US (1986): Action/Drama

Jingoism, beefcake, military hardware, and a Giorgio Moroder rock score reign supreme over taste and logic in this Tony Scott film about a maverick trainee pilot (Tom Cruise) who can't follow the rules at a Navy aviation training facility. The dogfight sequences between American and Libyan jets at the end are absolutely mechanical, though audiences loved it at the time. The love story between Cruise's character and that of Kelly McGillis is like flipping through pages of advertising in a glossy magazine. This designer action movie from 1986 would be all the more appalling were it not for the canny casting of good actors in dumb parts. Standouts include Anthony Edwards -- who makes a nice impression as Cruise's average-Joe pal -- and the relatively unknown Meg Ryan in a small but memorable appearance. (Simpson, Bruckheimer/Paramount) (Tom Keogh, Amazon.com)

· Music Best Song 1986: "Take My Breath Away" Giorgio Moroder - Music, Tom Whitlock - Lyric

· Film Editing 1986: Billy Weber, Chris Lebenzon
· Sound 1986: Donald O. Mitchell, Kevin O'Connell, Rick Kline, William B. Kaplan
· Sound Effects Editing 1986: Cecelia Hall, George Watters, II

4 nominations, 1 Award