Memorial Day is the day we honor the courageous men and women who died fighting in wars for the United States of America. It’s also a day many families come together and watch parades and movies.
Hollywood has churned out some movies that make a perfect watch on the special occasion. Here, we have a list of films about the great U.S. military that you can watch on Memorial Day.
Related: What Is Memorial Day? Revisiting Its History And Significance
Films To Commemorate Memorial Day
1. Top Gun
‘Top Gun‘, which was released in 1986, catapulted Tom Cruise to superstardom. He played the role of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell – a cocky and skilled fighter pilot. He goes to Naval flight school and in the real world, he learns serving the nation requires more than aerial combat skills.
2. American Sniper
Directed by Clint Eastwood, ‘American Sniper‘ is based on the life of U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Bradley Cooper played the lead role in the film. Kyle was considered the most talented and lethal marksman in U.S. armed forces history. The film also starred Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes, Jake McDorman, and Kyle Gallner.
In case you missed: Top 5 Must-Watch World War II Movies
3. Saving Private Ryan
Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Giovanni Ribisi, Matt Damon, Adam Goldberg, and Jeremy Davies star in this World War II movie. There are battle scenes and lessons on brotherhood along with a light on the sacrifices made by the military that will touch your heart.
4. Black Hawk Down
Ridley Scott’s ‘Black Hawk Down‘ revolved around the true account of the U.S. military’s 1993 raid in Mogadishu. It turned out to be the U.S. military’s longest-sustained firefight since Vietnam. The thriller’s cast included Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner, Sam Shepard, Jeremy Piven, and Tom Hardy.
5. Glory
‘Glory‘ is a Civil War drama starring Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Matthew Broderick. The story is about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, which made history for being one of the Union Army’s earliest African-American regiments. The film is an emotional roller-coaster ride.
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6. Lone Survivor
Mark Wahlberg-starrer ‘Lone Survivor‘ was released in 2013. Based on Marine Marcus Luttrell’s memoir, it depicted the United States Navy SEALs’ Operation Red Wings, which did not end well. But the story is surely one that will ignite feelings of patriotism. The case also featured Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, and Eric Bana.
7. The Longest Day
A Steven Spielberg movie, ‘The Longest Day‘ was released in 1962 and showed the heart-breaking reality of the D-Day landings at Normandy during World War II. The cast was international, including John Wayne, Kenneth More, Richard Todd, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Steve Forrest, Sean Connery, Henry Fonda, and Red Buttons, among others.
Related: Was Germany Not Aware Of United States’ Nuclear Weapons Program During World War II?
8. The Hurt Locker
‘The Hurt Locker‘, starring Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie, is about an Iraq War Explosive Ordnance Disposal crew in Baghdad and how they deal with emotions and high pressure in the war-torn zone. The film made Kathryn Bigelow the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director.
9. Platoon
Oliver Stone’s ‘Platoon‘ is one of the best films about the Vietnam War. Starring Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, and Charlie Sheen, the film explores the harrowing experiences faced by soldiers on the ground and how the volatile and violent environment can affect morality.
10. Born On The Fourth Of July
Another Oliver Stone film, ‘Born on the Fourth of July‘ is a biographical film about Ron Kovic, played by Tom Cruise. The film aimed to bring out an anti-war perspective. Kovic was paralyzed during his second tour during the Vietnam War and developed a new sense of peace upon his homecoming. He became an anti-war activist and veterans’ rights champion.
You might also like to read: Why Did Elvis Presley Join The Military?
