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The idea of America has inspired many deliberations across the ages. The land of the free and home of the brave has been a melting pot of people and culture from all over the globe. The New World symbolized hope for the future. Since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the US has stood for many things, but it has stayed true to that core. Over the last century, movies have been instrumental in driving the same idea home. So, to celebrate the birth of a nation, here are several movies streaming on Netflix that will make you feel wrapped up in red, white, and blue.
7. Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood (2022)
Director Richard Linklater took inspiration from his own childhood while creating ‘Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood,’ a coming-of-age animated film that centers around a fictional version of the 1969 moon landing. Growing up near the NASA command center in Houston, Texas, young Stanley (Milo Coy) dreams of traveling the galaxies. Like the other children of his age, he grows up watching the events of the space race unfold on television. However, as an adult (Jack Black), Stanley becomes the first man to land on the moon. Vibrant and full of heart, ‘Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood’ tells the story of an America where dreams really come true. Watch the film here.
6. Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Helmed by Spike Lee, ‘Da 5 Bloods’ tells the story of a group of US soldiers in Vietnam who get tasked with securing a CIA airplane crash site and recovering a cargo containing gold bars. Originally intended for payment to the Lahu people for their help to fight the Vietnamese Congress, the group decides to keep it for themselves and bury it in a secure location for them to retrieve later. However, a napalm strike obliterates the identifying landmarks, and they are unable to take the gold home. Decades later, after hearing the news that a landslide had made the tail of the plane visible, the veterans return to the country for another shot at the treasure. The war drama explores a different side of a critical juncture in the country’s history. You can check it out here.
5. Worth (2020)
‘Worth’ by Sara Colangelo is set in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001. Reputable mediator Kenneth Feinberg (Michael Keaton) is appointed by Congress to lead the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The task forces Feinberg and his firm’s head of operations, Camille Biros (Amy Ryan), to essentially determine the worth of human lives as they allocate financial compensation to the families of the victims. As Kenneth develops a rigid formula to determine the compensation based on the victims’ incomes, he faces pushback from people, including Charles Wolf (Stanley Tucci), a community organizer mourning the death of his wife. The film highlights the diversity of the people who were affected by the tragedy and is a heartrending watch. Catch it on Netflix.
4. Purple Hearts (2022)
Based on Tess Wakefield’s eponymous novel, Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum’s ‘Purple Hearts’ revolves around Cassie Salazar (Sofia Carson), a struggling singer-songwriter working in a bar in California, and Luke Morrow (Nicholas Galitzine), a former addict-turned-marine who meets her right ahead of his deployment to Iraq. Both of them struggle financially, Cassie to afford insulin for her diabetes, and Luke to pay back his debts to his ex-dealer. They marry each other to get benefits from the army that would ease both their situations. However, over time, they develop real feelings, especially during the hard times. Watch the romantic drama here.
3. Too Young the Hero (1988)
‘Too Young the Hero’ by Buzz Kulik tells the real-life story of Calvin Graham (Ricky Schroder), a 12-year-old boy who takes advantage of looking older than his age and forges his mother’s signature to join the Navy during World War II. He completes basic training and is assigned to the USS South Dakota (BB-57). His bravery in the war makes the Captain recommend him for two Purple Hearts. However, when he fails to report back in time after attending his grandmother’s funeral, Calvin is arrested for desertion as officials refuse to believe he is underage. You can watch the young hero’s journey here.
2. The Six Triple Eight (2024)
Tyler Perry’s ‘The Six Triple Eight’ tells the true story of the all-Black and all-female 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion of the American Army. Comprising over 800 women, the battalion sifted through 3 years’ worth of packages and letters sent to the men on the battlefield by their families, overcoming racism and sexism to clear a massive mail backlog, and restoring hope and morale for U.S. troops. The women cleared a 2-year backlog in the endeavor in a record 90 days. The movie stars Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Oprah Winfrey, Shanice Williams, and Sarah Jeffery. You can watch ‘The Six Triple Eight’ right here.
1. Independence Day (1996)
A cult classic alien-invasion movie considered one of the greatest and coolest patriotic movies, ‘Independence Day’ shows how the US government takes on an apparently unending onslaught of alien spaceships targeting major American cities and others around the globe. With the evacuation process underway, the US military manages to use the technology used by the aliens to put two humans, Marine pilot Steven Hiller, and scientist David Levinson, in a spaceship and sends it to the mothership to bring it down by planting a virus. While this mission moves forward, the US military defends America, with US President Thomas J. Whitmore himself taking the controls of a fighter jet to fight alongside his soldiers. The epic-scale movie is directed by Roland Emmerich and stars Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, and Bill Pullman. You can watch it here.
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