Beat the heat this Fourth of July weekend with a movie night. The patriotic holiday weekend is the perfect time to sit back and relax while watching movies.
There are plenty of movies that detail the American dream along and other summer-themes. These are the best films you should watch with your loved ones this Fourth of July weekend.
‘Independence Day’ (1996)
Did you see that one coming? “Independence Day” is about humans trying to stop an alien invasion from destroying Earth. The cast includes Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, Robert Loggia, James Rebhorn and Harvey Fierstein. Watch it on HBO Max or Prime Video.
‘Hamilton’ (2020)
The massively popular Broadway production of “Hamilton” was recorded and produced as a Disney+ film. The life story of Alexander Hamilton is detailed through song and dance by the production’s original cast. “Hamilton” stars Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Okieriete Onaodowan and Anthony Ramos. Watch it on Disney+.
‘Top Gun’ (1986)
If you want to see a younger Tom Cruise flying through the air in style, “Top Gun” is the perfect (and patriotic) movie to watch this weekend. “‘Top Gun” takes a look at the danger and excitement that awaits pilots at the Navy’s prestigious fighter weapons school,” the official description of the film reads. “Tom Cruise is Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a daring young flyer who’s out to become the best of the best.” Watch it on Paramount+.
‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)
Nothing says “Happy Fourth of July” quite like Chris Evans as Captain America. This film is set after “The Avengers” come together and in the process, damage New York City beyond repair. “The Winter Soldier” shows how Captain America is once again called in to help with another super villain fight and enlists the help of Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) and The Falcon (played by Anthony Mackie). Watch it on Disney+.
‘In The Heights’ (2021)
Now this is a summer movie. Set in Washington Heights, “In the Heights” focuses on the hopes and dreams of a bodega owner working toward a better life. The musical film is scored by Lin-Manuel Miranda and directed by Jon M. Chu. The cast includes Anthony Ramos as Usnavi de la Vega; Melissa Barrera as Vanessa; Corey Hawkins as Benny; and Leslie Grace as Nina Rosario. Watch it on HBO Max.
‘The Lost City’ (2022)
The comedic duo Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum are the center of this action adventure film. Bullock plays author Loretta Sage, who writes books set in tombs and deserts. “When she is kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire to locate a legendary lost city, Loretta’s handsome cover model, Alan, sets off on a heroic but hapless rescue mission,” the official description of the film reads. Tatum plays Alan, who needs to survive the elements with Sage. The duo have a goal to find the city’s fabled treasure. Watch it on Paramount+.
‘The Sandlot’ (1993)
If this film doesn’t bring on summer nostalgia for those who grew up in the 1990s, nothing will. “The Sandlot” features a fifth-grader named Scott Smalls who moved to a Los Angeles suburb over the summer and, at to his mother’s wish, is looking for friends in his neighborhood. He meets a group of boys who want to play baseball but Smalls lacks natural athletic ability. Over the course of the summer, the boys become a baseball team and make it their mission to solve the terrifying mystery of what goes on behind the baseball field’s fence. Watch it on Disney+.
‘A League of Their Own’ (1992)
We all learned “there’s no crying in baseball” from two competitive sisters and their former major-league manager in the classic movie “A League of Their Own.” Starring Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, Jon Lovitz and Garry Marshall, their inspiring underdog Rockford Peaches team is based on the true story of the 1943 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Watch it on Prime Video.
‘Hidden Figures’ (2016)
Set at NASA when the United States and Russia were racing to put a man on the moon, “Hidden Figures” tells the true story of NASA mathematicians Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and Katherine Gobels Johnson who broke boundaries for women and people of color. The cast stars Taraji P. Henson as Gobels Johnson; Octavia Spencer as Vaughan; and Janelle Monáe as Jackson. Watch it on Disney+.
‘Forrest Gump’ (1994)
If you’re in the mood for an inspirational story, “Forrest Gump” is the film for you this Fourth of July weekend. The film follows the life events of a man who faces many tribulations throughout his life, but he never lets any of them interfere with his happiness. The cast stars Tom Hanks, who won the Best Actor Oscar for the film, with Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Fields, Michael Conner Humphreys and Hanna R. Hall. Watch it on Prime Video.