by Josh Sewell
Top Gun: Maverick
(Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action, and some strong language. Opens in theaters on May 27.)
Sacrilege alert: I’m one of the weirdos who doesn’t like 1986’s Top Gun. It’s clear why the movie turned Tom Cruise into a superstar (he delivers an incredibly charismatic performance) and the soundtrack is excellent, but it’s an otherwise clunky, jingoistic product of its time. There was talk of a sequel for decades, but I never believed it. Even after one had been announced, constant delays made the film seem like a pipe dream.
Originally slated to open in July 2019, the movie had its release date changed six times thanks to the Covid pandemic and other assorted issues. For those reasons and more, I’ll admit I was skeptical walking into Top Gun: Maverick. Don’t get me wrong: I always give movies the benefit of the doubt. Still, it’s impossible for anyone to shed all their mental baggage.
When the lights went down and Harold Faltermeyer’s familiar synth score kicked in, followed by Kenny Loggins’ iconic ’80s anthem “Danger Zone,” I felt both exhilarated and nervous. It’s great to be reminded of your childhood, but I also didn’t want to endure two hours of cynical nostalgia porn.
Imagine my shock to discover that after an initial remake of the original’s opening, Top Gun: Maverick becomes a powerful, exhilarating reflection on the titular protagonist’s glory days and how they’ve impacted the rest of his life. To put it bluntly – and I honestly never thought I’d type these words – the movie is phenomenal. Not just “good for a summer blockbuster.” I’m talking one of 2022’s best.
In a pop culture era obsessed with the “legacyquel” (a film in which, according to the preeminent scholars at UrbanDictionary.com, beloved aging stars reprise classic roles and pass the torch to young successors), this is how you do it right. Top Gun: Maverick is one of the rare sequels that overwhelmingly surpasses the original.
After more than 30 years as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise), better known as Maverick, is ordered to return to Top Gun, where he must train the world’s greatest pilots for a dangerous covert mission. One of them is Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), aka Rooster, who Maverick has known his entire life. That’s because he’s the son of Maverick’s late friend and co-pilot Goose.
The movie is a weird paradox: while it’s unquestionably better than its predecessor, you need the experience of that one for the follow-up’s emotional stakes to pay off nearly four decades later. That’s largely due to Cruise’s superb performance, reminding viewers that he’s more than just an action star – even though that’s almost exclusively the kind of movies he makes now. However, he’s supported by a host of other terrific actors, including Teller, Glen Powell (on track to become one of our next great stars), Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris and the great Val Kilmer – briefly reprising his role as Iceman in one of the film’s most heartfelt scenes.
Cruise insisted on all-practical flight sequences instead of CGI, which makes the training montages and the incredible finale – I don’t remember taking a breath for the last 30 minutes – even more harrowing. I love Marvel flicks, but there’s a marked difference in how high the stakes feel when actors are actually thousands of feet above the ground in a military aircraft.
Often, numerous delays suggest a troubled film, but that’s not the case with Top Gun: Maverick. The crowd-pleasing blockbuster was definitely worth the wait. Make sure to see it in the biggest, loudest theater possible.
Grade: A
Emergency
(Rated R for pervasive language, drug use and some sexual references. Now playing in select theaters and available on Amazon Prime Video starting May 27.)
This riveting comedic thriller (which generated a lot of buzz at this year’s Sundance Film Festival), mostly takes place over the course of a single night, when college seniors/best friends Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and Sean (RJ Cyler) are getting ready to hit an epic series of parties to celebrate Spring Break. Those plans are dashed when they go back to their apartment to grab a few things, only to discover their roommate Carlos (Sebastian Chacon) left the door unlocked and there’s a drunk blonde girl passed out in their living room.
