Happy Hanksgiving, A Celebration of Tom Hanks
by urbanemovies | created - 24 Mar 2016 | updated - 08 Oct 2019 | PublicHanksgiving is an event celebrated the fourth Thursday of each November since 2009. Often, it is confused with another holiday that falls on the same day, but Hanksgiving has its own traditions and menu. A typical celebration includes a Tom Hanks-inspired feast, the company of friends and family and binge watching Tom Hanks movie and TV series titles all day long.
Which combination of a Tom Hanks-inspired menu dish/drink and Tom Hanks movie/TV series would you most like to have a helping of this Hanksgiving holiday?
Celebrate Hanksgiving with these: Serious Eats Hanksgiving Recipes or Vulture Hanksgiving Recipes. A special thanks to yrnej, seriouseats.com and vulture.com for their suggestions.
Cast your vote here or Discuss the topic here.
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1. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
R | 169 min | Drama, War
Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns
Votes: 1,495,687 | Gross: $216.54M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Cravin' Private Fryin
An oversized fried turkey, nicknamed "Private Fryin" with juicy tender turkey meat, a delicious crispy skin and plenty of leftovers saved for later.
2. Forrest Gump (1994)
PG-13 | 142 min | Drama, Romance
The history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
Votes: 2,255,455 | Gross: $330.25M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Forrest Pump-kin Pie
Pumpkin, cream cheese, and bourbon filling pie sprinkled with Black Forest cake crumbs.
3. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
PG-13 | 141 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
Barely 17 yet, Frank is a skilled forger who has passed as a doctor, lawyer and pilot. FBI agent Carl becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man, who only revels in the pursuit.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen
Votes: 1,094,722 | Gross: $164.62M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Catch Me If You Cran-berries
Cranberries sautéed with sugar, orange, ginger and cinnamon.
4. The Green Mile (1999)
R | 189 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
A tale set on death row, where gentle giant John Coffey possesses the mysterious power to heal people's ailments. When the lead guard, Paul Edgecombe, recognizes John's gift, he tries to help stave off the condemned man's execution.
Director: Frank Darabont | Stars: Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, David Morse, Bonnie Hunt
Votes: 1,406,454 | Gross: $136.80M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: The Bean Pile
A three bean (green, wax, kidney) salad served in the shape of a tasty tower.
5. Band of Brothers (2001)
TV-MA | 59 min | Drama, History, War
The story of Easy Company of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and their mission in World War II Europe, from Operation Overlord to V-J Day.
Stars: Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, Shane Taylor
Votes: 526,561
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Brandy of Brothers
A mixed cocktail of Christian Brothers™ apple brandy, apple cider, bourbon and seltzer.
6. Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
PG-13 | 125 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Author P.L. Travers reflects on her childhood after reluctantly meeting with Walt Disney, who seeks to adapt her Mary Poppins books for the big screen.
Director: John Lee Hancock | Stars: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley, Colin Farrell
Votes: 169,996 | Gross: $83.30M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Glazing Mr. Shanks
Braised pork shanks covered in a pineapple, orange and brown sugar glaze.
7. Toy Story 2 (1999)
G | 92 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and his friends set out on a rescue mission to save Woody before he becomes a museum toy property with his roundup gang Jessie, Prospector, and Bullseye.
Directors: John Lasseter, Ash Brannon, Lee Unkrich | Stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Kelsey Grammer
Votes: 619,390 | Gross: $245.85M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: A Soy Story Too
A vegan, gluten-free delight sculpted entirely out of tofu, herbs, assorted fruits and vegetables.
8. Cast Away (2000)
PG-13 | 143 min | Adventure, Drama, Romance
A FedEx executive undergoes a physical and emotional transformation after crash landing on a deserted island.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Paul Sanchez, Lari White
Votes: 638,306 | Gross: $233.63M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Cast Iron Way Chili
A 3-way, 4-way or 5-way chili prepared in a cast iron skillet.
9. Apollo 13 (I) (1995)
PG | 140 min | Adventure, Drama, History
NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise
Votes: 315,396 | Gross: $173.84M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Apollo Thirtahini
A butternut squash and chickpea salad mixed with tahini.
10. The Terminal (2004)
PG-13 | 128 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
An Eastern European tourist unexpectedly finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chi McBride, Stanley Tucci
Votes: 495,051 | Gross: $77.87M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: The Corn-minal
A covered basket of warm gluten-free, low fat, low calorie and low sugar cornbread muffins.
11. Big (1988)
PG | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
After wishing to be made big, a teenage boy wakes the next morning to find himself mysteriously in the body of an adult.
Director: Penny Marshall | Stars: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia, John Heard
Votes: 239,861 | Gross: $114.97M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Pig
A traditional slow, day long, pit roasted porker with a fire-roasted apple in its mouth.
12. Bridge of Spies (2015)
PG-13 | 142 min | Drama, History, Thriller
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 the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan
Votes: 327,622 | Gross: $72.31M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Frigid of Pies
A frozen french vanilla ice cream filled pie mixed with chopped pecans, chopped peanut butter cups, chopped Butterfinger™ candy bars and a caramel sauce topping.
13. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
PG | 105 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A recently widowed man's son calls a radio talk-show in an attempt to find his father a partner.
Director: Nora Ephron | Stars: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Ross Malinger, Rita Wilson
Votes: 190,767 | Gross: $126.53M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Sweetness in Se-Apple
An apple cider cream pie topped with cinnamon-sprinkled baked Washington state grown apple slices.
or
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Beetless in Seattle
A traditional beet salad with a mix of Washington state grown chopped Honeycrisp, Red Delicious and Jonagold apples substituted for the beets.
14. Turner & Hooch (1989)
PG | 97 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A detective must adopt a rambunctious dog in order to help him find a killer.
Director: Roger Spottiswoode | Stars: Tom Hanks, Mare Winningham, Craig T. Nelson, Reginald VelJohnson
Votes: 76,318 | Gross: $71.08M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Turnips & Hooch
Maple syrup-infused turnips mixed with white whiskey.
15. Inferno (I) (2016)
PG-13 | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Crime
When Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Dr. Sienna Brooks and they race across Europe together against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Tom Hanks, Felicity Jones, Irrfan Khan, Ben Foster
Votes: 189,647 | Gross: $34.34M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Inferno Pasta (so hot, you'll need to sign a medical waiver to partake)
Fettuccine pasta spiced with red bell peppers, cilantro, Habanero peppers, cracked black pepper and balanced with an onion, banana, pineapple juice, orange juice, lime juice, Parmesan cheese and butter sauce.
16. Captain Phillips (2013)
PG-13 | 134 min | Action, Biography, Crime
The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.
Director: Paul Greengrass | Stars: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman, Catherine Keener
Votes: 492,393 | Gross: $107.10M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Country Captain Phillips
A mild stew fusion dish inspired by a rural American in the Indian Ocean, made with blackened chicken pieces, Phillips™ blackened seasoning, curry powder, onions, almonds, golden raisins and zante currants served over a bed of rice.
17. Road to Perdition (2002)
R | 117 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A mob enforcer's son in 1930s Illinois witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take to the road, and his father down a path of redemption and revenge.
Director: Sam Mendes | Stars: Tom Hanks, Tyler Hoechlin, Paul Newman
Votes: 284,423 | Gross: $104.45M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Mode to Perfection Salad
A multiple salad option that includes Ambrosia Fruit Salad, Cobb Salad, Apple Slaw, Lobster Salad, and a fifth option of your choosing to provide everyone's ideal salad entree.
18. You've Got Mail (1998)
PG | 119 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Book superstore magnate Joe Fox and independent book shop owner Kathleen Kelly fall in love in the anonymity of the Internet, both blissfully unaware that he's trying to put her out of business.
Director: Nora Ephron | Stars: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Parker Posey
Votes: 229,545 | Gross: $115.82M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: You've Got Kale
Kale cooked collard greens style.
19. A League of Their Own (1992)
PG | 128 min | Comedy, Drama, Sport
Two sisters join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amid their own growing rivalry.
Director: Penny Marshall | Stars: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Madonna
Votes: 120,977 | Gross: $107.53M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: A Leek of Their Own
A leek-filled sausage and spice stuffing served in individually portion sized dishes.
20. Punchline (1988)
R | 128 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A medical school dropout and a housewife/mom try to make it as stand-up comedians. They become friends and help each other out at an NYC comedy club.
Director: David Seltzer | Stars: Sally Field, Tom Hanks, John Goodman, Mark Rydell
Votes: 9,257 | Gross: $21.03M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Punch Lime
A punch made with ginger ale, lime sherbet, pineapple juice and garnished with lemon slices, lime slices and Maraschino cherries. (add lime vodka for alcoholic version)
21. The Post (2017)
PG-13 | 116 min | Biography, Drama, History
A cover-up spanning four U.S. Presidents pushes the country's first female newspaper publisher and her editor to join an unprecedented battle between press and government.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk
Votes: 162,149 | Gross: $81.90M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: The Roast
A platter assortment of carved roast meats: lamb, pork, pot and rump.
22. The Ladykillers (2004)
R | 104 min | Comedy, Crime, Thriller
An eccentric, if not charming Southern professor and his crew pose as a classical ensemble in order to rob a casino, all under the nose of his unsuspecting but sharp old landlady.
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen | Stars: Tom Hanks, Marlon Wayans, Irma P. Hall, J.K. Simmons
Votes: 108,898 | Gross: $39.80M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Ladyfinger Chillers
Miniature-sized assorted flavored ice cream sandwiches made with ladyfinger biscuits.
23. Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
R | 102 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
A drama based on a Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.
Director: Mike Nichols | Stars: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams
Votes: 124,851 | Gross: $66.66M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Cauli Wilson's War
A traditional Cauliflower Gratin dish served with conflicting Afghan and Russian spices.
