Hanks has had a huge 2022 so far, as he starred in Elvis and is now doing the promotional rounds for Pinocchio, and while doing so, he revealed that he only likes four of his own movies. The celebrated actor has starred in over 80 movies in his prolific career, but in an interview with People, he explained, "I've made a ton of movies and four of them are pretty good, I think."
Hanks might have been making a cheeky joke or being humble, but many have taken his words seriously, and Redditors have debated which films he might have been referring to. Between some overlooked 80s comedy gems, some groundbreaking animated achievements, and a couple of epic Steven Spielberg movies, Hanks could have been referring to any one of his starring releases.
The 'Burbs (1989)
Capping off a decade full of pleasant and optimistic romantic comedies and coming-of-age movies, Hanks' last movie of the 1980s is untypically dark and not very hopeful. The 'Burbs follows a man who believes his new neighbors practice cannibalism and will stop at nothing to prove he's right.
Relpmeraggy thinks The 'Burbs could be one of the four movies, exclaiming, "The "Burbs!!!! Classic." In fairness, it's completely unique in Hanks's filmography, as he hasn't made such a twisted black comedy before or since. And with director Joe Dante's unique visual flair and irreverent humor, it's so overlooked when it comes to Hank's best films.
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Scarns_Aisle5 thinks logically about what one of Hanks's four "pretty good" movies is and concludes that one of them must be the extremely convoluted sci-fi epic, Cloud Atlas. The Redditor explains, "He's praised Cloud Atlas a lot in the past so I will include that even though I object to it being called a good movie."
While an actor praising a film they're in isn't exactly surprising, Hanks's love of Cloud Atlas seems absolutely legitimate. In an interview with Radio Times in 2017, years after promoting of the film had ended, the actor mentioned, "It's the only movie I've been in that I've seen more than twice."
The Toy Story Franchise
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Griffshan takes a shot at guessing not just what one of the "pretty good" films is but what the only answer for all four of them could possibly be. The Redditor states, "Clearly the four Toy Story films." If any of Hanks's movies are perfect, it's the Toy Story movies, as the original film set a precedent when it came to animation in cinema, and the sequels improved on the original in every aspect.
The movies are so beloved, and there should be a Criterion Toy Story box set. The actor must like the movies, as he's reprised his role as Woody three times, which must say something about his enjoyment in voicing the character and returning each time.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Hanks knows a great filmmaker when he sees one, as he has always returned to work with the most accomplished filmmakers several times over. The actor has collaborated with the great Steven Spielberg five times in his career, but nothing has come close to topping their very first movie together. CountJohn12 thinks Saving Private Ryan is one of the only four Hanks movies the actor likes, and they come to that conclusion by using some Sherlock Holmes-like deduction skills.
The Redditor suggests, "Hanks at one point said Cloud Atlas, A League of Their Own, and Cast Away were his top three of his own films. I guess I'd guess Saving Private Ryan as the fourth for him." The 1998 release is one of the most accomplished war movies, but it isn't surprising if Hanks hasn't seen it more than once, given how emotionally exhausting and horrific it is.
The Polar Express (2004)
Hanks was all in with The Polar Express, as he plays almost every single character in the animated Christmas movie. Profound717 thinks it's one of Hanks' four "pretty good" films. The actor must have some kind of appreciation for it, as he has continued to work with director Robert Zemeckis ever since, including on the recently released Pinocchio, even though it's one of the worst-reviews live-action Disney remakes.
But some of the animation was criticized as soon as the film was released, as critics took issue with the characters' eyes and that they looked soulless. However, it has since become an annual staple in almost every household over the holiday season, and between the music, the groundbreaking visuals, and the fresh take on Santa Claus, it's such a warm winter movie.
The Terminal (2004)
2004 was a huge year for Hanks, one of the most impressive years for any actor, as the year alone saw him star in The Polar Express, The Lady Killers, and The Terminal. And surprisingly, despite them all having huge potential, unique concepts, and celebrated directors attached to them, none of them necessarily hit it out of the park and were rather disappointing all things considered.
However, though they don't give any explanation why, Libif thinks The Terminal could be one of the "pretty good" movies Hanks referred to. It's unlikely, given that it's the worst movie he's done with Spielberg, but while it doesn't make any sense and is one of the most bizarre schmaltzy comedies ever, it still has some charm to it.
Big (1988)
Hanks starred in two comedies in 1988, with one being the instantly forgettable box office bomb Punchline (via Box Office Mojo), and the other being the instant classic smash hit Big. The movie isn't all that original, as there are so many body swap comedies, but none of them manage to capture the magic that Big does.
Fear51 thinks that the 1988 comedy could be one of the only four Hanks-starring movies that the actor thinks is good, and while they could be right, they add, "Big is so underrated." Big is anything but underrated, as it made over $150 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo), which was almost 10 times its budget. And it's often referred to as Hanks's best comedy movie.
The Money Pit (1986)
Civonakle reckons The Money Pit is one of the four movies, commenting, "He is a great comedian, eh. Very versatile." The Money Pit isn't exactly one of the most emotionally involving Tom Hanks movies that comes with a heavy emotional toll, but it's a fun movie full of slapstick and over-the-top comedy.
The film follows a couple who buy a house for much cheaper than what they think it's worth, only to find out that it needs thousands of dollars worth of repairs. It's such a typical 1980s Hanks movie that fits in with the likes of Big and Splash, but it isn't an essential Hanks-starring movie. However, Hanks could very well prefer the "easy viewing" movies over epics like Philadelphia and Cast Away.
Every Ron Howard Collaboration
The appropriately named Reddit user Narrator_Ron_Howard thinks the four movies that Hanks is referring to are the ones he has made with director Ron Howard, referring to Splash, The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, and Apollo 13. The Redditor notes, "You can always tell when there’s a real and genuine bond between actor and director!"
The user is obviously a huge fan of the filmmaker, but while Howard is great at his craft, the filmmaker and actor haven't actually had all that much success when working together. Their collaborations are some of the lowest-rated movies in each of their filmography.
Road To Perdition (2002)
In Hanks's entire filmography, the actor has surprisingly only ever starred in one gangster movie, but it's one of the most spectacular-looking and engaging gangster movies of the 21st century. Bubbles00 thinks Road to Perdition is one of the four movies that Hanks likes in his own filmography, adding, "my personal favorite."
If Hanks cares about mise-en-scene and cinematography in movies, the 2002 release is definitely up there, as it's one of the actor's best-looking films. The actor plays Michael Sullivan, who seeks revenge with his son for the murder of his family. It's set in 1930s Illinois during the Great Depression, and the location is almost as much of a character as Michael.