for a while, but it’s a film that will be spoken about for years to come—whoever you are, Saoirse Ronan’s character in Lady Bird will speak to you. If you’re still not convinced, should we mention that Timothée Chalamet is the main love interest?
Da 5 Bloods follows four African American Vietnam vets who return to Vietnam years after the war to search for the remains of their fallen squad leader, along with some buried treasure. It’s an adventure story where future and past are coherently lived by the main characters, real footage from the war is shown throughout too, which allows for a heartbreaking insight on what war brings.
If you like a mafia drama with an A-List cast, then The Irishman will not disappoint. Starring Robert de Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, this 3 hours and a half long movie is definitely worth it. Just prepare your snacks beforehand!
Million Dollar Baby is one of those films that make you feel invincible and want to run for your dreams with all guns blazing. It takes your emotions for a heck of a ride. If you’re lacking motivation or self-doubt is creeping along your peripherals, trust us and watch this.
Unbroken is Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut and we are obsessed with it. The outstanding performances come close to none, based in WW2, Olympian Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell) fights for his sanity and life in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. Nice one, Jolie.
To lighten up the mood or when you feel like an easy watch without much concentration to spend, Love Wedding Repeat is the one to go for. It’s all drama and laughter for this one and who can say no to that?
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is the British historical drama for the romantics out there. Set on Guernsey Island, it is beautiful enough to make us all want to escape to an internetless town and fall in love.
Project Power is the latest action film with a sci-fi twist that everyone is talking about. Starring Jamie Foxx, it ticks all the boxes for an edge-of-a-seat watch.
To end on a ‘true cinema’ note, last but not least is Roma, one of the most cinematographically satisfying watches available on Netflix. Shot in black and white, the movie is a stunning piece of work that will make anyone want to go to film school. A slither of modern cinema, the list that keeps growing! Enjoy.