The Fast and the Furious Review

The Fast and the Furious

Release Date: 20th September 2001 - Australia

Production Companies
Universal Pictures (presents)
Original Film

Mediastream Film GmbH & Co. Productions KG

Ardustry Entertainment

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 102 minutes

Budget: $38,000,000

Box Office Gross: $207,517,509 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Brian O'Conner is a cop who goes undercover in a street-racing circuit. He is looking to take down a hijacking ring but must decide his loyalties when he befriends Dominic Toretto, a street racer, and

his crew, who are among

the suspects.


Cast

Vin Diesel - Dominic Toretto

Paul Walker - Brian O'Conner
Michelle Rodriguez - Leticia
"Letty" Ortiz

Jordana Brewster - Mia Toretto

Rick Yune - Johnny Tran
Chad Lindberg - Jesse
Johnny Strong - Leon

Matt Schulze - Vince
Ted Levine - Sgt. Tanner
Ja Rule - Edwin
Vyto Ruginis - Harry
Thom Barry - Agent Bilkins
Stanton Rutledge - Muse
Noel Gugliemi - Hector
R.J. de Vera - Danny Yamato
Beau Holden - Ted Gassner
Reggie Lee - Lance Nguyen
David Douglas - Raster Racer
Monica Tamayo - Monica
Megan Baker - Gimel

Neal H. Moritz - Ferrari Driver (Cameo)

Crew

Director - Rob Cohen
From a Magazine Article
"Racer X"/Technical Consultant - Ken Li

Screen Story/Screenplay -

Gary Scott Thompson

Screenplay - Erik Bergquist

and David Ayer

Associate Producer - Creighton Bellinger

Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Doug Claybourne

Executive Producer - John Pogue

Producer - Neal H. Moritz

Casting Director - Ronna Kress

Import Car Consultants - Craig Lieberman

and RJ De Vera

Production Designer - Waldemar Kalinowski

Art Director - Kevin Kavanaugh

Set Decorator - Florence Fellman

Costume Designer - Sanja Milkovic Hays

Director of Photography - Ericson Core

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Jonathan Taylor

"A" Camera/Steadicam Operator - J. Michael Muro

Location Managers - Debbie Laub

and Bob Craft

First Assistant Director - George Parra

Second Assistant Director - Lars P. Winther

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -

Mic Rodgers
Special Effects Supervisor - Robert Simokovic
Special Effects Coordinator - Matt Sweeney
Visual Effects Supervisor - Mike Wassel

Special Visual Effects - Syd Dutton

and Bill Taylor

Visual Effects Supervisor: Hammerhead

Productions - Thad Beier

Visual Effects Consultant: Illusion Arts -

Lori J. Nelson

Executive Producer: Hammerhead

Productions - Daniel Chuba

Editors - Peter Honess and Dallas Puett

First Assistant Editors - Brett Carroll

Avid Assistant Editor - Steve Moe

Assistant Editors - Andy Cohen,

Peter Ettinger, Jonathan Lucas and

Staci Pontius

Sound Design and Supervision - Bruce Stambler

and Jay Nierenberg

Sound Design - Tim Walston and

Charles Deenen

Re-Recording Mixers - Michael Casper

and Daniel J. Leahy

Music - BT

Music Supervisors - Gary Jones

and Happy Walters

Additional Music Supervision - Kathy Nelson

Music Consultant - Dave Jordan

Review
An excellent start to an action movie series, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS has a gritty and slick look that its director, Rob Cohen, pulled off with a hybrid of fascinating camera angles and style. But Fast & Furious 5 is the best and the fastest of all the films. The film delivers a bonanza of mean cars, incredible music, stunt driving, and plenty of action to pump up the adrenaline, not to mention the A-list cast of Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, and Michelle Rodriguez, who bring charisma to their performances.

Need I say more? It has all the qualities you need to satisfy your craving for speed-racing action movies. Those who enjoy this film may have to check out the sixth instalment.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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In Memory of Michael Clarke Duncan (1957-2012)

Michael Clarke Duncan (1957-2012)


Greetings, filmgoers. As you know, actor Michael Clarke Duncan, notable in movies such as "Armageddon" and "The Green Mile," died from a heart attack after complications on September 3rd, 2012. He was 54 years old.

