The Need for Speed. Again.

I remember seeing Tom Cruise's tweet "It begins." with a shot of him walking on an aircraft carrier with a fighter jet, and that I about lost my mind.  "They're doing a Top Gun sequel?!"  I've watched the original a LOT of times, and I was happy that I was able to watch the sequel, 2 decades later, in Dolby.  My thoughts on "Top Gun: Maverick":

• This movie was everything I hoped it would be.  Seriously.  I loved it and wished I could have seen it more than once, but couldn't.  I'm bummed about that, because it is meant to be seen on a big screen.  It's not just the visuals; it's also the story that I really liked.
• I told several people that if they liked the first movie, they needed to see this one on the big screen.  Some people listened to me, like my dad.  He loved it.  Some people did not listen to me and watched it on stream, so I hope they get to see a re-release some day.
• Oh, man, those flight sequences.  Incredible, especially when you realize that they used minimal green screen throughout the film, on Cruise's insistence.  Old school, like Maverick!
• I love the trivia that they all got to choose their own call signs.
• Maverick having to deal with teaching Goose's son reminded me of Luke trying to teach Ben Solo, although the outcome was very, very different.
• "My dad believed in you.  I'm not going to make the same mistake."  OUCH.
• Yay!  Beach bodies playing football!  
• ICEMAN!!!!!
• Apparently, I was supposed to know that Jennifer Connelly's character, Penny, is the admiral's daughter from the original movie.  Oh.
• For reals, though, that theme.  I love it.

Great, great movie.  Thanks for bringing it to life, Mr. Cruise!