Independence Day 1996 Watch

[Ailene Goldhirsh]

Backin the summer of 1996, I was working full-time at the grocery store that I would go on to work at for a decade. I had just graduated high school and was fortunate to be in the position of having friends from school and friends from work to hang out and do stuff with.

When the ads for Independence Day started dropping, several of those friends and I were getting excited to see this latest summer blockbuster. The little two-screen theater in the town where I worked was a weekly stop for us as we took in at least one movie every week. When Independence Day weekend rolled around, there was no question as to what movie we were going to be watching.

Independence Day was the major summer blockbuster of 1996, and all of the hyp leading up to it had me very excited to see it. Watching it in the theater there was an electric mood as the packed house loved every minute of the spectacle.

It was also a breakout performance for Will Smith. Up until this point, he had starred in the movie Bad Boys and was still a sensation on the hit TV show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but this was his coming out party as a major leading man in Hollywood.

From films fighting for United States independence to punching aliens in the face to blowing up sharks, movies centered around the Fourth of July have a variety of themes to keep you entertained all day long.

It is going to be hot for Independence Day, so a movie marathon might just be in order for Thursday. And if you want to keep up with the patriotic theme of the day, we've got movies to keep you, and any guest you have, entertained through the hottest part of the day until you catch the fireworks.

The Broadway smash hit "Hamilton" is a great way to kick off the day with the musical stylings of Lin-Manuel Miranda telling about Alexander Hamilton's (Miranda) fight to come to the Americas from the Caribbean to the building of a nation.

And while this is technically not a movie, it is the film of the Broadway play. So if you aren't used to plays it might seem a bit odd at first, but you will be humming the songs all day long after you watch it.

The 1996 film was a blockbuster when it premiered in May and continued to gain popularity through the July 4th holiday that year. It even spawned a sequel 20 years later, that didn't quite hit the same note as the original though.

The story has a place in the Fourth of July line-up because the story follows Forrest Gump, a man with a lower IQ from Alabama, traverses through life being happy and not letting obstacles or setbacks keep him from doing extraordinary things.

The story goes from his childhood hometown life to joining the military and meeting his lifelong friends Lt. Dan and Bubba to even meeting the president multiple times. The movie captured the hearts of millions over the years and even inspired Gary Sinise, who plays Lt. Dan, to start the Lt. Dan Band that helps support wounded soldiers.

Where can I stream it? You can watch it for free via Pluto. Paramount+ subscribers can also watch the movie. Hulu, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV premium subscribers all have it available as well.

This might be a bit of a controversial pick. It's not a film about heroics or Americans saving the planet. But the real-world events the movie is based on are integral parts of United States history with the development of nuclear bombs that brought about the end of World War II.

"Oppenheimer" not only looks at the building of the atomic bomb during the Manhattan Project but also at the aftermath of such a destructive and deadly weapon, Oppenheimer's role post World War II in political arenas and the start of the nuclear arms race with Russia.

How strange that with just a couple of notes (given word form in this case) and a majority of people could tell you what film you are talking about. But for those who don't know the famous musical score, we are talking about Jaws.

The 1975 thriller, shows a quaint coastal town getting ready for the July summer tourist season. There's only one problem, a giant great white shark lurking and ready to chomp on unsuspecting beachgoers. The unlikely trio of stars Roy Scheider as police chief Martin Brody, a marine biologist played by Richard Dreyfuss and a professional shark hunter played by Robert Shaw, set out to sea to hunt down the man-eating shark.

This 2004 starring Nicholas Cage, brings the treasure hunt to the screen as his character Benjamin Franklin Gates, along with Diane Kruger as Dr. Abigail Chase and Justin Bartha as Riley Poole look to the past clues to figure out where the fabled national treasure hidden by the Founding Fathers of the United States and Freemasons during the American Revolutionary War is.

If you're wanting to stream the alien invasion thriller starring Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum then you're in luck as the movie is available on numerous platforms. Two streaming platforms that boast a good range of sci-fi content that include the 1996 blockbuster are Amazon Prime and Hulu.