Duncan took other jobs involving security in Los Angeles while trying some acting in commercials. During this period, he worked as a bodyguard for celebrities such as Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J, and the late Notorious B.I.G. Duncan started doing bit parts in films and television. When Biggie died in 1997, Duncan quit his job. In 1998, he was cast as Bear in the Michael Bay movie "Armageddon" opposite Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis, with whom Duncan had struck a friendship. Then, Willis' influence helped him land his breakout role as John Coffey in a film directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tom Hanks called "The Green Mile." The performance garnered him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

After his dramatic turn in "The Green Mile," Duncan went on to star in a series of films that established him as an action or comedy star, including "The Whole Nine Yards," "The Scorpion King," and "Daredevil" as the villainous Kingpin with "Armageddon" co-star Ben Affleck. In 2005, Duncan starred in movies such as "The Island" and "Sin City." Known for his deep baritone voice, Duncan has provided voice work for films and television series, including "Brother Bear" and "Kung Fu Panda," among others. His girlfriend, TV personality Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, survives him.

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Speed Racer Review

Speed Racer


Release Date: 12th June 2008 - Australia


Production Companies
Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
Village Roadshow Pictures (in association with)
Silver Pictures
Anarchos Productions (in association with)
Velocity Productions (co-production)
Sechste Babelsberg Film (co-
production)

Distribution
Roadshow Films


Genre: Action

Rating: PG

Runtime: 135 minutes


Budget: $120,000,000

Box Office Gross: $93,945,766 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Speed Racer was born into
a family business of racing
cars. He is one of the
hottest stars on the circuit.
He keeps blowing away
the competition with the
controls of his Mach 5.
Speed uncovers a secret
when he refuses to accept

an offer from the head of
Royalton Industries. To
increase their profits,
powerful moguls rig the
races. In the hope of

beating the executive,

Speed enters the same

gruelling cross-country

race that cost his brother

his life.

Cast

Emile Hirsch - Speed Racer
Nicholas Elia - Young Speed Racer
Christina Ricci - Trixie
Ariel Winter - Young Trixie
Matthew Fox - Racer X
Rain - Taejo Togokahn
John Goodman - Pops Racer
Susan Sarandon - Mom Racer
Scott Porter - Rex Racer
Paulie Litt - Spirtle Racer

Willy - Chim Chim

Kenzie - Chim Chim

Kick Gurry - Sparky
Benno Furmann - Inspector Detector
Roger Allam - E.P. Arnold Royalton
John Benfield - Cruncher Block
Ralph Herforth - Jack
"Cannonball" Taylor
Yu Nan - Horuko Togokahn
Christian Oliver - Snake Oiler
Mark Zak - Blackjack Benelli
Brandon Robinson - Big Mouth
Hiroyuki Sanada - Mr. Musha
Nayo Wallace - Minx
Moritz Bleibtreu - Grey Ghost
Richard Burntree - Ben Burns
Jana Pallaske - Delila
Melvil Poupaud - Johnny 'Goodboy' Jones
Bojidara Maximova - Flying Fox
Togo Igawa - Mr. Togokahn

Joon Park - Yakuza Driver
Ben Miles - Cass Jones
Joe Mazza - Nitro
Ludmilla Ismailow - Denise
Milka Duno - Gearbox/Kelie Kalinkov (Cameo)
Ashley Walters - Prince Kabala
Melissa Holroyd - Speed's Teacher
Peter Fernandez - Local Announcer (Cameo)

Corinne Orr - Grand Prix Female

Announcer (Cameo)

Andrés Cantor - Grand Prix Announcer

(Cameo)

Crew
Writers/Producers/Directors - Andy &
Lana Wachowski
Based on the Original Animated Series

"Speed Racer" - Tatsuo Yoshida

Executive Producers - Bruce Berman,
Michael Lambert and David Lane Seltzer
Producer - Joel Silver

Producer/Unit Production Manager - Grant Hill
Co-Producers - Jessica Alan,
Roberto Malerba, Henning Molfenter

and Charlie Woebcken

Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Roberto Malerba

Casting Directors - Lora Kennedy

and Lucinda Syson
Production Designer - Owen Paterson
Conceptual Artists - Alice & Geoff Darrow,

George Hull, Patrick Janicke, Jeff Julian,

Robert Kalafut, Warren Manser,
Ed Natividad, Peter Popken and

Vladimir Spasojevic
Supervising Art Director - Hugh Bateup

Senior Art Director - Sebastian T. Krawinkel

Art Director: Virtual Vehicles - Stephan O. Gessler
Senior Graphic Designer - Henning Brehm
Graphic Designer: Virtual Vehicles -
Alejandro Lecuna
Set Decorator - Peter Walpole
Costume Designer - Kym Barrett

