60 Movies You Can Watch July 4th Weekend

Critics Consensus: Look around, look around at how beautifully Hamilton shines beyond Broadway – and at how marvelously Thomas Kail captures the stage show’s infectious energy.

Synopsis: The original Broadway production of the award-winning musical that tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, first secretary of the treasury, blending hip-hop, jazz, R&B and… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr., Renée Elise Goldsberry

Directed By: Thomas Kail, Jeffrey Seller, Jon Kamen, Lin-Manuel Miranda

Critics Consensus: Compelling, well-crafted storytelling and a judicious sense of terror ensure Steven Spielberg’s Jaws has remained a benchmark in the art of delivering modern blockbuster thrills.

Synopsis: When a young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody (Roy… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington — and returns with an uplifting ode to idealism that distills the strengths of its director and leading man.

Synopsis: When the idealistic young Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) winds up appointed to the United States Senate, he gains the mentorship of Senator Joseph Paine (Claude… View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold

Directed By: Frank Capra

Critics Consensus: Top Gun: Maverick pulls off a feat even trickier than a 4G inverted dive, delivering a long-belated sequel that surpasses its predecessor in wildly entertaining style.

Synopsis: After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm

Directed By: Joseph Kosinski, Tommy Harper, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger

Critics Consensus: Tense, exciting, and often darkly comic, Argo recreates a historical event with vivid attention to detail and finely wrought characters.

Synopsis: On Nov. 4, 1979, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran, taking 66 American hostages. Amid the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, John Goodman

Directed By: Ben Affleck, David Klawans, Nina Wolarsky, Chris Brigham

Critics Consensus: A straightforward thriller of the highest order, In the Line of Fire benefits from Wolfgang Peterson’s taut direction and charismatic performances from Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich.

Synopsis: A Secret Service agent is taunted by calls from a would-be killer who has detailed information about the agent – including the fact that he… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott

Directed By: Wolfgang Petersen, Gail Katz, David Valdes

Critics Consensus: The Right Stuff packs a lot of movie into its hefty running time, spinning a colorful, fact-based story out of consistently engaging characters in the midst of epochal events.

Synopsis: This adaptation of the non-fiction novel by Tom Wolfe chronicles the first 15 years of America’s space program. By focusing on the lives of the… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid

Directed By: Philip Kaufman, James D. Brubaker

Critics Consensus: A taut, solidly acted paean to the benefits of a free press and the dangers of unchecked power, made all the more effective by its origins in real-life events.

Synopsis: Two green reporters and rivals working for the Washington Post, Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), research the botched 1972 burglary of… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam

Directed By: Alan J. Pakula

Critics Consensus: Bolstered by exceptional cinematography, powerful storytelling, and an Oscar-winning performance by Denzel Washington, Glory remains one of the finest Civil War movies ever made.

Synopsis: 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… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes

Directed By: Edward Zwick

Critics Consensus: Anchored by another winning performance from Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg’s unflinchingly realistic war film virtually redefines the genre.

Synopsis: Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) takes his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Davies

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: In heartwarming, crowd-pleasing fashion, Hidden Figures celebrates overlooked — and crucial — contributions from a pivotal moment in American history.

Synopsis: Three brilliant African American women at NASA, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, serve as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner

Directed By: Theodore Melfi, Jamal Daniel, Renee Witt, Ivana Lombardi

Critics Consensus: This story of a down-on-his-luck boxer is thoroughly predictable, but Sylvester Stallone’s script and stunning performance in the title role brush aside complaints.

Synopsis: Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), a small-time boxer from working-class Philadelphia, is arbitrarily chosen to take on the reigning world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers),… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burgess Meredith, Burt Young

Directed By: John G. Avildsen, Gene Kirkwood

Critics Consensus: Fierce energy and ambition course through Da 5 Bloods, coming together to fuel one of Spike Lee’s most urgent and impactful films.

Synopsis: Four African American vets battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis

Directed By: Spike Lee, Mike Bundlie, Jonathan Filley, Barry Levine

Critics Consensus: In recreating the troubled space mission, Apollo 13 pulls no punches: it’s a masterfully told drama from director Ron Howard, bolstered by an ensemble of solid performances.

Synopsis: This Hollywood drama is based on the events of the Apollo 13 lunar mission, astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise

Directed By: Ron Howard, Todd Hallowell

Critics Consensus: George C. Scott’s sympathetic, unflinching portrayal of the titular general in this sprawling epic is as definitive as any performance in the history of American biopics.

