With the US Independence Day knocking on the door, here is a list of 5 Movies to Watch on 4th of July that will leave you with a heightened sense of patriotism and love for your country. While all these movies celebrate and/or showcase America, their effect transcends nationality. This is what makes them so appealing.
There are lots of movies that celebrate America, but I’m sure that the ones on this list will excite everyone and fill them with a sense of pride and belonging. While some were released long back, others are fairly recent. However, patriotism reigns supreme in all of them, regardless of when audiences first saw them.
5 Movies to Watch on 4th of July
Independence Day (1996)
This one goes without saying. As a matter of fact, this movie gives a patriotic feeling, no matter which country you belong to. President Thomas Whitmore’s (Bill Pullman) speech right before they go to war with the aliens still gives me goosebumps. And then we have two of the dopest actors on the planet who are sent to the spaceship to install the virus on it, namely Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. Directed by Roland Emmerich, this one is a must in any Movies to Watch on 4th of July list.
Pearl Harbor (2001)
It is surprising that Pearl Harbor, despite being a hit and going to become a cult classic, was pretty much hated by the critics. But who cares; the film is another of one of my all-time favourite directors, Michael Bay’s brainchild. With Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, and Jennifer Garner in leading roles, this romantic war drama is set against the backdrop of World War II. It showcases Japan’s attack on the US at the Pearl Harbor naval base that is woven around a love triangle. Certainly a worthy addition to a Movies to watch on 4th of July list.
Armageddon (1998)
Armageddon is at par with Independence Day, although some might consider the former even better. Another Michael Bay movie, this one shows a group of oil drillers chosen by NASA to save Earth from a huge asteroid. Bay went all-in on the star cast with Bruce Willis, Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson, Michael Clark Duncan, Peter Stormare, and William Fichtner. Another huge hit that was slammed by critics; this one gives me the heebie-jeebies every time I see it.
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
This one is a 4th of July movie that kids will absolutely love. Captain America embodies the spirit of America, and hats off to Chris Evans for nailing the part. I must admit that I had doubts over whether he would be able to pull it off because his previous Marvel outing was not that effective (The Human Torch in 2004’s Fantastic Four). Well, I ended up being glad that he was given the role, since even John Krasinski, Scott Eastwood, Sebastian Stan and even Chris Pratt were considered for the part.
Lincoln (2012)
Of course, you should watch this film with your family on the 4th of July. This Steven Spielberg directorial falls in my all-time-top-10-movies list, let alone any Movies to watch on 4th of July list. Abraham Lincoln’s fight to abolish slavery in America will always be remembered, but not many people knew what all he had to go through to pass the 14th Amendment.
Spielberg took up the challenge, giving shape to an old dream he had of making a film on Lincoln. Daniel Day Lewis’s portrayal of Abraham Lincoln won him the Academy Award for Best Actor that year. The film is based on the novel Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Which movies are on your Movies to watch on 4th of July? Do let us know in the comments below.
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