Movies that bleed red, white and blue: 36 picks for your holiday celebration

When people ask what the “most Fourth of July movie ever made” is, there’s usually one obvious answer: “Independence Day.”

The movie literally ends with aliens getting punched in the face by humanity, led by an American president who delivers a speech — on Independence Day — so inspiring that I’m pretty sure bald eagles spontaneously appeared in theaters across the country.

In fact, when my older brother (a legit actor now) needed a monologue for a state drama competition in high school, I pushed for that President Whitmore speech pretty hard. He didn’t go for it, FYI.

The movie is gloriously over-the-top: The president climbs into a fighter jet; Randy Quaid saves the world; the American flag waves triumphantly.

Subtle? Absolutely not. Fun? Every single time.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that’s only one version of an American movie. America on screen isn’t just explosions and presidential speeches — although that version is freaking, face-meltingly awesome. Sometimes it’s baseball. Sometimes it’s hockey. Sometimes it’s astronauts trying to make it home. Sometimes it’s a group of women mathematicians quietly changing history.

Maybe the most American movies aren’t the ones wrapped in the biggest flag; they’re the ones that remind us who we hope to be — whether that’s a hero astronaut or a hero crop duster with a slight drinking problem.

The loud Americans

Let’s be honest, Hollywood loves turning America into the world’s action hero. And, I’ve really got no qualms with that.

When danger shows up, we’re apparently contractually obligated to send Bruce Willis into space (“Armageddon”), have Nicolas Cage steal the Declaration of Independence (“National Treasure”), or let Tom Cruise do something that would make OSHA file twelve separate complaints (“Top Gun”).

Do I know these movies are ridiculous? Of course. Do I love them anyway? Also, of course.

There’s something undeniably fun about stories that lean completely into the fantasy that impossible problems can be solved with determination, duct tape and a perfectly timed one-liner.

Sometimes that’s exactly the movie you’re in the mood for.

The quieter Americans

Sometimes, however, the movies that stick with you the most aren’t the loudest ones. They’re movies like “Apollo 13” and “Field of Dreams” — movies don’t spend much time telling us America is great.

Instead, these quieter movies show people solving impossible problems, believing in each other, sacrificing for something bigger than themselves, or refusing to quit when quitting would have been easier.

That’s the part that feels American to me: not perfection, but possibility.

Why these stories matter

Every country tells stories about itself. Sometimes those stories are exaggerated; sometimes they’re idealized.

Movies are no different.

The best American movies aren’t documentaries; they’re aspirations. They’re reminders of the qualities we admire — even if we don’t always live up to them.

Courage. Optimism. Second chances. Ingenuity. Beating up aliens.

It’s basically the stubborn belief that ordinary people can accomplish extraordinary things. Whether that’s defeating aliens, beating the seemingly unbeatable Soviet hockey team, or bringing astronauts safely back to Earth, it almost doesn’t matter. These stories are different, but the hope underneath them is the same.

The movies

Here are some of the best red, white and blue movies by category.

‘America will punch you in the face’ movies

These are the movies where the soundtrack swells, the flag waves and someone gives a speech that somehow makes everyone better at their job.

• “Independence Day”
• “Top Gun: Maverick”
• “Armageddon”
• “National Treasure”
• “Air Force One”
• “The Patriot”
• “Captain America: The First Avenger”
• “Rocky IV”

‘American dreamer’ movies

These movies celebrate innovation, curiosity, and the idea that impossible problems are just problems we haven’t solved yet.

• “Apollo 13”
• “The Right Stuff”
• “Hidden Figures”
• “October Sky”
• “The Martian”
• “First Man”

‘American fighter’ movies

This may actually be the most American category of all. As Americans, we back down from nothing, and we love the underdog.

• “Rocky”
• “Miracle”
• “Remember the Titans”
• “42”
• “Rudy”
• “Hoosiers”

‘Small-town America’ movies

Baseball. Front porches. Fireflies. Neighbors. Enough said.

• “Field of Dreams”
• “The Sandlot”
• “A League of Their Own”
• “American Graffiti”
• “Cars”

‘Real American hero’ movies

Freedom has always had a cost, and these movies earn their emotion rather than manufacture it.

• “Saving Private Ryan”
• “Band of Brothers” (I know it’s a TV show, but come on)
• “Black Hawk Down”
• “We Were Soldiers”
• “Glory”

‘Only in America’ movies

Some of these might seem like a bit of a stretch, if you’re thinking “patriotic.” But honestly, no other country would have made these movies.

• “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”
• “Forrest Gump”
• “Napoleon Dynamite”
• “The Blues Brothers”
• “Joe Dirt”
• “Office Space”

Roll credits

Many of these movies become part of our Fourth of July traditions not because they’re waving a flag in every scene, but because they remind us that being American has never been about believing we’re perfect.

It’s about believing tomorrow can be better than today.

It’s about cheering for the underdog.

It’s about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

And every now and then … it’s about watching a president climb into a fighter jet to save the world from aliens. Sometimes, on the Fourth of July, that’s exactly the kind of America we want to believe in.