Synopsis: Biography of controversial World War II hero General George S. Patton. The film covers his wartime activities and accomplishments, beginning with his entry into the… View Full Synopsis

Starring: George C. Scott, Karl Malden, David Bauer, Edward Binns

Directed By: Franklin J. Schaffner

Critics Consensus: Gripping, suspenseful, and brilliantly crafted, Zero Dark Thirty dramatizes the hunt for Osama bin Laden with intelligence and an eye for detail.

Synopsis: Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden becomes one of the most-wanted men on the planet. The worldwide manhunt for the… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle

Directed By: Kathryn Bigelow, Colin Wilson, Greg Shapiro, Ted Schipper

Critics Consensus: Thanks to a smart script, spectacular set pieces, and charismatic performances from its leads, Men in Black is an entirely satisfying summer blockbuster hit.

Synopsis: Working for a highly funded yet unofficial government agency, Kay and Jay are the Men in Black, providers of immigration services and regulators of all… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio

Directed By: Barry Sonnenfeld, Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: A charming romantic comedy with political bite, Rob Reiner’s The American President features strong lead performances and some poignant observations of politics and media in the 1990s.

Synopsis: With the end of his first term in sight, widowed U.S. President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) knows that overwhelming public support will guarantee his re-election…. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox

Directed By: Rob Reiner, Charles Newirth, Jeffrey Stott

Critics Consensus: A classic Tarantino genre-blending thrill ride, Inglourious Basterds is violent, unrestrained, and thoroughly entertaining.

Synopsis: It is the first year of Germany’s occupation of France. Allied officer Lt. Aldo Raine assembles a team of Jewish soldiers to commit violent acts… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Eli Roth

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino, Erica Steinberg, Lloyd Phillips, Bob Weinstein

Critics Consensus: Daniel Day-Lewis characteristically delivers in this witty, dignified portrait that immerses the audience in its world and entertains even as it informs.

Synopsis: With the nation embroiled in still another year with the high death count of Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln brings the full measure of his… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Directed By: Steven Spielberg, Jonathan King, Daniel Lupi, Jeff Skoll

Critics Consensus: The Post‘s period setting belies its bitingly timely themes, brought compellingly to life by director Steven Spielberg and an outstanding ensemble cast.

Synopsis: Katharine Graham is the first female publisher of a major American newspaper — The Washington Post. With help from editor Ben Bradlee, Graham races to… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys

Directed By: Steven Spielberg, Tom Karnowski, Josh Singer, Adam Somner

Critics Consensus: Perfectly cast and packed with suspense, The Hunt for Red October is an old-fashioned submarine thriller with plenty of firepower to spare.

Synopsis: Based on the popular Tom Clancy novel, this suspenseful movie tracks Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius as he abandons his orders and heads for the… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill

Directed By: John McTiernan, Larry DeWaay, Jerry Sherlock

Critics Consensus: With a story inspired by Antonioni’s Blow Up and a style informed by the high-gloss suspense of Hitchcock, DePalma’s Blow Out is raw, politically informed, and littered with film references.

Synopsis: While recording sound effects for a slasher flick, Jack Terri (John Travolta) stumbles upon a real-life horror: a car careening off a bridge and into… View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow, Dennis Franz

Directed By: Brian De Palma, Fred C. Caruso

Critics Consensus: An emotional and intriguing tale of a military officer who must review the merits of a fallen officer while confronting his own war demons. Effectively depicts the terrors of war as well as its heartbreaking aftermath.

Synopsis: During the 1991 Gulf War, Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling (Denzel Washington) accidentally caused a friendly fire incident, a mistake that was hushed up by his… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips, Michael Moriarty

Directed By: Edward Zwick, Joseph M. Caracciolo, Debra Martin Chase

Critics Consensus: An old-fashioned courtroom drama with a contemporary edge, A Few Good Men succeeds on the strength of its stars, with Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and especially Jack Nicholson delivering powerful performances that more than compensate for the predictable plot.

Synopsis: Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) is a military lawyer defending two U.S. Marines charged with killing a fellow Marine at the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon

Directed By: Rob Reiner, William S. Gilmore, Rachel Pfeffer

Critics Consensus: As history, Oliver Stone’s JFK is dubious, but as filmmaking it’s electric, cramming a ton of information and excitement into its three-hour runtime and making great use of its outstanding cast.

