Essential Viewing for the Semiquincentennial
This originally was conceived to be a goal to do 45 different things in honor of the 45 presidencies. A sort of scavenger hunt for the year. But that took a lot of time and deliberation and eventually I conceded I didn’t have the ability to pull a great list off (and try and execute it).
So, I’ve downgraded to essential television and cinema that’s worth watching to spark a bit of patriotism (which has been low last year, hoping this year will be better, but it’s not looking good…). And it’ll be much easier for both you and I to achieve. The only real rule was that the movies have to be patriotic. You can take that for what you will, I tried for a while to define it, narrow it, broaden it, and it got too complicated. There will be two lists. One crowdsourced from readers / friends, and the other, just my curated list, which will be defined with the following three rules in addition to patriotic:
I like it
The main theme is political for me
which lends itself to war / history related, sorry art / culture / entertainment… but I had to limit it somehow for myself, and I fully recognize that one of America’s greatest triumphs in the 20th century was the dominant global media soft power, and our current self-destructive path seems hellbent on ruining it, but I digress
Has at least some semblance of historical accuracy
we all like to watch content to learn right?
I originally organized them into a chronological order, with 5 roughly 50 year segments, but I’ve split it into 7 segments now, with the final two 50 year segments being split into four 25 year segments (after lengthy discussions we just found that there were too many options for the past century). In each era, I’ll also add in some honorable mentions.
Now I didn’t explicitly tell the surveyed that I was going to separate them via these categories, so people mostly just picked their patriotic films and I’ve separated them into these eras. There was a lot of lively debate about people’s choices, so I’ll provide some context as well. It should be noted that these results are my friends, so heavily biased age wise to Millennials. At furthest, there are some borderline Gen X and Gen Z’ers in there. Here are some of the other biases (Gender on the left and Hometown (roughly) on the right).
Also to save you some time, just go to Tom Hanks’ Wikipedia page, plus his production company Playtone, and just watch everything on there. He pretty much gets it. What a treasure.
Here’s a playlist I made a few years back that seems rather appropriate.
Or this soundtrack of the PBS Documentary The American Revolution may set up the tone well. Pick your vibe.
Or this playlist of Patriotic movie scores. Yeah, maybe pick this one to listen to while you need some inspiration.
Skip To
Separated out by era, with the “people's” choices and then my own:
Corroborated with a random IMDB poll last year as well. Saving Private Ryan sits atop by far. At least for my cohort: Nazis bad, America good. We grew up on the idealistic black and white stories of good v. evil with Nazi Germany. Even the first German person I met (an au pair of a family friend) asked me what I thought of her country (when I was a child) and the only thing I could think of was Nazis. While embarrassing, it was a staple of our childhood. Not only in films and tv, but even the advent of modern video games arguably started with Medal of Honor and Call of Duty, or at least heavily featured. I’d say our next greatest adversaries were the British and the Soviets. That probably rounds out the top three, and I think people would guess that pretty easily. Beyond that it gets much more muddled.
Regardless, watch some of the films on this list and I’m sure you’ll be feeling patriotic in no time.
Colonial and the Founding of the Republic (1776 - 1826)
Kwan’s Choice
People’s Choice
Available on Netflix as of 1/1/26
Available on HBO Max as of 1/1/26
I rewatched The Patriot in anticipation of this post, and I made a much longer post about it. And I get why this movie was so highly selected by everyone. I mean, just listen to this wonderful theme by John Williams!
It’s certainly patriotic, and has plenty of real life inspiration. But there’s just a bit too much creative leeway for my liking for this list, so I went with the much lengthier and less flashy John Adams miniseries from HBO. Incredible realism, wonderfully written, with Paul Giamatti absolutely nailing the unlikability of the titular character. This show does a great job of showing more of the administrative, political, and mundane side of the birth of the Republic. Where The Patriot is all slow motion action dramatics of a brilliantly passionate father and leader, with a his-way-or-the-highway mentality, the HBO show has nuance. There is debate, disagreement, and most importantly compromise. When it comes to a depiction founding fathers, this is just the best option.
This clip is a bit egregious. But it’s certainly patriotic. And while it’s dramatic, it’s actually a real life tactic that Daniel Morgan used at the Battle of Cowpens.
