Just a quick post to let you know I wrote a short retrospective on Tom Hanks career talking about his Five Best Films in my humble opinion over at Heavy Magazine. You can find that here https://heavymag.com.au/retrospective-tom-hanks-five-best-films/ With such an illustrious career there are many gems to champion so feel free to sound off in the comments about what your Top 5 would be.
Heavy is an independent magazine and website that is all about the music and specifically heavy music and supporting the Australian music scene in general. Fortunately for me they do cover film as well and I have been fortunate to have a few things published there.
Have a great weekend guys and gals.
-Lloyd Marken
Back to the Drawing Board Productions 
That’s a nice Hanks list, Lloyd. And well done for getting the byline.
Here is my version.
1) Big. (Not an original idea of course, but nicely done.)
2) Turner and Hooch. (But only for Hooch)
3) Saving Private Ryan. (But for the battle scenes, not Hanks.)
4) ?
5) ?
🙂
Cheers mate, Pete.
Everybody loves Hooch 🙂 Thanks Pete for your Top 5.
Tom Hanks is so incredibly talented, it must have been tricky to pick just five. On my way over to Heavy now….
Thanks Jet, it was very tough. What would your top 5 be?
Not in order (because just picking the top 5 is hard enough): Big, Joe vs the Volcano, Philadelphia, Money Pit, Apollo 13. Many thanks, Lloyd, for the tribute and thought-provoking here.
Thank you Jet, what an eclectic Top 5. Very representative of the variety of the various types of movies he made.
I think he’s quite an actor. No matter what his role, he is entirely believable. He actually becomes that character.
A league of Their Own
Money Pit
Splash
Forest Gump
Apollo 13
For only a few of my favorites.
Thanks GP, nice to see some of his 80s comedies output in your list. The Money Pit was on VHS in our house growing up and I remember enjoying the physical comedy. I didn’t like The Burbs much as a kid with the dark humour but there’s actually something really cool about it now that I’m older. Forrest Gump was written by a Vietnam veteran and there’s something so true about how Forrest is a natural soldier because he boils everything down to the simple practical points and quickly moves on in the moment.
Great write up. I just love the guy.
Thanks Jay. What a career? What are you favourites?r
Fine work, my friend. I love Tom Hanks.
Thanks Vinnie, that’s very kind. What would your Top 5 be?
Man, that’s a tough question. Let me get back to you on that one.
This is harder than it looks. I narrowed it down to 6. I would say my favorites (in no particular order) are:
Money Pit
Saving Private Ryan
Charlie Wilson’s War
Catch Me If You Can
Apollo 13
A League of Their Own
Money Pit seems to be an old favourite, I remember watching quite a bit on VHS back in the day. Saving Private Ryan gets me every time with the mother on the porch. Charlie Wilson’s War was a great movie underappreciated. I can’t deny I really liked Emily Blunt’s scene but the bit where Charlie talks about the dog was the real highlight. Philip Seymour Hoffman was just brilliant in that movie with so many good lines. Apollo 13 of course made my list. I enjoyed A League of Their Own and I think its time I take another gander. Thanks for the list K.
It was great fun thinking of my own list. Thanks for your article! PS have you done a similar list for Tom Cruise?
No but that would be a good one. 🙂
I think it is extremely difficult to rate Hanks’ best films. They are so varied in quality, and he always seem to be good. I think he is a very talented comedian, but his drama films are surprisingly as good. Cast Away, Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump will all be among my top 5 of his. Yes, a predictable line of films, but that’s the way it is.
Nothing wrong with being predictable, they’re great movies.
Good choices in this article in Heavy, Lloyd.
I liked Big, Forrest Gump, The Green Mile, Saving Mr Banks and Philadelphia. He stretched his “Everyman” role to embrace his gay character, making more people like him, too. I smile at Splash and Volunteers since he is so young!
A great Top 5 Robin. I remember Splash and how about Bachelor Party?
I must have missed “Bachelor Party,” Lloyd. I know that is crazy since I saw almost every other Tom Hanks movie! May have to rent it and see how it is in comparison to those funny, but kind of awful, Hangover movies.
I think the first Hangover is really good and made Bradley Cooper a star even though I knew him of Alias.
I don’t know you did it, I could not possibly do it myself but thank you for checking out all my posts and hope you enjoyed.
I did not check that many but I do like your articles and enjoy your point of view. I will try and check back in soon!
That is very kind Robin, thank you. 🙂