Top Gun: Maverick

spr1975wshs

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Anita and I went to see it for the 2nd time at the base theater.
It is a better film than the original.

The flight sequences are amazing, it is not woke or preachy, and it evokes genuine emotions at all the right moments.

I will see this again in a theater if available, and WILL buy the DVD or BluRay when issued.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
It WAS kind of cool that by THIS time - EVERYONE knew that Pete Mitchell was almost a GOD as a pilot. In the original, he was cocky - and lucky.
His signature move was to do something so dangerous, no one else would dare try it. He was a fairly two dimensional character who only seemed real when he lost Goose.

His character comes out a lot more in this one. I heard that this movie would make men cry. I came CLOSE at one point, but not the one everyone thinks. Near the beginning, when he gets thrown out of the bar - and he is literally outside looking in, watching Goose's KID play "Great Balls of Fire". And you KNOW it's not just killing him, but it's been killing him for more than thirty years.

And when he does that RUN when everyone says it's impossible - it reminded me of all the similar iconic bits in movies. Two in particular - the one in "The Right Stuff" where Chuck Yeager - arguably the best test pilot the nation had ever seen but whom was not in the Mercury program - because he did not have a DEGREE - where Yeager decides his altitude record will NOT be beaten and flies straight up into the stratosphere - and just like in the movie, went into a flat spin, came out burned and beaten and took months of medical attention to recover.

The other is fictional, but it depicts the same kind of cocky bravery - at the end of Gattaca, where the two brothers - one genetically designed for perfection, the other born naturally (and thus - less than perfect) - re-enact their boyhood challenge of swimming out into the dark ocean to see who could swim OUT furthest - knowing that you had to have enough stamina to return alive. And the non-perfect brother beats him AGAIN. When asked how he does it - he answers - "because I never saved ANYTHING for the trip back". He would rather die, than fail.

Yeah, I liked the movie. But the first one still kind of wins, to me, because unlike the sequel, the first dominated EVERYTHING back then - the music, the lines, the scenes. People will NOT be quoting this movie for decades.
 

spr1975wshs

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The theater was not filled to capacity either time, but that may be because the cineplex up near Wildwood has had it playing, plus the base got a "sneak peek" a few weeks ago according to the Mrs.
 

b23hqb

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PREMO Member
Just curious. What are the cost these days at a base theater vs outside theaters? I haven't seen a movie on base since probably the late 80s when I was in the reserves.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Just curious. What are the cost these days at a base theater vs outside theaters? I haven't seen a movie on base since probably the late 80s when I was in the reserves.
Just my observation - base is about half price.

Of course I also get the senior discount.
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Just to give an idea of just how iconic this movie is in our culture -

I just watched a video of my nephew and his fellow navy officers - in their trop whites - serenading a bride at her reception - BADLY singing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”.

He was BORN five years after the movie came out.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
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I'm hard hearted Hannah from Butte Montana because not only was I not weepy at any point in the movie, I had to stifle a guffaw at the GBOF scene and the "Talk to me Goose" scene. Tom Cruise all emotey makes me roll my eyes.
 

frequentflier

happy to be living
My husband and I saw it at the theatre near Aldi yesterday and we both enjoyed it though I found it pretty predictable. It was a great movie to see on a big screen along with the volume you get in a theatre. Watching a DVD at home would not be as effective.
I made my husband promise he wouldn't try any of those maneuvers in his airplane :lmao:
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
I'm hard hearted Hannah from Butte Montana because not only was I not weepy at any point in the movie, I had to stifle a guffaw at the GBOF scene and the "Talk to me Goose" scene. Tom Cruise all emotey makes me roll my eyes.
Is that where she lived before becoming the Vamp of Savannah ---
G - A. ?
 

frequentflier

happy to be living
Funny story: When we were in southern California, my husband and I participated in the Young Eagles program and flew to different airports every month to fly kids and introduce them to aviation. He flew; I did paperwork and took polaroid pictures of the child, pilot and plane. We had a Grumman Lynx at the time- a very cool two place airplane. There was a CD player in it and normally he played the Top Gun CD. One particular Saturday, he flew a teen and after the flight, the mother asked this kid (probably about 14) how he liked it and his response was "I loved the flying but the music SUCKED". We had been listening to the Dixie chicks on the flight there. I told my husband to put Top Gun back in!
We had a lot of great times and memorable experiences participating in the Young Eagles program there and met a lot of great people. He still flies YE from CRE airport and Saint Mary's airport when he is not overseas (and our current plane has XM radio!)
 

SamSpade

Well-Known Member
Is that where she lived before becoming the Vamp of Savannah ---
G - A. ?
(My Mom sang that song around the house all while growing up. She was born around the war, but she sang all kinds of songs and standards and show tunes. And you know that she was a good singer).
 
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