With Transformers and Live Free or Die Hard kicking Fourth of July tail this year, I thought it would be nice to look back at some of the greatest and most profitable Independence Day releases in the modern blockbuster age.

Independence Day (a.k.a ID4, 1996)

Easily the reigning king of Fourth of July movies, this film about an alien invasion not only takes place over the Fourth of July weekend, but was released then as well. This broke box office records at the time and introduced America to the fast-talking, butt-kicking Will Smith that would later become a big time A-list powerhouse.

Men in Black 1 (1997) and II (2002)
Two more of the Will Smith Fourth of July blockbusters (the only other one, as yet, was Wild Wild West, of which I refuse to write another word.) These comedies teamed Smith with Tommy Lee Jones in bizarre, satirical tales about government immigration agents who deal with a completely different kind of illegal alien, and sometimes they’re forced to deal with them with the barrel of a high tech laser blaster.

Die Hard 2 (1990)

Not exactly a blockbuster by today’s standards, what with much smaller cineplexes and screen releases (this blockbuster opened on a paltry 2500 screens, massive then but considered modest now) this movie was huge at the time. Some argue it is as good as the original, others scoff. Personally, I love the thing and have watched it just as often as the first one. So yes, I saw this one three times in a theater as well.

Armageddon (1998)
Nine years ago both Bruce Willis and Michael Bay stormed movie theatres and scored box office gold with the huge hit (and often critically maligned) Armageddon. It was with this film that Michael Bay became known to the world by name, which often became tossed around when discussing the worst of lowest common denominator filmmaking. Bruce Willis recently trash talked Michael Bay (and his experience on the film) in a chat over on Ain’t it Cool News. How fitting that this very weekend Michael Bay is looking to trounce Die Hard 4 with his little film, Transformers.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)
I couldn’t get out of this without discussing the biggest of all time, the second installment of the much loved Spider-Man saga. This time Spider-Man squared off against Doctor Octopus in one of the rare sequels that many argued was better than the first.

C. Robert Cargill – - – Email Me

——————————————

Austin-based Cargill, who not only loves but owns The Cutting Edge, writes on movies and DVD five times a week.