Get A Healthy Dose of Freedom With Our 2019 "Freedom Week" Picks!
Before y’all say anything, I’m well aware that it’s not Independence Week. In fact, it’s nearly August. It’s hard to believe that summer is slipping by so fast! Before you know it, we’ll be packing our kids’ backpacks and sending them out the door to school.
Father time is not very forgiving.
Despite no school year time constraints and being able to sleep in until 6am (yes, that is sleeping in), one of the things I love about summer, here in the States anyway, is the overall feeling of Americana that is embodied there in. And I don’t just mean camping, fireworks, parades and BBQ’s. People travel the US more during the summer. We go outside to explore the landscape more. We seem to take more time to appreciate what we have here in the more literal sense. Summer, and most especially Independence Day, makes us more aware and thoughtful of our founding, where we come from and how far we’ve come as a nation.
With this in mind, Daniel and I picked 7 movies that we recommended that people watch for Independence Week (or Freedom week, as we call it). The films range from historical dramas to comedies and each one has a specific message that is beneficial for the viewer. And, since Patriotism and love of history really have no season, you can watch these films whenever you need your “Historical Fix” or “Patriotic Pick-Me-Up”. Historical dramas are not ever 100% true to the facts (as I mentioned in my Outlaw King review) but it does bring persons and events in history to the general populace in an entertaining and engaging manner and is therefore worth watching and then exploring further through reading.
I think that our “Freedom Week Picks” will continue from year to year as there are so many amazing films for us to choose from and with that said, let’s dive into our 7 picks for 2019.
(Just FYI, there are Amazon Affiliate links included in this post. You can read our affiliate disclosure HERE)
#1 The Patriot
Our first pick is "The Patriot" starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger. There are not a lot of films out there that deal with the Revolutionary War and, although one could argue on the historical accuracy of the film, "The Patriot" immerses you in a story of a man who, though reluctant at first to fight in another war, goes to great lengths to protect his family, freedom and fight for independence.
"The Patriot" features top notch acting, a beautiful score by John Williams, impressive action and is overall a great film. Now Daniel says that he doesn’t like “The Patriot” as much as he used to but we recommend you give this one a watch all the same.
Watch “The Patriot” on Amazon HERE
#2 Flags of our Fathers
Directed by Clint Eastwood, Flags of Our Fathers is based on the bestselling book by James Bradley & Ron Powers and tells the story of one of the most crucial and bloodiest battles of World War II: the capture of Iwo Jima and the story behind the 5 Marines and a Navy Corpsman who raised the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The flag raising on Mount Surabachi is one of the most iconic and immortalized moments of all time and the photo became a symbol of victory to a nation that had grown weary of war. But the surviving flag raisers would rather have been with their brothers in arms, fighting and dying with no glory than to be home, held up as heroes.
We recommend you watch “Flags of our Fathers” this Freedom Week and then read the book which goes into more details about the battle for Iwo Jima, the flag raisers and the lives of the survivors during and after the war. The war in the Pacific is somewhat under-represented in cinema and “Flags of our Fathers” pays a beautifully accurate and sobering tribute to the war, the men who never came home and to the men who had a bigger fight ahead of them after the war was over.
Read “Flags of our Fathers” by James Bradley & Ron Powers HERE.
Watch “Flags of our Fathers” on Amazon HERE.
#3 JAWS
Did you know that Steven Spielberg’s “JAWS” takes place over Independence Day weekend? It sure does and it is therefore the perfect fit for Freedom Week.
When the small town of Amity that is plagued by multiple attacks by a Great White Shark, it is up to the town’s police chief (Roy Scheider), a young marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a grizzled shark hunter (Robert Shaw) to find the beast and destroy it before it strikes again. Released in 1975 and featuring a freaking awesome score, JAWS set a new standard in Hollywood for “edge-of-your-seat” suspense and remains one of the more influential films in recent cinematic history.
Watch “JAWS” on Amazon HERE.
#4 John Adams
We’re back in the Revolutionary War with the HBO mini series “John Adams”
Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning biography by David McCullough, this HBO Mini Series released in 2008 tells the story of the Founding Father John Adams, starting when he defends the British Soldiers after the Boston Massacre and his role during the first 50 years of the United States of America. We have all heard of the sacrifices, the horrors and struggles of the Revolutionary War and it’s easy to forget what was done by a generation long dead to ensure that this freedom, brutally fought for, would last. “John Adams” helps bring the birth of a nation to life through the eyes and life of one Founding Father (and the second President of the United States).
Remember: ‘It is no small thing to build a new world, gentlemen.”
We recommend you watch “John Adams” this Freedom Week (or Independence Week) and read the book by David McCullough.
Watch “John Adams” on Amazon HERE.
#5 GLORY
Here in the US of A, we love our war films and war history. There aren’t many films about the American Civil War but the 1989 Civil War epic “Glory”, starring Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman, is an outstanding film that you should watch this Freedom Week!
“Glory” tell the story of American’s first unit of African American soldiers during the Civil War and is based on the actual letters of Col. Robert Gould.
“Following the Battle of Antietam, Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is offered command of the United States' first all-African-American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. With junior officer Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), Shaw puts together a strong and proud unit, including the escaped slave Trip (Denzel Washington) and the wise gravedigger John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman). At first limited to menial manual tasks (and fighting against prejudice within the Union army ranks), the regiment fights to be placed in the heat of battle.”
Civil War history has not been as extensively explored on the silver screen as World War II or the Vietnam War but “Glory” is an outstanding and beautifully crafted film, nominated for 3 Academy Awards including “Best Supporting Actor” for Denzel Washington. “Glory” tells a story you most likely have never heard and it’s one we highly recommend.
Watch “GLORY” on Amazon HERE.
#6 Team America: World Police
With a little ‘arm twisting’ from my brosef Daniel, I am including Team America: World Police in our Freedom Week line-up.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker step away from South Park and bust out the puppets to tell the story of Popular Broadway actor Gary Johnston who is recruited by the elite counter-terrorism organization Team America: World Police, an international police force dedicated to maintaining global stability. After the team learns that a power hungry dictator is brokering weapons of mass destruction to terrorists, the heroes must embark on a harrowing mission to save the world.
It's crude, politically incorrect, has puppets killing each other and it's funny as hell. Remember...Freedom costs a buck o five!
Watch “Team America: World Police” on Amazon HERE.
