The 25 Best Movies to Watch on the Fourth of July
Why not skip the fireworks for a movie marathon at home?
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The Fourth of July is right around the corner, which means it’s time to celebrate America in all its glory. This year, after you’ve grilled some hot dogs and taken a dip in the pool, why not curl up on the couch and turn on a movie? It’s the American way. And there are plenty of patriotic films to choose from, whether you want an action-packed adventure like Top Gun or a family-friendly flick like The Sandlot. If you aren’t feeling particularly patriotic this year, you can use the holiday to pay your respects to unsung American heroes, like the Black female scientists in Hidden Figures or the Black military regiment in Glory. Either way, you’ll be celebrating the American experience.
Below, we’ve rounded up 25 of the best Fourth of July movies. Prepare to see some surprises, like Us (it counts!) and Final Destination (also counts!), along with all-American classics like Hamilton, 1776, and Forrest Gump. It’s all here, folks.
Top Gun
In Top Gun, Tom Cruise stars as Maverick, a cocky fighter pilot who’s sent to train at the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School. He may think he’s the best, but so is everyone else at Top Gun. As Maverick navigates his new surroundings, he learns about teamwork and precision—all while earning the attention of his attractive instructor, Charlotte Blackwood.
An American Tail
In An American Tail, a mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz (voiced by Phillip Glasser) immigrates from Russia to the U.S. (In case you were wondering, his family’s house is destroyed by... cats.) During their journey, a storm separates Fievel from his family. When he arrives in New York, he meets Bridget (Cathianne Blore), an Irish mouse, Tony (Pat Musick), an Italian mouse, and Tiger, a friendly cat. Together, the motley crew searches for Fievel’s family and learns about the American dream.
Final Destination 3
Final Destination might not come to mind when you think about Fourth of July movies—but this sequel ends with a patriotic explosion. As usual, the film follows a group of young adults trying to outsmart death. Instead they create a death trap as Final Destination 3 combines horror with America’s birthday.
1776
Speaking of America’s birthday, 1776 explores the origins of Independence Day. Based on the popular Broadway musical, it stars William Daniels, Ken Howard, and Howard da Silva as three of our founding fathers, bonded by their determination to free the colonies from British rule while singing some mighty catchy show tunes.
American Pie
Warning: This film is for adults only, even though it’s a coming-of-age classic. When a group of friends realize they’re all virgins, they set out on a mission to change that. Of course, it ends up being much harder than they think.
Lincoln
A Steven Spielberg film featuring one of Daniel Day-Lewis’s last (?) performances, Lincoln is a massive production befitting the massive impact of Abraham Lincoln on American history. Day-Lewis is, as usual, exceptional, embodying the president who navigated our country through the Civil War.
The Sandlot
The Music Man
Saving Private Ryan
This Tom Hanks/Matt Damon film was an instant classic. After a mother loses three sons in battle during World War II, Captain John Miller promises to bring back her last son, Private Ryan, who is trapped behind enemy lines. Among its many triumphs, Saving Private Ryan highlights the devastation and heroism of war.
Us
Oh, does this one not make any sense? Well, that whole Hands Across America thing was a real event in the ’80s, with Americans, you know, holding hands across America. Us, of course, is the twisted imaginary backstory and a haunting allegory of race in our country, so hell yeah, this is a Fourth of July movie.
Glory
Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick star in this powerful story of an often overlooked aspect of Civil War history. Following the all-Black 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, Glory tells of the heroes often erased in textbooks—as well as their perseverant courage despite discrimination.
Selma
Ava Duvernay’s Selma is the story of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery marches for voting rights, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis, among others. Nominated for an Oscar for best picture, it’s a powerful portrait of the American spirit and how far this country still has to go.
Hamilton
When this taped production of the blockbuster Broadway musical, written by and starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, hit Disney+ on July 3, 2020, it instantly became a Fourth of July movie-night favorite. The Tony- and Pulitzer-winning show tells the story of founding father Alexander Hamilton through an innovative blend of hip-hop and traditional storytelling.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
If you’re an It’s a Wonderful Life every year on Christmas type, here’s another James Stewart holiday tradition you might consider. Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington tells the tale of a naive young man who is appointed to fill a Senate seat after its occupant’s death. As he navigates politics with idealism and patriotic zeal, he soon grows aware of the corruption in our government and takes a courageous stand for justice.
Hidden Figures
The combined star power of Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, and Taraji P. Henson is enough to recommend Hidden Figures, but the story itself is even more remarkable. In this moving and enlightening historical drama, we learn about the brilliant Black women of NASA who were behind one of the greatest successes in American history: the first manned orbit of the Earth, by astronaut John Glenn.
National Treasure
One man’s conspiracy theory is another man’s comedy, and one man’s National Treasure is… well, another man’s National Treasure—albeit for different reasons. This heist flick follows historian Benjamin Franklin Gates, played by Nicolas Cage, on his quest to steal the Declaration of Independence and decode the encrypted map hidden within the document, leading to a precious treasure.
Independence Day
Sure, an alien invasion is an international event in one of the greatest blockbusters of the ’90s, but it takes American heroes like the ones played by Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum to defeat the extraterrestrial monsters determined to destroy our planet. Bonus points for one of the most stirring presidential speeches of all time.
Team America: World Police
South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone send up post-9/11 Bush-era international politics in a way only the comic duo can: with a kick-ass paramilitary police force made up entirely of marionettes. Oh, and there’s a lot of puppet sex.
Patton
Is there a more iconic, more patriotic image in cinematic history than George C. Scott (who won an Oscar for this performance) standing in front of a massive American flag before delivering a stirring and empowering speech for the troops?
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