Hanks is crowdsourcing to raise $50k to tell the story of Tower Records, the formerly ubiquitous music retailer that has had not only its legs kicked out, but its heart brutally removed by the advent of both digital music files and piracy. The project is dramatically titled All Things Must Pass: The Rise and Fall of Tower Records. Why he wants to tell the story of Tower specifically and not one of the myriad independent outlets with more character is, frankly none of your business. He wants to talk about Tower, and he’s going to use your money to do it.

While it can be safely assumed that Hanks doesn’t need your $50k to get the movie produced (he could just run out to his sixth Mercedes and get it out of the glovebox), it’s admirable that he’s leaving himself to his own devices to pursue a passion. While his brother Chet is also pursuing a passion on his own, it’s safe to say that no one in their right mind would use the adjective “admirable” to describe that endeavor.