Captain Phillips
The incredibly intense thriller, inspired by a true story, was a box office success and praised for direction, screenplay and cinematography and offered Hanks a perfect opportunity to churn out yet another brilliant performance. Captain Phillips (Tom Hanks) is in command of MV Maersk Alabama, an unarmed container ship. While passing the coast of Africa, his vessel is overcome by armed Somali pirates led by Muse whose orders are to ransom the ship and crew for millions of dollars of insurance money from the shipping company. Phillips tells his crew to hide in the engine room and is taken hostage. Ships arrive with a team of snipers even as they try to negotiate with the pirates. But when the pirates try to kill Phillips, the marksmen kill the pirates and Phillips is rescued.
Saving Mr Banks
Author Travers (Emma Thompson), who is not financially well off, reluctantly agrees to meet filmmaker Walt Disney (Tom Hanks), who has been trying to get the screen rights for her Mary Poppins novels for the last 20 years. Travers does not want Disney to adapt her creation to the screen since the production house is well known for its animation films, which she dislikes. The Mary Poppins character is mostly based on her life and Travers was very close to her father who died of alcoholism. After watching the film, Travers is overcome by emotion, since it has a scene of redemption for the George Banks character, which is personally significant for her. Watch it for the excellent performances of Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks.
The Terminal
As a result of revolution in his native Krakozhia, Viktor (Tom Hanks) arrives at New York’s airport but is not allowed to enter the city or return home. His heavy accent adds to the problem and the airport authorities seize his documents. Now he has only his luggage and a peanut can. The can contains autographs of famous musicians which Viktor’s father had collected but died before he could get the last one so Viktor has come to New York for the last autograph. Even as a senior official does his best to get rid of Viktor to get promoted, Viktor falls in love with flight attendant Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), who he meets frequently. To help him fulfill his dream, Amelia is forced to renew her ‘friendship’ with a married official. Viktor finally collects the last autograph and heads home.
Apollo 13
Astronauts Jim (Tom Hanks), Jack (Kevin Bacon) and Fred (Bill Paxton) begin training for America’s third Moon landing mission. A few days into the mission, an oxygen tank explodes and the other tank leaks so the Moon landing is aborted and they decide to return home. The spacecraft has minimum oxygen and power supply and they realise that if the heat shield is not intact, the spacecraft will incinerate during re-entry in to the earth’s atmosphere. After a nail-biting flight, the astronauts splash down in the Pacific Ocean and are given a hero’s welcome. The film from lift-off to splashdown is one hell of a ride.
The Man with One Red Shoe
CIA officials Cooper (Dabney Coleman) and Ross (Charles Durning) are constantly trying to make each other look bad. Knowing that his house has been bugged by Cooper, Ross hits back by speaking of a fictitious secret agent who will arrive at the airport. A musician Richard (Tom Hanks) wearing mismatched shoes (one business shoe and one red sneaker), due to a prank by his friend Morris, is suspected to be the spy and chased by Cooper’s agents. From information found at Richard’s apartment, Cooper learns Richard has travelled to many Communist countries, making Cooper think he is the spy. Even Richard’s sheet music is considered to be a ‘secret code’. Richard is oblivious till the film’s climax and falls for Cooper’s agent Maddy (Lori Singer).
