Tom Hanks
Okay, what do you guys think of him?
You know, I can't help but like the guy. I just recently watched the AFI celebration/award thing on TV (this big 2-hour Hanks lovefest with all his co-stars, directors, etc. heaping on praise and acclaim).
He always seems so grounded and gracious. I think out of every actor working today, he has the one thing that's going to carry him into "truly legendary" status.
He's got better chops than Cruise and that crowd. He'd got a better range (and is more believable) than Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson (all of whom I like, but they very rarely surprise me or move me).
I was thinking the other day: I only cry or tear up at a Tom Hanks movie.
"Forrest Gump", when he asks if his son is "smart, or is he...".
"Apollo 13", the whole drama and feel-good vibe of it really got to me.
"Saving Private Ryan", do you even have to ask?
"Philadelphia" in that scene at the end with the old family film footage and that beautiful song.
Now, he's made some silly stuff (I never even SAW "Turner and Hooch" or "Joe Versus the Volcano") and I can't stand Meg Ryan, so I opted out of "Sleepless in Seattle" and a few other things like "Bonfire of the Vanities".
But, on balance, quite an amazing body of work. Comedy, drama. Makes you laugh, makes you cry.
Seems like he's got a charmed life, huh?
He seems to have it all under control and, by all accounts, really IS that much of a "nice guy".
Kinda cool to know, I guess.
And oh yeah: he's got the SEXIEST, most beautiful wife of anyone in Hollywood. This man gets to slide into bed with Rita Wilson every night. Talk about a wonderful life.
I bet in 30 years, he'll be still going at it and be like a Jimmy Stewart or Paul Newman. They said he was the youngest person to receive that AFI Lifetime Achievement award. Think about it: he's got AT LEAST another 30 years in him.
He'll rank up there with the greats, no doubt.
Yes, there are better actors, and more handsome guys and all. But some people are just blessed with the right combination of talent, charm, luck, charisma, brains, etc. to make themselves go farther than others in their chosen field.
Do you guys have thoughts, one way or the other, on Mr. Hanks?
He's about the only mainstream Hollywood person (you guys know how I feel about most celebrities from my previous posts/rants) who doesn't make me want to gag or throw a brick at my TV when I see him on it, giving an interview or something.
I think he's great. More power to him.
Nice guys do finish first, sometimes.
You know, I can't help but like the guy. I just recently watched the AFI celebration/award thing on TV (this big 2-hour Hanks lovefest with all his co-stars, directors, etc. heaping on praise and acclaim).
He always seems so grounded and gracious. I think out of every actor working today, he has the one thing that's going to carry him into "truly legendary" status.
He's got better chops than Cruise and that crowd. He'd got a better range (and is more believable) than Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson (all of whom I like, but they very rarely surprise me or move me).
I was thinking the other day: I only cry or tear up at a Tom Hanks movie.
"Forrest Gump", when he asks if his son is "smart, or is he...".
"Apollo 13", the whole drama and feel-good vibe of it really got to me.
"Saving Private Ryan", do you even have to ask?
"Philadelphia" in that scene at the end with the old family film footage and that beautiful song.
Now, he's made some silly stuff (I never even SAW "Turner and Hooch" or "Joe Versus the Volcano") and I can't stand Meg Ryan, so I opted out of "Sleepless in Seattle" and a few other things like "Bonfire of the Vanities".
But, on balance, quite an amazing body of work. Comedy, drama. Makes you laugh, makes you cry.
Seems like he's got a charmed life, huh?
He seems to have it all under control and, by all accounts, really IS that much of a "nice guy".
Kinda cool to know, I guess.
And oh yeah: he's got the SEXIEST, most beautiful wife of anyone in Hollywood. This man gets to slide into bed with Rita Wilson every night. Talk about a wonderful life.
I bet in 30 years, he'll be still going at it and be like a Jimmy Stewart or Paul Newman. They said he was the youngest person to receive that AFI Lifetime Achievement award. Think about it: he's got AT LEAST another 30 years in him.
He'll rank up there with the greats, no doubt.
Yes, there are better actors, and more handsome guys and all. But some people are just blessed with the right combination of talent, charm, luck, charisma, brains, etc. to make themselves go farther than others in their chosen field.
