Film du jour for July 4

Film du jour
So it’s July 4. In America the fireworks are lighting up the sky as they celebrate their independence from us. In Monty Python the joke is that the Americans have had their fun and now it’s time they came back home to mother and settled in for dinner. But in celebration of this day I need a film du jour. So here’s a brief line-up July 4 related movies and my film du jour.
The Patriot
Mel Gibson swings from one side of the fence to the other and then upsets pretty much all of Blighty and ends up using a hatchet in a rather interesting fashion to dispatch some of the Redcoats who rape and pillage and pretty much upset all of the colonies.
Team America: World Police
One word: A-meh-he-rik-ka. Don’t go up against Alex Baldwin and Matt Damon. Seriously, Kim Jong-Il take note, these American actors mean business. And woe betide any city containing thousands-years old monuments that gets in the way.
Dave
This is what the American Dream is all about. Yes, anyone can become POTUS. Just look at Kevin Klein. He’s got charm, he’s your average man, he’s self effacing and he will do anything to make sure they can find that extra one percent in the budget. If only all the American Commanders-in-Chief were like him ...
Mr Smith Goes To Washington
OK, Dave was lucky, but Jefferson Smith had a mountain to climb after his poor fortune. He might have thought that getting into the senate was a golden ticket to representing the boy rangers, but he soon realises that’s not the chance. Still, as the motto goes: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again...” And anyone who doesn’t cry at the end has a heart of stone. Go Jefferson, go!
Independence Day
This is the film du jour. Yes, it’s cheesy, but what’s not to like: Will Smith kicking alien butt, a corny speech delivered by an even cornier Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum showing that the geek c’est chic. Oh, and the White House gets blown up. But when the chips are down, those Yanks will show the world how to do it. It might have more cheese than a McDonalds cheeseburger, but you gotta love it. God Bless America!