The Most American Movies Ever

Name a better holiday than the fourth of July. Christmas you say? Fair. Name a second better holiday than the 4th. Thanksgiving? Wrong, its the fourth of July. It’s hard to beat bringing out the grill, having some beers, and soaking up the sun with friends and family. Time to play “Real American” by Rick Derringer and get the patriotic juices flowing, because Chet is gonna talk about some of the most American movies ever made!

Forrest Gump 1994

This is one of those movies that everyone in their mother has seen, and for good reason too. Forrest Gump is truly one of the most patriotic guys in the world of Cinema. Not only did he serve our great country in Vietnam, but he also played football at Alabama. What’s more American than that?! Gump also traveled to China to play ping pong and put the country on his back when beating the Chinese at their own sport. You want a story about a true American? Your guy is Forrest Gump. 

Miracle 2004

Talk about a no brainer for the list. The height of cold war tensions. Olympic Semifinals. A bunch of college kids that play hockey from America vs. THE Red Army that are the best in the world. No one thought we had a chance, and yet we showed those Soviet Suckers who's boss. Every time I watch Kurt Russell’s Herb Brooks speech I genuinely want to run through the nearest wall. It doesn’t matter that you know what happens in the movie. It doesn’t matter how many times you have watched it. Any decent American will stop what they are doing, and watch this movie when it's on. Getting chills on the “Do you believe in miracles?!!” call has to be one of the best American pastimes. Miracle is a great movie, but the story is an even better example of American toughness and pride. 

Picture of the word "Miracle" in the sky with hands holding the "M" and the "E"

Top Gun 1986

Watching Top Gun the first time is like a right of passage for Americans. You finally understand how “Highway to the Danger Zone” got popular, and you have the slightest urge to abandon your life and join the air force. Even though America isn’t fighting any specific country in this movie, there is a sense of patriotism unlike no other. Maybe it is the hundreds of aviator sunglasses, or maybe it is Mav’s chopper he rides to his booty call. However, for me it is the extremely-manly and totally-straight shirtless-volleyball match between the four pilots. Also, Goose may be one of the best characters ever in cinema. If you have a guy like goose in your life, you are lucky #rip. 

Waddup Slider

Rocky IV 1985

Death, taxes, and generational hate between America and Russia. I’m not a history buff but Russia/the Soviet Union are/have been one of the most awful countries in the world. I don’t think you are American if you don’t hate Russia. And I believe that every US citizen’s first memory of that hate occurred when watching Rocky 4. Seeing that smug Soviet Ivan Drago act like he was better than Rock and us Americans lights a fire inside me whenever I see him on screen. One of the best scenes of all time has to be the training montage. Cutting back and forth between Drago in a lab with actual data scientists studying his performance to Rocky channeling his inner lumberjack and bench pressing tree branches in the snow. The moment where Rocky outruns the KGB spying on him and scales the mountain makes me proud to be an American. Yo Adrian, fulfill your one duty as an American, watch this movie on the fourth. 

National Treasure 2004

When I found out that the plot of this movie was fiction I was so mad. Sure most of the history that the story talks about is all true, but the fact that Nick Cage didn’t actually undercover a lost American Fortune in real life really made 12 year old Chet shed a tear. Anyway, National Treasure is an action packed adventure that makes learning about history actually fun. Watching Cage talk about American history with his super dope voice is like listening to SZA sing on Drake’s 2023 song “Slime you Out”. It’s beautiful. Another huge plus about this movie is that it is a true American classic that you can watch with the whole family. Like smoking cigarettes, National Treasure really is fun no matter how old you are. The true beauty of this movie lies with the fact that you don’t fully have to act like you paid attention in middle school History class, you can just hang out with the fam and bear witness to one of the best American movies ever made.

Nicolas "Rage" Cage

And that’s it. July 4th is next week and I wish all of you a very happy and safe holiday.