Costume Supervisor: L.A. - Lisa Lovaas

Hair and Makeup Designer - Jeremy Woodhead
Director of Photography - David Tattersall

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Harvey Harrison

First Assistant Director - Terry Needham

Second Unit Director - James McTeigue
Supervising Stunt Coordinator - Chad Stahelski
Stunt Coordinator - David Leitch

Animal Coordinator - Paul 'Sled' Reynolds
Special Effects Supervisor - Uli Nefzer
Visual Effects Supervisors - John Gaeta

and Dan Glass

Visual Effects Supervisor: SPI - Kevin Scott Mack
Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - John Knoll
Visual Effects Supervisors: Digital Domain -
Kim Libreri and Mohen Leo

Visual Effects Supervisor: CafeFx - John T. Van Vliet
Additional Visual Effects Supervisor - Chas Jarrett
On-Set Visual Effects Supervisor - Thomas Proctor

Visual Effects Coordinators - Danielle Costa,

Beth Howe and Alexa Hale
Visual Effects Producer - Denise Davis

Visual Effects Producer: Digital Domain -

Julian Levi

Visual Effects Producer: ILM - Jill Brooks

Visual Effects Production Manager - Bill Sturgeon

Visual Effects Concept Artists: Digital Domain -

Claas Henke and Dean Tschetter
Digital Effects Supervisor - Jake Morrison

Digital Effects Supervisors: Digital Domain -

John Gibson and Darren Poe

Digital Effects Supervisor: SPI - Peter Nofz
Animation Supervisor: Digital Domain - Erik Gamache
Animation Supervisor: SPI - Marco Marenghi

CG Supervisors: Digital Domain - Haarm-Pieter

Duiker, Richard Morton, Paul George Palop and

Serge Sretschinsky
CG Supervisors: SPI - Daniel Eaton,

Patrick Cohen and Theo Bialek

Previs Supervisors - Kyle Robinson

and Alex Vegh

Look Development Lead - Stephen Lawes

3D Integration Leads: Digital Domain -

Geoffrey Baumann and Shelley Larocca Courte
Editors - Roger Barton and
Zach Staenberg

First Assistant Editors - Joseph Jett Sally

and Ian Slater

Assistant Editors - Catherine Chase,

Calvin Wimmer and Lars Karich

Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer -

Dane A. Davis

Co-Supervising Sound Editor - William R. Dean

Production Sound Mixer - Ivan Sharrock

Re-Recording Mixers - John Reitz,

Gregg Rudloff and Rick Kline

Additional Re-Recording Mixer - Tom Ozanich

Foley Artists - John Roesch,

Alyson Dee Moore and David Fein
Music - Michael Giacchino


Review
While not the best work from The Wachowskis, SPEED RACER is a visually stylised piece of eye candy that plays out like a Hot Wheels movie. The film is full of radical race-car action sequences, terrific cinematography, and fun parts that keep this movie adaptation of an anime show on the right track. Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, and Matthew Fox acted well in this movie. The best performances were by John Goodman, the perfect pick for Speed Racer's dad, and Roger Allam, in his devilish role as Arnold Royalton.

This movie is an entertaining thrill ride suitable for most fans of the original Speed Racer anime.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Film Guru Lad's Top 8 Movies of 2011

Having missed out on or already watched some of the best movies made and released in the last year of 2011, here's the top 8.

#8. Thor

I still consider THOR the movie of the gods, which has some of Marvel's finest work. This film has everything, an all-star cast like Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston and others. The perfectly-choreographed action sequences, comedy, the 3D aspect and the one thing I didn't mention in this review are the stunning visuals that take the viewers to a different world.

#7. Johnny English Reborn

Another sequel that is better than the original, JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN, has all the action and laughs but was impressive for a continuation of a James Bond parody film. Even Rowan Atkinson has shown his comic routine in superiority.

#6. Kung Fu Panda 2

Darker and funnier than its predecessor, KUNG FU PANDA 2 has gotten more kung-fu action but also brings a new villain voiced by Gary Oldman. The sequel has something that the first movie didn't have are a couple of unresolved plot points.

#5. Transformers: Dark of the Moon

I consider DARK OF THE MOON an improvement over the second Transformers movie because it removed the Autobot twins and has its 3D aspect. It still has those great visuals. I always thought it was the last of the film series.

