YOU'VE GOT MAIL

If I'm forced to pick just one Tom Hanks film to write about, it has to be my favourite rom-com, You've Got Mail. I know, a weird choice, right? Often viewed as the lesser collaboration with Meg Ryan, You've Got Mail is one of those films I can't help but stick with when I come across it while channel surfing (when we still did that). The reason it works as well as it does is two-fold. One, although our leads are oblivious to who they're communicating with, director Nora Ephron never conceals that from the audience, which allows everything to build to a wonderful crescendo when the secret is revealed. And two, Hanks and Ryan come with a chemistry that is somehow even stronger than their Sleepless in Seattle days. Hanks especially walks a tightrope between hero and villain, at times balancing drive, love, greed, and compassion. It's a subtly layered performance and among my favourites of his. — Nick

FORREST GUMP

The Hanks movie that I’m most grateful for not only won Best Picture, but also won Hanks his second Oscar: Robert Zemeckis’ Forrest Gump. While I understand that some may find this movie to be controversial while claiming it hasn’t aged well, I can’t help but find myself so in love with the story that I always rewatch it. There are so many positive lessons that can be taken away from this uplighting film, whether it be staying optimistic, following your heart, or simply appreciating life. Its view of “life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get” is so prominent and powerful, and through the snapshots of Gump’s (Hanks) life, that ideal makes for a heartwarming throughline that makes you feel like you can achieve greatness, no matter the limitations. It also stresses that being kind to one another goes a long way. It’s one of those rare films that delivers a message of hope, which is largely thanks to Hanks' extraordinary performance. Forrest Gump isn’t just my favorite Hanks’ film, it’s also my favorite Hanks’ performance. — Paige

TOY STORY 

Tom Hanks’ iconic voicing of Woody the Cowboy in Toy Story defined his endearing persona for an entire generation whilst also solidifying his reputation as the most likeable actor in Hollywood. Woody captures the actor’s quintessential innocence and sincerity, boiling down his most charming characteristics into a perfect performance that created one of the most beloved animated characters ever. Toy Story was notably the first computer-generated animated feature film, introducing stylistically innovative graphics and movement, ultimately leading to one of the highest-grossing animated franchises of all time, and Hanks’ voice is an integral part of its enduring success and impact. Through his filmography, Hanks has demonstrated the capacity for a wide emotional range through extremely varied performances, and he uses that proven ability to deliver a vocal performance that is imbued with a sense of earnestness, humour, absurdity, and appropriate seriousness in such a heartwarming way that it’s relatable for children and adults alike. Hanks truly brings the toy to life. — Katie

TOY STORY 4 BLOGXILLA INTERVIEW

Shout out to Xilla Valentine for creating my absolute favorite Tom Hanks moment by arbitrarily giving both Hanks and his Toy Story co-star Tim Allen a black card. This gesture of generosity immediately puts Hanks in a focused state, while Allen goes from friendly to uncomfortable in 0.2 seconds. If you haven’t heard it, the interview proceeds to ask the pair, “what is the biggest debate in black culture?” This kicks off the first of 100 looks that Allen gives Hanks as he screams internally for help. Meanwhile, Hanks — without hesitation — chooses “Jay-Z vs. Nas.”

Then, the icing on the cake… Valentine asks them what they would bid if they were playing spades, and both they and their partner have “4 and a possible.” If, at this very moment, you’re reading this and have no clue what I just said, you are, in fact, also Allen, who states, “I don’t have any idea what you guys just said… I just want to move on.” This prompts cookout regular, don’t-need-no-invite Mr. Hanks to 1). hit Allen with the Nick Young meme; 2). mention he was raised in Oakland, CA; 3). state that he prefers bid whist; and 4). completely leave his co-star behind to have the most natural black-ass conversation for the next 15 seconds. My goodness, watching America’s Dad thrive while Buzz Lightyear quietly sits as a deer in the headlights was a glorious, glorious thing to watch. — Amarú

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

One of the things that makes Saving Private Ryan so fantastic is the historical accuracy, a surprising rarity in film, which I really appreciate as a retired Army guy. I was still in high school when the film came out, but Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Captain Miller set the baseline of what I believe down-to-earth military leadership should look like. He perfectly captures what it is to be a normal, flawed man with legitimate fears in the face of danger, while still overcoming said fears to be the effective combat leader that is needed. He lets some things slide, but he handles his stressors and those of his men with smart adeptness. The trueness of his character is remarkable.

