Tom Hanks
- 2010
Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo co-director Lee Unkrich strikes out on his own with this installment into the popular computer-animated series detailing the adventures of wide-eyed cowboy doll Woody and space-ranger action figure Buzz Lightyear. Oscar-nominated scribe Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) handles screenwriting duties. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Angels and Demons re-teams director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks for the sequel to their international blockbuster adaptation of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code. Although the book Angels and Demons was written before the novel The Da Vinci Code, the movie transpires after the events of the earlier movie. Hanks stars as professor Robert Langdon, the most respected symbologist in the United States, who uses his knowledge in order to decode a symbol on the skin of a murder victim. The clues put him on the trail of an international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church. Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer also star in the Sony Pictures production. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer, (more)
- 2009
A Greek tour guide named Georgia (My Big Fat Greek Wedding star Nia Vardalos) attempts to recapture her kefi (Greek for "mojo") by guiding a ragtag group of tourists around Greece and showing them the beauty of her native land in this sun-soaked comedy from director Donald Petrie (Miss Congeniality, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days). Along the way, she manages to open their eyes to wonders of an exotic foreign land while beginning to see the world through a new set of eyes in the process. Richard Dreyfuss, Harland Williams, and Rachel Dratch co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nia Vardalos
- 2008
- PG
- AddCity of Emberto Queue
Monster House director Gil Kenan takes the helm for this children's fantasy about two young heroes who attempt to solve an ancient mystery in time to prevent their underground city from being swallowed by darkness. The City of Ember was built over 200 year ago, deep below the Earth, where the destruction of a mass-scale disaster couldn't reach it. Equipped with a massive generator and vast supplies, the people of Ember have thrived happily for generations -- but the city wasn't meant to be lived in forever. The generator is breaking down and the supplies are running out, but two centuries in isolation have robbed the Emberites of their knowledge - nobody knows how the electric lights work anymore, and nobody understands that there's something beyond the city besides darkness. Nobody, that is, besides Lina (Saoirse Ronan) and Doon (Harry Treadaway), two teenagers who still have the hope that everyone else has lost to ignorance and apathy -- not to mention a sheet of instructions left by the Builders themselves explaining how to leave the city. But the 200 year old paper is falling apart, and pieces are missing. So with the lights threatening to flicker for the last time and leave Ember in darkness forever, Lina and Doon set out on an adventure through the streets, sewers, and dark caverns of Ember to put the pieces back together. To solve the mystery, they'll have to get inside the Builders' heads, and avoid the grasp of corrupt Mayor Cole (Bill Murray), who wants to keep Ember the way it is - no matter what the cost. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, (more)
- 2008
A young man on his way up hitches his wagon to a middle-aged star on his way down in a comedy from writer and director Sean McGinly. Troy Gable (Colin Hanks) is a guy in his early twenties who has dropped out of law school and is pondering his next move. Troy has an interest in working in the entertainment business, and when he learns that a "celebrity performer" is looking for a personal assistant, Troy thinks he's found the ideal entry-level position. Troy soon discovers he's landed a job as a glorified gofer for Buck Howard (John Malkovich), a once-famous mentalist who appeared on The Tonight Show 61 times during Johnny Carson's reign as host. However, Howard hasn't been doing much lately, and he's hired Troy and new publicist Valerie (Emily Blunt) as he grooms himself for a comeback. While Troy is fascinated with Howard's creaky but still effective act, his boss has enough personal quirks and absurd demands to give anyone second thoughts about working with him for long. One thing that keeps Troy on the road with Buck is Valerie, who wastes no time in showing her sexual interest in him; however, Valerie is also the only one who harbors no illusions about Howard's prospects for a return to fame, and she isn't afraid to tell him about it. The Great Buck Howard also features Tom Hanks as Troy's father; as it happens, he's also Colin Hanks' real life dad. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, (more)
Emmy Award-winning director Tom Hopper takes the helm for this epic, seven-part miniseries produced by Playtone's Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and presenting American history as seen from the perspective of fiercely independent founding father John Adams (Paul Giamatti). Based on author David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, the film tells the tale of a leader whose remarkable vision helped to guide a burgeoning republic through an especially tumultuous period. Thanks to the tireless support of his loving wife Abigail (Laura Linney), and lifelong friendship with political rivalry Thomas Jefferson (Stephen Dillane), John Adams rose to prominence as the spokesman for the American independence movement before moving on to become America's first ambassador to Holland and England, the first American Vice President, the second American President, and the father of the sixth American President. As with McCullough's best-selling biography, the film draws on a comprehensive collection of letters, diaries, and family papers in order to create the most accurate representation of Adams' life and achievements ever captured on film. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, (more)
