In honor of the Fourth of July, it’s time all Americans ask themselves an important question: Is my streaming video queue patriotic enough?
Listed below are the 10 best “American” movies and TV shows now streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu. It’s safe to presume that if George Washington was alive today, he’d be binge-watching all of these titles.
“American Beauty” (1999)
Where it’s streaming: Netflix
Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, this movie about American suburbia won five Oscars in 2000, including best picture. Kevin Spacey’s performance as a dad gripped by a mid-life crisis remains one of the high points of his career.
“Angels in America” (2003)
Where it’s streaming: Amazon Prime Video
This miniseries about life during the early days of the AIDS epidemic won 11 Emmy awards for HBO. Fans of acting will be floored by a cast that includes heavyweights Meryl Streep, Al Pacino and Emma Thompson.
“The American” (2010)
Where it’s streaming: Netflix
This thriller film isn’t set in the States but it stars George Clooney as an American hitman who’s conflicted about his occupation while on a job in Europe. It’s a short, artistically made movie that features beautiful scenery from Sweden to Italy.
“Leningrad Cowboys Go America” (1989)
Where it’s streaming: Hulu
This bizarre comedy plays like a mix of “Borat” and “This is Spinal Tap.” The movie follows a fictional Russian rock band as they tour America in hopes of making it big. “Leningrad Cowboys Go America” currently holds a perfect 100-percent rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
“Coming to America” (1988)
Where it’s streaming: Netflix
One of Eddie Murphy’s funniest and most beloved movies, “Coming to America” gives a light-hearted look at 1980s America through the lens of a foreigner. Murphy plays a wealthy African prince who comes to New York to find an independent woman he can marry, after rejecting the marriage arranged by his parents.
“The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross” (2013)
Where it’s streaming: Netflix
This six-hour documentary series follows the entire journey of African Americans from the year 1500 to 2013, when the series first aired on PBS. Historian Henry Louis Gates researched the show and hosts every episode. It’s a powerful, interesting and eye-opening look at an entire culture.
“The Americans” (2013 - present)
Where it’s streaming: Amazon Prime Video
This Emmy and Peabody award-winning FX series is perfect for people who love spy thrillers. The show is set in 1980s Washington as a pair of Soviet spies pose as an American married couple. The show’s first three seasons are currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
“American Horror Story” (2011 - present)
Where it’s streaming: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix
Why not spend July Fourth weekend cowering under a blanket? FX’s popular Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning series can turn Independence Day into Halloween. The show’s five seasons follow five separate stories in creepy settings like a dilapidated mental institution, a carnival freak show and a coven for witches in New Orleans.
“Wet Hot American Summer” (2001)
Where it’s streaming: Netflix
A cult-classic comedy set in the most American of all places: A summer camp in New England. This goofy satire of 1980s teen sex comedies includes a large cast of then-unknown actors like Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper and Paul Rudd. The prequel miniseries “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day at Camp” is also streaming on Netflix.
“America in Primetime” (2011)
Where it’s streaming: Hulu
This four-part PBS documentary series looks at the history of primetime television in America. Its episodes focus on everything from the evolving roles of women to the most popular misfit characters in TV history. The show features interviews with TV icons like Mary Tyler Moore, Bryan Cranston, Garry Shandling and Larry David.
Clint Davis covers entertainment and trending news topics for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.