#4. Fast & Furious 5

I never watched any of the Fast & Furious films until now, but the fifth one is an action-packed extravaganza loaded with car chases, shotguns, humour and actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

#3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

The final chapter in the series, DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2, was the best finale to a fantasy saga that takes us on a journey of magic, friendship, creatures and evil villains like Harry's nemesis, Lord Voldemort. It's one of the best conclusions to a movie franchise.

#2. The Lion King 3D

More watchable than its original 2D format, the 3D conversion of THE LION KING is now more amazing and helps bring old movies released in 2D into the three-dimension. Not only was it appealing to the fans, but it attracted a new generation of people, young and old, to revisit Simba and other characters in this ultimate experience of a timeless animated blockbuster that finds its place in the Circle of Life.

#1. Real Steel

With REAL STEEL, it had incredible robot-boxing action that amazes everyone when robots fight each other in a match. The film also shows drama, which includes the relationship between the main character and his son. No wonder Shawn Levy had directed this picture. It should rank as the top movie of 2011.

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Die Hard with a Vengeance Review

Die Hard with a Vengeance


Release Date: 25th May 1995 - Australia


Production Companies
Cinergi Pictures Entertainment
20th Century Fox


Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 123 minutes


Budget: $90,000,000

Box Office Gross: $366,101,666 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
Now divorced, drunk, and
unemployed after getting
fired for his reckless
behaviour and bad attitude,
beleaguered New York
cop John McClane begins
to have the worst day of his
life when a cryptic terrorist
targets him, wreaking

havoc in downtown
Manhattan and then

threatens to blow up New

York City if McClane

doesn't play his game of

"Simon Says." With an

unwilling civilian partner

named Zeus Carver, McClane

careens from one end of the

city to another, struggling

to stay ahead of a lethal plot.

Cast
Bruce Willis - John McClane
Samuel L. Jackson - Zeus Carver
Jeremy Irons - Simon
Graham Greene - Joe Lambert
Colleen Camp - Connie Kowalski
Larry Bryggman - Inspector
Walter Cobb
Anthony Peck - Ricky Walsh
Nick Wyman - Mathias Targo
Sam Phillips - Katya
Sharon Washington - Officer Jane
Stephen Pearlman - Dr. Fred Schiller
Michael Alexander Jackson - Dexter
Aldis Hodge - Raymond
Mischa Hausserman - Mischa
Robert Sedgwick - Rolf
Tony Halme - Roman
Bill Christ - Ivan
Greg A. Skoric - Kurt
Sven Toorvald - Karl
T. Alloy Langenfeld - Berndt
Timothy Adams - Felix Little
Gerrit Vooren - Nils
Willis Sparks - Klaus
Kevin Chamberlin - Charles Weiss
Richard E. Council - Otto
Joe Zaloom - Jerry Parks
Charles Dumas - FBI Agent Andy Cross
Michael Cristofer - Bill Jarvis, from

Another Organisation
Patricia Mauceri - Miss Thomas
Franchelle Stewart Dorn - Principal Martinez
Kharisma - Little Tina
Gerry Becker - Larry Griffith
Phil Theis - Erik

Crew
Producer/Director - John McTiernan
Certain Original Characters - Roderick Thorp
Writer - Jonathan Hensleigh
Executive Producers - Andrew G. Vajina,
Buzz Feitshans and Robert Lawrence
Producer/Unit Production Manager - Michael Tadross
Co-Producers - David Willis and
Carmine Zozzora

Technical Advisor - Randy Jurgensen
Production Designer - Jackson DeGovia

Art Directors - John R. Jensen and

Woods Mackintosh

Set Decorator - Leslie Bloom
Costume Designer - Joseph G. Aulisi
Director of Photography - Peter Menzies

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Tom Priestley Jr.

"A" Camera Operators - Craig DiBona

and Robert Presley

Unit Production Managers - George Manasse

and John Stark
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
Terry Leonard
Co-Stunt Coordinator - Terry Jackson

