This is not the typical yearly list of the best 4th of July themed or raw-raw-USA patriotic movies of all time. You’re welcome.
With The BFG, Purge: Election Year, and Legend of Tarzan opening this Independence Day weekend, I thought it would be better to list the top 10 greatest movies that have premiered on this holiday weekend in the past. Mostly because, I don’t think either of this year’s entries will have as lasting an impact in cinema history like the following.
#10 Men In Black
Opened July 2, 1997
Some master puppet work, special effects makeup, and CGI give Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones plenty to play off of. It’s a fast paced 98 minutes of two government agents working autonomously (which may be why they are so efficient) to save humans and friendly aliens from the scourge of the galaxy’s worst.
#9 – Terminator 2
Opened July 3, 1991
Arguably regarded as Schwarzenegger’s best action film, writer/director James Cameron lets loose with cutting edge CGI (for the time) in this time-travel sci-fi action thriller where Robert Patrick’s motorcycle cop would haunt anyone pulled over on the highway for speeding .