Until 8 p.m. includes Twin Cities area

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

. After all, Hollywood knows that Americans love to celebrate American celebrations.
"Cinematically," says 

 — a movie in which the action takes place on July 4 "is an easy way to evoke summer and celebration and Americana." But she fears that such shorthand may lead to mediocrity.


Undeterred, we narrowed our list of July 4 films down to a handful. We chose movies in which all — or some — of the action takes place on the Fourth of July. And we listed only movies we have seen. We think that after the last watermelon seed has been spit and the smoke from the fireworks finale has finally faded away, it's a pretty good list of pretty good movies:

The country's Founders sign — and sing about — the Declaration of Independence.


An aggressive great white shark terrorizes a seaside village.


(1993): Love of baseball against a backdrop of fireworks.

A gruesome enviro-horror story on the Chesapeake Bay.
After looking at our list, Pols says that of all the movies, "I'd 

 any day of the week. And particularly on the Fourth of July."


 Experimental storytelling for the LURVers – Listeners, Users, Readers, Viewers – of NPR. 

Lifestyle

Linton Weeks

Author

"Cinematically," says Mary F. Pols -- a movie reviewer for Time -- a movie in which the action takes place on July 4 "is an easy way to evoke summer and celebration and Americana." But she fears that such shorthand may lead to mediocrity.

Bored on the Fourth of July? Try these movies

Go Deeper.

Like this?

News you can use in your inbox