By now, it is well known that hipsters and other assorted smart alecks enjoy watching Die Hard ironically at Christmastime every year. Why should Christmas be the only holiday to get its own ironic films? Here are five movies that you can watch with your friends on the Fourth of July, during those awkward couple of hours between when the barbecue ends and the fireworks begin.
The Madness of King George This is a film about the other side of the Revolutionary War. After losing to the American rebels, King George III suffers a bout of dementia, and the members of his royal court start positioning themselves to benefit politically from his misfortune. Powdered wigs, British accents, and court intrigue, what could be more festive? This film is available on DVD from Netflix and is available on demand from Amazon.
Team America: World Police Trey Stone and Matt Parker, the creators of South Park, filled this film with everything that is great about America: large guns, secret law enforcement organizations, blatant disregard for the rights of foreign nations, shiny jumpsuits, and huge explosions. The World Police, an elite counter-terrorism unit, must stop a sinister plot hatched by Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, and abetted by the liberal actors of the day. All of the actors are played by puppets, which only adds to the insanity. This film is available on DVD from Netflix.
Uncle Sam A deceased veteran of the Gulf War comes back to life on July 4th when a couple of punks burn a flag on his grave, and begins to attack anyone he perceives as being against the US Government. This features plenty of gore and cameo appearances, making it the perfect family movie. This film is available for on DVD from Netflix, and is available on demand through Amazon.Iron Sky When a secret base full of Nazis is discovered on the Moon, they decide that now is the proper time to invade Earth and re-establish the Third Reich. A satirically familiar President must gather the American forces and lead the armies of the world against this newest intrusion by the Nazis. This film is available on DVD and instant streaming from Netflix, and is available on demand from Amazon
Spirit of '76 There are actually two films called Spirit of '76, but only one is intentionally funny. The 1990 version starts in the year 2176, where America has fallen into ruin. Three time travelers plan to return to 1776 to witness the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but something goes awry, and they end up in 1976 instead, during a small town's bicentennial celebration. The movie is filled with disco, cameos, and everything you remember from the '70s. The 2009 version is an animated documentary showing the signing of the Constitution, and is kind of a buzzkill. Neither film is available from Netflix, but the 1990 version is available on demand from Amazon.
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