Posts by Brenda Johnson65

Sarah Doyle54 said:I would strongly advise you to refrain from trolling or attempting to pivot this discussion regarding moderation into a mere commentary on the individuals participating in it.

Certain instances of what some might call "differing opinions" are actually direct violations of both our forum guidelines and the laws of the USA.

I shall attempt to comply, though I remain firmly convinced that labeling those with opposing views as Nazis is just as much a violation of forum policy as it is a breach of US law—if not outright defamation!

David Vaughn75 said:I was essentially lied to by my teachers back in school.

If this isn't Nazism, then what on earth is? A type of pastry? Some weeds growing in a garden? What else could it possibly be?

Perhaps it is time to learn the art of coexistence with differing perspectives. It is a fallacy to assume that everyone who disagrees with your particular worldview is a Nazi, nor is it true that every individual possesses an inherent drive for humanitarianism. You are exhibiting a truly startling degree of intolerance.

frozengull94 said:If you truly want to grasp the essence of Top Gun 1986, you really had to experience it on the big screen back in '86 or '87...
Ideally, you would have been somewhere in that sweet spot of 15 to 20 years old at the time—though, I suppose, any age within that range would suffice...

The same logic applies to a vast array of other cinematic landmarks. Take, for instance, Mad Max and its sequel...
And the list goes on and on...

One simply cannot pass judgment on those films through the distorted lens of modern reality...
Context is everything...

I saw it in the theater, and as I mentioned previously, it was a letdown specifically because it teeters so precariously on the edge of being a romantic musical. I didn't pay for a ticket to sit through a melodrama or something like Dirty Dancing; I went to see Tomcate in action. 🎉
Everyone’s tastes vary, and while I realize many people adore it, personally, I find it utterly lackluster even after ten viewings.

Furthermore, attempting to draw a parallel between Mad Max and Mad Max 2 and this mediocre romantic subplot sprinkled with bits of aerial action is 🙂

rowdytinker3 said:If I had caught this film recently, I suspect I would likely find myself in agreement with your perspective. However, I was fortunate enough to experience it on the big screen at a local AMC theater back when I was just a middle schooler in the late 80s, and then revisited it a few years later on a grainy VHS tape at home. Quite simply, I have to side with the dragon... the movie possesses a certain charm and soul that has left it etched in my memory as a fond childhood staple. Now that you mention it, I think I might actually revisit it sometime this week. 🤣

The issue, if I am being honest, lies entirely with my own viewing habits, and that hasn't changed since I was a kid. If I am in the mood to peek into someone's messy romantic life or crave a predictable romantic comedy, I’ll head to the theater to see something like "napokon Polly" or "Bridget Jones." But if I sit down to watch Top Gun, let me be clear: I am not there for the soap opera subplots or the heavy-handed moralizing; I am there for the high-octane action, the aircraft carriers, and those F-14 Tomcat jets.

briskhound2 said:Even by today's standards, Top Gun remains the gold standard for how to film aerial combat. It’s much like how Days of Thunder stands as the pinnacle of big-screen racing sequences. One cannot deny that Tony Scott possessed a true knack for directing action.

If you ask me, Top Gun is basically 80% cheesy romance, 10% "we own these skies" bravado, 5% "join the Navy" recruitment propaganda, 4% cool planes, and maybe 1% actual dogfighting. Honestly, the soundtrack is doing all the heavy lifting here. I wasn't particularly impressed when I first saw it, and frankly, it gets more grating every time I revisit it.

I agree; while the movie captures that quintessential 80s vibe and holds cult status, everything from the plot to the execution feels mediocre to me. I remember how much hype surrounded this film back in the day—one classmate even went out of his way to hunt down an original F-14 carrier wing pilot jacket—but perhaps because of those sky-high expectations, my first viewing left me wondering, "Is this really it? This is the masterpiece everyone's talking about?"

And then there's a Tomek, who acts as if he's constantly bracing himself against a massive internal cramp; his performance is just that "natural." 😁

Ultimately, I can only hope the remake manages to strip away some of the clichés and predictability, though if history is any indication, it will likely be even more underwhelming.

I have to admit, I found the narrative rather difficult to follow. The structure feels somewhat disjointed, making it hard to maintain a clear sense of direction. Specifically, the interpersonal dynamics remain murky; I couldn’t quite pin down the exact relationship between the author’s stepfather and mother versus her relationship with her father. Furthermore, by the end of the piece, the details regarding her current residence and her primary source of income are left frustratingly vague. 🤷 The significance of those two female friends, the brother, and even the string of guys she dated prior to settling down with her wealthy boyfriend remains entirely elusive to me. 😢
Regardless of the specifics, if everything being recounted is actually true, it is a profoundly melancholy situation.