TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022) - A much better sequel

So we finally decided to move on after the loss of Leo. Always wish he was here. The movie we selected was Top Gun maverick, as that was the film we were prepared to watch that day as well. We had watched Top Gun 1986 original a week before.

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Absolutely Incredible, and shall go down as one of the best sequels ever. Well, especially after my painful rewatch of the original which was much worse than I remembered. That might have affected my experience on this viewing. But, objectively this is a technical marvel.

In addition to all the amazing ariel cinematography and technicals, It was The Tom Cruise, the man himself, and how beautifully this one kept nodding and paying homage to the 1986 original that got me the most. Miles Teller is not one of my favs, but cannot ignore his sheer talent. Hats off to the crew and Teller himself, his resemblance to 'Goose' was uncanny. The "Great Balls of Fire" song, the mustache, and his nickname as well, not to mention the similar face cut.

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Looking at the two movies, you can literally see the evolution in Cruise's acting talent. In the original, his performance was pretty much over the top. Probably he was trying a bit too hard coz it was his breakout opportunity, or maybe just a directorial decision, anyway, my least favorite of his performances it was. But here, much much mature, and able to convey the loneliness, the lone old wolf among the young.

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And Connelly is in her fifties! Insane. From 1984, Once upon a time in America, which was released almost 40 years ago. Since then, she has been stealing the hearts of the boys. Oh, and my wife actually liked her female lead in this sequel, hated McGill's in the original for some reason. And I didn't think it was the best either, anyways.

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