Top 15 Best Tom Hanks Movies

Forrest Gump is much more than a feel-good film. Hanks plays a simple man with a big heart and an even bigger history, whose journey touches American history from Vietnam to Watergate. Hanks won his second Oscar, and rightly so. His voice, his innocent gaze, everything works. Forrest stays with you because he's both child and sage, with an honesty that makes you believe in miracles.

The opening on Omaha Beach is a film history lesson in itself, more brutal and raw than anything made before. Hanks leads a platoon through the chaos of D-Day in search of a missing soldier. His role is a mix of duty, loss, doubt and heroism. It's war as it should be remembered: chaotic, human and gritty in every shot.

For his first Oscar, Hanks played lawyer Andrew Beckett, who loses his job because he's gay and has AIDS. His performance carries pain, courage, loneliness and fighting spirit, and he stays believable throughout. The journey from injustice to justice remains relevant and powerful.

Hanks' character Chuck washes up on a deserted island and is stranded there for years. In that silence he delivers a performance that relies entirely on his voice and body language. From panic to self-reliance, Hanks makes something grand out of being alone. His relationship with 'Wilson' is touching and human. A film about resilience and finding your own lifeline.

Paul Edgecomb is a death row guard who meets John Coffey, a man with a supernatural gift and a pure innocence. Hanks balances empathy and leadership in this almost fairy-tale tragedy, asking what real justice is. Gripping and moving to the very last second.

When Hanks played Josh Baskin, nobody expected him to portray a 12-year-old in an adult's body so convincingly. He shows how childlike wonder and adulthood can sometimes work together, and his Oscar nomination was well deserved. Big feels nostalgic, charming, funny and tender all at once.

When his ship is hijacked by Somali pirates, a life-and-death struggle unfolds. Hanks plays the captain with a mix of leadership, fear and composure. The final scenes, in which the shock finally breaks through, leave you speechless. His subtle acting elevates this realistic thriller to a higher level.

'Houston, we have a problem.' Hanks plays Jim Lovell in the true story of a space mission that threatens to end in disaster. He shows stoic professionalism and warm camaraderie, and the tension in space becomes palpable thanks to his calm leadership. He drives this ensemble drama about teamwork in a crisis with a human heartbeat.

Hanks plays FBI agent Carl Hanratty, chasing DiCaprio's charming con artist. His dry humor, patience and moral compass give structure to the cat-and-mouse game, making even identity fraud escapades believable and human. This duo leaps off the screen.

Hanks respectfully takes on the role of Mister Rogers, the beloved TV host and moral beacon. He's warm, gentle and authentic, but we also see the man behind the persona. In his conversations with a cynical journalist, he shows that kindness is not weakness. It earned him a well-deserved Oscar nomination.

Da Vinci, secret societies and chases across Europe: Hanks plays professor Robert Langdon unraveling the mystery. The film was sometimes panned, but Hanks keeps it moving with a balance of intellect and curiosity. Not his best, but typical Hanks: reliable, curious and modest.

Romantic classic alert: as Sam Baldwin, Hanks becomes the ideal partner. His role is charming, honest and tender, and he turns even clichéd love dialogue into genuine humor. With Meg Ryan he forms one of the most memorable duos of the 90s.

Hanks has become the voice and soul of Woody. His tone is patient, caring and reassuring, exactly the father figure that was needed. The film is groundbreaking animation, but Hanks' voice brings warmth and emotion you'd never expect from a talking toy. He makes you believe toys have a soul.

Hanks plays a hitman in a quiet, atmospheric 1930s crime drama. In his relationship with his son you find tension, love and tragedy. The film shows a darker, more introspective side of Hanks: not a hero, but a man trying to do right, even in the shadow of crime.

A political comedy-drama in which Hanks plays an eccentric but influential congressman. Together with Julia Roberts he brings the true story about Afghanistan in the 1980s to life. The film is carried by Hanks' flair: charming, critical, playful and intelligent at once.

Woody, Buzz and their friends end up in serious danger when their owner's toys are donated to a daycare. Hanks lends his voice to the famous cowboy once again in an emotional masterpiece that moves adults and children alike. Proof that Pixar films are really about friendship and growing up.