The true litmus test for the greatness of any movie is its ability to stand up over time. Those two pictures perhaps stand out more than any others in recent memory. Tune in to television's only live, daily program devoted exclusively to entertainment news. He's a marvelous actor and a marvelous human being. When he got up and cried talking about his passion for the movie, his concern about AIDS, and his love for his wife, Rita Wilson, I sat there and believed every single syllable he said.
Some actors give a performance when they accept their awards.
But Tom Hanks' acceptance speech so obviously came from his heart. It won because it was the best motion picture of the year, perhaps of the decade. This was the year that everyone got up on their feet and everybody applauded and gave this picture a standing ovation for the right reasons.