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A movie is hardly epic, poignant, or heroic if it doesn't star Tom Hanks, an actor we've seen fight in wars, survive on an island, and even journey to space.

This week, in Paul Greengrass's "Captain Phillips," Hanks stars as the eponymous character who gets taken hostage by Somali pirates. The intense drama is based on the real-life hijacking of the Maersk Alabama ship off the coast of Africa in 2002.

While we've seen many sides of the beloved Oscar-winning actor on screen, there are probably a handful of things you didn't know about the man. From his relation to a famous Us president to his favorite collector's item, check out these facts about Tom Hanks that you may not know.

1. Hanks has hosted "Saturday Night Live" eight times, making hims a member of the Five-Timers Club, a term which was coined in a sketch during Hanks' fifth time hosting.

After The Last Waltz, which focuses on The Band‘s final concert, No Direction Home, an account of Bob Dylan‘s early life and career and the Rolling Stones concert, Shine a Light, Martin Scorsese has no finalized plans to release his George Harrison doc this year.

George Harrison: Living in the Material World will air on HBO on Oct. 5 and 6, 2011 and features interviews with Eric Clapton, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, George Martin, Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, Tom Petty, Phil Spector, Ringo Starr and Jackie Stewart. We’ve previously extensively covered the project here, so just check out the press release via The Wrap below for more information, including comments from Scorsese himself.

New York, July 13, 2011 – HBO has acquired the North American TV rights to Martin Scorsese’s George Harrison: Living In The Material World from Grove Street Pictures. The film was produced by Scorsese (through his Sikelia Productions banner...

Hey rest of the world! We're about to have unprecedented amounts of (a.k.a. any) snow here in San Francisco. Thanks, global warming. So you'll excuse me if I'm distracted and clicking refresh on this site as I deliver today's linkage. (Snowing In Sf Yet)

I really dig this story of South Korean forces dropping leaflets about the protests in Egypt and Tunisia over North Korean soil. It seems so. . .wistful. (Reuters)

Do you ever feel, my randy little rams, like this column is a little too girlie? Well, Pissboy has sent me a wrestling-related link that is sure to butch up the place. Also, I met Rikishi in a Lyon's restaurant one time, but I'll tell you about that when I know you better. (Where's Randy Savage)

Speaking of things I'd like to wrestle, how cute is James Franco? Too Cute. It's only a few days until the Oscar Ceremony,...

Filmmaker David Lynch's upcoming meditation benefit has become a mini-beatles reunion with Ringo Starr joining Sir Paul McCartney for the show.

McCartney and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder were among the first stars to sign up for the Change Begins Within concert at New York’s Radio City Music Hall on 4 April - and now Starr has joined the performers.

It has yet to be seen if Starr and McCartney will play together at the benefit - if so, it will mark their first onstage collaboration since the George Harrison tribute show A Concert For George in 2002.

Sheryl Crow, Moby and Donovan, who heads up the musical wing of the David Lynch Foundation, are among the stars on the bill.

Laura Dern, the star of many Lynch movies, will co-host the event with rap mogul Russell Simmons.

Proceeds from the show will benefit the David Lynch Foundation's efforts to teach one million at-risk children to meditate.