- 2008
- R
- AddSurfer, Dudeto Queue
Hands on a Hard Body director S.R. Bindler directs this wave-twisting tale of a soul-searching surfer (Matthew McConaughey) in the midst of an existential crisis. Steve Addington (McConaughey) is an herb-toking long-boarder with a keen sense of balance and a mellow outlook on life. Upon returning to his hometown of Malibu to spend the summer with old friends, Steve begins to sense that the good vibes he remembers as a boy have been hopelessly corrupted by the powers that be. When the earthen surfer is faced with the prospect of expanding into virtual-reality video games and reality television or risk being rendered irrelevant, he opts to keep riding the majestic Southern California waves rather than participate in this new digital reality. Fate seems to intercede, however, when the ocean simply ceases to produce any suitable waves. His finances dried up, his sponsored expense accounts suddenly canceled, and his friends flocking off to bluer pastures, the surfer without a wave suddenly realizes that he has but two choices in life: he can either sit tight and try to keep his sanity until the waves come rolling in again, or finally give in to the Man and his intoxicating world of artificial amusements. Perhaps with a little wisdom from his trusted manager (Woody Harrelson), his aging mentor (Scott Glenn), his guardian angel (Willie Nelson), and his newfound muse (Alexie Gilmore), Addington can somehow manage to maintain his mellow just long enough to put it all into perspective and get back to the basics. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew McConaughey, Alexie Gilmore, (more)
- 2008
Band of Brothers producers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg re-team to produce this ten-hour World War II miniseries based on the books With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge and Helmet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie. Additional interviews conducted by the filmmakers in collaboration with Hugh Ambrose (son of late Band of Brothers author Stephen E. Ambrose) detail the arduous odysseys of U.S. Marines Sledge, Leckie, and John Basilone from their first skirmishes in Guadalcanal to their eventual return to American soil following V-J Day. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Longing to discover the identity of her true father before she exchanges her wedding vows, the daughter of a once-rebellious single mother secretly invites a trio of paternal candidates to her upcoming wedding in this feature adaptation of the beloved stage musical. Independent-minded single mother Donna (Meryl Streep) has always done her best to raise her spirited daughter, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), while simultaneously running a successful hotel on a small Greek island, but now the time has come for this hardworking mom to finally let go. In just a few days, Sophie will be married, and Donna will stand by bittersweetly as her little girl takes flight. Of course, Donna's lifelong friends Rosie (Julie Walters) and Tanya (Christine Baranski) will both be present at the wedding, but unbeknownst to the mother, Sophie has furtively invited three very special guests of her own. When Sophie walks down the aisle on that fateful day, she wants her father to hand her off. The only problem is that Donna has never revealed the true identity of Sophie's father, leaving the resourceful future bride to narrow the list down to three potential candidates. Now, as three key figures from Donna's past return to the picturesque Mediterranean shores they all walked 20 years prior, one beautiful bride will discover the secret of her past while one lonely mother finds out that it's never too late for a little romance. Phyllida Lloyd, director of both the original London sensation as well as the hit Broadway incarnation, makes her feature directorial debut with this big-screen version of the beloved musical featuring 22 classic ABBA hits. Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, and Dominic Cooper co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, (more)
- 2008
Filmmaker Mark Herzog follows Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough as he travels the country to deliver a speech to legislators, ascends the same Philadelphia church's steeple tower as John Adams did two centuries prior, studies a letter written by Adams to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776, takes a trip back to his old Brooklyn neighborhood and enjoys his annual walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, and shares his uninhibited enthusiasm for writing while allowing the viewer a glimpse of the modest "world headquarters" where he does most of his work. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
