A couple days ago, I sat down to watch a movie that is widely regarded as a classic. A shining example of the best that the 80's could be. I was actually born 4 years after the movie Top Gun was released in theatres, and up until now, I’d only watched the movie in 15-20 minute segments on TNT. What I hadn’t realized until watch the movie in full, is that my life had been affected by the movie in ways that I didn’t even realize. After sitting down and watching all 110 minutes of this aviation thriller in a row, I’m starting to realize just how relevant to pop culture a movie can be over 25 years after its release.
SOOO, with such an exciting movie at hand, I figured I’d HAVE to go all out with this review. I know Top 10 list all this kids talk about these days, and I figured for such an outrageously current movie, I’d try my hand at one myself. So without further adieu:
Top 10 Things That Happened In Top Gun That Have Lasted Over 25 Years:
#10 Danger Zone
I’m going to go ahead and start off by blowing your minds. Go ahead and put this song on for the rest of the review. Its gonna make everything more dudefest, and that is why Danger Zone makes the list.
#9 Wingman-ing
If you’ve ever thought you were being a solid wingman when you hyped up your friend at the bar, well if you were alive in 1985, that wouldn’t have happened. You know why? Because wingman-ing didn’t exist. Literally the one thing Mavick learns in the movie: NEVER leave your wingman.
Last lines of the movie:
Iceman: You can be my wingman any time.
Maverick: Bullshit! You can be mine.
#8 Call Signs
If you think that nicknames are all the rage, I’ll remind you that Pete, Steve, Liz, and Sam are all nicknames. Yeezy, Snoop Lion, Ke$ha, and Gambino are all Call Signs. All the famous peeps know what’s really up, and get call signs. Anyone who’s anyone has one. if you need one check this out. (http://www.topgunday.com/call-sign-generator/)
#7 I Feel The Need. . . The Need For Speed
It doesn’t happen often, but if you’ve ever heard anybody ever say “I feel the need”, there is a 98% Chance that that was followed up with “the need for speed”. Its in our blood. It lives within us. And so I feel the need . . . (say it with me now) THE NEED FOR SPEED
#6 A Look Back At The State Of The Film Industry In 1986
This is just a brief intermission to give you some perspective in regards to the movies from the same year that have not passed the generational gap on to the Millennials. After Top Gun, the next five top grossing movies were: Crocodile Dundee, Platoon, Karate Kid II, Star Trek IV, and Back to School starring Rodney Dangerfield. Wow, what a group of clunkers.
#5 Meg Ryans First Movie
We All know Meg floundered in YOU’VE GOT MAIL. But aside from that minor blip on the roncomdar, Meg was your choice for any Romantic Comedy. And the legend all started right here. IQ, Joe vs. the Volcanoe, When Harry met Sally, even Kate and Leopold. All of these movies would have been shafted without Meg. This aeronautical classic kickstarted her career in film. With only a handful of lines, she stole the screen for the few moments she was in it. “Take me to bed or lose me forever!” We will Meg, we will.
#4 Take My Breath Away
I’m going to go ahead and say the link to this song is at the end of the review if you want it, but I suggest waiting. It’s a downer. It somehow topped like every music chart ever for a while when it was new. And just about everybody knows how it goes. Sure, most of us use it as some sort of ironic reference to a simpler time, with much shittier music. But it still counts.
#3 Aviators
At some point have owned, or you currently own a pair of aviator glasses. If you don’t you’ve certainly thought about it, because they make people look bad ass.
#2 High-Fives And Volleyball
High-Fives with an “on the rebound” literally came from Top Gun. Amongst high-five connoisseurs it’s known as the Top Gun High Five. Also these are the only scenes not filmed on a plane, and is a work out montage where the epic high five takes place. The Scene is only about a minute long, but its iconic, and it was one of the biggest pushes to make beach volleyball an olympic sport.
And finally . . .
#1 Planes
Believe it or not, planes didn’t exist before Top Gun. We use them all the time now, so that was like a really good thing.
