Top 10 Patriotic Movies

Rudy

It may not be the first choice that resonates with Patriotic, but Rudy resonates with all of us because it shows the true heart of a champion. Sean Astin’s portrayal of the undersized, unappreciated Daniel Ruettiger captivates on the human level, because not only do we share in Rudy’s triumphs and heartaches, but we watch as an American legend is born.

Dave

The best part of Dave is that every single one of us at one point has dreamt of being right where Kevin Kline’s character goes – to the White House – it’s the Patriotic dream of kids everywhere. While the plot of the movie may have been (a little) farfetched, the way in which Kline brings to life the president-impostor is flawless. Although this film was billed as a comedy, it had extremely dark undertones, but sticks with us because there was finally a president who did what he said he would – even if it was fake.

A League of Their Own

A lot of people remember this movie just for “there’s no crying in baseball.” But the account of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was important not just athletically, but historically. The movement that took women out of the usual “in the kitchen” and put them on the diamond was instrumental in American history for a number of reasons: it changed the way women were looked at in the country, it changed the sport of baseball, and it ignited a craze while the men were off fighting in the war. Had it not been for the AAGPBL, the love of America’s pastime may have diminished – what’s more Patriotic than that?

The Patriot

“Everything will change.” That’s the line spoken by General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) as the Revolutionary War is ending in The Patriot. Mel Gibson’s character embodies the fighting spirit of all the great heroes in American history. He is a man who knows what is being fought for, and never deters from securing the independence of the Americas – while getting revenge on the always-awesomely-bad Jason Isaacs. Also, you can’t spell Patriotic without it.

Team America: World Police

I am sure the rest of the universe hates us for this Patriotic choice, but you cannot have this list without Team America. It was controversial because of its message and its use of puppets in less than flattering positions, but it still is funny as all hell. Watching the team in action reminds us all to not take ourselves too seriously, while poking fun and everything else – as only Trey Parker and Matt Stone can.

Forrest Gump

Tom Hanks makes his second appearance on the countdown with his portrayal of Forrest Gump. Had this movie been just a story of a man’s struggles for acceptance into society, it would have been a decent movie, but not the classic it became. Because of the amazing trip we take with Forrest throughout American history, we learn to appreciate not just who he is, but how he makes everyone around him that much better – especially Lt. Dan.

Independence Day

Independence Day was one of the biggest blockbusters of the 20th century, and for good reason. A chilling story of alien invasion coupled with the attacks taking place around the date of our county’s independence made for one hell of a movie. Throw in Will Smith in his breakout role, Bill Pullman as the Commander-in-Chief and Randy Quiad when he was semi-sane, and the recipe for success was there. It also has Jeff Goldblum – enough said, right? And who can forget Pullman’s speech as the fighters prepared to take on the aliens? “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on, we’re going to survive. Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!”

Rocky IV

While all of the Rocky films could be considered for this list for how they inspired a nation, Rocky IV was the obvious choice. East meets West. The USA vs. USSR. An overmatched Patriotic American fighting on Christmas Day in the heart of the sworn Communist enemy made this movie special. And when Rocky wins the crowd with the sheer will to fight the behemoth Ivan Drago (who killed Apollo Creed in the ring) we are all pretty sure it’s Rocky Balboa who ends the Cold War. Add in James Brown’s “Living in America” and the rest of the heart-thumping soundtrack, and you have two slices of “Americana pie” for the price of one.

Superman II

When he first burst onto the scene in 1978, Superman’s Patriotic promise was tha he would fight for “truth, justice and the American way.” In Superman II, Kal-El gets a little weak in the knees for Lois Lane, giving up his powers just as General Zod and his cohorts infiltrate America. Just in time, Superman restores his powers and brings the fight to his fellow Kryptonians, defeating them and saving the day. In one of the most memorable scenes in movie history, the Man of Steel flies an American flag back to the White House to wave proudly – a sign that he will never leave us again. Of course, after the battle, he does get revenge on the bully in the diner.

Glory (1989)

No movie has ever captured the highs and lows of our country like Glory. Based upon the historical 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry – one of the first African-American units in the history of the United States Army, Glory showed us the lengths men would go to secure freedom for their fellow countrymen, all while fighting the prejudice of their fellow countrymen. The realistic battles, all-star cast, and fantastic writing put this movie in a class all by itself when it comes to Patriotism.

We can ignore the fact that the 54th was mostly wiped out in their charge on Fort Wagner, because just getting to fight was the real battle for these men throughout the Civil War.