Rewatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 25

I decided to rewatch my 100 favorite movies of all-time. What those are, you can check HERE. I watch them in random order, there is no rhyme or reason there, just watching those movies I love so much.

81/ 100: The Burbs (1989)
Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) is in need of rest and spends his vacation in his boring, decent suburb. But then the Klopek family movies into to his neighborhood. They behave a bit strangely, and strange noises come from their house at night. Together with his neighbors, Ray sets out to investigate. “The Burbs” has been a family favorite for years, a film my brother and I can randomly quote from. It’s not a perfect movie for most, but for us, it is the funniest thing out there. Check out my full review HERE.

82/ 100: Little Women (2019)
Yet another film adaptation of Louise May Alcott’s famous book, but in my eyes the best ou there. Aspiring writer Jo (Saoirse Ronan), one of the four March sisters, is the focus, but director Greta Gerwig shows remarkable sympathy for the ambitious Amy )Florence Pugh), who was has always been the “wrong sister” in other adaptations. Emma Watson plays eldest sister Meg and Eliza Scanlen plays introverted Beth. And Timothee Chalamet seems to be born for the role of Laurie. HERE you can read my full review.

83/ 100: The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Monsieur Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes), the flamboyant concierge of five-star Hotel Gran Budapest tries to stay out of the hands of the fascists in 1932 along with lobby boy Zero (Toni Revolori). The silly characters, variegated colors and hyper-realistic setting, that director Wes Anderson is so known for, are all present.  Just like the dry-comic humor. And Ralph Fiennes is energetic and has perfect timing. Check out my full review HERE.

84/ 100: The Usual Suspects (1995)
Excellently acted crime story in which five criminals meet in a cell and, before being innocently released, decide to work together. Leader is the charistmatic Keaton (Gabriel Byrne). Gradually, the come in contact with the mysterious master criminal Keyser Soze. This film marked the breakthrough for actor Kevin Spacey, who also received an Oscar for his role. “The Usual Suspect” is one of the movies that everyone loves, I literally don’t know anyone who doesn’t. Check HERE for my full review.

Still to watch: 16

What's in a Movie Year - 1989

Taking a look at the year 1989, picking my 10 favorite movies from that year in random order.
 

The Burbs
One of the best Tom Hanks movies nobody saw. At least, no one I know (besides my brother and parents of course, we watched it a lot). It’s funny, absurd and satirical. Dark humor, where Ray is spending his vacation days at home watching his new neighbors the Klopeks, who act weird and have strange noises coming from their house at night.
 

When Harry Met Sally
Harry and Sally are former college roommates but will never be friends because, according to Harry, friendship between men and women is impossible. Although the chemistry is obvious they maintain for years that nothing is wrong. Meg Ryan shines in her role as neurotic, somewhat naïve Sally. And Billy Crystal is the sarcastic and realistic Harry. One of the few romantic comedies I absolutely love.
 

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
In part 3 of Steven Spielberg’s successful series about the archeologist-adventurer, Indiana Jones once again comes into conflict with the Nazis, who believe they have discovered the location of the Holy Grail. This time his father joins him on the journey. This causes extra stress and a lot of merriment in this action/ adventure film. One of the best third-in-a-trilogy films.
 

Back to the Future II
The story of this second part of the “Back to the Future” trilogy begins seconds after part one ended. Marty McFly has to go back to the future, conjures up Doc Brown, because things seem to be going completely wrong there. To solve it, he will have to jump back and forth in time considerably. Great follow-up to one of the best time-travel movies ever made.
 

Dead Poet’s Society
Keating teaches English in 1959 at a posh boarding school for boys where iron discipline  reigns. That he wants to teach the students to think in an original and independent way, is not well-received by the staff and parents but makes him very popular with the students. A small group of boys take Keating’s lessons to heart, with tragic consequences. The message of the film is very skillfully conveyed by Robin Williams (who plays Keating), who thus showed that he could handle a serious role very well.
 