Special Effects Supervisors - Dick Cross

and William H. Schirmer
Special Effects Coordinators - Connie Brink

and Phil Cory
Visual Effects Supervisor/Director of

Photography: Mass Illusion - John E. Sullivan

Visual Effects Supervisor: SPI - Scott E. Anderson

Visual Effects Art Director - David B. Sharp
Computer Graphics Supervisor: SPI -

Ron Brinkmann

Effects Director of Photography: SPI -

David Drzewiecki
Digital Visual Effects Supervisor/Software

Designer: Mass Illusion - Serge Sretschinsky

Digital Effects Producer: Pacific Title

Digital - David Sosalla
Film Editor - John Wright

Sound Designer and Supervisor - Mark A. Mangini

Supervising Re-Recording Mixers - Bob Beemer

and Michael Minkler

Re-Recording Mixer - Daniel J. Leahy

Music - Michael Kamen

Music Supervisors - Eric Harryman

and Barry Levine

Review
DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE still has the same kind of action, but one thing is for sure. The third movie was not nearly as good as the first instalment (click here). I'm glad this film sticks to a much different storyline than rehashing the formula. The plot seemed reminiscent of Lethal Weapon, likely due to the buddy dynamic. John McTiernan is back in the director's chair, unleashing the mayhem with velocity and excitement. The action is louder, bigger, and more explosive than before, featuring sequences set in a subway, on a ship, on a bridge, and in a truck.

I liked Jeremy Irons' terrific performance as a terrorist, but his character was not as evil and walked in the shadow of Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber. I also praise Samuel L. Jackson, who portrays a great sidekick to Bruce Willis' main hero. The difference between Jackson's character Zeus and Willis' John McClane is that they are complete opposites.

A feature with a three-star cast like Willis, Jackson, and Irons made DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE a fantastic film worthy of recognition as one of the great action films of the '90s. It has been a blast for action movie lovers.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Moonwalker Review

Moonwalker 


Release Date: 26th December 1988 - Australia


Production Companies
Ultimate Productions


Genre: Musical

Rating: PG

Runtime: 89 minutes


Budget: $22,000,000


Plot Summary
A true collector's treasure,
Moonwalker combines
Michael Jackson's greatest
videos with rare clips from
his early days in the Jackson
5, live concert and Grammy
performances. Also included
is a wild adventure film
written by Michael Jackson
himself, allowing a rare and
unique glimpse into the
creative mind of this musical
genius.


Cast
Michael Jackson - Himself
Kellie Parker - Katie
Sean Lennon - Sean
Brandon Quintin Adams - Zeke
"Baby Bad" Michael (Smooth
Criminal)/Kid MJ (Badder)
Joe Pesci - Frankie "Mr. Big"
LiDeo

Crew
Producer/Director - Jerry Kramer
Directors - Jim Blashfield ("Leave Me Alone") & Colin Chilvers ("Smooth Criminal")
Story ("Smooth Criminal")/
Executive Producer/
Choreographer/Songs/Playback
Singer - Michael Jackson
Screenplay ("Smooth
Criminal') - David Newman
Executive Producer - Frank DiLeo
Producers - Dennis E. Jones & Paul Diener
("Leave Me Alone")
Producer/Animation Conception ("Speed Demon") -
Will Vinton
Choreographer - Vincent Paterson
Co-Choreographer - Jeffrey Daniel
Production Designers - Bryan Jones &
Michael G. Ploog ("Smooth Criminal")
Make-up Supervisor ("Smooth Criminal") - Rick Stratton
Costume Designer - Betty Pecha Madden
Cinematographers - Thomas E. Ackerman,
Robert E. Collins, Frederick Elmes,
John Hora ("Smooth Criminal") &
Crescenzo G.P. Notarile
Stunt Coordinators - Jack Gil & John Moio
Special Effects Supervisor: Filmtrix, Inc
("Smooth Criminal") - Kevin Pike
Special Visual Effects Supervisor -
Hoyt Yeatman
Film Editors - Dale Beldin, David E. Blewitt
("Smooth Criminal") & Mitchell Sinoway
Music - Bruce Broughton


Review
In celebration of what could have been the 54th birthday of the late and famous singer and artist Michael Jackson, here's a review of his movie 'MOONWALKER'. To me, it wasn't so bad and who cares if this film doesn't have a plot, it is a one journey trip to experience the King of Pop's imagination. I won't spoil anything for the whole movie, but I loved the amazing dance sequence in "Smooth Criminal" which is the biggest highlight of all. As an added bonus, I was surprised that one of the kids from the final segment was played by John Lennon's son Sean.

'MOONWALKER' is a must-see for people including myself who are fans of the late King of Pop and I still love his dance moves, his videos and most importantly, his music.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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Top Gun Review

Top Gun

Release Date: 13th July 1986 - Australia


Production Companies
Paramount Pictures

Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Action/Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 110 minutes

Budget: $15,000,000

Box Office Gross: $360,552,341 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Daredevil fighter pilot Maverick is enrolled in the Top Gun naval flight school to undergo advanced training. He competes with Iceman to be the best. Maverick is also head over heels for his flying instructor and learns the secret history of his father's death.

