{"id":1723117,"date":"2022-11-03T07:56:41","date_gmt":"2022-11-03T11:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1723117"},"modified":"2022-11-03T11:34:42","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T15:34:42","slug":"can-top-gun-maverick-save-the-2023-oscars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-top-gun-maverick-save-the-2023-oscars\/","title":{"rendered":"Can \u201cTop Gun: Maverick\u201d Save the 2023 Oscars?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcan-top-gun-maverick-save-the-2023-oscars%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1723117&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p><strong>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodintoto.com\/top-gun-maverick-patriotic-global-box-office\/\">Top Gun: Maverick<\/a>\u201d wasn\u2019t made for awards season.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The continued adventures of Pete \u201cMaverick\u201d Mitchell from 1986\u2019s \u201cTop Gun\u201d hoped for some sweet Summer ticket sales.<\/p>\n<p>Mission: Accomplished \u2013 \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.boxofficemojo.com\/title\/tt1745960\/?ref_=bo_se_r_1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">$716 million in the U.S. and $769 million<\/a> via international theaters. And more is on the way now that \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Top-Gun-Maverick-Blu-ray-Cruise\/dp\/B0BGMJFQ82\/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=top+gun+maverick+blu+ray&#038;qid=1667402635&#038;qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjQ1IiwicXNhIjoiMS4wMyIsInFzcCI6IjAuNjkifQ%3D%3D&#038;sprefix=top+gun+maverick+bl%2Caps%2C153&#038;sr=8-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Top Gun: Maverick\u201d is available via Blu-ray.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not where the story should end.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Film critics, who often like but rarely love populist fare, rallied behind \u201cMaverick.\u201d The film earned an eye-popping <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rottentomatoes.com\/m\/top_gun_maverick\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">96 percent \u201cfresh\u201d rating, along with a 99 percent score<\/a> from general audiences. (For perspective, the original \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodintoto.com\/veterans-salute-top-gun-30\/\">Top Gun<\/a>\u201d has a 58 percent \u201crotten\u201d rating from critics)<\/p>\n<p>That cultural uniformity is rare these days. We\u2019re more accustomed to seeing sizable splits between the two groups.<\/p>\n<p>This brings us to the 2023 Oscars.<\/p>\n<p>Next year\u2019s ceremony faces sizable headwinds, from declining ratings to a public fed up with the broadcast\u2019s woke makeover. The Oscars don\u2019t matter, culturally, like they once did, and the movies up for the night\u2019s biggest award rarely draw a crowd.<\/p>\n<p>Consider the box office receipts for the last six Best Picture winners (according to BoxOfficeMojo.com):<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>CODA<\/strong>: N\/A (Apple TV+ release)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nomadland<\/strong>: $3.7 million (impacted by pandemic)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Parasite<\/strong>: $53 million<\/li>\n<li><strong>Green Book<\/strong>: $85 million<\/li>\n<li><strong>The Shape of Water<\/strong>: $63 million<\/li>\n<li><strong>Moonlight<\/strong>: $27 million<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>None came close to the $100 million mark. And many runner-up films earned much less.<\/p>\n<p>The last Best Picture winner to fully unite critics and audiences? \u201cThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King\u201d ($378 million) nearly 20 years ago.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-scaled-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2034829\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"LOTR rotten tomatoes score\" width=\"780\" height=\"248\" data-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-scaled-1.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.hollywoodintoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-300x95.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-768x244-1.jpg 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2034829\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"LOTR rotten tomatoes score\" width=\"780\" height=\"248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-scaled-1.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.hollywoodintoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-300x95.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/LOTR-rotten-tomatoes-score-2-768x244-1.jpg 768w\" \/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s about time more box office hits crashed the Oscar party. And few are as worthy as \u201cTop Gun: Maverick.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The film offers a near-perfect amalgam of action, nostalgia, heroism and heart. Tom Cruise\u2019s Maverick appears at the end of his military career when an old chum pulls one final string for him.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s tasked with training a talented, but raw, group of Top Gun pilots for a dangerous mission. They must swoop in under the radar to eliminate a uranium site operated by an unknown government.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, \u201cMaverick\u201d continues the franchise trend of keeping the bad guys as vague as possible. Geopolitical gamesmanship isn\u2019t the point. It\u2019s about honor, sacrifice and humility.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Congratulations to the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TopGun?