On July 9, It Begins Again.

I began this project just over three years ago. My intent was, as most of you know, to complete a viewing of all Tom Hanks' films in a year. I made a respectable showing at first, but then things happened. I had a miscarriage. I got pregnant with my second child. My first was potty training. I got a new job. I moved. I was laid off. My son turned two, and for those of you who have a two-year-old, I don't think that needs any further explanation. The world was blindsided with a pandemic, which both Hanx and his wife, Rita Wilson, were affected by. Protests arose over civil rights issues. In short, my world, and the greater world, was in chaos. I lost sight of my goal, and much like a beloved volleyball in Cast Away, drifted off beyond my reach.

Times are tough for everyone these days. There's no arguing that. And for quite some time now, I've been thinking about resurrecting this project. I've said for about half a decade that I wanted to learn Latin. Finally, this year, I'm about halfway through my first unit. I've become aware that I am, in fact, capable of finishing things. Given that, I want to revive The Year of Hanks and see it through to its conclusion. After that, perhaps I'll continue to document my thoughts on each of his subsequent films as they're released. I'll discuss the short stories in his book, Common Type. I also want to watch the full series of Bosom Buddies. There's still a lot of Hanks' catalogue that I need to explore.

So one week from today, July 9, 2020, Tom Hanks' 64th birthday (aka Hanksmas), I will officially recommence The Year of Hanks where we last left off, beginning with his uncredited role in Radio Flyer. My intent is to work my way through the rest of his filmography, however long it takes. I hope you'll join me.

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Here Comes the Hanks.

We were sitting at a traffic light when it happened. My husband and I were in San Diego for the weekend, enjoying a belated anniversary dinner while my in-laws had generously volunteered to babysit our son. We were in the car, headed for dinner at a restaurant that we'd been meaning to try for months, and I was futzing around on my phone (as I do), when he spoke up out of the blue. "I think we should do a year of Hanks." "What?" "Neither of us has seen all of Tom Hanks' movies, and I know you're a huge fan, so I think we should watch everything he's been in over a year or so." It took me a minute to process this suggestion that had come from seemingly nowhere. It's an established fact among those who know me well that I love Tom Hanks. It's not a movie star crush (I'm looking at you, Chris Pine) or a simple appreciation for the craft (Morgan Freeman, you inspire me). In a previous life, I was convinced, beyond the s...

Big (1988)

"I want to spend the night with you." "You mean sleep over? Okay, but I get to be on top." Picture, if you will, an adult Josh Baskin curled up in a fetal position in on the bed in a seedy motel room on his first night alone in New York City. Or jumping on a trampoline with Susan. Or playing keep-away from Paul with a racquetball. Now picture those scenes with Robert DeNiro. Because that's almost what happened. Given the natural youthful exuberance and easy charm he'd demonstrated in his roles to date, it's little wonder Tom Hanks was Penny Marshall's first choice for the lead role in her coming of age comedy about a boy who makes an impulsive wish and finds himself aging from 13 to 30 overnight. Unfortunately, Hanks' schedule was occupied with filming Dragnet and Punchline . After several other actors were considered (John Travolta, Albert Brooks, and Kevin Costner, to name a few), De Niro was cast. He even prepped for the role...

Punchline (1988)

"I'll say anything to a woman and not mean it. I'll say I love her. I'll say she's beautiful. I'll say she's sexy. I don't mess around with funny." I knew this one was going to be a thinker from the outset. Amazon (from whom we rented) described it thus: PUNCHLINE, the first major release to hit on this subculture of comedy clubs and struggling comedians, is both funny and sad. Sally Field, Tom Hanks and John Goodman star in this wonderful behind-the-scenes look at the world of stand-up comedy...where laughs are serious business. Writer David Seltzer penned the script in 1979, drawing on his own experiences in comedy clubs. When his initial choice for director dropped out, Seltzer abandoned the script to the Columbia Pictures vault, where it sat largely forgotten until producer Daniel Melnick came across it in a stack of other dust-gathering scripts and decided to revive it. Melnick initially intended the project to be a small-budg...

The Year of Hanks

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