Reel Talk | Actors bring story to life

Movies are an engrossing experience, captivating you, taking you on a journey into another world. If they work correctly, you can really be drawn into an actor's character, the beautiful cinematography or the plot.

At the heart of it all, and what you see dominating the screen, are actors.

Some actors don't get the recognition they deserve.

Sure, they can overpaid and overrated, but ultimately, they are the face of the movie.

I look at movies as a sum of multiple parts. Each starts with an idea or screenplay that puts person, places and things on the page.

Then comes the vision of a director, or stars a writer would want to see in the movie.

Some of the best actors effortlessly blend in on screen, with performances so real you often forget who is playing the part.

Yes, we all know Tom Cruise or Denzel Washington, but even the can’t-miss stars can become on-screen chameleons, blending in so effortlessly you forget you are watching a big-name actor.

During the summer, I highlighted some of my favorite directors working in Hollywood, some household names, others on the cusp of greatness.

In similar fashion, I want to take time to highlight some of my favorite actors on the big screen, including some up-and-coming actors ready to step into the spotlight.

Starting off this series is old reliable, Tom Hanks, one of the best in the world. His performances and on-screen likability help him blend into a movie so well, you forget the star power he brings to the screen.

Recently, Hanks starred in “Sully,” Clint Eastwood’s retelling of the Miracle on the Hudson, when pilot Chelsey Sullenberger was forced to land a plane damaged by gulls in the Hudson River.

The movie works well, and once again, Hanks is at the top of his game. He’s always been a reliable performer, but sometimes I think he gets overlooked by audiences and critics for how good he really is, because he’s so likable.

It might seem strange to consider Hanks overlooked after he has stared in blockbuster movies, earned five Academy Awards and taken home Oscar gold twice, for "Forrest Gump" and "Philadelphia."

Hanks has saved Private Ryan, he’s played a man lost a sea, and he’s even lent his voice playing a wooden toy cowboy in the "Toy Story" series.

At the end of the day, Hanks is an A-list actor, starring in one big hit after another while playing one character after another.

Sometimes I think we as an audience take Hanks for granted as he continues churning out great performances.

Adding to his acclaim playing the title role in “Sully,” Hanks seems to be the go-to guy portraying real-life heroes. Remember, Hanks played Richard Phillips in the 2013 film “Captain Phillips,” which told the true story of Somali pirates who hijacked Phillips’ cargo ship in 2009.

Perhaps my favorite Hanks performance is the one many know little about.

In 2012’s “Cloud Atlas,” Hanks showed great range playing six characters in an epic movie telling stories in six time periods across more than 1,000 years.

In the movie, Hanks plays a naive native living in a primitive futuristic world, a sleazy gangster, a well-intentioned scientist and attempted murdering racist.

Forget one movie — playing a variety of roles like that could be a small career for most actors. But not Hanks, who takes all the screen time he can and makes the most of it in “Cloud Atlas.”

Last week, I caught another great Hanks performance on TV when I watched “Cast Away.”

In his Oscar-nominated performance, Hanks is tasked with carrying most of the film stranded on an island, with his only sparring partner being a volleyball. The movie might have been a bit slowly paced, but Hanks transforms his body and performance, losing weight, growing a beard and embodying a man losing his mind living alone on an island.

Hanks has been a busy actor lately, with his recent success of “Sully” and the upcoming film “Inferno,” based on the novel sharing the same name written by "Da Vinci Code" writer Dan Brown.

The 60-year-old actor who stole the show 28 years ago in “Big” doesn’t show signs of slowing, signing on to voice Woody in “Toy Story 4,” as well as more than a dozen other projects he will either star in or produce.

Hanks always has been likable, but the next time you see him on screen, appreciate the talent, because he is a Hollywood treasure.

cshoup@gannett.com

419-334-1035

Twitter: CraigShoupNH