Naturally, this day only comes around once a year and that means it's the perfect excuse to watch the movie, whether it's the first, fourth or hundredth time. If sci-fi movies are you're thing (and we're sure they are) you'll want to check out our great round-ups of the best sci-fi movies and TV shows on Amazon Prime, Netflix and Disney Plus.

The movie itself is a bit of a classic when it comes to sci-fi blockbusters, with a star-studded cast, a great storyline and the fact you have the perfect excuse to watch it every year. The movie is set in the days building up to July 4 as communication systems around the world start to falter with alien interference.

It's later learned that there are numerous alien spaceships on course for Earth, which were first thought to be meteors, and they do not come in peace. Destroying the cities of New York, Los Angeles and Washington as well as London, Paris and others, survivors are sent out in convoys towards area 51 where they must come up with a plan to defeat the enslaving alien species. July 4th becomes humanity's Independence Day, not just America's.

If you haven't already got an Amazon Prime or Hulu subscription, you should consider getting one and not just because of this movie. Amazon Prime can boast most of the "Alien" franchise as well as blockbusters like "Apollo 13" and Hulu is the home of TV shows like "The Orville" and a "Futurama" reboot.

It's instructive to watch movies on the dates that matter to them. I watched the Back to the Future trilogy on Oct. 21, 2015, and goggled at how long Donald Trump has haunted our dreams for America's future. Now that America is teetering on that darkest of dark timelines, I decided to shove aside my reservations and celebrate Independence Day by testing my American mettle. On the 240th anniversary of our nation's birth, I lunched at McDonald's, drove to the biggest mall I could find, and watched Independence Day: Resurgence.

The sequel to 1996's jingoistic powerhouse Independence Day, Resurgence seemed as good a way as any to gauge the evolution of our patriotic fantasies over the last 20 years. It has Jeff Goldblum! Bill Pullman! Data! Space! All that was bright and good about the '90s (except Will Smith, who got too expensive). Plus Charlotte Gainsbourg, which makes absolutely no sense and is therefore perfect. What does a triumphalist story about mankind coming together to overcome insurmountable odds look like in 2016?

Lili Loofbourow is the culture critic at TheWeek.com. She's also a special correspondent for the Los Angeles Review of Books and an editor for Beyond Criticism, a Bloomsbury Academic series dedicated to formally experimental criticism. Her writing has appeared in a variety of venues including The Guardian, Salon, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, and Slate."}), " -0-10/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Lili LoofbourowSocial Links NavigationLili Loofbourow is the culture critic at TheWeek.com. She's also a special correspondent for the Los Angeles Review of Books and an editor for Beyond Criticism, a Bloomsbury Academic series dedicated to formally experimental criticism. Her writing has appeared in a variety of venues including The Guardian, Salon, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, and Slate.

Independence Day is a 1996 sci-fi action film where gargantuan alien spaceships suddenly appear over Earth, initially greeted with awe and curiosity. However, these aliens reveal a hostile agenda, launching devastating attacks on major cities worldwide. Humanity faces near annihilation, compelling a group of survivors to mount a resistance.

You can watch Independence Day (1996) via Hulu. It is your one-stop shop for streaming entertainment. Hulu offers a vast library of movies, from classical favorites to recent releases. They also have popular TV shows, both current seasons and past hits along with their originals.

It is possible to watch Independence Day (1996) for free because Hulu offers a free trial feature lasting 30 days. During this trial period, viewers can enjoy streaming the movie and exploring other content available on the platform, providing ample time to delve into its extensive entertainment offerings.

In Independence Day (1996), humanity faces certain doom as alien spaceships descend on Earth with a mission to destroy. Enter a ragtag group of unlikely heroes, including Captain Steven Hiller, a daring fighter pilot played by Will Smith, and David Levinson, a determined scientist with a plan.

Teaming up with a courageous president, they strategize to counterattack against the alien invaders. Can they defy the odds and rescue the planet from annihilation? Independence Day delivers a thrilling action-packed experience with breathtaking special effects, unforgettable speeches, and a dash of humor.

As a versatile writer with a background in graphic design and two years of experience in academic writing, Areeba infuses creativity and precision into every project. Specializing in entertainment media, including TV series and movies, she brings captivating narratives to life, offering fresh perspectives on the ever-evolving landscape of cinema.

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