Synopsis: This acclaimed Oliver Stone drama presents the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Costner, Sissy Spacek, Joe Pesci, Tommy Lee Jones

Directed By: Oliver Stone, Arnon Milchan

Critics Consensus: Led by an unforgettable performance from Tom Cruise, Born on the Fourth of July finds director Oliver Stone tackling thought-provoking subject matter with ambitious élan.

Synopsis: In the mid 1960s, suburban New York teenager Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise) enlists in the Marines, fulfilling what he sees as his patriotic duty. During… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J. Barry

Directed By: Oliver Stone

Critics Consensus: Live Free or Die Hard may be preposterous, but it’s an efficient, action-packed summer popcorn flick with thrilling stunts and a commanding performance by Bruce Willis. Fans of the previous Die Hard films will not be disappointed.

Synopsis: As the nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, veteran cop John McClane carries out another routine assignment: bringing in a computer hacker for questioning. Meanwhile,… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Cliff Curtis

Directed By: Len Wiseman, Arnold Rifkin, William Wisher Jr.

Critics Consensus: Sentimental and light, but still thoroughly charming, A League of Their Own is buoyed by solid performances from a wonderful cast.

Synopsis: As America’s stock of athletic young men is depleted during World War II, a professional all-female baseball league springs up in the Midwest, funded by… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, Lori Petty

Directed By: Penny Marshall, Penny Marshall

Critics Consensus: Honoring real-life history while delivering impactful drama, Devotion is a straightforward biopic elevated by standout performances from a talented cast.

Synopsis: Devotion, an aerial war epic based on the bestselling book of the same name, tells the harrowing true story of two elite US Navy fighter… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Glen Powell, Jonathan Majors, Joe Jonas, Christina Jackson

Directed By: J.D. Dillard, J.D. Dillard, Glen Powell, Robert Simonds

Critics Consensus: Perfecting the formula established in earlier installments, Clear and Present Danger reunites its predecessor’s creative core to solidly entertaining effect.

Synopsis: Agent Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) becomes acting deputy director of the CIA when Admiral Greer (James Earl Jones) is diagnosed with cancer. When an American… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer, Joaquim de Almeida

Directed By: Phillip Noyce

Critics Consensus: With plenty of pulpy action, a pleasantly retro vibe, and a handful of fine performances, Captain America is solidly old-fashioned blockbuster entertainment.

Synopsis: It is 1941 and the world is in the throes of war. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) wants to do his part and join America’s armed… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones

Directed By: Joe Johnston, Louis D'Esposito, Joe Johnston, Nigel Gostelow

Critics Consensus: Kurt Russell’s performance guides this cliche-ridden tale into the realm of inspirational, nostalgic goodness.

Synopsis: When college coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) is hired to helm the 1980 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, he brings a unique and brash style… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich, Sean McCann

Directed By: Gavin O'Connor, Justis Greene, Ross Greenburg

Critics Consensus: This late-period Harrison Ford actioner is full of palpable, if not entirely seamless, thrills.

Synopsis: After making a speech in Moscow vowing to never negotiate with terrorists, President James Marshall boards Air Force One with his family and advisers. When… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson

Directed By: Wolfgang Petersen, Marc Abraham, Thomas A. Bliss, David V. Lester

Critics Consensus: Team America will either offend you or leave you in stitches. It’ll probably do both.

Synopsis: When North Korean ruler Kim Jong-il (Trey Parker) orchestrates a global terrorist plot, it’s up to the heavily armed marionettes of the highly specialized Team… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kristen Miller, Masasa Moyo

Directed By: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Scott Aversano, Anne Garefino

Critics Consensus: Though it’s light on character development and cultural empathy, Black Hawk Down is a visceral, pulse-pounding portrait of war, elevated by Ridley Scott’s superb technical skill.

Synopsis: In 1993, the U.S. sends special forces into Somalia to destabilize the government and bring food and humanitarian aid to the starving population. Using Black… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana

Directed By: Ridley Scott, Branko Lustig, Chad Oman, Mike Stenson

Critics Consensus: Flags of Our Fathers is both a fascinating look at heroism, both earned and manufactured, and a well-filmed salute to the men who fought at the battle of Iwo Jima.

