Summer of ‘22 looks to near and distant past as blockbusters bust Covid malaise

Ah, summertime….carefree days, sun kissed strolls on the beach, and mindless entertainment in the theater. Hollywood has a long, proud history of trotting out its tentpole titles in the heat of the season to cash in on the consumer looking for diversion. Two very different films hit the theaters at one moment to culminate in profits for everyone by playing nostalgia cards.

It is no secret that Elvis Presley is one of the most influential names in the music industry. Known as the “King of Rock and Roll,”  he single handedly had the most certified titles ever with a total of 235 (135 gold, 70 platinum, and 33 multi-platinum certificates). Released June 24, 2022, the new film Elvis explored the details beyond the flashy name and lights. The movie provides a breath of fresh air compared to previous biopics based around other musicians (such as Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman). Told through the eyes of Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump), the film presents an interesting way of telling Elvis’ story as the weasley colonel continuously breaks the fourth wall in attempting to prove his innocence to the audience. 

Austin Butler gives an energetic, electric performance as the King. Even the most discerning fan, Elvis’ biological daughter Lisa Marie, mentioned to The Things that, “it’s almost as if [Austin Butler had] channeled him. He put everything he had, his heart, his soul, everything he had into researching, reading, watching, learning. He honored him in every way possible."

The film carries audience members through Elvis’s childhood and  initial influences in life. The movie touches on hardships like Presley’s growing addiction to prescription drugs, weight problem, and his destructive lifestyle that caught up with him to the point of hospitalization. 

That being said, Elvis isn’t afraid to play around and have some light-hearted fun. The movie dives into where he lived and where he got his style, or as they say in the movie, “the wiggle”. Elvis’ wiggle is what made him unique and what launched his career. This little dance became one of Colonel Tom Parker’s favorite scenes. Parker believed the best acts were the ones that they weren’t sure they were supposed to like, but nonetheless couldn’t help loving. 

This movie was truly amazing, and the proof is in the pudding. The movie shows every important part of Elvis’ life, giving modern-day viewers a glimpse of the entire legacy of Elvis.  

Celebrating another blast from the past,Top Gun: Maverick provided a sequel nearly four decades in the making to the 1986 blockbuster starring Tom Cruise. Maverick clocks in as the number five top grossing film with over a billion dollars and is set to be Cruise’s biggest financial success. 

In the original, Cruise and Anthony Edwards starred as the best friend duo, Maverick and Goose. Val Kilmer embodied the antagonist, Iceman. Jumping to Top Gun: Maverick, Rooster (Miles Teller, Whiplash) is one of the new characters who is also Goose’s son (and yes, he’s still a little grumpy his pops bought the proverbial farm while riding shotgun to Maverick).. 

It’s good to see a movie that shows positive qualities of men. The men portrayed in the movie are very realistic pictures of masculinity, and the plot has men showing intelligence, vulnerability, courage, maturity, strength, deep emotion, and fun. 

This begs the big question: Is the new Top Gun: Maverick better than the original Top Gun? There are those who give a definite yes, while others pass on a hard no. Then there are people that think it’s impossible to replace the original. Though it’s hard to place one above the other, they’re both very good and have different qualities to make them so good. 

The first movie is all about Maverick, his obsession with flying, and how he basically drags Goose into quite a few predicaments that Maverick gets himself into. Maverick and Goose screw up and get in trouble with their commander, but end up going up against the best at Top Gun, an Air Force program, after Cougar turns in his wings. Maverick’s dream shot is going to Top Gun in order to be the best fighter pilot. 

In Top Gun: Maverick, Iceman, who was top of his class, is now a very high-ranking admiral who pulls strings to keep Maverick around and flying in the air. Many people make it known they think Maverick should be retired and no longer in the air, but a dangerous mission comes up where he needs to step in and lead the new top gun class. 

The mission involves taking off from China Lake NAWS air base (where Top Gun: Maverick filming took place) and flying to the "sidewinder" valley seen in the movie. Maverick leads rookie pilots, including Rooster through low-level flying, avoiding enemy radar, and carrying out a missile strike on a simulated target. Everyone believes it cannot be done.

Overall, Cruise and his stunning revival of Maverick steals the show. Not only did the plot rely on the original movie, to which it played tributeto multiple times, but it felt new and never-before-seen. Though Maverick was still his stubborn self, he was able to show vulnerability and felt three-dimensional- like a true human being. Not all sequels can live up to the accomplishments of the original but Maverick did. It proved itself to be more than just a cheap remake grasp at fame, but a dedication and fond salute to the past.

by Ashley Schumann

Published October 3, 2022

Oshkosh West Index Volume 119 Issue I