They've kept television viewers laughing for nearly 20 years, and now the most popular animated family on the small screen makes the leap into theaters as Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, ad Maggie embark on their first-ever feature-length adventure. Directed by David Silverman and written by a whole host of Simpsons veterans including Matt Groening and James L. Brooks, The Simpsons Movie also features special guest appearances by Albert Brooks among others. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, (more)
- 2007
Ken Burns continues his exploration of massive, sweeping subjects with his 15-hour documentary The War; in this case, the conflict in question is World War II. Yet within the scope of that gargantuan subject, Burns and co-director Lynn Novick narrow their scale of emphasis, honing in on four "average" American towns and charting the experiences of individual young men who enlisted to go overseas and fight against the encroaching shadow of fascism. The film covers each major "region" of the U.S. by transporting audiences to the west coast (Sacramento, California); the south (Mobile, Alabama); the east coast (Waterbury, Connecticut) and the Midwest (the farming community of Luverne, Minnesota). Within that geographic framework, Burns uncovers a series of astonishing tales about bravery in the midst of adversity - from the story of a young man who transported 12 American soldiers from the Normandy beach on D-Day, to the accounts of innumerable young men who falsified their ages and enlisted early. Burns and Novick thus repeatedly emphasize the human side of war - an aspect all too often glossed over when documentarians treat WWII on a broader scale. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenn Frazier, Sam Hynes, (more)
40-Year-Old Virgin star Steve Carell reprises his role as preening newscaster Evan Baxter in this heavenly sequel to the 2003 Jim Carrey comedy hit. Shortly after television anchorman-turned-U.S. congressman Evan Baxter (Carell) relocates his family from Buffalo to Northern Virginia, God (Morgan Freeman) reveals to him that a devastating flood is coming and the planet is about to be cleansed once again. Later, when Baxter accepts the responsibility of building a great ark and his rapidly changing physical appearance begins to draw media attention, his skeptical family attempts to discern if his actions are driven by delusion or divine intervention. John Goodman, Wanda Sykes, Jonah Hill, and Molly Shannon co-star in a divine comedy of truly epic proportions. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, (more)
Produced by Tom Hanks, written by Aaron Sorkin, and directed by Mike Nichols, this adaptation of George Crile III's incendiary bestseller tells the remarkable story of the Texas congressman whose efforts to prevent the Red Army from overtaking Afghanistan eventually led to the collapse of the Soviet Union while simultaneously fueling the rise of radical Islam. In the early 1980s, a hastily assembled army of Afghan "freedom fighters" achieved the remarkable feat of fending off Soviet invaders despite the fact that the odds were overwhelmingly stacked against them. At the time, Texas congressman Charlie Wilson (Hanks) was a key member of the hugely powerful House Appropriations Committee. Illuminated to the specifics of this remarkable war by a high-profile Houston socialite, Wilson spearheaded an effort to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in weapons and training to the Mujahideen with more than a little help from brilliant but prickly CIA operative Gust Avrokotos. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, (more)
- 2006
The first American TV drama series devoted to the subject of polygamy, HBO's Big Love starred Bill Paxton as Bill Henrickson, the owner of a hardware-store chain headquartered in Salt Lake City. Although Bill was no longer an active member of the extremist Mormon sect United Effort Brotherhood, he remained married to three different women at the same time, who lived in neighboring houses with one connected backyard. Jeanne Tripplehorn played Bill's first -- and only "legal" -- wife, Barb, who loved her husband and respected his religious beliefs but wished that she could be certain that she was foremost in his heart. Wife number two, played by Chloë Sevigny, was Nicki Henrickson, who because she had grown up at the United Effort Brotherhood's Juniper Creek compound was somewhat ignorant of the ways of the outside world -- as good an explanation as any for her monumental credit-card bills. The youngest of the wives, played by Ginnifer Goodwin, was Margene Henderson, who was understandably confused and disoriented by the unique situation in her household. Because he lived and worked in a country where polygamy was a crime, Bill was forced to jump through hoops to keep his multiple-marital status a secret, thus enabling wife Nicki's father, Roman (Harry Dean Stanton), self-styled "prophet" of Juniper Creek, to blackmail Bill into giving him a sizeable chunk of his business profits. Also in the cast were Bruce Dern and Grace Zabriskie as Bill's parents, Franklin and Lois, who still lived at Juniper Creek, as did their other grown son, Joey (Shawn Doyle), who in turn had given up a promising football career to remain at the compound with his wife, Wanda (Melora Walters). Other main cast members included Daveigh Chase as Roman's new child bride, Rhonda; Joel McKinnon Miller as Bill's best friend, business partner, and fellow polygamist Don Embry; and Amanda Seyfried, Douglas Smith, and Jolean Wejbe as Bill and Barbara's children, Sarah, Ben, and Tancy. Though the basic situation was frankly nothing to laugh at, a great deal of wry and risqué humor arose from the byplay amongst the many cast members, and from the tortuously twisted plot