Plus, outside of The Matrix, Saving Private Ryan is my favorite theater-experienced film of all-time. On the big screen, the opening scene of pure, fog-of-war chaos puts you right into the film with absolutely superb and terrifying sound, as evidenced by its two Oscars for Sound and Sound Effects Editing, not to mention Oscars for Cinematography, Director, and Film Editing. It’s a modern masterpiece. Side note: since no one else mentioned it, Big is also the shiz! — Preston

CAST AWAY

Despite the absolute downfall of director Robert Zemeckis, I'll always point to 2003's Cast Away as his last banger. The simple but effective concept — a man stranded on a deserted island — is easy enough to grasp, but for it to work, you need a likeable actor that can bring unbridled humanity and pure rawness to the character because you need the audience to root for the guy beyond generic primal instinct. Enter Tom Hanks. Just from a basic human standpoint, watching an A-list actor as beloved as Hanks’ fight for survival is enough to catch your interest, but he brings so much humanity to Chuck Noland that every decision he makes, every emotional beat he feels, and every solitary moment gains an extra level of gravitas thanks to Hanks carrying them ably on his back. In a weird way, as much as I was rooting for his survival, I could watch Hanks on that island for hours on end. — Adriano

AMERICA’S DAD

Here’s the thing about Tom Hanks… despite all the fame, fortune, awards, movies, SNL appearances, and more, Hanks is a guy that I’d just love to grab a beer with. And more importantly, if the context and timing were right, I’m not entirely sure he’d decline the invitation. He’s just a regular guy who finds himself in the lofty position of being a megastar, so he chooses to use that power for good. Whether it’s crashing a random wedding (which he has done numerous times), returning a jogger’s ID he found in Central Park through a tweet, or joyously posing in photos with a “drunk” fan, Hanks is the rare A-Lister who uses his stature to engage with fans while poking fun at himself. The kind of guy who will star in a Carly Rae Jepsen music video just because. Or that will buy The White House a new coffee maker because they needed a new one, then replace it three more times when it broke. Or that will give a cab driver tickets and backstage passes to a Broadway show he was starring in because they had a fun interaction after being picked up. Or that will send a fan a typewriter as a gift, as well as scheduling a one-on-one get together, when the fan randomly gave him a sketchbook she had made of his films on a red carpet. Or, in 2020, that will send a letter and typewriter to an 8-year-old boy named Corona who was being bullied because of his name. Even the fact that he collects typewriters is down-to-earth. The list goes on…

In one of my favorite exchanges, Hanks’ son — and I swear I’m not making this up — aspiring rapper Chet Haze explains the Drake/Kendrick Lamar beef to good ol’ dad via text (Haze shared screengrabs on X). Hanks’ responses are so wholesome and pure in a “this is a thing my kid and I can connect over. He’s interested, so I’m interested” way that it, alongside the examples mentioned above, endears you to the man in such a way that you probably felt genuine heartbreak and concern when Hanks was one of the first celebrities to announce he had COVID in March 2020. The closest he has ever come to “controversy” is when he told paparazzi to “back the fuck off” after they tripped his wife, Rita Wilson, almost causing her to fall to the ground. But still… that’s exactly what you would expect any salt-of-the-earth husband to do for his wife. And then, you could hear genuine remorse in the paparazzi’s apology. It was very much an “I’m not mad. I’m just disappointed” moment, with the paparazzi giving “being disappointed in me is so much worse than being mad at me” vibes. I mean, just think of how hard it must be to make the fucking paparazzi feel bad, yet Hanks did it. That’s America’s Dad Energy right there. — Quentin