Kunle wants to call 911, but Sean is vehemently opposed because he’s certain the cops will assume the worst when they encounter an unconscious White girl in the home of two slightly buzzed Black guys and a stoned Latino. So, they load the girl into Sean’s van with the intention of taking her directly to the hospital. Meanwhile, the girl’s sister (Sabrina Carpenter) is desperately searching for her. Chaos, hilarity and terror ensue.
Emergency is remarkably intense – especially the second half, which is often tough to watch. It runs just under two hours, but often feels longer because writer K.D. Davila and director Carey Williams spend so much time in each scene making you sit with the characters’ conversations and decisions. That’s not a criticism, by the way – it allows audiences to see where each person is coming from and how they justify their frequently ill-advised choices.
There are so many ways a film like Emergency could’ve gone off the rails, but Davila and Williams manage the varying tones and perspectives really well. It’s funny, scary and compelling stuff. Not on the same level as Do the Right Thing, but you can tell Spike Lee’s masterpiece was a considerable influence. I don’t think I’ll forget the powerful final moment for a long time.
Grade: B+
Home Video Spotlight
The Untouchables
(Rated R. Available on May 31.)
The classic crime thriller, directed by Brian De Palma and nominated for four Academy Awards, turns 35 next month. To celebrate, Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing the film on 4K Ultra HD for the first time. The movie stars Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith as a team of Prohibition-era federal agents out to stop mob boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro).
The Untouchables will be available in both a standard edition and an anniversary SteelBook. Both versions include a digital copy of the film, along with five behind-the-scenes featurettes and the original theatrical trailer.
Kinky Boots
(Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving sexuality, and for language. Available on May 31.)
This fact-based dramedy that inspired a hit Broadway musical finally hits Blu-ray next week. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joel Edgerton, Sarah-Jane Potts and Nick Frost, Kinky Boots centers on young Charlie Price (Edgerton), who attempts to save his family’s shoe business from bankruptcy by turning to an unlikely consultant: a drag performer (Ejiofor). The Blu-ray includes access to a digital copy of the film; an audio commentary with director Julian Jarrold and cast members; deleted scenes; and two behind-the-scenes featurettes.
(Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action, and some strong language. Opens in theaters on May 27.)
Sacrilege alert: I’m one of the weirdos who doesn’t like 1986’s Top Gun. It’s clear why the movie turned Tom Cruise into a superstar (he delivers an incredibly charismatic performance) and the soundtrack is excellent, but it’s an otherwise clunky, jingoistic product of its time. There was talk of a sequel for decades, but I never believed it. Even after one had been announced, constant delays made the film seem like a pipe dream.
Originally slated to open in July 2019, the movie had its release date changed six times thanks to the Covid pandemic and other assorted issues. For those reasons and more, I’ll admit I was skeptical walking into Top Gun: Maverick. Don’t get me wrong: I always give movies the benefit of the doubt. Still, it’s impossible for anyone to shed all their mental baggage.
When the lights went down and Harold Faltermeyer’s familiar synth score kicked in, followed by Kenny Loggins’ iconic ’80s anthem “Danger Zone,” I felt both exhilarated and nervous. It’s great to be reminded of your childhood, but I also didn’t want to endure two hours of cynical nostalgia porn.
Imagine my shock to discover that after an initial remake of the original’s opening, Top Gun: Maverick becomes a powerful, exhilarating reflection on the titular protagonist’s glory days and how they’ve impacted the rest of his life. To put it bluntly – and I honestly never thought I’d type these words – the movie is phenomenal. Not just “good for a summer blockbuster.” I’m talking one of 2022’s best.
In a pop culture era obsessed with the “legacyquel” (a film in which, according to the preeminent scholars at UrbanDictionary.com, beloved aging stars reprise classic roles and pass the torch to young successors), this is how you do it right. Top Gun: Maverick is one of the rare sequels that overwhelmingly surpasses the original.
After more than 30 years as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise), better known as Maverick, is ordered to return to Top Gun, where he must train the world’s greatest pilots for a dangerous covert mission. One of them is Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), aka Rooster, who Maverick has known his entire life. That’s because he’s the son of Maverick’s late friend and co-pilot Goose.
