Despite how liberal-leaning and leftist so many A-list celebs in Hollywood seem to be today, some incredibly patriotic films have come out of Tinseltown.
While movies that celebrate America are few and far between these days, there’s a long history of them in the entertainment industry.
Here is a look at films that make you want to salute the good old red, white and blue.
1.) “Rocky IV” (1985). The “Rocky” franchise is by far the most patriotic around, as each film celebrates the American dream through individualism and hard work; but it is the fourth entry that is the most patriotic of all.
Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) finds himself pitted against an extreme Soviet Union boxer named Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) after Drago kills his best friend (Apollo Creed, played by Carl Weathers) in the ring.
Russia is a very different place today, but “Rocky IV” offers a great glimpse at the contrast between America and the Soviet Union at the time. One celebrated individualism, creativity and love — while the other rewarded only brute force, groupthink, and obedience.
By the time you get to the final fight and the Russian audience is chanting “Rocky!” you’ll be on your feet.
It’s a perfect movie to revisit right now, too, since the eighth installment in the series, “Creed II,” hits theaters in November. It brings with it the return of Drago, as he is the trainer of a fighter going against Balboa’s protégé, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), the son of the late Apollo Creed.
2.) “Red Dawn” (1984). It doesn’t get much more patriotic than “Red Dawn.”
When America is invaded by the Soviet Union (seeing any ’80s themes here yet?), a group of high school students are forced to band together and rebel. Through their victories, they keep the spirit of America alive and personify the values upon which this country was founded.
An American classic, “Red Dawn” was written and directed by open conservative John Milius, who also did uncredited rewrites on classics like “Jaws” and “Dirty Harry.” Moreover, he co-wrote “Apocalypse Now” and wrote and directed the original “Conan the Barbarian.”
Related: The 20 Best John Wayne Lines of All Time
3.) “Independence Day” (1996). This may be a goofy science fiction movie, but it contains what is one of the greatest and most patriotic speeches in cinema history.
As America bands together to fight an alien invasion, unexpected heroes arise in the form of an Air Force pilot (Will Smith) and a satellite technician (Jeff Goldblum).
“Independence Day” uses its funky plot as an excuse to celebrate the best this country has to offer and to show that in times of desperation, even a divided America will band together to fight off any threat — including gooey aliens.
4.) “Miracle” (2004). “Miracle” tells the true story of how the U.S. Olympic hockey team beat the seemingly unbeatable Russian hockey team in 1980.
Kurt Russell turned in one of his best performances as real-life coach Herb Brooks and delivered his greatest monologue, which encapsulated what is so special about America and its citizens.
5.) “Hidden Figures” (2016). “Hidden Figures” has yet to stand the test of time, but there was a reason it was such a colossal and unifying hit when it arrived in theaters at the end of 2016.
On a $25 million budget, it earned nearly $170 million at the domestic box office, and it had few detractors.
The film told the true story of a group of African-American women who fought against all odds to play a vital role in the famous U.S. space program. The film was inspiring and unifying at a divided time. More films today should strive to be like it.
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