Fireworks on the Silver Screen: The 25 best films to celebrate Independence Day

No list about the best films to watch on Independence Day would be complete without a film about Independence Day. Peter Hunt's musical drama about the forming of the Second Continental Congress was originally panned upon release in 1972, but time has become far more kind, as the themes alternate between rousing and moving, giving viewers an eclectic take on the founding of our country.

Mix Nicolas Cage, treasure hunting and American history, and you have "National Treasure," a rollicking adventure featuring Cage at his most normal. Cage plays historian Ben Gates, a man on a race against time and sinister forces as he seeks a mythical treasure tied to the Declaration of Independence. A good time for families looking to check out a fun adventure during the Fourth.

Harrison Ford stars as a two-fisted president who doesn't take the hijacking of his plane lying down by causing fireworks of his own in "Air Force One." Facing off against Russian separatists led by the ever-versatile Gary Oldman, Ford is at his slam-bang best as he exercises executive privilege...to kill the bad guys. If you're looking for non-stop action during your holiday break, you could do worse than this micro-jingoistic tale of a Commander-in-Chief standing his ground...at 20,000 feet.

Mel Gibson gets back on the horse after his triumphant tale of Scottish patriotism in "Braveheart" to continue his campaign of revenge, this time as a peaceful farmer who is forced to fight the British to avenge the death of his son. More action movie than historical remembrance, "The Patriot" is still an entertaining smorgasbord of patriotic action that is more than adequate for a Fourth of July viewing.

Aaron Sorkin's prototype for what would later be "The West Wing" is everything one expects from Sorkin, who, along with director Rob Reiner, shows us a portrait of the White House and a president (Michael Douglas) who's trying to balance the needs of the nation with his own with equal parts humor and heart. For anyone in search of the perfect rom-com with substance on the Fourth, this will certainly win your vote.

One of the important aspects, now more than ever, of the American story is that of the immigrant. Don Bluth's "An American Tail" is a heartwarming film about a young mouse named Fievel who finds himself separated from his family as it emigrates to America. As Fievel searches for his family against the backdrop of his new home, he goes on adventures that give him a greater appreciation of a land still a mystery to him. As we think on our own independence and those who seek a piece of what we have, this film is still relevant.

Robert Preston stars as conman with a heart of gold in the theatrical adaptation of the classic musical "The Music Man." Professor Henry Hill has dollar signs in his eyes as he slides into an Iowa town looking to fleece the townsfolk but finds himself delivering on a pipe dream as audiences are treated to rousing and memorable musical numbers, perfect for a lazy Fourth of July weekend.

Released right before the real Fourth of July in 1996, Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich's "Independence Day" is a full-on alien invasion, spurring the world to band together led by Bill Pullman's charismatic president. He is supported by an all-star cast including Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and Randy Quaid, who gave audiences a preview of how crazy he would end up becoming. Come for the spectacular destruction of global landmarks, including the White House, and stay for Will Smith punching an alien to death with his bare hands.

Tom Hanks makes the first of many appearances on our list in "A League of Their Own," Penny Marshall's loose adaptation of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell and Lori Petty star as women who came together to play ball in the absence of men who went to serve in WWII. The league begins to prosper and become popular before good old-fashioned sexism threatened everything. But this heartwarming film shows how these tough ladies owned the game with every bit of the fierce competition of their male counterparts.

One might find it ironic that a film set during the 1980 Winter Olympics would make our list of best films to celebrate Independence Day, but it's hard not to look at the U.S. Men's Hockey Team's upset win over the Soviets and not feel particularly patriotic. This tale of a group of working-class athletes taking on their biggest rival against the backdrop of the Cold War mixes everything we love about sports drama and patriotism into a star-spangled pie of perfection.

Tom Hanks' next spot on our list comes via "Apollo 13," Ron Howard's telling of the true-life space disaster that threatened the lives of a trio of astronauts and their miraculous efforts to make it back home against tremendous odds. There were few things more patriotic than the Space Race, but by the time Apollo 13 launched, overall interest in the space program was reaching all-time lows until the harrowing drama surrounding these astronauts' survival brought the nation together once again, making this film a definite watch as we celebrate Independence Day.

If song and dance light your sparkler on the Fourth of July, do yourself a favor and check out notorious tough guy James Cagney hoof patriotically in "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Depicting the life and times of legendary Broadway icon George M. Cohan, the film serves up the classic and patriotic tunes you've heard once or twice, like "You're a Grand Old Flag" and "Over There." 

