(WHNT) – How do you celebrate the Fourth of July? Most Americans would likely say a cookout, a parade, or an amazing fireworks display. However, there are plenty of patriotic films to watch that celebrate the holiday without breaking the budget at the fireworks platform.
Even if you’re blowing out the fireworks, movies like “Top Gun” and “Air Force One” provide a chance to settle on the couch with a great movie — after all the festivities.
News 19 has compiled a list of All-American films to help celebrate the birthday of the USA.
Honor mentions: The Musical Man (1962), Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Glory (1989), Patriots (2000), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
Better
- Release date: May 16, 1986
- Director: Tony Scott
- spit: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Tom Skerritt
- Did you know? The real-life Top Gun School, founded in 1969 in California, imposes a $5 fine on any employee who quotes from the 1986 movie.
Mr. Smith goes to Washington
- Release date: October 17, 1939
- Director: Frank Capra
- spit: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains
- Did you know? Many of the outside scenes in the film were deemed illegal. Specifically, scenes in which James Stewart wanders around Washington, D.C. were deemed “stolen” after US park services refused permission for a studio to film near them.
their own league
- Release date: July 1, 1992
- Director: Penny Marshall
- spit: Tom Hanks, Gina Davis, Madonna, Laurie Petty, Jon Lovitz, David Straitarn, Garry Marshall, Bill Pullman
- Did you know? The film’s famous slogan, “There’s no crying in baseball,” was chosen as the 54th film of all time by the American Film Institute.
Air Force One
- Release date: 25 July 1997
- Director: Wolfgang Petersen
- spit: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Croson, Paul Gilfoyle, William H. Macy, Liesel Matthews, Dean Stockwell
- Did you know? Originally, German director Wolfgang Petersen was denied permission to use the real Air Force One in the film. Harrison Ford called the White House and this was corrected.
hidden characters
- Release date: December 25, 2016
- Director: Theodore Melffy
- spit: Taraji B. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Mooney, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali, Aldis Hodge and Glenn Powell
- Did you know? It was Katherine Johnson, who was portrayed in the film by Taraji B. Henson, the only member of the “Hidden Characters” trio who lived to see the movie. She was 98 years old when she was cast in 2016.
Independence Day
- Release date: July 3, 1996
- Director: Roland Emmerich
- spit: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Cullen, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, James Rayburn, Harvey Ferstein
- Did you know? Despite competing with many other space movies, “Independence Day” was the highest-grossing movie of 1996.
forrest gump
- Release date: 6 July 1994
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- spit: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mylty Williamson, Sally Field
- Did you know? Despite critical acclaim and an Academy Award win, Tom Hanks wasn’t paid for his role in “Forrest Gump.” Instead of a salary, he earned percentage points, eventually earning about $40 million.
and free
- Release date: 7 April 1993
- Director: David Mickey Evans
- spit: Tom Jerry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Reina, Chauncey Leopardi, Marty York, Brandon Adams, Grant Gilt, Shane Obedzinsky, Victor Dematia, Dennis Leary, Karen Allen, James Earl Jones
- Did you know? Each “Sandlot” kid wears either Converse Chuck Taylors or BF Flyers throughout the movie.
Saving Private Ryan
- Release date: July 24, 1998
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- spit: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Davis, Vin Diesel
- Did you know? Steven Spielberg cast Matt Damon in the movie because at the time, he was a relatively unknown actor with all-American looks. Before this movie was shown, Damon won an Academy Award for “Good Will Hunting,” thereby defeating the purpose of his casting.
Yankee Doodle Dandy
- Release date: June 6, 1942
- Director: Michael Kurtz
- spit: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Heston, Richard Whorf
- Did you know? This Jimmy Cagney won the Academy Award for Best Actor. With this win, he became the first actor to win an Academy Award for a musical performance.
Did we miss your favorite 4th of July movie? Tell us what’s your favorite Independence Day, National or All-American movie by sending it to news@whnt.com!