Movies that represent America
Happy 4th of July to all the readers out there! I thought for a fun, quicker post this week we could look at some of the most American movies ever made. By that I mean if someone who knew nothing about America wanted to know what we were all about, we could show them a few films and they would get the big picture.
Independence Day- No easier way to start off this list than with the movie that shares the same title as America’s Birthday. I feel like this shows a ton of characteristics that the American people have. Whether it be the underdog story of humans verse these aliens, the resilience in the face of adversity, or come up with quippy one liners on the spot. The speech Bill Pullman gives alone in this is probably a top 5 presidential speech of all time, and he’s not even a real president. Just a fun movie to turn on every Fourth of July and watch Will Smith kick some alien ass.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- It might have came out 85 years ago, but it is a movie that still holds true today. Represents perfectly that when you see something that isn’t right, to stand up for what you believe in. The United States would be a better place if we had more people like Jefferson Smith in politics. Jimmy Stewart after all these years remains king of playing these type of characters and the movie is just a real charmer.
Zero Dark Thirty- We go from the movie that came out the furthest back to the most recent. I’m still a pretty young person but I would say the defining event of my life has to have been 9/11 and the lasting effects it had on the United States. While it took a while to finally get the man responsible for the horrific event, we finally did and this movie does an incredible job of showing the journey. Kathryn Bigelow’s best movie, Jessica Chastain’s best performance, and just a great portrait of the determination American’s have to do right by one another. Still a damn shame that Argo of all movies beat this for best picture.
Do the Right Thing- Might be the most controversial choice I have for this list, but absolutely fights. Racism and race relations has always been an issue in this country and even to this day still is. It’s fun to have stuff like Independence Day on the list, but also have to put a movie or two with some of the stuff America can still do better at. I think this masterpiece directed by Spike Lee does a great job of showing that. If you haven’t seen Do the Right Thing, it’d be my number one recommendation off this list (followed closely by Zero Dark Thirty)!
The Right Stuff- Probably more with my parents generation rather than my own, but the race to outer space is another key milestone in the history of America. In the height of the Cold War, America and Russia/Soviet being in this race to be first at something monumental. This movie does a great job of showing a sort of American pride to not be second and to win the race, fighting through the fears of the unknown. It also does a really good job of showing how Americans like tell really long stories, being an almost three and a half hour film.
Saving Private Ryan- It wouldn’t be a complete list if there wasn’t a traditional war film somewhere on the list. The first thirty or so minute of the film on the beach are just pure awesomeness. And while not as great, the next 2+ hours are a pretty good time as well. The movie does a great job of showing what the people who fight for our country go through. The sense of comradery that we have to one another as American people through the good times and maybe more importantly the bad are super strong in this. And while not better than The Truman Show, still one of the worst things the Academy has ever done giving Shakespeare in Love the Best Picture win over this.
Moneyball- Probably the biggest stretch to include this on the list, but one of the movies had to represent America’s pastime. Moneyball is definitely the best baseball movie ever made and besides being America’s pastime still represents a ton of American ideals. Brad Pitt’s, Billy Beane going against the grain and thinking outside the box is something a lot of American’s do. Life is more exciting and interesting when we have people who think like Billy Beane and I might be biased, but I think no country has more of those thinkers than the U.S of A.
The Big Short- You can’t have a list about the most American movies and not have one in there that is about money. The Big Shorts shows the good, the bad, and the ugly that money plays in the American system. Gordon Gecko might disagree but this does go to show that greed is not good. Like with Moneyball this shares the outside the box thinkers, and the stubbornness of thinking/doing something even if everyone else says different. Also the interconnectedness of us all with multiple stories playing out at once and each having a sort of ripple effect down to each other.
Nightcrawler- Another potential controversial inclusion on this list, but represents the American dream pretty damn well, for better or worse. This idea that we have in America (that I believe in) where if you work really hard at something, then really anything is possible. On the darker side of things, it can also show the shortcuts that people are willing to take in order to achieve those dreams faster. This character was already pretty shady, but that sometimes the capitalist society we live in can chew you up and spit you out. Nightcrawler is also just an incredible movie, and any chance I have to talk about it, got to try and bring it up.
Minari- The last movie on this list is once again about the American dream but this time from a little bit different of an angle. I have lived in America my whole life and had the privileges to receive the benefits that come along with it. But not everyone has, so I think this movie does a really good job of showing immigration and why people want to come to this country. And instead of showing it through the parents who ideas of America are already realized, it shows through a kid. Family is another important element to American people, and this also shows how families will stick together through the good times and the bad.
There are plenty more movies that could have had a spot on this list, I mean I don’t have a single Michael Bay movie. I wanted it to also be a little different than any other list you might read. Hope you have a great holiday weekend and THANK YOU as always for taking time to read!