convolutions. Created by Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, the weekly, hour-long Big Love debuted March 12, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Dan Brown's controversial best-selling novel about a powerful secret that's been kept under wraps for thousands of years comes to the screen in this suspense thriller from director Ron Howard. The stately silence of Paris' Louvre museum is broken when one of the gallery's leading curators is found dead on the grounds, with strange symbols carved into his body and left around the spot where he died. Hoping to learn the significance of the symbols, police bring in Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), a gifted cryptographer who is also the victim's granddaughter. Needing help, Sophie calls on Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a leading symbologist from the United States. As Sophie and Robert dig deeper into the case, they discover the victim's involvement in the Priory of Sion, a secret society whose members have been privy to forbidden knowledge dating back to the birth of Christianity. In their search, Sophie and Robert happen upon evidence that could lead to the final resting place of the Holy Grail, while members of the priory and an underground Catholic society known as Opus Dei give chase, determined to prevent them from sharing their greatest secrets with the world. Also starring Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, and Alfred Molina, The Da Vinci Code was shot on location in France and the United Kingdom; the Louvre allowed the producers to film at the famous museum, but scenes taking place at Westminster Abbey had to filmed elsewhere when church officials declined permission. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, (more)
A pedal-to-the-metal race car determined to prove his worth on the tracks discovers that life isn't always about crossing the finish line first in Toy Story director John Lasseter's mechanically minded tale of friendship and loyalty. Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) may be just a rookie, but he's convinced that he can realize his dream of zooming by the checkered flag if he can only make it to California in time to compete in the upcoming Piston Cup Championship. When Lightning takes a detour into the slow-moving, Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, however, it begins to appear as if his shot at the big time has effectively stalled out. Of course, Lightning's exciting cross-country trek wasn't all for naught, and after befriending such quirky Radiator Springs residents as Sally the Porsche (voice of Bonnie Hunt), Doc Hudson (voice of Paul Newman), and Mater the Tow Truck (voice of Larry the Cable Guy), the eager young racer learns that sometimes life is more about the voyage than the outcome of the race. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, (more)
A working-class English boy who has been fortunate enough to be accepted into a posh private university struggles to realize his lifelong dream while simultaneously winning the heart of the girl he loves in a romantic, bittersweet comedy directed by Tom Vaughan and starring James McAvoy, Rebecca Hall, and Charles Dance. The time is the mid-'80s, and the University Challenge phenomenon is sweeping through England. Despite his underprivileged background, Essex boy Brian Jackson (McAvoy) knows that he has what it takes to make it to the finals on one of the most popular programs in all of England. Upon being accepted into Bristol, the ambitious young student soon tries out for the school's University Challenge team, and set the gears of his ultimate fantasy into motion. Effectively estranged from his single-parent mother (Catherine Tate) just for being accepted into the school, Brian soon gets set to cross yet another class line when he becomes smitten with his beautiful University Challenge teammate and attempts to woo her into his arms her with his formidable advanced general knowledge skills. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James McAvoy, Alice Eve, (more)
- 2006
This 2006 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Tom Hanks and features musical guest Red Hot Chili Peppers. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, (more)
A kid who hates ants finds himself living among the six-legged critters in this computer-animated comedy-adventure. Lucas Nickle (voice of Zach Tyler Eisen) is a ten-year-old boy whose family has just moved to a new town, and Lucas isn't enjoying it much -- he hasn't made any friends yet, his big sister ignores him, his parents (voices of Larry Miller and Cheri Oteri) are occupied with their upcoming vacation in Mexico, and his loving but slightly crazy grandmother (voice of Lily Tomlin) is convinced space aliens are casing out the neighborhood. To make matters worse, the local bully has found Lucas and is making his life miserable, so the boy looks for someone he can push around -- and he soon finds a large colony of ants in his yard. Lucas takes out his frustrations by stomping, drowning, and burying the bugs, little realizing the ants see him as a threat to their safety and aren't about take his attacks lying down. Zoc (voice of Nicolas Cage) is a "wizard ant" who creates a formula that shrinks Lucas to the size of an insect, and the tiny boy is brought before the leader of the Ant Council (voice of Ricardo Montalban) and the Queen of the Colony (voice of Meryl Streep) to answer for his crimes against the ants. Showing compassion, the queen sentences Lucas not to death, but to live among them and see how difficult their circumstances can be. Nurse Ant Hova (voice of Julia Roberts) is put in charge of looking after Lucas, and with the help of Scout Fugax (voice of Bruce Campbell) and Forager Kreela (voice of Regina King), Lucas gets an eye-opening picture of how the other half lives -- just in time for Lucas to help the ants in an all-out battle against Stan (voice of Paul Giamatti), a pest-control man brought in to get rid of the bugs. Produced by Tom Hanks, The Ant Bully was written and directed by John A. Davis, who handled the same chores on the film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, (more)
