My Top Ten Favorite Movies To Watch On July 4th

The Fourth of July is upon us, and in the spirit of the holiday, I have decided to share the 10 movies that I like to watch on this day. These are the movies that remind me what it means to be an American, as well as what difficulties were endured to create the United States of America that we know and love today. They may not all be based on real events, but they all capture the strength and rebelliousness of the American spirit.

And in no particular order:


1. The Patriot


Best Quote: Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson): "Before this war is over, I'm going to kill you."



2. Glory


Best Quote: Col. Robert G. Shaw (Matthew Broderick): "If you men will take no pay, then none of us will."



3. Independence Day


Best Quote (tied!):

Capt. Steve Hiller (Will Smith): "Welcome to Earth!"

President Thomas Whitmore (Bill Pullman): "Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. "Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "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!"



4. Forrest Gump

Best Quote: Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks): "Mama always said life was like a box a chocolates, never know what you're gonna get."



5. The Last Castle

Best Quote: Lt. Gen. Eugene Irwin (Robert Redford): "Colonel. I'm taking command of your prison"



6. Band of Brothers

Best Quote: Maj. Richard D. Winters (Damien Lewis): "We're not lost, Private... we're in Normandy."



7. Saving Private Ryan

Best Quote: Capt. John H. Miller (Tom Hanks): "Earn this."



8. Serenity

Best Quote: Capt. Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion): "Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten? They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that. So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave. "



9. Behind Enemy Lines

Best Quote: Admiral Leslie McMahon Reigart (Gene Hackman): "Zero-six, you've been shot down, life is tough. You're a combat aviator, start acting like one. Remember your training, put some angles between you and your pursuers. Evade and survive, and we will bring you home. You got that? We will bring you home"



10. Black Hawk Down

Best Quote: Eversmann (Josh Hartnett): "Nobody asks to be a hero, it just sometimes turns out that way. "


Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!