Unlock These 25 Memorial Day Movies That Will Change How You Celebrate Forever—#7 Will Shock You!
Memorial Day weekend sneaks up on us every year, dazzling with sizzling BBQs, beach getaways, and those irresistibly “killer” shopping deals — but how often do we actually pause and ponder what this day truly honors? Beyond the sunscreen and backyard clichés, it’s a solemn tribute dating back to 1868, commemorating the brave souls who sacrificed their lives for the United States Armed Forces. It’s funny how the essence of a tradition can slip through the cracks amid the weekend madness, isn’t it? Well, one surefire way to reignite that spirit is by diving into a powerful movie that doesn’t just play patriot but tells the untold tales of valor, struggle, and sometimes, raw truth. Over the decades, luminaries like Oliver Stone, Stanley Kubrick, Edward Zwick, and Steven Spielberg have crafted cinematic masterpieces capturing the enormous cost of war — and here’s a heads-up: save the big explosions for July 4th; Memorial Day has its own profoundly fitting flicks. Ready to switch the grill for the big screen and honor the real meaning of this weekend? Let’s get rolling with 25 movies that do just that. LEARN MORE
9 min readIt’s too easy to forget what Memorial Day weekend is really about. Although it’s become the de facto kick-off to summer with backyard barbecues, weekend beach trips, and killer shopping deals, the weekend is meant to remember something much greater. First observed in 1868, Memorial Day is dedicated to those who’ve died in service to the United States Armed Forces. It’s a tradition that’s truly American, even if we’ve lost sight of what counts. Thankfully, you can always fire up a good movie to keep the spirit of the weekend alive.
For decades, filmmakers have paid tribute to America’s troops, with movies that celebrate their valor or challenge the political institutions that force them to sacrifice at all. Some of the greatest directors ever like Oliver Stone, Stanley Kubrick, Edward Zwick, and Steven Spielberg have centered their best films on the tremendous cost of war.
Keep the more explosive movies for Independence Day. Below are 25 movies that actually feel right for Memorial Day.
Bridge on the River Kwai
Simply one of the greatest films of the 20th century, David Lean’s 1957 war epic follows a group of British POWs who are forced to construct a strategic bridge for Japan’s war effort. All the while, an American Naval officer (played by William Holden) leads a unit to blow up the bridge. Laced with themes of honor, duty, and even hypocrisy, Bridge on the River Kwai succeeds as a masculine epic that dares to explore the unexpected paradoxes in wartime.
From Here to Eternity
A star-studded affair with some of the greatest silver screen actors to ever live, From Here to Eternity tells a sweeping, intersecting love story set against the tragic backdrop of World War II. Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, and Montgomery Cliff play three U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Hawaii. In the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the men struggle with duty, brotherhood, and doomed love. An instant hit in 1953, From Here to Eternity survives today as a timeless classic where heartbreak is as devastating as wounds on the battlefield.
Full Metal Jacket
A war film willingly devoid of valor and sentimental heroism, Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket is an uncompromising classic about how much we truly fucked up in Vietnam. Matthew Modine leads as a young Marine whose time in bootcamp–alongside the disturbed Private Pyle (Vincent D’Onofrio)—is followed by his deployment in Da Nang. While most people remember the first half of the film, its entirety make it an untouchable giant. You’ll never hear the “Mickey Mouse March” the same way again.
Patton
“No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor bastard die for his country.” You simply can’t top the opening of Patton, Franklin J. Schaffner’s 1970 biography about General George S. Patton (played by George C. Scott in a performance that gave Scott an Oscar but turned it down). Set during World War II, the movie explores Patton’s steadfast patriotism and black sheep reputation that alienated him among other Allied leadership. While the opening scene is quoted and parodied ad nauseum, the whole movie is worthy of salute.
