#3. Wilson from ‘Cast Away’
Hey, I never said this list wouldn’t be stupid.
‘Cast Away’ (another Robert Zemeckis film, I just realized), is a classic; featuring a powerhouse performance by the always dependable and likeable Tom Hanks (The Mats Sundin of movies, perhaps?) Stranded alone for years on an island, Hanks has no companionship but a Wilson volleyball named…wait for it…Wilson.
When that volleyball gets lost in the water in Hanks’ escape attempt late in the movie it’s a heck of a thing. Who knew that a cheap piece of sporting equipment with a drawn-on face could evoke so much emotion? (And I wonder how easily Wilson could fit through Frederik Andersen’s five hole?)
#2. Brian Wilson
The ‘Beach Boys’ front-man has been responsible for over two-dozen top 40 hits and the album, ‘Pet Sounds,’ is “considered by many to be one of the greatest albums ever made” (from brianwilson.com/brian).
Wilson is one of the world’s most respected popular musicians and as as songwriter has only Bob Dylan for a peer. The 2014 film, ‘Love and Mercy’, chronicles Brian Wilson’s life and struggle with mental illness and is a must-see for any Wilson fan. Love and mercy, of course, are two things that probably would have benefited the Washington Capitals earlier this week.