Do you guys have thoughts, one way or the other, on Mr. Hanks?
He's about the only mainstream Hollywood person (you guys know how I feel about most celebrities from my previous posts/rants) who doesn't make me want to gag or throw a brick at my TV when I see him on it, giving an interview or something.
I think he's great. More power to him.
Nice guys do finish first, sometimes.
Comments
Anyone heard anything about it? It looks interesting, and looks to be a bit of a departure, style-wise, for him.
Can't wait to check it out.
He looks downright baggy around the face...not Paul McCartney old-woman baggy, but still noticeable.
[ 07-13-2002: Message edited by: Eugene ]</p>
He's single-handedly responsible for a huge resurgence of interest in the Apollo program, and he's helped lots of astronauts get the recognition that they deserve. He's a personal space-nut (self-proclaimed) and he took on the task of producing some fine work related to that. The fact that some of the original astronauts (Dave Scott, Jim Lovell) and some of the original mission control folks (Chris Kraft, Gene Krantz, Glynn Lunney) like him and find him sincere speaks volumes. All of these guys are the 20th century version of mythical heroes, and they respect Tom Hanks. I can think of no better reason to respect the guy myself.
I actually saw the "From the Earth to the Moon" series. Great stuff. I, too, am (or rather, was) quite a NASA/space program nut back when I was a boy (2nd-6th grade). I somehow just gravitated toward it and knew, by heart, all the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions, their number, their crew, what they did, etc.
Every year, my science fair project was always something space program-related!
Hanks' love and interest in it is so apparent and cool!
"Apollo 13" and "From the Earth to the Moon" are better, in my opinion, than "The Right Stuff" (although that movie rocks too!).
The man can do no wrong, it seems.
I didn't see the last couple Pitt-flicks (the one with Julia Roberts and the other with Redford) because they looked pretty lame, but I certainly considered it.
Legends of the Fall, Fight Club, Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump - they're all among my favorite films of the last 15 years or so. The one Pitt movie I never saw that I heard was good, was Meet Joe Black.
Big
Philadelphia
Sleepless in Seattle
Never saw any of those movies, never will. If I want a wank-fest, I'll call a 1-900 number.
Road to perdition does look interesting, though. But hanks as a homicidal bastard? I dunno. We'll see.
They're really a lot alike. Good range, inherent likeability, and (seemingly) just a smart, down to Earth person off stage.
Denzel's mellow, gracious performance at the Oscars was a great example, my favorite acceptance speech since Hank's when he won for Philadelphia.
Jeff
<strong>What's not to like about a guy who looks like an average joe? I don't mind him adding some weight...better than most people in hollywood who look like they throw the fingers down their throats after every meal. <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
I guess that's true since the *average* Joe (in this country) is overweight these days. *Most* people in Hollywood look like they toss ther meals? Please... And when you consider Hanks's main competition, it's even less true.
Steven Dorff? Has he done anything since SFW?
And he was in something else very recently.
I guess he's still out there, still not washing his hair and mumbling.
<strong>Stephen Dorff RULES yoo lamerz...</strong><hr></blockquote>
I would NEVER say such a thing.
Back to the subject.
Tom Hanks won me over in "Big." After that, he could kinda do no wrong. He was amazing in Saving Private Ryan. I love that freaking movine.
Movies like T&H, Big and others where with a previous agent that Hanks fired because he realized that he could do more than "just" comedies. Cast Away may not be the most entertaining movie but you can't knock Hanks' job in that nor can you ignore his obvious talent in the Green Mile.
Pitt is a pretty solid actor who has the leeway to take a few more "fringe" roles. I like'em both.
He's human 'milk n' cookies'. If I have to watch him being sincere one more time I'm gonna hurl. Lets see the mans range....
Hanks is nice, Ed Norton's a great actor. I hope I see Hanks when I need a lift and see Norton when I go to a movie.
I think the reason some have this hatred towards him is because of over exposure and the success he's had at the Oscars.
After his second win, many were tired of his clean and wholesome image. Perhaps that's a reason why he took this new role in Road to Perdition.
Still, he a good actor, certainly one of the top ten, today. History will probably treat him well in the same regard as perhaps James Stewart.