Honorable Mention:
The American Revolution documentary by Ken Burns
Other nominees (* means I still need to watch it):
Hamilton
Last of the Mohicans
Turn: Washington’s Spies*
The Crossing*
1776 (the Musical)*
Slavery, Civil War, and Westward Expansion (1826 - 1876)
Kwan’s Choice
People’s Choice
Available on Netflix as of 1/1/26
This one was easy, everyone agrees. It doesn’t get better than Glory. The retelling of Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment was both well made and historically accurate. Matthew Broderick’s portrayal of Shaw is grounded in the Colonel’s actual letters, reflecting his eventual deep devotion to his men. While Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, and Denzel Washington’s characters are all fictional composites. They all do a splendid job capturing the emotion and complexity dealing with the intense prejudice black soldiers faced from their own Union side, including the struggle for equal pay and the skepticism of white generals. With the latter representing a formerly enslaved person fighting for a country that still didn’t acknowledge their humanity.
And at its core the film highlights the fundamental idea that freedom is something that was fought for and earned, not just granted. With another wonderful score, this one, by James Horner.
Some (I assume) well-intentioned protestors during some Black Lives Matters demonstrations in 2020 vandalized a memorial to Shaw and the 54th. It annoyed me greatly then and I complained that they had targeted the wrong monument. This one isn’t a racist depiction of a white man on horseback leading a regiment of black soldiers, it simply was accurate. And should we not honor him as an abolitionist who gave the ultimate sacrifice to die alongside his men for their freedom and for the principle of equality and preservation of the Union? I believe in Vergangenheitsbewältigung or the German word for “coming to terms with the past”. Not hiding it, but remembering and confronting it with updated context. Reflecting on the nuanced good and bad that accompanies most of history.
Yeah… it’s the obvious trope where a racist learns to respect his comrade and see a minority as somewhat of an equal. But darn it, if this scene doesn’t get me every time. Though I’ll be honest… it’s just bananas that men were brave enough (or stupid enough) to fight in organized lines straight into the line of fire. Research tells me in this particular situation that there was a ridiculous geographic limitation and that there was no other option than be cannon fodder (I mean maybe they don’t take the fort and just besiege it… but I suppose that makes for a less cinematic display).
Honorable Mention:
12 Years a Slave
Other nominees (* means I still need to watch it):
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Gangs of New York (more Daniel Day-Lewis)
Lincoln
Ride with the Devil*
The Blue and The Gray*
I’m glad that no one nominated Gettysburg. I’m sorry, that 4 hour film was impressive for the number of reenactors they got out there and how accurate it was, but it doesn’t mean it’s a good film. I wanted to like it, and it certainly had a few impressive scenes, but that’s not good enough.
Industrial Capitalism, Immigration, and Growth (1876 - 1926)
People’s Choice
Available on Kanopy as of 1/1/26
Kwan’s Choice
Available on Netflix as of 1/1/26
There Will Be Blood is really the cornerstone of modern America. The main character, played by the always incredible Daniel Day-Lewis, is the embodiment of the American pioneering entrepreneurial spirit. America in the late 1800s starts to experience rapid industrialization and economic growth and signs begin to show that it will become the dominant nation in the Americas. The film captures the transition from an agrarian society to a powerful nation. The transition from religion to commerce. The last century can heavily be defined by our obsession with greed and winning that really stemmed from this post Civil War era.
While I love the movie too, I tried to stick with something more political, and went with last year’s surprise miniseries, Death by Lighting. Written and designed for audiences today, it features two main characters. President Andrew Garfield and his assassin (whose name I will not use, if you watch the series you’ll understand why). I picked it as my top show for 2025, so you can read more about it here (though spoiler alerts). But briefly, it’s pretty accurate, though it takes a bunch of creative liberties. It’s powerful, devastating, and weirdly funny. The cast is incredible. Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfayden, Nick Offerman, Bradley Whitford, and Betty Gilpin are just top tier. It really demonstrates how some assassins can originate as someone who loved their target, and the mental break of the idol never being able to live up to the fictionalized version twists them. I’m sure we can understand that these days…
Honorable Mention:
Killers of the Flower Moon
Other nominees (* means I still need to watch it):
The Harder They Fall*
1917 (a foreigner nominated this… so I’ll give them a pass I guess)
Days of Heaven*
Killers of the Flower Moon
McCabe and Mrs. Miller*
Ragtime*
Reds*
Sergeant York*
The Aviator
The Brutalist
The Great Gatsby
The Gilded Age
World War II and The Big State (1926 - 1951)
People’s Choice
Available only for rent as of 1/1/26
Kwan’s Choice
Available on HBO Max as of 1/1/26
Well, our big overall winner is here. I do somewhat chalk this up to the fact that our surveyed are a bit biased. Saving Private Ryan was nearly every boy’s favorite film growing up. World War II also just dominates the era, so it feels hard to pick anything else. It even feels like the most “American” era in general. When the United States became a global superpower. When it was easy to feel like the good guys, when we were attacked by ambitious expansive nations and we defended countries globally and were celebrated for our presence. MAGA, seemingly unable to inconsistently define when it was great, can usually point to this conflict as a relatively safe option.