24. That Thing You Do! (1996)
PG | 108 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
A local Pennsylvania band scores a one-hit wonder in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as they can, with lots of help from their manager.
Director: Tom Hanks | Stars: Tom Hanks, Liv Tyler, Charlize Theron, Tom Everett Scott
Votes: 73,542 | Gross: $25.81M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: That Stuff-ing You Do
Bread stuffing, pork sausage, dried cranberries and none of your attitude, Jimmy.
25. The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
R | 125 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
After his mistress runs over a young teen, a Wall Street hotshot sees his life unravel in the spotlight and attracts the interest of a down-and-out reporter.
Director: Brian De Palma | Stars: Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Kim Cattrall
Votes: 26,729 | Gross: $15.69M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Bonfire of the Cranberries
A roasted cranberry chutney with apples, raisins, apricots and orange/lemon zest.
26. The Circle (I) (2017)
PG-13 | 110 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A woman lands a dream job at a powerful tech company called the Circle, only to uncover an agenda that will affect the lives of all of humanity.
Director: James Ponsoldt | Stars: Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Ellar Coltrane
Votes: 100,315 | Gross: $20.50M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: The Circle
A taco-based 15" crescent ring comprised of seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and salsa stuffed inside a baked Pillsbury™ crescent dinner roll circle.
27. Philadelphia (1993)
PG-13 | 125 min | Drama
When a man with HIV is fired by his law firm because of his condition, he hires a homophobic small time lawyer as the only willing advocate for a wrongful dismissal suit.
Director: Jonathan Demme | Stars: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Roberta Maxwell, Buzz Kilman
Votes: 257,966 | Gross: $77.32M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Philadelphia Cheese Cake
A traditional cheese cake made with Kraft Philadelphia™ brand cream cheese.
28. Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
PG | 102 min | Comedy, Romance
When a hypochondriac learns that he is dying, he accepts an offer to throw himself in a volcano at a tropical island, and along the way there, learns to truly live.
Director: John Patrick Shanley | Stars: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack
Votes: 39,793 | Gross: $39.40M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Dough versus the Volcano
Volcano-shaped baked Alaska encased within a flaky dough crust, served aflame with melting ice cream and meringue dripping down the sides from the summit.
29. The Polar Express (2004)
G | 100 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter, Leslie Zemeckis
Votes: 241,220 | Gross: $183.37M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Roller Express
A covered basket of quick-rising warm bread dinner rolls.
30. The Da Vinci Code (2006)
PG-13 | 149 min | Mystery, Thriller
A murder inside the Louvre, and clues in Da Vinci paintings, lead to the discovery of a religious mystery protected by a secret society for two thousand years, which could shake the foundations of Christianity.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno, Ian McKellen
Votes: 458,650 | Gross: $217.54M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: The Da Vinci Pasta Lode
Penne pasta made with sliced chicken breast, button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and onions cooked in a Madeira wine and garlic butter sauce.
31. From the Earth to the Moon (1998)
TV-14 | 60 min | Action, Drama, History
Dramatized portrayal of the Apollo manned space program.
Stars: Tom Hanks, Nick Searcy, Lane Smith, David Andrews
Votes: 13,214
Hanksgiving Menu Item: From the Hearth to the Loon
A fire-roasted loon (duck) serve with a bitter orange and white wine sauce.
32. Splash (1983)
PG | 111 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
A young man is reunited with a mermaid he briefly encountered as a boy and falls in love with her without knowing her secret.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, John Candy
Votes: 83,385 | Gross: $62.10M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Spl-Hash
A russet potato hash and a splash of hot sauce mixed with bacon, yellow onion, red bell pepper, baby spinach and spiced with chopped garlic, kosher salt and black pepper.
33. Bosom Buddies (1980–1982)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
Two young single ad men must disguise themselves as women to live in the one apartment they can afford.
Stars: Tom Hanks, Peter Scolari, Donna Dixon, Holland Taylor
Votes: 4,626
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Bosom Spuddies
Moose Bosom, Maine, USA grown potatoes served mashed-style prepared while wearing clothing of the opposite sex.
34. The 'Burbs (1989)
PG | 102 min | Comedy, Mystery, Thriller
An overstressed suburbanite and his neighbors are convinced that the new family on the block is part of a murderous Satanic cult.
Director: Joe Dante | Stars: Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Corey Feldman
Votes: 83,454 | Gross: $36.60M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: The 'Herbs
A tasty assortment of separated herbs. The perfect accompaniment to any other dish based on the individual diner's taste.
35. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)
PG | 109 min | Biography, Drama
Based on the true story of a real-life friendship between Fred Rogers and journalist Lloyd Vogel.
Director: Marielle Heller | Stars: Matthew Rhys, Tom Hanks, Chris Cooper, Susan Kelechi Watson
Votes: 88,666 | Gross: $61.70M
Hanksgiving Menu Item: Mr. Rogers' Banana Day Back to Childhood
A before or after dinner snack to magically transport you back to Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood with a treat you haven't had since you were a child, a cheese slice wrapped banana.
*added 08 October 2019
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