Rating: 
Summary: At the edge of the world...
Review: Tom Hanks plays Chuck Noland, a FedEx employee whose run-by-the-clock lifestyle changes when an airplane carrying him crashes on the Pacific Ocean. Chuck, the only survivor, drifts to a deserted island where he has to learn to stay alive.
Tom Hanks does an excellent performance in Cast Away. I think this is one of the best movies of the year. DVD picture is labelled 2.35:1 but it is actually 1.85:1 which is the Cast Away's theathical aspect ratio. Picture quality is very good for an NTSC format. There's no notable noise and colors are superb. DVD includes both Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES soundtracks. Personally I prefer DTS, because it's a bit more aggressive than the Dolby one. Disc 1 also includes THX optimization program, which is good for those without any test discs. There are plenty of extras on disc one. Trailers are presented in fullscreen format and with Dolby Surround soudtrack which is a minus for those who love trailers.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly Acted!!
Review: I didn't see this movie when it was first released in theatres. When Tom Hanks did not win the Oscar for best actor I didn't get to cheer or jeer. However, my gut reation, having seen Russell Crowe in "Gladiator", was unless Hanks fell on his face in "Castaway", Crowe could not have turned in a superior performance. Was this yet another Academy Award blunder? You bet your sweet patooty it was!! Having now seen "Castaway" three times I can state, unequivically, that Tom Hanks performance stands every bit as tall as in "Forrest Gump" and "Philadelphia". His commitment and discipline alone, gaining and losing nearly 100lbs., may have been reason enough to award him the Oscar. But then there was the acting. The movie is filled with moments that allow an actor of Hanks quality to shine. His reactions to little things that go bump in the unfamiliar darkness drew me in every time. His quest to claim domain over, elusive, fire and water alternately bring tears and laughter as does the four year battle with despair and hope. Hanks conveyed, eloquently and subtly, the fear, confusion and beauty of his isolation. If ever there was a perfect pairing of an actor and a part, this is it. If you don't believe me, go ask Wilson!
Rating: 
Summary: Could have been better
Review: While not a terrible movie, "Cast Away" was by no means as good as it could have been. In fact, it's hard to really pinpoint exactly what's wrong with it. The plot moves slow, but it has to. There is almost no music to speak of, but I actually found that to be rather effective. If this film fails, it's because it really felt like it should have somehow been more than it actually was. Hanks is really better than this -- looking forward to "Road to Perdition."
Rating: 
Summary: Only Tom Hanks could have pulled it off
Review: Admit it, put another actor in that role & the film would have gone pfffttt in the market. Just by looking at the trailer, you would know that it would be a long, dragging, mostly-one-charactered story. But what really caught my attention till the end was the great portrayal by Tom Hanks. He led us to see his day-to-day survival in a forsaken island. He made us realize that there are so many things in this world that we take for granted & we ONLY realize their importance when we lose them. Yes, it was an adventure in a way but not something you would consider impossible or absurd. On the contrary, most if not all of the events, were very real & believable. Chuck's survival was a great adventure. It's very real that the only thing that kept Chuck going was hope to be reunited with his love one. On the other hand, it is also very real (painful as it may be) that the 'surviving mate' would go on with her life, no matter how much she loves her partner. The absence of the typical "Hollywood happy-ending" kind of stuff really makes this film truly unique & commendable. It takes patience, understanding & realism to bear watching this film. Now, if you are the type who prefers thin plot, light story, everybody happy kind of stuff, Cast Away is definitely not for you.
Rating:
Summary: Another good decision by Tom Hanks
Review: I would just like to congradulate Tom Hanks on making another good decision to do a movie. He has made some good decisions in the past including "Forest Gump", "Saving Private Ryan" and now "Cast Away". All three of these movies were rather long in length and it works great. Tom Hanks' incredible change in body composition in the movie really shows how dedicated he was and adds a lot to the cinematic experience. He goes from a well fed FED-EX worker to a skin and bones cast away. It was really brave of Tom Hanks to accept doing this movie knowing that he would be the only character on screen for a large portion of the film. He held the audience's attention well and this movie is a success. The reason why I gave this movie a four was because of the ending. It was not totally satisfying. Yes it was open enough that we assume more good things will happen but to leave a movie theatre totally satisfied is better than leaving wondering too much....
Rating:
Summary: Tom Hanks is brilliant!!!!!!
