Mandatory Credit: Photo by Mediapunch/Shutterstock (4915019g)
Neil Peart
Rush in concert at MGM Grand, Las Vegas, America – 25 Jul 2015
For Neil. … Everyone will remember Neil Peart, Rush’s legendary drummer, in his or her way. This is my way. Just a few examples of his thoughts and music.
We’re finally back in the 1980s here at Stuck in the ’80s with our Close But No Cigar show about songs from ’80 that peaked at No. 2 on the charts. This week’s show includes songs by Dan Fogelberg, Air Supply, The Spinners, Leo Sayer and more.
It’s our last show of the decade! Our annual Stocking Stuffer show returns to feature a collection of our outtakes from a full year of podcasts. Plus, we look back at 2019, name our favorite shows and look forward to another decade of Stuck in the ’80s.
Our listeners picked all the songs for this week’s episode – Sounds of the Holidays Before the ’80s. We have five songs recorded between 1975 and 1980 to honor, including tunes by The Kinks, Greg Lake, Squeeze and more.
Plus, there are weird stories about medical calamities and singalong songs that will likely get you grounded by a parent. Plus, full seggies.
Our infatuation with the late ’70s continues for at least one more show as we honor the albums released in December 1979. Actually, we just focus on “London Calling” by The Clash and “Christopher Cross” by … well, you get it.
Also, the return of “I Want My Mystery TV Theme Song” and Steve tells a weird story about supermarkets and safety pins.
The latest trailer for Top Gun: Maverick hit the Internet this week, and – sure – I still get a little flutter in my ’80s heart when I get a sneak peek at what’s happening with one of our beloved ’80s movie franchises.
Of course, as Hollywood plays it these days, very little is revealed in the latest tailer for Maverick, which is due to hit theaters June 26, 2020. We see Tom Cruise – presumably back at the Navy’s fighter tactics school – looking a little wrinkled around the eyes but otherwise ageless. There are the obligatory chest-thumping scenes of flying footage and even a hint at a volleyball or football game – shirtless, of course – at the beach. But little else is revealed. Is that a good thing? Maybe. But when a movie hides it plot so fervently, I get a little suspicious.
More than 30 years have passed – in real time anyway – since Maverick, Goose and Iceman lit up the skies in a Cold War world. And frankly, I need some answers as to what has happened in those lost decades.
Here are five questions that better be answered in Top Gun: Maverick.
WHY IS MAVERICK STILL FLYING? As the first trailer pointed out, Cruise’s character should be an admiral by now, but he’s still flying. I’m assuming that at the VERY least, we’ll get the backstory here. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take as long to drag the truth out as did the story behind Maverick’s old man.
WHAT HAPPENED TO CHARLIE? Kelly McGillis played Cruise’s love interest in the original movie. She’s not cast in the sequel, but Jennifer Connelly is. Don’t pull an “Aaron Sorkin” here and fail to explain the disappearance of Charlie. (I love Sorkin’s work – every bit of it – but he loves to write off female characters without any explanation.) We better find out who lost that lovin’ feeling.
WHAT’S UP WITH ICEMAN? By now, everyone knows Val Kilmer has a role in Top Gun: Maverick. But how big a role is it? Is he playing his former role as Maverick’s rival Iceman? Or has Tom given Val just a mere cameo as a wink to ’80s fans? Either way, please fill in the blanks for us.
WHERE’S THE REST OF THE GANG? Speaking of Charlie and Iceman, let’s hear what happened to Goose’s wife (played by Meg Ryan. I’ve heard their son will be a student at fighter school) and Viper (the cool-headed lead instructor played expertly by Tom Skerritt in 1986.)
WHAT’S NEXT? Can we expect a Top Gun 3? Or will the story be tied up with a bow and finally set on the bookshelf? Cruise isn’t big about closing doors to possible sequels – see Mission: Impossible Part 13 – so I’m expecting to leave the cineplex nonplussed.