Imagine an America where Independence Day no longer has a meaning. In the 1984 teens-on-a-mission flick "Red Dawn," released during the waning yet still heightened days of the Cold War, America is under Communist control, and it takes a small band of kids to take the fight back to the Soviets and Cubans as they battle to save their hometown in the wake of an invasion. Starring Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Lea Thompson and C. Thomas Howell, the film, while often grim and uncompromising, simply works for Independence Day as a reminder that freedom isn't free, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

It took a long time for the Star-Spangled Avenger to find his way from comic page to screen, but once Chris Evans puts on the red, white and blue for the first time, it just felt natural in "Captain America: The First Avenge." Taking a slightly pulpy turn, Cap battles the forces of evil in the form of Hydra, led by the evil Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) against the backdrop of WWII. Director Joe Johnson delivers all the bang for the buck one would want for Independence Day entertainment.

Take a highway to the danger zone this Fourth of July with Tom Cruise strutting his way through the stratosphere as a fighter pilot whose ego writes checks his cockpit can't cash until he finds love in the form of a flight instructor (Kelly McGillis) and humility through tragedy in "Top Gun." Marvel as Cruise competes to be the best of the best, looking to freeze out his competition on his way to becoming an elite pilot.

One of Tom Hanks' most iconic characters comes to life in "Forrest Gump," the story of a simple man who stumbles into a series of adventures against the backdrop of American history. During his travels, which takes him from the rice paddies of Vietnam to a random Black Panther Party, Gump runs into Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and then runs cross country, fueled throughout his life by the wisdom of his mama and the eternal love he has for his childhood friend Jenny. 

Jimmy Stewart stars as local hero Jefferson Smith in Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," a heartwarming tale of a man who shockingly gains a seat in the United States Senate. During his time on the hill, the young idealist finds himself up against the worst parts of bureaucracy and special interests, all along steeled by his resolve and a true desire to do some good. Make it your civic duty to add this film to your playlist this Independence Day.

There aren't many great biopics about Abraham Lincoln, but Steven Spielberg's take on the great orator as he battled to get the 13th amendment to the U.S. constitution passed is a great one. When one thinks of independence, often little is said about the freedom of American slaves within that context. By showing the battle unfold in Congress, we're reminded of how independence in America was fought tooth and nail long after 1776.

Cinematic luminaries Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman shine brightly in this somber tale of the first black regiment to risk life and limb during the Civil War in "Glory." Matthew Broderick stars as Col. Robert Gould Shaw, tasked with leading this regiment filled with former slaves and freemen into a war that exists not only on the battlefield but also within their own ranks, as the soldiers fight for respect from their peers with the same intensity they fight their enemy. It's a powerful film to watch on Independence Day, serving as a reminder that freedom exists on different levels and comes at a cost higher for some more than others.

Long before George Lucas took us to a galaxy far, far away, he served up a giant slice of Americana with "American Graffiti." Covering a night in the lives of a group of teenagers, "Graffiti" is equal parts throwback and reminder of a much simpler time when chasing girls and driving hot rods in middle America was all that mattered. Nearly 50 years after its release, it still holds up and is a perfect way to pass the time before a night full of fireworks and barbecues.

It's East vs. West as Rocky Balboa, our favorite son of Philadelphia, brings the war to Russia, seeking revenge for the death of his friend and former rival, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). "Rocky IV" is good old-fashioned jingoism played out in the boxing ring, as the Italian Stallion brings the pain to Soviet superman Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in a final match that makes it hard not to wave the flag and soar with the eagles in one of the definitive examples of '80s excess in film.

They say that sometimes you have to get low to go high, and that definitely applies in the case of Tom Cruise, as he parks his F-16 for a wheelchair and takes on the role of Ron Kovic, a faithful soldier who comes home from Vietnam to a new reality that makes him question everything he sacrificed to fight an unpopular if not unjust war. Cruise shines with a genuine performance that is both somber and important, as he depicts the plight of a broken vet who is trying to make sense of a country that he no longer recognizes.

Tom Hanks rounds out his appearances on our list, as he goes behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon) at all costs. Spielberg's magnum opus of war is both sweeping and somber, as this remembrance of war goes far beyond its men-on-a-mission roots to deliver a picture of war that finds itself being equal parts horrifying and hopeful. It's a perfect way to cap off a Fourth of July weekend with plenty of action and heart.

Like George Lucas' ode to American life in "American Graffiti," "The Sandlot" is a slice of nostalgia wrapped up in childhood angst and memories we all share about growing up around a beloved game with a group of your closest friends. Sure, there have been plenty of coming-of-age movies, but few really capture the pleasures of summertime and celebrating the Fourth quite like "The Sandlot."

Steven Spielberg invented the blockbuster with his adaptation of Peter Benchley's novel about a great white shark terrorizing a beach community on Fourth of July weekend. Forty-four years after its release, the film still holds up as the terror feels genuine and the limited views of the shark create an atmosphere that serves up scares with the same intensity we still don't get in films today. To watch "Jaws" during the Fourth is every bit a tradition as boats, beaches and BBQ.