Review: To tell you the truth after viewing this film more than once, I am clueless as to why Tom Hanks did not win the academy award for this. This movie is fascinating. Tom Hanks plays a federal express executive whose plane crashes into the sea killing all on board but him. What follows is the most amazing almost without dialog acting you have ever seen. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: One Of The Better Hollywood Films In A Long Time
Review: Cast Away is something rare and special in Hollywood. It's an epic Hollywood blockbuster type with a name actor and director that is actually brilliant, classy, and worth all of it. Usually, those types of films are hollow and eye candy. That's okay too, you know. This film shows that they can also be the exact opposite. Tom Hanks stars as Chuck Noland, a fed-ex worker who goes on a flight for a delivery and the plane crashes into the sea. Chuck drifts(on an inflatible boat)to a remote island. Chuck ends up spending four years on that island. His only companion is a volleyball named Wilson. Chuck wonders about his girlfriend back home, who's played by Helen Hunt. Hanks' performance is a one man showstopper. He proves again why he is such a loved and respected performer. He deserves all of the attention and respect. He deserved the Oscar instead of Russell Crowe. Crowe wasn't anything stand-outish. If Hanks hadn't of won twice already, he would've won this too. Helen Hunt is usually good, but she is given way less to do here to really review. Her end scenes with Hanks are pretty good tho. This movie defied all odds. It was one man on a deserted island for the majority of the film. Tons of film were without dialogue and music. Very risky and brave. Director Robert Zemeckis pulled it off brilliantly. He always does. This is a great, up-lifting, spiritual film that would make anybody feel better about themselves for seeing this. This is a Hollywood classic. Do yourself a favor and forget about "Survivor". This film is the way it should be. A must see.
Rating:
Summary: Good film, pathetic ending.
Review: Cast Away is good, that's true. I knew exactly what it would be all about even before seeing it. But I still had fun. And the plane crash is awesome...freaky to death. The moments spent on the island were purely great, but the rest suffered of the Spielberg-like pathetic ending. Tom Hanks played his usual role, but who cares? He plays it well. Maybe a change wouldn't be so bad...Anyways, his character was pretty intelligent and he reacted just like I would have reacted...except for the swear words...he didn't even say one F-word. And Zemeckis really convinced me that Tom Hanks' Volley ball was his friend...I even felt stupid after the movie because of that. The backgrounds made me feel like I was in paradise. And this film is an exception to his genre, and it's a very good thing; He was always alone on his island, there were no stupid cannibal tribes or anything. It's like Robinson Crusoe, but with its own advantages, and its own weak points. This is surely a good movie, and I'm sure it will get some Academy Award Nominations, because it's exactly the kind of films that will touch the heart of the judges and please to their "Right to Censorship" mind. Most of it was a good moment, but the other parts suffered of the pathetic syndrome. And, by the way, this is not a very touching movie, it won't make you cry or anything, but it's very agreeable to watch. And you can also interpret it as a critic to materialism. Good film.
Rating: 
Summary: Cast Away all hope ye who watch this commercial
Review: If you like to pay for advertising, this is the flick for you. "Cast Away" is without a doubt the most blatant marketing vehicle yet to be created in cinema. But I'm also sure that due to it's profitability, it's also the wave of the future. My awareness of the commercial-exposure angle ("product placement") started with "E.T." when Reese's Pieces won for Best Use As Alien Bait by the Academy of Screen Hucksters. This could signal the launch of a new wave of corporate-sponsored Hollywood blockbusters for the rubes . . . I mean filmgoers. You can identify them by the corporate logos they wear on their clothing.
Think of the possibilities! We can breathlessly anticipate the movie about the hot romantic adventures of corporate lawyers for --brand name here-- tobacco company ("LA Law" meets "9-1/2 Weeks"). There will be the comedy about the happy, zany assembly workers at--insert manufacturing company here--their misadventures and their lighthearted response to an attempt to close the plant ("Other People's Money" meets "9 to 5"). Then there's the heartwarming story of a child worker in Guatemala who plays as she works making T-shirts for--high fashion label-- only to become, by a miraculous turn of events, a major shareholder and savior of her people ("El Norte" meets "Pret a-Portèr"). Thrill to high adventure as --multinational global polluter-- delivers babies of scientists working for them in Antarctica before the hole in the Ozone blinds the penguins ("The Thing" meets "Rosemary's Baby" and they drive to "Iceman"s house to smoke ...). On second thought, forget the penguins. Now, That's Entertainment! [Note: all rights reserved; film producers must gain my permission to use the proposals above or face legal action by my team of attorney]
This is still a nice, if far-fetched, movie with Tom playing Tom and Helen playing Helen in an otherwise engaging story (as the best TV commercials can be). But if you don't want to pay for advertising, find a ... who actually bought it and do what you're willing to do to see it. Otherwise, wait till it's on TV--which should be very soon and frequently.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable performance from Hanks
Review: Certain guarantees of quality are implied by Tom Hanks' presence in a movie. You also know that it will be a little bit different, and that the lead character will be likeable. This film starts with Hanks' character being very dislikeable, but he gradually mellows throughout the film, and you find yourself warming to him. It is what I would call a 'What-if' film. You are thinking throughout the film 'would I propose marriage to this lady? Would I open the packages that weren't addressed to me? Would I try to kill myself? Would I marry someone else if my spouse was missing, presumed dead? Ultimately the film satisfies. Tom Hanks may not make the same choices that we would make, but you are with him all the way as he makes those choices.
The scenery is beautiful too.
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