The Deer Hunter
Critics of The Deer Hunter bemoan the movie’s inhumane depiction of North Vietnamese and are quick to point out Russian roulette gambling dens didn’t exist. But the bigger point of The Deer Hunter is the absolute senselessness–not just of America’s time in Vietnam but war itself, which can render patriotism hollow. Directed by Michael Cimino, Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken star as Pennsylvania steelworkers whose time in Vietnam change them forever, which ends in one of them returning after their service to bring their lost friend home. (Meryl Streep, in an early performance, is unforgettable here.) Another war movie laced with anti-war themes, The Deer Hunter is stirring, gripping, and unfortunately, relevant today.
Born on the Fourth of July
Based on a 1976 autobiography by anti-war activist and veteran Ron Kovic, Born on the Fourth of July stars Tom Cruise as a wide-eyed U.S. Marine who grows disillusioned after a paralyzing deployment in Vietnam. Upon his return home, he becomes a staunch anti-war activist. Directed by Oliver Stone, himself a Vietnam War vet, Born on the Fourth of July proves that the real way to honor troops is by listening to them.
Flags of Our Fathers
In 2006, Clint Eastwood helmed two features that tell two sides to the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima. On the American front was Flags of Our Fathers, which explores the making of the iconic photograph—Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima—and its unexpected role in reinvigorating a fatigued public. While Eastwood’s companion picture Letters From Iwo Jima earned wider acclaim, Flags of Our Fathers still deserves a salute.
Warfare
Divorced of all Baroque valor, Warfare makes its message clear: war is hell. Co-directed by Alex Garland and Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza, Warfare tells of a Navy SEAL platoon pinned inside a family home as they endure enemy bombardment. This pressure-cooker thriller plays out in real-time, with devotion to authenticity; much of the movie’s characters, situations, and even lines of dialogue were sourced from the soldiers who survived one nightmare afternoon in November 2006. Some movies are based on a true story, but this is as real as it gets.
Fury
Directed by David Ayer and starring Brad Pitt, Fury adapts the 1998 memoir Death Traps by Belton Y. Cooper, in which Belton chronicles his experiences rolling in American tank crews who were outgunned by better-armed Germans at the end of World War II. In interviews during the movie’s release, Pitt revealed that the cast underwent a week-long boot camp that made them better understand their characters’ lethal duties.
American Sniper
Though its subject is complicated, to say the least, Clint Eastwood’s biographical drama of real-life U.S. Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle explores the immense cost to be called a war hero. Bradley Cooper earned an Oscar nomination for his performance, and American Sniper placed on multiple critics’ end-of-year top movies lists.
Rebel Ridge
We’re going to state it plainly: Aaron Pierre kicks ass in Rebel Ridge. From writer and director Jeremy Saulnier, Pierre stars as a Marine veteran with just enough money to bail out his cousin and buy themselves a boat until he’s accosted by local police officers. What the men in blue don’t know is that Pierre’s Terry is a black belt, unaware he can and will raise hell in rural Louisiana. A modern-day First Blood, Rebel Ridge is so good, you’ll look at other movies and go, “Nah.”
Platoon
Heavily based on Oliver Stone’s experiences as an infantryman during the Vietnam War, Platoon captures the nihilism and aimlessness of a hopeless fight. Charlie Sheen stars as a fresh-faced U.S. Army volunteer, who takes orders from two bickering commanding officers (played by Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger). There are many Vietnam War movies, but you’ll find few that feel like actually being in the muck and mud of the Vietnamese jungles than in Platoon.
Captain America: The First Avenger
It might take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Captain America: The First Avenger still honors soldiers who’ve made real sacrifices. Chris Evans plays puny Steve Rogers who beefs up into the first scientifically-enhanced “Super Soldier.” Thrust into playing propaganda mascot Captain America, Steve Rogers becomes a true hero whose battle with the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) immortalizes him in the American imagination.
Stripes
Because soldiers have a sense of humor, too. Directed by Ivan Reitman, Bill Murray and Harold Ramis star in Stripes as two hapless men whose dead-end lifestyles lead them to join the U.S. Army, where they turn the barracks of basic training into a block party. If other “Memorial Day Movies” are too heavy for the barbecue, put on Stripes and let the good times roll. And that’s the fact, Jack!