Born on the 4^th of July
Director Oliver Stone based his movie on the autobiography of Ron Kovic, who returned from combat mentally and physically broken and became active in the anti-war movement. Brave venture by Tom Cruise, who convinces as a naïve idealist who becomes deeply embittered and ends up as an energetic activist. A Tom Cruise movie that is not talked about enough.
 

Glory
During the American Civil War, the 54^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry regiment fights the Confederates. The regiment consists of black and white volunteers, but is led by white officers. One of them, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, has his doubts about the expected discipline and employability of the black soldiers. Wonderful roles by Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington. Impressively detailed war film.
 

Field of Dreams
‘If you build it, he will come’. The level-headed farmer Ray Kinsella hears the words as a whisper. He doesn’t’ know where they come from, but he does know that he needs to build an entire baseball field on his cornfield. More mysterious developments follow. One of the many baseball films Kevin Costner has made, but also his best.
 

Do the Right Thing
Colorful, individualistic magnification of a multi-racial New York neighborhood, Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn full of explosive tension. In less than 24 hours, the residents, partly due to the summer heat, partly due to bigotry, are brought to a boiling point. The hatred is directed primarily at the Italian operators of a pizza joint. A film full of brutality, is definitely established Spike Lee’s reputation as a director without succumbing to commercial trends or easy thrills. Great piece of cinema, even if it won’t be to everyone’s taste.  
 

Uncle Buck
This movie is on her simply for sentimental and nostalgic reasons, since this has always been a family favorite. Father and mother Russell have to go away for a while and are looking in vain for a babysitter. They have no choice but to call Uncle Buck, the black sheep of the family. This corpulent, anything but conventional bachelor takes his job seriously, however, and it’s not long before he has trouble with daughter Tia and her boyfriend. John Candy manages to steal al our hearts as Uncle Buck.
 

Five to Watch - Underrated Tom Hanks Movies

Tom Hanks is on everyone’s favorite actor list. And we all love “Forrest Gump”, Saving Private Ryan”, “Toy Story” and “Big”. And there are many, many more movies that are well-loved by people all over the world But I decided to create a list of five of his movies that hardly anybody ever talks about. Here are five underrated Tom Hanks movies.
 

That Thing You Do (1996)
Hanks has a role in it, but this is also his directorial debut. It’s a lighthearted film that tells the story of the rise and fall of a pop group in the mid-1960s. under the name Ondeders (later changed Wonders, because they always pronounce it as Oh-needers) they record their first song independently. Their song, That Thing You Do, becomes a hit and we see what it does with each band member. It’s a fast-paced story, with a fun setting and it’s a perfect feel-good film.  
 

The ‘Burbs (1989)
Ray Peterson is in need of rest and spends his vacation in his boring, decent suburban home. But then the Klopek family moves into a house nearby. The Klopeks are a bit strange and at night there are strange noises coming from their house. Along with his neighbors Mark and Art, Ray sets out to investigate. It’s such a funny, absurd dark comedy, which isn’t only underrated, but also very overlooked. I hardly know anyone who has seen it. My brother and I can actually quote from it, that’s how much we love it (and how many times we’ve watched it).
 

Road to Perdition (2002)
Tom Hanks plays gangster Michael Sullivan, handyman to mob boss John Rooney and father of two sons. One of Sullivan’s sons witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take the road, and his father down the path of redemption and revenge. The violence remains mostly off screen, but the film shows the effect of violence on people. I think this is Hanks’ most underrated film ever.
 

Bachelor Party (1984)
Rick announces that he is marrying girlfriend Debbie. Debbie’s father thinks that Rick is just a loser and tries to sabotage the wedding. Rick’s friends organize a wild bachelor party for him, with lots of booze and strippers. This movie was made way before Tom Hanks became a serious actor and superstar. He played a lot of these comedic roles. It might be a bit dated, but it is your typical 1980s comedy, that still is pretty funny.
 