Saving Private Ryan epitomizes the aforementioned good guy narrative. America as the liberator to an oppressed war torn Europe. It also highlights two classic American military ideals. The “Minuteman” model and the “leave no man behind” mentality.
Minuteman. The squad is led by Tom Hanks’ Captain Miller. A long running gag in the film is the men debating what he was doing prior to the war. It is eventually revealed that he is a schoolteacher. This is just such a classic American paragon. Like The Patriot, these capable warrior leaders are hard working citizens in their communities, only turning to warfare when absolutely necessary. They pick up their weapons to defend the Republic. It’s just so utterly American.
Leave No Man Behind. The squad is also constantly debates whether or not one man’s life is worth risking all of theirs. It’s an ongoing philosophical debate of the collectivist utilitarian mindset of the military versus the individualism and humanity that Americans often are (overly) proud of. Captain Miller often reframes the risk and dissent as a testament to their humanity in the face of the horrors of war. The movie finds a wonderful (albeit convenient) middle ground settling the debate in the end. Private Ryan earns the admiration and respect of the squad as he feels compelled by his duty to his comrades and nation. The movie gets to pivot away from the individualism and return to the greater military good of protecting the bridge. Thereby achieving both objectives without compromising on either. This thought did make me wonder more about which direction it would have taken if they had to be exclusive outcomes. I have to think that Private Ryan would have made some impassioned speech to his mother as to why he needed to stay, fight, and perish defending that bridge.
Add to it all, the opening half hour with one of the greatest and most memorable war sequences of all time. A rare success for a depiction of a battle in both the wide / macro lens and the personal close up lens.
Band of Brothers takes all of this and brings it to the next level. With generally less Hollywood drama (though Lt. Speirs would beg to differ), but more historical realism and scope, and character depth and development, mostly because it had the longer run time to be able to achieve it. With veteran interviews and the incredible relationship of brotherhood in war, this feels as close to a perfect high budget dramatized narrative / documentary. It also starts stateside and ends post war, giving a much greater arc of the war.
Honorable Mention:
Killers of the Flower Moon
Other nominees (* means I still need to watch it):
A League of Their Own
Casablanca
It’s a Wonderful Life
Ken Burns: The U.S. and the Holocaust*
Memphis Belle*
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington*
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Pearl Harbor
The Dirty Dozen
The Great Escape
The Legend of Bagger Vance
To Kill a Mockingbird
Inglourious Basterds
I’m surprised there was no The Longest Day* or Patton* nominations. That said, I haven’t seen them either so maybe that says something. No one gave nods to The Pacific or Masters of the Air either, I know they always pale in comparison to their predecessor, but Masters of the Air is actually pretty good. Flags of Our Father and Letters to Iwo Jima didn’t get any love either.
Vietnam War and The Great Society (1951 - 1976)
People’s Choice
Available only for rent as of 1/1/26
Kwan’s Choice
Available on HBO Max as of 1/1/26
Another Hanks film. I get it. This era feels very defined by the space race. And this is an iconic film for the 90s. Demonstrating American resilience, it is interesting that this is the film that has stood out for the Apollo program, not one about the first landing on the moon. Like the previous era, it does have a large focus on the collective, the many people it took to build the NASA program and the shuttles. Glorifying not only the bravery of astronauts, but the science, technology, and engineering that defined that era. All of the personnel it took to win the space race and the ingenuity under time pressure to bring the Apollo 13 astronauts home, it gives the viewer a place amongst the other “viewers” participating in the anxiety of trying to bring rescue these men.
I opted for something more political. Not as iconic of a film, but I still feel that it really represents the era through Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society, an ambitious set of domestic programs that were unlocked by the tragedy of his predecessor, hoping to be the next step to FDR’s New Deal.
