In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan, enthusiastic patriotism and the popular blockbusters of the day — the RAMBO and ROCKY franchises among them — were part of the defining Americana at the nation’s core, which is why Tony Scott’s TOP GUN became a hit, and the highest-grossing film of 1986. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the…

Last week, first and second year AFI Fellows arrived on campus, and got to hear from two of their own alumni — Ed Zwick (AFI Class of 1975) and Marshall Herskovitz (AFI Class of 1975), respectively the director/writer and co-writer of JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK. Two months ahead of its October release, the film…