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
In the US, Fred Rogers is an institution, because of his TV-show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”, in which he spent more than thirty years talking to children about social issues, in an extremely calm and kind manner. Fred Rogers is one of television’s most kind-natured people. So who else, than America’s sweetheart Tom Hanks to portray him. This is not your standard biopic. The film is based on an article in Esquire. A journalist who is initially skeptical of Rogers’ impeccable image but becomes increasingly impressed with him. Hanks is perfectly cast. The film is sentimental, but nuanced. It will have a bigger impact if you also grew up with Rogers’ TV show, but still a movie that I could recommend.  

Best Tom Hanks Movies

It is no secret that I love Tom Hanks. He has been my favorite actor for as long as I can remember. He is always a reason to watch a movie, and even when not all of his movies are perfect, Hanks always delivers. I decided to create a list of his best movies. This list is based, not only on overall ratings, but also on my personal connection with the movie. And making this list was damn hard, so I made a top 25. Here it is!

25. The Great Buck Howard

Not the most known or liked Tom Hanks film, he doesn’t lead this film. His son Colin Hanks does, alongside John Malkovich and Emily Blunt. But I found this a movie worth mentioning because it’s so overlooked and it’s very entertaining.

24. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Tom Hanks plays television icon Fred Rogers, who was probably the nicest celebrity ever. He is being interviewed by journalist Lloyd Vogel. If any movie were a hug, this is it.  

23. Bridge of Spies

During the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of a spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot. This is one of the very few newer Tom Hanks movies where it’s not just him stealing the show. He is accompanied by the very capable Mark Rylance.

22. Saving Mr. Banks

Even in more recent films, Tom Hanks still proofs he is one of the best things Hollywood has to offer. Hanks played real-life iconic figure Walt Disney for “Saving Mr. Banks”, where we follow him in the creation of the film “Mary Poppins”. Pure likeability this movie has.

21. Sleepless in Seattle

Tom Hanks plays Sam, a widower. His son is looking for a new woman for his dad and makes an emotional call on the radio. Hundreds of women respond. One of them is Annie, played by Meg Ryan. It’s one of the most romantic movies, where the lead characters literally only share one scene together.

20. The Da Vinci Code

In this mystery thriller Tom Hanks plays professor Langdon, who is suspected of the murder of the museum curator of the Louvre. Langdon soon understand that this man has left clues that only he can understand. It’s an exciting search for the truth and the real killer. Oh, and we ignore the hair here.

19. Toy Story 2

The second installment of the “Toy Story” franchise has the gang looking for Tom Hanks’  Woody, who was stolen by a toy collector. We are introduced to Jesse and her backstory kind of made me cry. And this is only one of the films on this list.

18. Turner & Hooch

Tom Hanks had a different kind of co-star in “Turner & Hooch”. Hanks plays a cop, who has to take care of a big, sloppy dog called Hooch who is the only witness to his owner’s murder. The chemistry between man and dog is relatable and this film played an important role in establishing Hanks’ brand identity.

17. The Money Pit

Anna and Walter bought a beautiful house, but when they move in they find out there is lot that needs to be done there. This film has a lot of physical comedy, for both Tom Hanks and Shelly Long. And I have always loved this comedy.

16. Philadelphia

Andrew Beckett is a successful lawyer, who is fired shortly after his promotion. Is it because he messed up a case, as his bosses claim to be, or was he fired because they found out he’s gay and has AIDS? Andrew hires an attorney to contest his dismissal. The story grabs you and the performance by both Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington are unforgettable.