Honorable Mentions:
A miniseries that takes an insightful look at second-wave feminism and really the origins of the modern conservative movement that we have today. It’s a must watch for anyone interested in American politics.
Born on the Fourth of July
This was a great pick that is based on the life of Ron Kovic. I encourage you to watch it. It really does justice to the era, and Tom Cruise takes a bold step with this casting choice.
Other nominees (* means I still need to watch it):
12 Angry Men
A Serious Man
All the President’s Men
American Graffiti
Apocalypse Now
Do the Right Thing
Dr. Strangelove
Eyes on the Prize*
Forrest Gump
Full Metal Jacket
Good Morning, Vietnam*
Hidden Figures
Judas and the Black Messiah
Mississippi Burning
October Sky
Platoon
Remember the Titans
Schoolhouse Rock!
Sesame Street
The Brady Bunch*
The Right Stuff
The Sandlot
The Trial of the Chicago 7
I remember We Were Soldiers as a kid depicted a really brutal Vietnam as well.
Neoliberal and Global (1976 - 2001)
People’s Choice
Available only for rent as of 1/1/26
Kwan’s Choice
Available on Disney Plus as of 1/1/26
This era is defined by the bipolar superpower global system and the success of the United States over the Soviet Union. Our capitalist economy fueled innovation and growth, supported by fantastical assertions of freedom and prosperity, and built an international coalition that could not be rivalled; all of which doomed the Soviets to collapsing. They simply could not continue to compete, and they were (in hindsight) a wonderful rival for us. We’ve arguably struggled to find another antagonist quite like the USSR in the past 30 years.
Funny that both winners for this era are sports related. But the Cold War didn’t have many direct confrontations, so enter sports.
Rocky IV was a popular suggestion. Interestingly at this time, it could be compared that the collectivism that drove the previous two eras, becomes the antagonist here. Soviet communism was much more defined by that trait, and we focus on that individualism and “heart”. Pitching Rocky as an underdog with spirit and will, versus the technologically and committee built Drago. Often the American team culture is shown as freedom versus the oppressive silence of the Soviet teams. It also very much plays into the masculinity of the era, physical fitness is somehow synonymous with morality and mental health. Similarly it makes it easy to feel like the good guys in a post racial period, with a white man avenging a black man, because they’re both friends / Americans. Unifying Americans against external threats… even if we haven’t quite gotten much better on the internal ones.
I went with Miracle. Another classic Soviet one, I couldn’t really think of a more political / military film for this time period, so I too went with a sports film. Though, I’m not a big fan of boxing (I subscribe to a theory of civilization deterioration measured by “Roman bread and circuses” and their gratuity), plus I like team sports more generally. Funny that this film is the reverse of that collectivism that Rocky avoids, but still very much focuses on the American plucky underdog spirit.
Honorable Mention:
Air Force One
It’s fictional, but gosh darn it does it make you feel patriotic. This is truly the era of soft power and cultural dominance. The stories of America become greater than the country itself.
Other nominees (* means I still need to watch it):
Air Force One
An American President
An American Tail / Fievel Goes West
American History X
Argo
Black Hawk Down
Footloose
Friday Night Lights
Independence Day
Legally Blonde
Miracle
Minari
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
My Fellow Americans*
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
On the Basis of Sex
Rambo 2
Red Dawn
Rudy
Top Gun
Digital and Modern (2001 - 2026)
People’s Choice
Available only for rent as of 1/1/26
Kwan’s Choice
Available only for rent as of 1/1/26
Let’s be fair, I have a left leaning crowd, I was born, raised, and continue to live in the New York area. Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing is just one of the best “competency porn” shows out there. His depiction of what politics in DC could or should be like is clearly fictional at this point, but many bright eyed and bushy tailed idealists (especially political science majors) like myself wished this was real. Other than a few rogue random characters that don’t quite fit with the cast (I’m looking at you Mandy and Will), it’s full of wonderful characters and actors. It remains a comfort show. In fact, I listened to one of my favorite episode during my one and only marathon run (The Supremes, season 5 episode 17).
I could have easily nominated The West Wing, but I decided that it bordered a bit too early in the era (it started in 1999) and wanted something more representative of modern day. Outside of 9/11, it felt that the subprime mortgage crisis, leading to a global recession was the major event that defines this period. Add to that, I feel more and more strongly over the past couple of decades the real power isn’t with politicians, but the money and corporations that fund and control everything. It felt apt to select The Big Short, an “economics” based film, full of A-listers, and a chaotic fast paced style that is reminiscent of ADHD. It’s deeply informative, very entertaining, and incredibly depressing, all while very much depicting an accurate portrayal of America.