Synopsis: In February and March 1945, U.S. troops fight and win one of the most crucial and costly battles of the war on the island of… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, John Benjamin Hickey

Directed By: Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz

Critics Consensus: Exquisitely animated, An American Tail is a sweet, melancholy, immigrants story.

Synopsis: A young mouse named Fievel Mousekewitz (Phillip Glasser) and his family emigrate from Russia to the United States by boat after their home is destroyed… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Erica Yohn, Nehemiah Persoff, Amy Green, Phillip Glasser

Directed By: Don Bluth, Kathleen Kennedy, David Kirschner, Frank Marshall

Critics Consensus: A true account of military courage and survival, Lone Survivor wields enough visceral power to mitigate its heavy-handed jingoism.

Synopsis: In 2005 Afghanistan, Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch) and Matthew “Axe” Axelson (Ben Foster) deploy on… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Eric Bana, Emile Hirsch

Directed By: Peter Berg, George Furla, Simon Fawcett, Braden Aftergood

Critics Consensus: Tom Hanks’ rigorously earnest performance keeps Forrest Gump sincere even when it gets glib with American history, making for a whimsical odyssey of debatable wisdom but undeniable heart.

Synopsis: Slow-witted Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) has never thought of himself as disadvantaged, and thanks to his supportive mother (Sally Field), he leads anything but a… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson

Directed By: Robert Zemeckis

Synopsis: When Harold Hill, a traveling con man, arrives in River City, he convinces the locals to start a band by purchasing the uniforms and instruments… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Pert Kelton

Directed By: Morton DaCosta

Critics Consensus: James Cagney deploys his musical gifts to galvanizing effect in Yankee Doodle Dandy, a celebration of patriotic fervor as much as it is a biopic of George M. Cohan.

Synopsis: Brought to the White House to receive a Congressional Gold Medal from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Broadway legend George M. Cohan (James Cagney) reflects on… View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf

Directed By: Michael Curtiz, Hal B. Wallis, Jack L. Warner

Critics Consensus: Bolstered by impressive special effects and a charming performance from its young star, Flight of the Navigator holds up as a solidly entertaining bit of family-friendly sci-fi.

Synopsis: This 1978 Disney adventure tells the story of 12-year-old David (Joey Cramer) who lives with his family in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. When he awakens from… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joey Cramer, Veronica Cartwright, Cliff DeYoung, Sarah Jessica Parker

Directed By: Randal Kleiser, Mark Damon, John W. Hyde, Jonathan Sanger

Critics Consensus: Gettysburg‘s reverent approach to history is balanced with the committed work of a talented cast – and the hard-hitting dramatization of a bloody turning point in the Civil War.

Synopsis: This war drama depicts one of the biggest events of the American Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg. The massive three-day conflict begins as Confederate… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Berenger, Martin Sheen, Stephen Lang, Jeff Daniels

Directed By: Ronald F. Maxwell

Critics Consensus: Harriet serves as a sincere tribute to a pivotal figure in American history — albeit one undermined by its frustratingly formulaic approach.

Synopsis: From her escape from slavery through the dangerous missions she led to liberate hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad, the story of heroic abolitionist… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monáe, Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn

Directed By: Kasi Lemmons, Shea Kammer, Nnamdi Asomugha, Bill Benenson

Critics Consensus: Patriot Games doesn’t win many points for verisimilitude, but some entertaining set pieces — and Harrison Ford in the central role — more than compensate for its flaws.

Synopsis: When former CIA agent Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) hampers an IRA terrorist attack in London, he kills one of the terrorists. The dead man’s brother,… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, Patrick Bergin, Sean Bean

Directed By: Phillip Noyce, Charles H. Maguire

Critics Consensus: Eddie Murphy was in full control at this point, starkly evident in Coming to America‘s John Landis’ coasting direction.

Synopsis: Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) is the prince of a wealthy African country and wants for nothing, except a wife who will love him in spite… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, John Amos, James Earl Jones

Directed By: John Landis, Leslie Belzberg, Mark Lipsky

Critics Consensus: The plot is thin and so is character development, but as a thrilling, spectacle-filled summer movie, Independence Day delivers.