15. You’ve Got Mail

Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly have the most wonderful conversations online, but in real life they can’t stand each other since they run rivaling bookstores. Strangely enough I always preferred “You’ve Got Mail” over “Sleepless in Seattle”. It’s one of the few romantic comedies I can watch without having to vomit. Maybe because it doesn’t feature teenagers or tweens, the story isn’t sugar sweet and the characters aren’t the most beautiful people with the most dreamy jobs and apartments. Is this movie without clichés? No, but this film is so lovely. Not timeless, since the way they communicate is a bit outdated. But I still watch this movie with the biggest smile on my face.

14. That Thing You Do

The film follows the starting band ‘The Wonders’, who become an overnight sensation with the hit song ‘That Thing You Do’. Tom Hanks plays their agent Mr. White. Hanks’ most important role in this project was directing it, since his role is fairly small. But this is a great feel-good film, even though the song is played SO MANY TIMES.

13. Toy Story

Andy’s big toy collection comes to life, whenever he’s not around. This was the first Pixar film and the first fully computer animated film by Disney. Tom Hanks voices cowboy Woody, together with Tim Allen as his astronaut pal Buzz Lightyear. This is a movie that made history.

12. Apollo 13

“Apollo 13” tells the story of the 3^rd mission to the moon on April 11^th 1970. The flight starts flawless, until it goes wrong: an oxygen cylinder explodes and damages the spacecraft. Tom Hanks plays astronaut Jim Lovell and embodies the most modest hero: tough, resourceful, pragmatic and a true leader.

11. Road to Perdition

This is one of the few films that has Tom Hanks play the crook. The crime film is based on a graphic novel and is set in 1930s Chicago. Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a criminal who tries to keep his son out of trouble after his wife and other son were killed. Even though Hanks plays a bad guy, you root for him since the men that are after him are even worse. A truly beautiful father and son tale.

10. A League of Their Own

Tom Hanks delivered a classic line in this baseball film: “There’s no crying in baseball”. He plays a grumpy former baseball player, and is now given a comeback by coaching a female baseball team. This is probably the only time Hanks fully inhabits an unsympathetic role, but we love him anyway!

9. Catch Me If You Can

A young master crook (Leonardo DiCaprio), who pretends to be a pilot, lawyer and doctor at several points in his life, commits one scam after another. However, he is in the sight of the FBI, whose team is lead by Carl Hanratty (Hanks). It becomes a true cat-and-mouse game. The film is so good because of this element and the mutual hate end respect between the two leads.

8. Cast Away

Chuck Noland works for FedEx and crashed on an uninhabited island during a transport flight. He has to survive on his own. His only friend is a volleyball he names Wilson. A perfect on-man-show by Tom Hanks, what a wonderful performance. It’s just him and he captivates u from start to finish. Tom Hanks, the only man that made us cry over a volleyball.

7. Captain Phillips

When American freighter MV Maersk Alabama is attacked by pirates just off the Somali coast, Captain Phillips must do everything to protect his crew. He gives himself up as a hostage, to save his crew. The film is based on actual events and is very intense. Hanks’ performance is amazing, just that emotional scene at the end is reason enough to check it out.

6. Saving Private Ryan

During WWII, it is discovered that two soldiers killed in battle are brother of each other. Then there appears to be a third brother, who has dropped somewhere in France. Captain Miller is assigned to the task to find this soldier. “Saving Private Ryan” is one of the best WWII movies and has one of the most impressive opening scenes in a movie ever.

5. Toy Story 3

Andy is getting ready for college, which means he is all grown up. His toys Woody, Buzz and all their friends realize they had their best time. They are donated to a kindergarten. But when they think they found the best place to live, they are wrong. This is the best film in the “Toy Story” franchise, love everything about it. And Tom Hanks is again voicing Woody wonderfully.

4. The ‘Burbs

It might be surprising that this film is in my top 5, but “The ‘Burbs” is a brilliant comedy. Hanks plays Ray Peterson, a nosy neighbor who loves nothing more than spying on his neighbors. While on a break from work, he decides to investigate his new neighbors, who seem suspicious and he suspects them to have killed one of his neighbors. This is probably Tom Hanks’ most underrated film and a comedy everyone should see. I can quote this film and it had a special place in me and my family’s hearts.

