Tom Hanks: The Landmark Collection - Robert Zemeckis [DVD]

Collection of five movies starring Tom Hanks.

In 'Cast Away' (2000), systems engineer Chuck Noland (Hanks) says goodbye to his girlfriend Kelly (Helen Hunt) and heads off on a flight to South America. En route the plane crashes into the Pacific Ocean, leaving Chuck as its only survivor. Luckily, there is an uninhabited island nearby and Chuck manages to swim to safety. After a failed attempt to escape on an inflatable raft, Chuck accepts that he is unlikely to get back to civilisation and begins to make the most of what he has around him. Four years later he is still on the island, having adapted extremely well to his new environment, but decides the time is right to make another attempt at the long journey home and sets off for a remarkable adventure on a makeshift wooden raft.

'Saving Private Ryan' (1998) is Steven Spielberg's World War II drama set against the backdrop of the Normandy landings. A squad of American soldiers, led by Captain John Miller (Hanks), receives top-level instructions to undertake an unusual mission: rescue Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers have all been killed in action. As the soldiers forge deeper into enemy territory, they begin to question the sense of risking life and limb for the sake of one man.

In 'Catch Me If You Can' (2002), as a teenager, Frank Abagnale Jnr. (DiCaprio) discovers he has a talent for impersonating officials, beginning with posing as a substitute teacher. Finding solace in his new gift - his mother leaves his father (Christopher Walken) after she discovers he is heavily in debt to the IRS - Abagnale goes on to impersonate airline pilots, doctors and even a lawyer, whilst also managing to con banks out of over $2 million. However, his escapades soon attract the interest of FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks) who seems to be always one step behind. That is until Abagnale decides to settle down and discovers that his future father-in-law (Martin Sheen) is the D.A. of New Orleans.

'Forrest Gump' (1994) is Robert Zemeckis's award-winning fable about the American dream. Forrest Gump (Hanks) is a good-natured but simple man. As he recounts his home-spun words of wisdom, he reminisces on his life's progress, from crippled child to decorated military hero, illustrating how America has changed over the years.

Finally, 'The Terminal' (2004) is set almost entirely in an airport terminal. Viktor Navorski (Hanks) always planned to emigrate from his Eastern European homeland to the USA - but his plans were swiftly accelerated by the outbreak of war, and he finds himself on a plane headed for New York's Kennedy airport. However, on arrival there he finds himself caught in a bureaucratic red tape nightmare: his passport was issued by a country which, since the violent coup that triggered the war there, has officially ceased to exist. Because he can neither be granted entrance to the US or deported, he is told by security to remain in the airport until his status is determined. Equipped only with his faltering English and a simple, optimistic outlook on life, Viktor gradually makes friends with the airport staff - and even falls in love with flight attendant Amelia (Catherine Zeta Jones) - over the ensuing weeks.