Synopsis: In the epic adventure film “Independence Day,” strange phenomena surface around the globe. The skies ignite. Terror races through the world’s major cities. As these… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell

Directed By: Roland Emmerich, Roland Emmerich, Ute Emmerich, William Fay

Synopsis: The nation’s fathers harmonize their way through the founding of America in this musical adapted from a popular Broadway show. Colonial representatives gather in Philadelphia… View Full Synopsis

Starring: William Daniels, Howard Da Silva, Ken Howard, Donald Madden

Directed By: Peter H. Hunt

Critics Consensus: Excellent cinematography and an interesting plot accompanied by a talented cast and crew make U-571 a tense thriller.

Synopsis: When a German U-571 submarine with a sophisticated encryption machine onboard is sunk during a World War II battle at sea, the Allies send an… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi

Directed By: Jonathan Mostow, Hal Lieberman

Critics Consensus: It may be shamelessly derivative and overly nostalgic, but The Sandlot is nevertheless a genuinely sweet and funny coming-of-age adventure.

Synopsis: When Scottie Smalls (Thomas Guiry) moves to a new neighborhood, he manages to make friends with a group of kids who play baseball at the… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna, Chauncey Leopardi

Directed By: David M. Evans, Mark Burg, Cathleen Summers, Chris Zarpas

Critics Consensus: As a visually stunning tribute to lives lost in tragedy, World Trade Center succeeds unequivocally, and it is more politically muted than many of Stone’s other works.

Synopsis: Two Port Authority officers, Sgt. John McLoughlin (Nicolas Cage) and Officer Will Jimeno (Michael Peña), become trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Michael Peña, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello

Directed By: Oliver Stone, Donald J. Lee Jr., Norman Golightly

Critics Consensus: The Patriot can be entertaining to watch, but it relies too much on formula and melodrama.

Synopsis: Mel Gibson portrays Benjamin Martin, an unassuming man who is forced to join the American Revolution when the British threaten to take his farm away… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, Jason Isaacs

Directed By: Roland Emmerich, Ute Emmerich, William Fay

Critics Consensus: Though it features some of the most memorable and electrifying aerial footage shot with an expert eye for action, Top Gun offers too little for non-adolescent viewers to chew on when its characters aren’t in the air.

Synopsis: The Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School is where the best of the best train to refine their elite flying skills. When hotshot fighter pilot… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer

Directed By: Tony Scott, Bill Badalato

Critics Consensus: National Treasure is no treasure, but it’s a fun ride for those who can forgive its highly improbable plot.

Synopsis: Historian and code-breaker Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) has been searching his whole life for a rumored treasure dating back to the creation of the United… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean

Directed By: Jon Turteltaub, Oren Aviv, Chad Oman, Charles Segars

Critics Consensus: A by-the-numbers slasher that arrived a decade too late, the mostly tedious I Know What You Did Last Summer will likely only hook diehard fans of the genre.

Synopsis: A year after running over a fisherman and dumping his body in the water, four friends reconvene when Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) receives a frightening… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Freddie Prinze Jr.

Directed By: Jim Gillespie, William S. Beasley

Critics Consensus: Lovely to look at but about as intelligent as the asteroid that serves as the movie’s antagonist, Armageddon slickly sums up the cinematic legacies of producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay.

Synopsis: When an asteroid threatens to collide with Earth, NASA honcho Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) determines the only way to stop it is to drill… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck

Directed By: Michael Bay, Jonathan Hensleigh, Chad Oman, Jim Van Wyck

Critics Consensus: Parents might call this either a spectacle-filled adventure or a shallow and vapid CG-fest, depending on whether they choose to embrace this on the same level as their kids.

Synopsis: A night watchman (Ben Stiller) at a museum of natural history makes a startling discovery: Thanks to the unleashing of an ancient Egyptian curse, the… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney

Directed By: Shawn Levy, Thomas M. Hammel, Ira Shuman, Mark Radcliffe

Critics Consensus: Wet Hot American Summer‘s incredibly talented cast is too often outmatched by a deeply silly script that misses its targets at least as often as it skewers them.

Synopsis: Set on the last day of camp, in the hot summer of 1981, “Wet Hot American Summer” follows a group of counselors who are each… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Marguerite Moreau

Directed By: David Wain

Critics Consensus: Pearl Harbor tries to be the Titanic of war movies, but it’s just a tedious romance filled with laughably bad dialogue. The 40 minute action sequence is spectacular though.

Synopsis: This sweeping drama, based on real historical events, follows American boyhood friends Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) and Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) as they enter World… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, Cuba Gooding Jr.

Directed By: Michael Bay, Mike Stenson, Barry H. Waldman, Randall Wallace