The Fourth of July holiday is known for its military tributes, fireworks displays and backyard barbeques. So what do you do if the weather turns out to be less than stellar? You may want to consider watching a few movies. Here are my picks for five of the best ones:
“Born on the Fourth of July”
With a title like, “Born on the Fourth of July”, this movie deserves to be on your Fourth of July viewing list. It was released in 1989 and starred Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe and Bryan Larkin. The storyline is based on a true story. It focuses on Vietnam War veterans and how their view of the war effort changed over time.
In my opinion, the movie had many poignant moments. One of the first occurs when the principal character, Ron Kovic, accidentally shoots Wilson, a member of his platoon. Other thought-provoking scenes include the time Kovic spent in the hospital, the anti-war rallies, the Independence Day parade scene and the scene where Kovic meets with Wilson’s family.
“Independence Day”
“Independence Day” is another film that is perfect for watching on the Fourth of July. It was released in 1996. It starred Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and Judd Hirsch. The storyline focuses on a group of Americans that attempt to save the planet from an alien invasion of epic proportions. The American’s make their last ditch attempt to save the planet from the alien invaders on the Fourth of July. The film features incredible special effects. Some of the best scenes occurred during the initial and final battles between mankind and the aliens.
“The Patriot”
The film, “The Patriot”, is also worth viewing on the Fourth of July. It was released in 2000. It starred Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger. The story line starts during the American Revolution in 1776. It focuses on a French and Indian War veteran by the name of Benjamin Martin, whose son joins the Continental Army. Martin’s son eventually gets killed and he must live with that fact. I thought that the film delved deep into the complexities of war and the rebuilding of our nation.
“Glory”
“Glory” was released in 1989. It starred Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick and Morgan Freeman. The storyline focused on an African American, American Civil War regiment that was modeled after the real 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The story starts around the time of the Battle of Antietam and ends at Fort Wagner. Personally, I have always been interested in American Civil War history. As such, this film appealed to me on many levels. I felt that it showed the strength of the human spirit and what better time to remember our strength than on the Fourth of July?
“All the President’s Men”
“All the President’s Men” was released in 1976. Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford played the roles of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. The film focused on the Watergate scandal of the 1970s and took a look at the seamy underbelly of American politics. I found the film to be well put together and entertaining. I also think that given our recent political climate, it is a perfect time to re-watch the film.
Killeen Gonzalez enjoys summer sports and recreation with her family. She has also traveled extensively.
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