There are two kinds of people during Fourth of July week. The first group is out on the lake, at the beach, sweating to death while swatting mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds.

The second group? We’re inside. In the air conditioning. With snacks. Watching movies.

Guess which one I am. Don’t get me wrong. I love America. I love fireworks. I love hearing kids laugh outside while someone in the neighborhood inevitably starts shooting fireworks three days too early. But if I’m being completely honest? Give me a comfy blanket, a good movie & a cold drink, and I’m perfectly content.

Every year there are a few movies that just feel like America. Some are about the birth of our nation. Some are about the men & women who defended it. Some just remind us what this country is capable of when ordinary people are asked to do extraordinary things.

And then… There’s a shark. Come on. Jaws is basically an honorary Fourth of July movie. It takes place over the holiday weekend, it’s become an annual tradition for millions of us & no matter how many times I’ve seen it, I’m still yelling at people to get out of the water like they’ve never heard of Amity Island.

My second annual must-watch? The Patriot. History, courage, family, sacrifice… & yes, I still get just as mad at the bad guys every single time.

If I were bedridden for a week (or just decided that being a functioning adult was completely overrated), here’s the patriotic movie marathon I’d happily spend my time watching.

Where It All Started:

• The Patriot
• 1776 (Yes, the musical. Don’t knock it till you’ve watched it)
• John Adams (HBO miniseries. Paul Giamatti deserved every award he got)

History, But Make It Gripping:

• Lincoln
• Thirteen Days (You will not breathe for two hours)
• All the President’s Men
• Frost/Nixon (Somehow more tense than it has any right to be)

The Greatest Generation (They Weren’t Kidding)

• Saving Private Ryan (The first 30 minutes alone)
• Band of Brothers
• The Pacific
• Midway
• Greyhound
• The Longest Day

The Ones That’ll Gut You

• We Were Soldiers (I dare you not to cry)
• Black Hawk Down
• Lone Survivor
• 13 Hours
• American Sniper
• Hacksaw Ridge

When Americans Refuse to Quit

• Apollo 13
• Hidden Figures (Makes you furious and proud at the exact same time)
• The Right Stuff

This Is America

• Field of Dreams (I cry every single time. Zero apologies)
• Remember the Titans
• Miracle
• The Sandlot (For the kid in all of us.)
• Forrest Gump
• A League of Their Own

Just Plain Fun

• National Treasure (Nicolas Cage is unhinged and we love him for it)
• National Treasure: Book of Secrets
• Independence Day (Bill Pullman’s speech still works. It just does)
• Top Gun: Maverick (The rare sequel that actually earned its place)
• Air Force One (Harrison Ford deserved a real medal for this one.)

And because I can’t help myself… If you haven’t watched Band of Brothers, stop reading this & go fix that immediately. It isn’t just one of the greatest war series ever made. It’s one of the greatest television series, period.

These movies aren’t about pretending America has always gotten everything right. We haven’t. History makes that abundantly clear.

They’re about courage.
Sacrifice.
Innovation.
Leadership.
Second chances.
Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
That’s the part of America I love.

So while everyone else is arguing about politics on social media, I’ll probably be sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, watching Chief Brody tell Quint & Hooper, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat,” before Benjamin Martin picks up the flag, Tom Hanks leads his men onto Omaha Beach & Jim Lovell calmly reminds the world that failure is not an option.

Well… okay. He didn’t actually say that in real life. Hollywood gets one free pass.

Happy Independence Day 🇺🇸

Now tell me… What’s the one movie you absolutely have to watch every Fourth of July?

XOXO, Jani