The movie is a weird paradox: while it’s unquestionably better than its predecessor, you need the experience of that one for the follow-up’s emotional stakes to pay off nearly four decades later. That’s largely due to Cruise’s superb performance, reminding viewers that he’s more than just an action star – even though that’s almost exclusively the kind of movies he makes now. However, he’s supported by a host of other terrific actors, including Teller, Glen Powell (on track to become one of our next great stars), Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris and the great Val Kilmer – briefly reprising his role as Iceman in one of the film’s most heartfelt scenes.
Cruise insisted on all-practical flight sequences instead of CGI, which makes the training montages and the incredible finale – I don’t remember taking a breath for the last 30 minutes – even more harrowing. I love Marvel flicks, but there’s a marked difference in how high the stakes feel when actors are actually thousands of feet above the ground in a military aircraft.
Often, numerous delays suggest a troubled film, but that’s not the case with Top Gun: Maverick. The crowd-pleasing blockbuster was definitely worth the wait. Make sure to see it in the biggest, loudest theater possible.
Grade: A
(Rated R for pervasive language, drug use and some sexual references. Now playing in select theaters and available on Amazon Prime Video starting May 27.)
This riveting comedic thriller (which generated a lot of buzz at this year’s Sundance Film Festival), mostly takes place over the course of a single night, when college seniors/best friends Kunle (Donald Elise Watkins) and Sean (RJ Cyler) are getting ready to hit an epic series of parties to celebrate Spring Break. Those plans are dashed when they go back to their apartment to grab a few things, only to discover their roommate Carlos (Sebastian Chacon) left the door unlocked and there’s a drunk blonde girl passed out in their living room.
Kunle wants to call 911, but Sean is vehemently opposed because he’s certain the cops will assume the worst when they encounter an unconscious White girl in the home of two slightly buzzed Black guys and a stoned Latino. So, they load the girl into Sean’s van with the intention of taking her directly to the hospital. Meanwhile, the girl’s sister (Sabrina Carpenter) is desperately searching for her. Chaos, hilarity and terror ensue.
Emergency is remarkably intense – especially the second half, which is often tough to watch. It runs just under two hours, but often feels longer because writer K.D. Davila and director Carey Williams spend so much time in each scene making you sit with the characters’ conversations and decisions. That’s not a criticism, by the way – it allows audiences to see where each person is coming from and how they justify their frequently ill-advised choices.
There are so many ways a film like Emergency could’ve gone off the rails, but Davila and Williams manage the varying tones and perspectives really well. It’s funny, scary and compelling stuff. Not on the same level as Do the Right Thing, but you can tell Spike Lee’s masterpiece was a considerable influence. I don’t think I’ll forget the powerful final moment for a long time.
Grade: B+
Home Video Spotlight
(Rated R. Available on May 31.)
The classic crime thriller, directed by Brian De Palma and nominated for four Academy Awards, turns 35 next month. To celebrate, Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing the film on 4K Ultra HD for the first time. The movie stars Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia and Charles Martin Smith as a team of Prohibition-era federal agents out to stop mob boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro).
The Untouchables will be available in both a standard edition and an anniversary SteelBook. Both versions include a digital copy of the film, along with five behind-the-scenes featurettes and the original theatrical trailer.
(Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving sexuality, and for language. Available on May 31.)
This fact-based dramedy that inspired a hit Broadway musical finally hits Blu-ray next week. Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joel Edgerton, Sarah-Jane Potts and Nick Frost, Kinky Boots centers on young Charlie Price (Edgerton), who attempts to save his family’s shoe business from bankruptcy by turning to an unlikely consultant: a drag performer (Ejiofor). The Blu-ray includes access to a digital copy of the film; an audio commentary with director Julian Jarrold and cast members; deleted scenes; and two behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
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