29 Fantastic Fourth of July Movies Every American Should Add to Their Queue

Living through the Vietnam War, running a shrimp boat, exposing Watergate, finding love with your childhood best friend... what isn't this Tom Hanks classic about? The feel-good romp through modern American history will have you feeling all sorts of nostalgic. Rating: PG-13

America loves its sports movies, and this true tale about the integration of a high school football team in Alexandria, Virginia is an absolute must-see. Denzel Washington stars as coach Herman Boone, and a young Ryan Gosling also makes an appearance. Rating: PG

Looking for kid-friendly 4th of July flick? Feivel Mousekewitz is the hero of Steven Spielberg's first animated feature film, which tells the story of a young immigrant's quest to be reunited with his family. Rating: G

Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck star in this all-American action movie, which sees a rag-tag group of deep core drillers launched into outer space to destroy an asteroid the size of Texas that's headed straight for Earth. Rating: PG-13

Director Ava DuVernay's look at the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the historic march for Civil Rights between Selma and Montgomery, Alabama reminds us that the fight for American freedom is still an ongoing one. Rating: PG-13

This love letter to baseball—which tells the story of a group of young players who work to retrieve a lost ball from the grips of "The Beast" who lives on the other side of the sandlot fence—includes a Fourth of July fireworks sequence, set to Ray Charles' "America the Beautiful." Rating: PG

Nicholas Cage plays Benjamin Franklin Gates, a historian and cryptologist obsessed with finding the legendary treasure of the Knights Templar. Clues take Ben to U.S. landmarks, where he's followed by a ruthless rival trying to take the treasure for himself. Rating: PG

This filmed version of the hit Broadway production, which tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of America's founding fathers, can be streamed on Disney+. Want more? You can also watch Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway, a documentary chronicling the creation of Lin Manuel-Miranda's groundbreaking musical. Rating: PG-13

"There's no crying in baseball!" is just one of many memorable lines from this comedy based on the true stories of the All-American Girls Baseball League. Rating: PG

Da-dum. Da-dum. This classic thriller about a man-eating great white shark takes place during the Fourth of July holiday, when the beaches of fictional Amity Island are at their busiest. Rating: PG

This Frank Capra classic sees an idealistic young senator played by James Stewart take on corruption in the capital.

When an alien attack upends the world, it's up to Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum to step in and save the day. This 1996 flick is full of great one-liners, as well as one of the most rousing speeches by a movie President (Bill Pullman) ever made. Rating: PG-13

Daniel Day-Lewis gives an Oscar-winning performance in this Steven Spielberg-directed biopic on America's 16th President. Rating: PG-13

George C. Scott won the Oscar for his portrayal of George S. Patton, a U.S. general during World War II. Patton's address to troops in front of giant American flag remains among the most iconic visuals in film history. Rating: PG

Bill Murray and Harold Ramis star as two unambitious friends who join the Army and find themselves in a platoon of misfits. Despite it being a spoof about the armed forces, director Ivan Reitman said the U.S. Army was actually very helpful when it came to filming. Rating: R

Mel Gibson stars as a South Carolina farmer who joins the American Revolution after his son is captured. Rating: R

Whether you're a hockey fan or a sports fan in general, you'll love this inspiring true story of the "Miracle on Ice" that occurred during the men's ice hockey tournament at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Coach Herb Brooks is played by Kurt Russell. Rating: PG

In the 1980s, the idea of World War III occurring wasn't terribly far fetched as tensions ran high with Russia. This action film imagines the scenario through the eyes of a group of renegade teens, defending midwest America from Soviet invaders. Rating: PG-13

This is the true, untold story of three female African-American mathematicians who were instrumental in putting America on the moon. Rating: PG

You're gonna need your tissues for this one. In this award-winning World War II drama, Tom Hanks plays Captain John Miller who leads his soldiers in a fight to save one of their own. Rating: R