The Best Memorial Day Movies
The best Memorial Day movies are gripping tales of patriotism and heroism to watch on or around the holiday. The movies on this list celebrate the sacrifice it takes to serve our country making them great movies to watch on Memorial Day. This list includes some of the most patriotic movies of all time, many of which are popular movies that won multiple awards. What are the absolute best Memorial Day movies ever released? What films should you watch on Memorial Day?
These are great movies if you are looking to stay in on Memorial Day, rather than head to a cookout. This list features the greatest Memorial Day movies including titles such as the aptly named Memorial Day, as well as Thank You for Your Service, We Were Soldiers, Flags of Our Fathers, Megan Leavey, and American Sniper. You can find many of the best Memorial Day movies on Netflix, or other streamers like Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max.
Vote up the best movies to watch on Memorial Day below, or you can also vote down the movies you think other fans should skip.
- George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Michael Bates
- Released: 1970
- Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner
Biography of controversial World War II hero General George S. Patton. The film covers his wartime activities and accomplishments, beginning with his entry into the North African campaign and ending ...more - Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson
- Released: 1967
- Directed by: Robert Aldrich
As D-Day approaches, Colonel Breed hands the roguish Major Reisman (Lee Marvin) an important assignment: He must train a team of soldiers to parachute across enemy lines and assassinate German ...more - Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn
- Released: 1990
- Directed by: John McTiernan
Based on the popular Tom Clancy novel, this suspenseful movie tracks Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) as he abandons his orders and heads for the east coast of the United States. ...more - Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman
- Released: 1989
- Directed by: Edward Zwick
Following the Battle of Antietam, Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is offered command of the United States' first all-African-American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. ...more - William Holden, Alec Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa
- Released: 1957
- Directed by: David Lean
Adaptation of the Pierre Bouelle novel about POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. British and American officers plot to blow up the structure, but ...more - Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey
- Released: 2016
- Directed by: Mel Gibson
The true story of Pfc. Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield), who won the Congressional Medal of Honor despite refusing to bear arms during WWII on religious grounds. Doss was drafted and ostracized by ...more - Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore
- Released: 2001
- Directed by: Ridley Scott
The film takes place in 1993 when the U.S. sent special forces into Somalia to destabilize the government and bring food and humanitarian aid to the starving population. Using Black Hawk helicopters ...more - Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore
- Released: 1998
- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) takes his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded by the brutal realties of war, while searching ...more - Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough
- Released: 1963
- Directed by: John Sturges
Imprisoned during World War II in a German POW camp, a group of Allied soldiers are intent on breaking out, not only to escape, but also to draw Nazi forces away from battle to search for fugitives. ...more - Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton
- Released: 2012
- Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden becomes one of the most-wanted men on the planet. The worldwide manhunt for the terrorist leader occupies the resources and ...more - Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen
- Released: 1986
- Directed by: Oliver Stone
Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) leaves his university studies to enlist in combat duty in Vietnam in 1967. Once he's on the ground in the middle of battle, his idealism fades. Infighting in his unit ...more - Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty
- Released: 2008
- Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Staff Sgt. William James (Jeremy Renner), Sgt. J.T. Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty) are members of a bomb-disposal unit in Baghdad. As their tour of duty enters ...more - Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Eric Bana
- Released: 2013
- Directed by: Peter Berg
In 2005 Afghanistan, Navy SEALs Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), Michael Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch) and Matthew "Axe" Axelson (Ben Foster) deploy on a mission of surveillance ...more - Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear
- Released: 2002
- Directed by: Randall Wallace
Based upon the best-selling book "We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young" by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (Ret.) and journalist Joseph L. Galloway, this compelling war drama depicts the true story of the ...more - Kate Mara, Edie Falco, Ramon Rodriguez
- Released: 2017
- Directed by: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
The true life story of Megan Leavey, a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with a military combat dog saved many lives during her deployment in Iraq. Assigned to clean up the K-9 ...more - Jonathan Bennett, James Cromwell, John Cromwell
- Released: 2011
- Directed by: Sam Casper
Kyle's (Jonathan Bennett) grandfather Bud (James Cromwell) shares three wartime stories from World War II when he turns 13. As an adult, Kyle's experiences in war mirror those of his grandfather. - James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Max Martini
- Released: 2016
- Directed by: Michael Bay
On Sept. 11, 2012, Islamic militants attack the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, killing Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and Sean Smith, an officer for the Foreign Service. Stationed less than ...more - Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Jake McDorman
- Released: 2014
- Directed by: Clint Eastwood
U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) takes his sole mission -- protect his comrades -- to heart and becomes one of the most lethal snipers in American history. His pinpoint accuracy not only ...more - Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio
- Released: 1987
- Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick's take on the Vietnam War follows smart-aleck Private Davis (Matthew Modine), quickly christened "Joker" by his foul-mouthed drill sergeant (R. Lee Ermey), and pudgy Private Lawrence ...more - Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles
- Released: 1970
- Directed by: Brian G. Hutton
In the midst of World War II, an array of colorful American soldiers gets inside information from a drunk German officer about millions of dollars worth of gold hidden on enemy soil. Kelly (Clint ...more - Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Foxx
- Released: 2005
- Directed by: Sam Mendes
In the late 1980s, Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal) enlists as a Marine, training in boot camp under a sadistic drill instructor. Swofford undertakes a sniper course headed by Staff Sgt. Sykes ...more - Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, Jim Caviezel
- Released: 1998
- Directed by: Terrence Malick
In 1942, Private Witt (Jim Caviezel) is a U.S. Army absconder living peacefully with the locals of a small South Pacific island. Discovered by his commanding officer, Sgt. Welsh (Sean Penn), Witt is ...more - Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage
- Released: 1978
- Directed by: Michael Cimino
In 1968, Michael (Robert De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken) and Steven (John Savage), lifelong friends from a working-class Pennsylvania steel town, prepare to ship out overseas following Steven's ...more - Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Jeremy Irvine
- Released: 2011
- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and his beloved horse, Joey, live on a farm in the British countryside. At the outbreak of World War I, Albert and Joey are forcibly parted when Albert's father sells the horse ...more - Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, Tung Thanh Tran
- Released: 1987
- Directed by: Barry Levinson
Radio funny man Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) is sent to Vietnam to bring a little comedy back into the lives of the soldiers. After setting up shop, Cronauer delights the G.I.s but shocks his ...more