- 2005
- AddMagnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3Dto QueueAddMagnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3Dto top of Queue
Twelve men who belong to one of the world's most exclusive fraternities -- people who've walked on the surface of the moon -- are paid homage in this documentary. Using newsreel footage, rare NASA photographs, and digitally animated re-creations, Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon examines the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972 which put astronauts on the moon. In addition to explaining the technological know-how necessary to take our fliers to the moon, the film shares the thoughts of astronauts about what they saw and experienced in space, taken from their speeches and writings and read by a cast of distinguished actors, including Paul Newman, Morgan Freeman, Scott Glenn, Bill Paxton, and many more. Narrated by Tom Hanks (who also co-produced), Magnificent Desolation was shot and originally exhibited using the IMAX high-definition film format. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
One of the best-loved films from the idiosyncratic British film studio Ealing Pictures gets an update from the equally idiosyncratic filmmaking team of Joel and Ethan Coen in this offbeat comedy. Marva Munson (Irma P. Hall) is a spry, elderly woman who attends church regularly, doesn't care for loud noises or harsh language, and is looking for a tenant for the spare room in her house. Enter Goldthwait Higginson Dorr (Tom Hanks), a silver-tongued college professor who moves in and gains Munson's permission to use the basement for rehearsals with his "medieval music ensemble." What Munson doesn't know is that Dorr's latest project is not academic, but criminal. Dorr is masterminding the robbery of a riverboat casino, and the fellow musicians in his ensemble are actually the crew he's assembled to pull off the job: foul-mouthed "inside man" Gawain (Marlon Wayans), clumsy demolitions expert Pancake (J.K. Simmons), quiet strong-arm man Lump (Ryan Hurst), and logistical expert The General (Tzi Ma). Despite the best efforts of Dorr and his cohorts (which aren't very impressive), Munson finds out about their scheme, and when she refuses to accept a share of the take in exchange for her silence, Dorr decides the best solution is to silence her permanently. The gospel tunes which grace the soundtrack to The Ladykillers were coordinated by T-Bone Burnett, who also helped assemble the acclaimed song score for the Coen brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou?. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Marlon Wayans, (more)
Shot almost entirely on a two-and-a-half-story recreation of a full-size operating airport terminal, this romantic comedy from director Steven Spielberg revolves around an Eastern European man by the name of Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks), whose plans of immigrating to New York were hastened by a violent coup in his home country. Unfortunately, Viktor finds himself on the wrong end of a nasty technicality while en route to America: His passport was issued from a country, which, during its upheaval, ceased to exist in an official capacity. Unauthorized to leave Kennedy Airport upon his arrival and unable to return home, Viktor finds himself exiled inside the terminal's international transit lounge. Though airport official Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci) views Viktor as an annoying bureaucratic glitch, other airport employees -- including a beautiful flight attendant by the name of Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) -- come to see him as a welcome, if unofficial, addition to their numbers. As the days stretch on into months, the terminal transforms from an intimidating atmosphere of forced assimilation into a country within itself, complete with culture, ambition, status, complex diversity, and the need for love. The supporting cast includes Diego Luna, Chi McBride, Kumar Pallana, Zoe Saldana, Eddie Jones, and Jude Ciccolella. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, (more)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on children's author Chris Van Allsburg's modern holiday classic of the same name, The Polar Express revolves around Billy (Hayden McFarland), who longs to believe in Santa Claus but finds it quite difficult to do so, what with his family's dogged insistence that all of it, from the North Pole, to the elves, to the man himself, is all just a myth. This all changes, however, on Christmas Eve, when a mysterious train visits Billy in the middle of the night, promising to take him and a group of other lucky children to the North Pole for a visit with Santa. The train's conductor (Tom Hanks) along with the other passengers help turn Billy's crisis in faith into a journey of self-discovery. A long-time fan of Van Allsburg's book, Hanks also helped produce the film. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Hanks
