What to Watch on the Fourth of July?

Depending on entirely what you are willing to watch during COVID-19, Fourth of July could be awesome or terrible. Celebrating July 4^th might be a bit different this year as around the USA there is a pandemic, nothing is open, and everyone has to social distance. A normal holiday consists of grilling, baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet depending on what generation you are from. More than likely, July 4^th will be spent watching television. Today we will cover watch you should be tuning into on your Independence Day this year.

Military Movies

To be honest, this genre never seems to fail when it comes to Memorial Day, Veterans, Day, and of course July 4^th. A good start is of course the Revolutionary War film The Patriot (2000). Mel Gibson stars in a story of revenge, bloodshed, and family. It runs for just under 3 hours, 2 hours and 45 minutes to be exact. It’s a great film to watch for the adults but not really a film to show the kids. Another great recommendation to watch is the Academy Award Winning film Patton (1970), an epic film about the famous WWII General George S. Patton, and his greatest achievements during the war. Featuring George C. Scott, this film talks about one of America’s greatest generals but also how he was viewed by his superiors and the soldiers who fought for and against him. A lesser known film to watch on July 4^th but still a good one to check out would be The Alamo (1960). Featuring American-great John Wayne as frontiersman Davy Crockett. Although, their has been debate about it's historical value it is still a great film to enjoy on July 4^th. Last but not least, a film crucial to our history more so than any of the other films, a large recommendation would be Lincoln (2012), a biopic into President Abraham Lincoln’s years as President and his attempt to enact the 13^th Amendment which freed African-Americans held in bondage during the American Civil War. Featuring Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field this film presents an America that like our current nation is very troubled by dealing with it's present and it's past.

Action/Adventure

Unlike the previous category, none of these films directly involve war or at least war is not directly the largest part of the story. Instead this category focuses on the American Experience. To open, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), featuring Paul Newman and Robert Redford is a good story, a mixture of criminal, western, and adventure gives this film a flair that presents American storytelling at its finest. Secondly, National Treasure (2005), providing loose information about American History, this film presents an adventure that drives the viewer all the way to the top as it features gunplay, presidents, and the foundations of America. Along with the previous title a great watch on July 4^th would be 20,000 Leagues under the Sea (1954). Unlike the previous films that feature vast frontiers and foundations of a country, this one features a fictional giant squid taking on a submarine. From opening to ending, this films takes on the action and adventure that has come to define American Cinema just that it doesn’t occur on land.

Sports

This category features films that loosely feature America in a sports sense. The first and most obvious choice for this category is The Sandlot (1993). This is an absolute fantastic film for anyone who loves baseball and of course America. In fact, the film takes place in the summer which it just so happens is when Fourth of July occurs, plus there is a portion of the film that deals with the holiday. Not to mention, Baseball goes with 4^th of July because it's American. Another great one for the hockey fans out there is Miracle (2004) which presents the USA Hockey Team that played in the 1980 Winter Olympics. It's a film that deals with patriotism but also how a team that discovered what it means to play for their country and not just themselves. Lastly, the film to watch is also a baseball movie as well but deals with the issue of race relations in the United States. 42 (2013) tells the story of Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers attempting to integrate Major League Baseball.

Honorable Mentions

Obviously, I’ve overlooked some films that take a more personal feel to the holiday such as Born on the Fourth of July (1989). I am not asking for there to be a consensus on what to watch but if I was in someone else’s shoes these are just some recommendations. However, in this section I will mention some additional content. For Military Movies, American Sniper (2014), Fury (2014), Unbroken (2014), Top Gun (1986), and The Dirty Dozen (1968). For Action/Adventure movies, Indiana Jones series, Into the Wild (2007), Back to the Future (1985), Jaws (1975), and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). For the Sports category, The Natural (1984), Seabiscuit (2003), Eight Men Out (1988), The Fighter (2010), Rocky (1976), Field of Dreams (1989), and Ali (2003). If these movies are not enough for you feel free to explore what ever you would like to watch. Have fun and enjoy your July 4^th.