9. Independence Day
July 4th will soon be upon us, therefore what better film is there to watch this summer than Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi blockbuster, Independence Day. Starring Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman, the film focuses on the heroic actions of a small group of disparate US citizens – including a pilot, a computer expert and The President – who band together after their country is invaded by a vast and destructive alien threat. This action-packed movie is full of visual delights, including a spectacular shot of the aliens blowing up the White House. As well as that, Smith and Goldblum excel at adding comic relief to the film, with their respective snarky one-liners. Another memorable scene sees Smith hauling an unconscious alien through the desert, before angrily kicking it in the face, exclaiming “I could have been at a barbecue!”
Though the nineties undoubtedly had it’s fair share of dud films, the genre it excelled in was that of the disaster movie, and Independence Day – alongside films like Armageddon and Twister – are among the very best. A sequel is already in the works and set to be released next year, meaning that if ever there was a time to revisit this iconic blockbuster, it’s now.
Words by Annie Honeyball