Well, here we are once again. It’s July 4th tomorrow, the American Independence Day holiday. Most often it is celebrated with a barbecue/cook out, maybe a pool party, and a fireworks show. That’s all fine and well, but sometimes you just don’t want to celebrate in that way.
Maybe it’s due to the nation’s fractured politics. Maybe it’s because you or someone in your household is not a fan of fireworks due to noise/light sensitivity or, worse, because of PTSD. Maybe you’re just exhausted and need a day to stay indoors, rest, and recuperate.
You may not have any plans for the 4th of July holiday, willfully so, yet something feels off if you don’t mark the occasion somehow. Well, I agree, and I can think of very little that’s more American than sitting in your easy chair, grabbing some snacks and having your own movie marathon right there in your own living room. With that in mind, here is the official MonDAVES 4th of July, “Happy Birthday ‘Merica” movie list. Most of these are super long, so I’d suggest picking a maybe a few favorites, and hopefully one or two you haven’t seen, getting comfy and get it going. Save me some popcorn and happy viewing.
Independence Day (1996)
-Easy choice, since the holiday is right there in the title. Still, this is a fun Alien Invasion movie, with some stirring moments, decent effects, one of the best Presidential speeches ever courtesy of Bill Pullman (who I’d probably vote for, come to think of it), and Will Smith back when he was still Will Smith. While I tend to be more of a Mars Attacks! guy when it comes to this sort of film, Independence Day is way more fitting, and still good fun.
Patton (1970)
-I’m not one for most military flicks, but I know a good one when I see it. No matter your feelings about the man, the propaganda, or the history involved, this is a well made and, more importantly, well acted film. If you’ve never seen it, let whatever cynicism you may have go and give it a watch. It truly is an excellent film, and Patton’s speech in front of the American flag is just about as iconic an American movie shot can get. Also, when you’re done with this one, check out the Sesame Street parody of that iconic scene from their movie Follow That Bird. Oscar’s “Grouch Anthem” absolutely rules.
Lincoln (2012)
-Speilberg. Daniel Day Lewis. Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. ‘Nuff said.
Young Abraham Lincoln (1939)
-Another Lincoln bio focusing mostly on his early pre presidential days as a lawyer. Starring Henry Fonda and directed by the great John Ford, this is certainly a product of its time, but a worthwhile watch nonetheless. Okay, so it’s partially fictionalized but that didn’t stop y’all from loving Bohemian Rhapsody, so no complaining, history nerds. Just enjoy.
Glory (1989)
-One of my all time favorite movies. Glory tells the tale of, and is a tribute to the black veterans who fought against the Confederacy in the Civil War. The cast is amazing with Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman bringing their fine skills into sharp focus here, and Mathew Broderick proving himself to be much better than his Bueller reputation. This is also one of the few performances by Cary Elwes that I actually really like. It’s a fascinating movie and deseves to be seen by everybody.
Red Dawn (1984-not the remake. Who would even watch that? Bunch of heathens, that’s who.)
-Ah, the 1980s. The Cold War was real, and a Russian invasion of the USA was sold to us all as the number one fear of the day, with Nuclear War sure to follow. It was in this environment that Red Dawn was launched upon us. Brief plot synopsis: Russians invade a small town in Colorado. a group of teenagers escape to the forest when the attack begins, and then form a guerilla unit to take back their town. This movie could only come form the paranoia of the 1980s. In other hands this could have been a slapstick farce, but it is actually quite serious. I go back and forth between liking this movie due to its cast, the action, and even the outrageousness of its central idea to hating it for its blatant macho 2nd Amendment fetishism, and glorifying the militia mindset. Either way it is a telling piece of 80’s cinema that is an interesting time capsule sure to be viewed and discussed for many years to come.
Rocky IV (1985)
-Speaking of 80’s time capsules, this is one of the greatest! There was a sweeping Patriotism throughout most of the decade that you kind of got caught up in whether you wanted to or not. It was a positive one though, not like the mean spirited nationalism of today…although one could certainly draw a line between the two. Anyway, Rocky IV capitalized on this sentiment with gusto. From an amazingly cheesy soundtrack to the classic montages, the pull at your heartstrings formula, and the all-American boxer vs. Russian killing-machine plot, this quite possibly encapsulates the era better than any other movie of it’s time. You know what? Forget Red Dawn, watch this instead.
1776 (1972)
-A fictionalized account of the events leading up to the signing of The Declaration Of Independence. It’s a drama. Oh, it’s also a musical. It’s overlong and kind of ridiculous, but I still prefer it to Hamilton. Sorry, soccer moms!
Stripes (1980)
-Okay, so some of the scenes are kinda cringy now, and I’m unsure as to where we all landed on Bill Murray, but there are still plenty of reasons to watch this flick. Most of the bits still hold up, and with a cast that includes not only Bill Murray, but also Harold Ramis, John Candy, PJ Soles, John Larroquette, Sean Young and more, it’s hard not to like this one. The hilarious graduation scene is worth the viewing in and of itself.
M*A*S*H (1970)
-The movie that inspired the television series. The tone here is a little different here though. While still irreverant and undeniably funny, the movie is a black comedy so it’s got a much darker feel to it than the TV show. It can also be a little strange to see the original actors, great as they are, playing the people we’ve come to know and love through countless reruns. It’s a very good movie, but one that can’t help but be viewed differently than intended because of it’s television counterpart. Whether you watch it as a stand alone film, an experiment to compare and contrast with the series, or just because you want to learn the actual words to the theme song, it’s a film that any M*A*S*H fan should not miss.
Okay friends, that’s the list, and that’s more than enough. See you next week!
MonDAVEs with Dave Brink 