Independence Day USA: Best films to watch this Fourth of July

Get into the spirit of things with a holiday-themed movie

Independence Day is celebrated on 4 July (AFP/Getty)

On 4 July, 1776, America's Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, a document which secured autonomy from Great Britain.

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These days, the date is a federal holiday known as Independence Day that sees people come together with friends and family to celebrate in their own unique ways.

If watching Hollywood films counts as a celebration, then you may as well pick a movie suited to the most patriotic of days.

But if the thought of sitting through another re-run of Will Smith saving the world from a catastrophic alien invasion sends you running for the hills, don't despair. There's more on offer in the Independence Day movie catalogue than Roland Emmerich's high-octane action flick.

Whether you want to learn a bit more about the historical side of things (1776), question what freedom really means (Born on the Fourth of July), or simply revisit an old classic (Jaws), there's something for everyone.

This year's celebrations have been marred by Hurricane Arthur, which hit the North Carolina coast on Thursday night.

The annual Boston Pops Fourth of July concert and fireworks show was rescheduled for Thursday because of potential heavy rain, while fireworks displays in New Jersey and Maine were postponed until later in the weekend.

However, Arthur was expected to move northeastward over cooler water on Friday, diminishing in strength and posing little risk to the densely populated northeastern United States, forecasters said.

But if it rains on your parade, at least you've got a back-up. Popcorn anyone?