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#TopGun<\/a>: Maverick team for taking home three <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/SaturnAwards?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#SaturnAwards<\/a>! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/l0lW0pP7mT\">pic.twitter.com\/l0lW0pP7mT<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Top Gun (@TopGunMovie) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TopGunMovie\/status\/1585473137675669504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 27, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Director Joseph Kosinski (\u201cOblivion,\u201d \u201cOnly the Brave\u201d) keeps the aerial sequences as tight and realistic as possible. There may be some CGI trickery afoot, but the sensation is organic, not contrived. (The Blu-ray edition boasts of the film\u2019s \u201cpractical\u201d roots, and it shows)<\/p>\n<p>Maverick\u2019s enduring bond with Iceman, granted off-screen gravitas given co-star Val Kilmer\u2019s cancer fight, offers a double dose of nostalgia and pathos. Their scene together, brief but electric, reminds us \u201cMaverick\u201d isn\u2019t calorie-laden popcorn fare.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/ChccEJxAzNB\/?utm_source=ig_embed&#038;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Cruise remains an underrated actor who never comes close to phoning in a performance. Kilmer, subdued but plugged in, makes the sequence a Kleenex clutcher.<\/p>\n<p>Then again, the movie\u2019s strength falls back on the characters and their respective journeys, not just the IMAX-friendly action. Maverick knows his flying days are nearly over, but he wants to go out on his own terms. His unresolved grief over losing his wingman, Goose (Anthony Edwards), gives the sequel a big, beating heart.<\/p>\n<p>Maverick\u2019s tricky relationship with Goose\u2019s son, Rooster (Miles Teller, outstanding), adds another emotionally rich layer to the story.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodintoto.com\/top-gun-maverick-patriotic-america\/\"><strong>RELATED: \u2018TOP GUN MAVERICK\u2019 ARRIVED WHEN AMERICA NEEDED IT MOST<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s why \u201cTop Gun: Maverick\u201d shouldn\u2019t get a Best Picture nomination as a desperate ploy to lure viewers back to the Oscars telecast.<\/p>\n<p>The sequel earned it.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also the kind of movie Team Oscar should be celebrating. It connects to the common man and woman, doesn\u2019t deliver unnecessary woke bromides and finds everyone at the top of their professional game.<\/p>\n<p>The Academy expanded the Best Picture category from five to up to 10 slots in recent years, but some of the resulting nominees are nominated in spirit only. They didn\u2019t stand a chance of winning the night\u2019s top honor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMaverick\u201d does.<\/p>\n<p>The film also deserves strong consideration for Cruise (Best Actor), along with Kosinski (Best Director) and various tech categories (Editing, Sound Design\u2026).<\/p>\n<p>If \u201cTop Gun: Maverick\u201d crashes the 2023 Oscar party we may see some start taking the gala seriously again.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodintoto.com\/oscars-gender-neutral-gotham-awards\/\"><strong>RELATED: WILL OSCARS GO GENDER NEUTRAL NEXT?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The film\u2019s Blu-ray edition lets us behind-the-scenes of the film\u2019s elaborate production.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wasn\u2019t ready to make a sequel until we had a special story worthy of a sequel,\u201d Cruise says in one of several Blu-ray extras, \u201cCleared for Take Off.\u201d That sounds like Movie Star blather, but \u201cMaverick\u2019s\u201d existence backs up his claim.<\/p>\n<p>The cast members endured rigorous training before they hit the skies, and we see them going through their paces with expertly-shot footage.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re all game, if a bit frightened, of what\u2019s to come. And that makes sense. They endured harrowing water-based training, G-force exposure and more before they could recreate the film\u2019s flight sequences.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBreaking New Ground\u201d reveals up to six cameras were used in the various planes to grab the necessary footage. And Cruise\u2019s passion for flying gets a close-up via \u201cA Love Letter to Aviation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt truly is the kind of movie they don\u2019t make anymore,\u201d Christopher McQuarrie, the longtime Cruise collaborator and \u201cMaverick\u201d co-screenwriter says.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s all the more reason Oscar voters should invite \u201cTop Gun: Maverick\u201d to the Academy Awards ceremony in 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cTop Gun: Maverick\u201d wasn\u2019t made for awards season. The continued adventures of Pete \u201cMaverick\u201d Mitchell from 1986\u2019s \u201cTop Gun\u201d hoped for some sweet Summer ticket sales. Mission: Accomplished \u2013 \u00a0$716<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1723120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[547],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1723117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-bongino-report"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1723117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1723117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1723117\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1723120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1723117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1723117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1723117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}