Cast

Tom Cruise - Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Kelly McGillis - Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood

Anthony Edwards - Lt. (JG) Nick "Goose" Bradshaw

Meg Ryan - Carole Bradshaw

Val Kilmer - Lt. Tom "Iceman"

Kazansky

Rick Rossovich - Lt. (JG) Ron "Slider" Kerner

Tom Skerritt - Commander Mike "Viper" Metcalf

Michael Ironside - Lt.
Commander Rick "Jester"
Heatherly

John Stockwell - Lt. Bill "Cougar" Cortell
Barry Tubb - Lt. (JG) Henry "Wolfman" Ruth

Tim Robbins - Lt. Sam "Merlin" Wells

Clarence Gilyard Jr. - Lt. (JG) Marcus "Sundown" Williams

Whip Hubley - Lt. Rick
"Hollywood" Neven

James Tolkan - Commander Tom "Stinger" Jordan
Adrian Pasdar - Lt. Charles "Chipper" Piper

Duke Stroud - Air Boss Johnson

Pete Pettigrew - Perry Siedenthal

Randall Brady - Lt. Davis

Brian Sheehan - Sprawl

T.J. Cassidy - Himself (Cameo)

Aaron & Adam Weis - Goose's Son (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Tony Scott

Based on a Magazine Article "Top Guns" -

Ehud Yonay

Writers - Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Screenplay (Uncredited)/Associate Producer -
Warren Skaaren
Executive Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Bill Badalato

Producers - Jerry Bruckheimer and

Don Simpson

Technical Advisor - Pete Pettigrew

Aerial Consultants - Thomas R. Harmon
and Richard T. Stevens
Casting Director - Margery Simkin
Production Designer - John DeCuir Jr.

Set Decorator - Robert R. Benton

Director of Photography - Jeffrey L. Kimball

Camera Operators - John J. Connor,

Bob Carmichael (Uncredited) and Robert Edesa

(Uncredited)

Aerial Camera Operators - Nick Alavardo,

Larry Blanford, C.J. Heatley, George Howe,

William E. Kelley Jr., Dan Koblash,

David B. Nowell, Don Thompson and

Gary Tolbert

First Assistant Director - Dan Kolsrud

Second Assistant Directors - Patrick Cosgrove,

Sharon Mann and James Dillon (Uncredited)
Stunt Coordinator/Stunts - R.A. Rondell
F-14 Aerial Coordinator/Aircrew - Lloyd Abel

Navy Aerial Coordinator/Top Gun Instructor

and MIG Pilot - Robert Willard

Transportation Coordinator - Randy Peters

Special Effects Coordinator - Allen Hall

Supervisor of Special Photographic Effects -
Gary Gutierrez

Model Department Supervisor: USFX -

David Sosalla

Director of Photography: USFX - Rich Fichter

Film Editors - Chris Lebenzon and Billy Weber

Supervising Sound Editors - Cecelia Hall

and George Watters II

Sound Editors - Virginia Cook-McGowan,

Teri Dorman, Julia Evershade, Frank Howard,

Marshall Winn and David Stone

Re-Recording Mixers - Rick Kline,

Donald O. Mitchell and Kevin O'Connell

Foley Artists - Sarah Monat and

Edward M. Stediele

Songs - Giorgio Moroder
Lyrics - Tom Whitlock

Music Editor - Bob Badami

Music - Harold Faltermayer

Awards

1987 Academy Awards
Best Music, Original Song "Take My Breath

Away" - Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock (Won)
-------------------------
Best Sound - Donald O. Mitchell, Kevin O'Connell,
Rick Kline and William B. Kaplan (Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Billy Weber and

Chris Lebenzon (Nominated)
Best Sound Editing - Cecelia Hall and

George Watters II (Nominated)

Review

What a total high-flying action movie! TOP GUN has done well thanks to its perfectly choreographed flight sequences, brilliant cinematography, and the onscreen romantic chemistry between Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis. TOP GUN features incredible acting with Cruise's best performance as Maverick. Also worth mentioning are the supporting actors, such as Val Kilmer and Anthony Edwards. Terrific 80s songs such as Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone" and Berlin's "Take My Breath Away," with music by Harold Faltermeyer, only add to the superb quality of this airborne action drama.

This feature outshines the last jet movie, Stealth, which fails to amaze. TOP GUN is a unique film created through the combined efforts of producer Jerry Bruckheimer and the late director Tony Scott. It's enjoyable in its own right and deliberately takes your breath away (no pun intended). I'm adding this movie to my list of favourite action films.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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