Honorable Mention:
Team America: World Police
This over the top fever dream by the creators of South Park (and The Book of Mormon) is a ridiculous parody of America, but honestly, these days, it does just feel like that’s just who America is.
Other nominees (* means I still need to watch it):
24
American Sniper
Armageddon
Best of the Best*
BOATLIFT*
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dinner in America*
Generation Kill*
Homeland*
Kendrick Lamar's Superbowl Halftime Show
Lone Survivor
Mean Girls
Superman
Taking Chance*
The Colbert Report
The Hurt Locker
The Report*
The Social Network
Top Gun: Maverick
United 93*
Zero Dark Thirty
Full Data
Additional Thoughts
Idiocracy needs to be mentioned. It obviously doesn’t fit into any of the eras since it’s set in the future, but it feels incredibly appropriate. The cult classic has aged like fine wine, and seems only incorrect on the speed of its timeline (it’s set in 2505, which seems highly unlikely at this point). Writer and Director Mike Judge crushed this eviscerating prediction of the trajectory of the country.
Drunk History is surprisingly great, and I would highly recommend for funny and short takes on real history.
Based on the results, a common view of patriotism seems to be rooted in either military service or physical sacrifice rather than peacetime civic engagement. This is a bit biased. Film and television focuses on drama, and those are certainly more dramatic and memorable.
But beyond that, there were a good number for institutional patriotism, as an intellectual exercise in governance and maintaining high ideals under pressure. Still sacrificial, but far less physical (albeit some did pay for it with their own blood (think assassinations / attempts)).
The top films were pretty popular, but there was a long tail of films that were extremely diverse. It’s hard to truly define patriotism, so it’s unsurprising that cultural films, childhood staples, and everyman stories also made the list pretty consistently.
I was highly amused by the highly fictionalized films that made it, but America really has been a soft power dominant culture, and our story telling, particularly visually and audibly, is at the forefront of what makes us feel patriotic.
I’ve always known it existed, but diving into the Department of Defense (DoD) Film Liaison Office reveals just how successful this program actually is and how prevalent it is. The deal is straightforward: the military provides expensive equipment and logistical support in exchange for script access and a degree of creative control. Naturally, the goal is a favorable portrayal, and the results range from subtle reframing to overt branding.
On one hand, you have the benign edits, like reframing the grit of Black Hawk Down into a story of pure heroism. Then you have the super pop patriotism found in Transformers or the Marvel films. In these hyper fictional worlds, set to unforgettable scores, the U.S. military looks incredibly skilled and uniquely adept at handling supernatural threats. Then, of course, there’s Top Gun and its sequel, which, let's be honest, are awesome… prolonged recruitment ads. And honestly? I don’t hate it. There is genuine value in the security in making us look and feel stronger than we are, both to ourselves and the world.
Perhaps the most famous outlier is Steven Spielberg. For Saving Private Ryan, he skipped the collaboration entirely to maintain total creative control. Independence Day was famously denied support simply because the filmmakers refused to remove Area 51 references. Forrest Gump lost support because the DoD objected to the depiction of Vietnam and the recruitment of a low IQ individual (despite real basis of Project 100,000, which I only learned about from this research). Gritty or satirical takes like Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, Born on the Fourth of July, Dr. Strangelove, and The Hurt Locker were all denied or walked away, the "price" of their cynical or critical tone was losing access to the Pentagon’s resources.
It’s a hard system to fully map out, but I’m planning to watch the documentary Theaters of War to see if I can get more data on how these backroom deals actually shake out.
Watchlist
There are some that have been nominated or on lists that I have found and that I haven’t seen:
Everything Ken Burns has made!
Turn: Washington’s Spies
The Crossing
1776 (the Musical)
Ride with the Devil
The Blue and The Gray
The Harder They Fall
Days of Heaven
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Ragtime
Reds
Sergeant York
Ken Burns: The U.S. and the Holocaust
Memphis Belle
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Eyes on the Prize
Good Morning, Vietnam
My Fellow Americans
Best of the Best
BOATLIFT
Dinner in America
Generation Kill
Homeland
Taking Chance
The Report
United 93