Feature: Top 10 Movies Starring Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks

Life is like that box chocolates, or pretty woman walking down Toledo Drive Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts where the major players in cinema during the 1980’s into 1990’s. The noughties saw a number of younger actors steal the limelight though both actors where involved in some intriguing films and in 2011 the pair worked again in the heart-warming inspirational journey of LARRY CROWNE in Tom Hank’s second directorial adventure, which is available to own on DVD, Blu-ray and EST from 14th November 2011, courtesy of Studiocanal.

When appealing everyman LARRY CROWNE (Academy Award winner Tom Hanks – Forest Gump, Castaway) is inexplicably fired from his job as a Big Box store clerk, he realizes it’s time for some meaningful changes in his life.

Deeply in debt and without direction, he returns to college where he befriends a group of scooter-riding students including Lamar (Cedric the Entertainer – Ice Age, Be Cool) and B’Ella (Taraji Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Date Night) and eventually falls for beautiful speech class instructor, Mercedes Tainot (Academy Award winner Julia Roberts – Pretty Woman, Notting Hill).

To celebrate the release of Larry Crowne on DVD, Blu-Ray from November 14th below is a top 10 list of the pairs best films working from 10 down to one. I know some of you may not agree but its all for fun!

Number Ten
Cast Away
 Last on the list, but certainly not least, is Cast Away starring Tom Hanks. Hanks plays Chuck Noland, a FedEx executive who is the sole survivor of a plane crash that leaves him stranded on an uninhabited island. Chuck spends 4 years struggling to live with Wilson, his volleyball and only companion, until he finally escapes back to civilization. Somehow Hanks manages to make a film that features almost solely a man and a ball compelling, emotional, and heart wrenching.

Number Nine
My Best Friend’s Wedding
 Julia Roberts stars as Julianne Potter, the comically jealous best friend, in this chick flick. Julianne finds out that her best friend Michael O’Neil (Dermot Mulroney) is going to get married in just a few days and, after realizing that she herself loves him, plots to break up the wedding before it’s too late. Even after the bride-to-be asks Julianne to be her maid-of-honour, she is determined to sabotage the relationship and win the man for herself. Despite playing the role of the other woman, Roberts is of course classy and hilarious throughout My Best Friend’s Wedding.

Number Eight
Big
 This one is an oldie but a goodie. Tom Hanks plays Josh Baskin, a thirteen year old boy who wishes to be “big” and turns 30 overnight. Josh manages to land every kid’s dream job as a professional toy tester after he impresses the CEO with his childish enthusiasm (role my favourite scene when the two are playing Chopsticks with their feet on the giant toy piano). However, as his adult responsibilities continue to pile up, he grows tired of being old and wishes to be young again. Big brings out the child in all of us- it’s just too bad that we can’t be young again when we make a wish.

Number Seven
Notting Hill
 In Notting Hill Julia Roberts plays Anna Scott a famous American actress (sound familiar?). Anna happens to meet Will Thacker (Hugh Grant), the owner of a small book store in Notting Hill and their unlikely romance begins to bud. Obviously, as with any romantic comedy, the guy can never just get the girl and the fact that one is a star complicates things even more. Even though poor Will has to jump through hoops to be with her, it’s definitely worth it- it is Julia after all.

Number Six
The Green Mile
 In a much more serious role than Big, Tom Hanks plays Paul Edgecomb in The Green Mile, a corrections officer who works in the cell block that is the prisoners last mile to the electric chair. Paul forms a friendship with the supposed murderer John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), who turns about to be everything but a murderer. Everyday life at the prison begins to unravel, especially after John brings a mousse back to life and cures a dying woman of cancer. Hank’s performance as the conflicted Paul is profound and makes a great film that much more intriguing.

Number Five
Pretty Woman
 In Pretty Woman Julia Roberts plays the quirky prostitute Vivian Ward, who is hired to be the social escort of business tycoon Edward Lewis (Richard Gere). Of course, they quickly fall in love and she helps him to find the values he lost sight of a long time ago. Roberts manages to shine in this unusual role making this the the one chick flick that every guy has seen and may actually admit to having liked.

Number Four
Saving Private Ryan
In Saving Private Ryan Capt. John Miller, played by Tom Hanks, stars in this World War II film loosely based on real events. After three brothers are killed, Miller and his men must go on a mission to find the last surviving brother- you guessed it, Private James Ryan (Matt Damon). Despite being under constant fire and facing death at every turn, the men trek on, giving insight into just how brave these soldiers were. Hanks does an amazing job of portraying the seriousness of the role, yet still manages to add humour to keep up the spirits of his men and the movie.

Number Three
Erin Brockovich
 Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts, is the amazing story of an unemployed, single mother who demands a job as a legal assistant from the lawyer who lost her lawsuit and the money she was depending on. After she comes across some suspicious information, Erin begins to dig up the dirt on a company that’s been trying to cover up the dangerous chemicals it’s been leaking into the water supply of a surrounding community. Julia Roberts perfectly portreys the strong willed and passionate Erin Brockovich, trying to balance raising her children with almost single-handedly bringing down a huge company and getting hundreds of millions of dollars for the community members.

Number Two
Forrest Gump
 Forrest Gump is nothing less than a classic. The movie opens with Tom Hanks as Forest Gump telling his life story to a stranger on a bench. Forrest, despite being labelled with a low IQ as a child, has met multiple Presidents, become famous for shrimp, Ping-Pong, and running, and has coincidentally been at some of the most famous events in history. All the while, his path keeps intersecting with his childhood love, Jenny (Robin Wright). Hanks’ performance makes the film light-hearted and fun while still commenting on serious historical issues. And of course, no one can deliver the line “Life is like a box of chocolates” like Tom Hanks can.

Number One
Larry Crowne
 Two of Hollywood’s greatest come together to make Larry Crowne Number One on this list. Tom Hanks stars as Larry Crowne, a middle-aged man who gets fired from his job for not having a college education. Larry goes back to college to and becomes a new man, meeting Mercedes, played by Julia Roberts, along the way. Hanks proves that he can be both actor and director in this fun romantic comedy. #

LARRY CROWNE is available to own on DVD, Blu-ray and EST from 14^th November 2011 
Extras: 
Audio Description
Making Of Larry Crowne
Deleted Scenes
Fun On the Set
Tom Hanks Interview
Region: 2 • Cert: 12A