Independence Day
With the Fourth of July right around the corner, we've has been pondering our favorite patriotic media. Not just the ones that offer the most jingoism or flag-waving, mind you, but the movies, TV shows, comics and books that best celebrate, critique or embody the issue of American identity. If you're looking for something to read or watch over the upcoming holiday, we offer these humble suggestions for exploring, enjoying or exploding American patriotism, in all its many modern media forms.
Independence Day
What It's About: Independence Day—possibly the greatest alien-invasion-military-recruitment movie of all time (soon to have a sequel!)—is the harrowing tale of what happens when extraterrestrials attack the United States and it's up to a quirky scientist (Jeff Goldblum), a smart-ass ace pilot (Will Smith), a drunk (Randy Quaid), and the best-coiffed president ever (Bill Pullman) to pull together and save the nation. It might be Roland Emmerich's masterpiece (sorry, 10,000 BC). It also features Brent Spiner as an Area 51 scientist and a scene where an alien is punched in the face – by Will Smith.
What It Teaches Us About America: Like all great flag-waving action flicks, Independence Day teaches us that even the FLOTUS (played here by Battlestar Galactica's Madame President Mary McDonnell) and a stripper (played here by Vivica A. Fox) can pull together to save humanity, and that despite any perceived differences we may think we have we're all in this together. But really the true patriotism lies in President Thomas J. Whitmore's rousing speech at the end. "Mankind, huh? 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. … Today we celebrate our Independence Day." It's amazing. It's hard not to believe President Obama's speechwriters don't occasionally crank it up for inspiration. Even Robert Loggia chokes up. Basically, that speech embodies everything America wants to be – even if, in this case, America wants to be a nation that bands together with the rest of the world to fight of extra terrestrial invasion. Also, what makes you prouder to be an American than alien punching? —Angela Watercutter
