Debapriya Bhattacharya
American cultural icon Thomas Jeffrey Hanks is an actor and filmmaker who achieved stardom for his comedic and dramatic roles. He first gained popularity as a lead in comedy films such as ‘Splash’ and ‘The Money Pit’ in the 1980s, before tackling more dramatic roles in movies like ‘Philadelphia,’ ‘Forrest Gump,’ ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ and ‘The Green Mile.’ With the turn of the century, Tom starred in multiple biographical dramas including ‘Saving Mr Banks,’ ‘Sully,’ and ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.’ He has led multiple franchises, like the ‘Robert Langdon’ series based on the literary works of Dan Brown, and the wildly popular animated franchise, ‘Toy Story.’
Under the banner of his production company Playtone, Tom has been involved in various limited series and television movies, such as ‘Band of Brothers,’ ‘John Adams,’ ‘The Pacific,’ and ‘Olive Kitteridge.’ Hanks has received numerous accolades, including the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and Primetime Emmys. He has been honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2002, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2020. As such, Netflix lists many of his works on its platform. If you’re wondering where to begin, the following list caters to your need.
6. The Polar Express (2004)
Based on Chris Van Allsburg’s eponymous children’s book, ‘The Polar Express’ by Robert Zemeckis is the first all-digital capture animated film that chronicles the adventures of a young boy from Michigan who becomes skeptical of the existence of Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, a mysterious train stops outside his home. The conductor informs the boy that it is headed for the North Pole and invites him on board. Intrigued by the proposition, the boy joins the other children on the train and embarks on a wondrous journey to visit Santa himself as he prepares for Christmas. In the holiday movie, Tom Hanks lends his voice to multiple characters, including the protagonist, the conductor, and Santa. You can watch it here.
5. Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)
‘Charlie Wilson’s War’ marks the final film of director Mike Nichols, and is adapted from George Crile III’s book ‘Charlie Wilson’s War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History.’ The film tells the story of Congressman Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), Texas socialite Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts), and CIA agent Gust Avrakotos (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who form an unlikely alliance in the 1980s. Their efforts boost support for the Afghan mujahideen by the US during the Soviet–Afghan War, contributing to the fall of the Soviet Union and bringing about the end of the Cold War. Watch the biographical comedy drama on Netflix.
4. Captain Phillips (2013)
Directed by Paul Greengrass, ‘Captain Phillips’ is a dramatized retelling of the April 2009 hijacking of the US containership Maersk Alabama. While sailing from Oman to Kenya, the vessel under the command of Captain Richard Phillips (Tom Hanks) is pursued and captured by Somali pirates. Everyone on board is taken hostage, as the pirates under the leadership of Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi) seek millions in ransom. In the end, Richard is left to his wits to ensure everyone survives the danger and safely returns home. The narrative is based on the memoir, ‘A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea,’ written by the real Phillips and Stephan Talty. You can stream the movie here.
3. Here (2024)
Adapted from Richard McGuire’s graphic novel of the same name, ‘Here‘ by Robert Zemeckis chronicles the events taking place on one plot of land from prehistoric times to the 21st century. The narrative moves in a non-linear fashion and is seen through a static shot. As time passes, a house comes up on the land, where many families live through the ages. Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star as Richard and Margaret Young, who fall in love and build their lives around the place. Watch the moving romantic drama on Netflix.
2. The Pacific (2010)
Created by Bruce C. McKenna, ‘The Pacific’ is a 10-part period drama miniseries that depicts the actions of the US Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater of Operations within the wider Pacific War, during World War II. Produced by the same team that made the critically acclaimed miniseries ‘Band of Brothers,’ focusing on the experiences of Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment through the European Theater, ‘The Pacific’ follows the journey of three Marines of the 1st Marine Division in particular, Robert Leckie (James Badge Dale), Eugene Sledge (Joseph Mazzello), and John Basilone (Jon Seda). Apart from being an executive producer of the show, Tom Hanks is credited as the narrator of the preludes of the episodes. Stream the show here.
1. Dragnet (1987)
Marking the directorial debut of Tom Mankiewicz, ‘Dragnet’ revolves around Joe Friday (Dan Aykroyd), a straight-shooting detective in the Los Angeles Police Department who is partnered with Pep Streebek (Tom Hanks), a wisecracking rookie. Tasked with investigating a series of strange ritual killings, Joe and Pep fight among themselves, but eventually trace the clues back to a sinister cult that they must stop. The buddy cop slapstick parody film is based on the radio and television crime drama of the same name created by Jack Webb. You can watch the show on Netflix.
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