Courage Under Fire
Denzel Washington and Meg Ryan light up in Edward Zwick’s dramatic thriller Courage Under Fire. Washington stars as a haunted Lieutenant Colonel dealing with his own demons when he’s tasked with determining if deceased Captain Walden (Ryan) should be the first woman to receive the Medal of Honor. But through conflicting testimonies that don’t line up, Washington’s protagonist suspects there’s something more that’s being buried in the sand.
Top Gun: Maverick
We’ve long praised Top Gun: Maverick as one of our favorite action movies, but it bears repeating: It is truly one of the best films of the decade so far. Tom Cruise plays Pete Mitchell, a star aviator in the Navy. After thirty years of service, he becomes a teacher and trains a new class of recruits. The only issue? They’re about to be sent on Mitchell’s toughest mission yet. In order to keep himself and his team safe, he has to dig deep and face his greatest fears.
The Greatest Beer Run Ever
In this you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it film, Zac Efron stars as John “Chickie” Donohue—a plucky New Yorker with a dream of cracking a cold one with his buddies in Vietnam. Cue a comedic journey across the seas, fit with heartwarming reunions and harsh truths. Best of all, The Greatest Beer Run Ever is based on a true story.
Da 5 Bloods
Da 5 Bloods follows four Black veterans who return to their old battleground long after the Vietnam War in search of the remains of their deceased squad leader. Before he died, he buried a gold fortune with their help—now it’s up to them to find it.
Black Hawk Down
It’s 1993. The U.S. Special Forces unit has been sent to Somalia to bring humanitarian aid to a starving population. Their mode of travel? Black Hawk helicopters. They expect a manageable mission, but plans change when Somalian forces shoot down two of the U.S. choppers. In order to survive, they have to regain control of their helicopters while evading a wave of gunfire.
M*A*S*H
Lighten the mood with M*A*S*H, a dark comedy about the medical unit of a U.S. encampment in the Korean War. Surgeons Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper John McIntyre make the best of their predicament with martini parties and incessant jokes. The film was such a hit that it spurred a hit TV show that ran for eleven seasons. (You can check out the series on Hulu.)
The Thin Red Line
Think of The Thin Red Line as the film equivalent of eating your greens—a necessary nutrient for any cinephile. This war epic stars Jim Caviezel as Private Witt, a U.S. Army member living on a tiny island in the South Pacific. Life is peaceful there. It’s much quieter than America, which, at that point, is embedded in World War II. When Witt’s hideout is discovered, he’s forced to leave the island and join the American troops in training for the Battle of Guadalcanal.
Devotion
Devotion tells the true story of Jesse Brown, the first Black aviator in the U.S. Navy. He’s the best of the best and has the skills to prove it, but when he’s assigned to assist in the Korean War, Brown’s leadership skills are put to the test. Can he complete the mission, protect his teammates, and make it home safely? You’ll have to watch to find out.
Saving Private Ryan
One of Captain John Miller’s paratroopers, Private James Ryan, is missing, and Ryan’s three brothers were killed. To find the soldier, Miller (Tom Hanks) and his team breach enemy territory and forge a manhunt, displaying remarkable courage along the way.
Glory
Glory, which is based on a true story, is an important history lesson. In the film, Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Mathew Broderick) is assigned to command America’s first Black regiment. The crew includes Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes), a junior officer; Trip (Denzel Washington), a runaway slave; and John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman), a clever gravedigger. Together, they climb the ranks and become key fighters in a legendary battle.
Greyhound
Here’s another one for the Tom Hanks hive. In Greyhound, the actor stars as Navy Commander Ernest Krause. During World War II, he’s tasked with leading an Allied convoy across the Atlantic Ocean. Things get dicey when German boats catch on to their plan. To make matters worse, this is Krause’s first wartime mission, which went down as the longest naval conflict in history—you may remember it as the Battle of the Atlantic.
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