3. Big

Josh is a 13-year-old boy who wants to be an adult. He makes a wish at a fair and the next morning he wakes up in the body of a 30-year-old man. Tom Hanks played a 13-year-old boy trapped in a grown man’s body and he nails it. It’s one of Hanks’ best performances.

2. The Green Mile

Tom Hanks plays Paul Edgecomb, a prison guard working with prisoners who are on death row. Here he meets John Coffey, a big and strong man, with a fear of the dark and special powers. One of the many movies that makes me sad, but “The Green Mile” really made me weep like a little child. It’s a long movie, but you never feel its length because of the amazing story and great performances.

1. Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump isn’t the smartest person you will ever meet, but he is not limited by his low IQ. Forrest manages to play an important role in 30 years of American history: as a Vietnam veteran, as owner of a shrimping boat, a football hero and meeting the American president, twice. It’s a film that can be both funny and sad, but in the end is a perfect feel-good movie. “Forrest Gump” is Tom Hanks’ best film and one of the best performances in movie history.

Top 5 Thursday: Comedies from the 1980s

We’re going back in time, time for the best comedies of the 1980s. Try and compare them with today’s comedies, they are very different. They didn’t have to make sense, they just had to make us laugh. Something that comedies lack nowadays. You can also say that Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and John Candy ruled 80s comedy. Here are my favorite comedies from the 1980s (and it was really hard!!).

5. Airplane

Today there are lots of spoofs, but “Airplane” started the popularity of this genre. Nowadays spoofs are just sad, laugh-free comedies, but “Airplane” is super funny.

 

4. Ghostbusters

Who ya gonna call? Exactly! “Ghostbusters” is an absolute cult classic, a movie that will always entertain you and make you laugh.

 

 

3. National Lampoon’s Vacation

The first movie following the Griswold family. Clark, head of the family, is driving his family to an amusement park, but nothing goes according to plan. “This is no longer a vacation. It’s a quest. A quest for fun”.

 

 

2. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

A movie I watch every year. For some reason around Christmas (the movie is set around Thanksgiving), but every time a good time. Two complete strangers a stuck together because of a snow storm and Steve Martin and John Candy are the perfect duo to do this.

 

 

1. The Burbs

Maybe not the popular choice, but this is the funniest movie of the 1980s! It might not be the best movie, but it sure is hilarious! Tom Hanks knows comedy.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Police Academy, Caddyshack, Spaceballs, Uncle Buck, Big, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Money Pit, Monty Python’s the Meaning of Life, A Fish Called Wanda

Top 5 Thursday: Movies from 1989

The 80s were about to end, but not without leaving us some amazing movies. The year 1989 had some great ones. Here are my favorites.

5. Born on the 4th of July

In my opinion one of the best, if not THE best movie with Tom Cruise. An amazing true story of a man paralyzed by the war and trying to pick up his life again.

 

4. Field of Dreams

Kevin Costner portraying a baseball player again, after his role as Crash Davis in “Bull Durham”. “Field of Dreams” is better and it’s beautiful. I have to watch it again sometime.

 

 

3. Back to the Future Part II

Off course the first movie in this series was amazing, but “Back to the Future Part II” was great too. Things like the hoover board and that book with all the sports results, cool things to have.

 

 

2. When Harry met Sally…

One of my favourite romantic comedies, where you didn’t mind any clichés. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal have fantastic chemistry. And who doesn’t remember that scene in the diner.

 

 

1. The ‘Burbs

Many people would think it’s weird to find this movie at number one. It’s probably not the best movie of 1989, but without a doubt the funniest and with that it’s one of the funniest movies ever! My brother and I love this comedy.

 

 

They Almost Made the Top 5: Batman, Dead Poet’s Society, Do the Right Thing, Glory, Say Anything…