Some stars fit a role. Tom Cruise turned one into a cultural handoff. For one group, Top Gun was the movie that made speed look glamorous and skill look cool. For another, Top Gun: Maverick did something slightly different. It made precision feel emotional again. That is why the title of this idea rings true. Every generation really does seem to get the airplane movie it deserves, and Cruise keeps being the one who carries it. Why aircraft keep taking over pop culture Aircraft have a strange advantage in pop culture. They carry meaning before a story even starts. A jet suggests speed.