I love the 4th of July. I’m not afraid to admit it. I think it’s one of the best holidays. I mean think about it– fireworks, color coordinating, and bbqs?! And while I’m sure my affinity for this patriotic day has a whole lot to do with good food and day drinking, it also has, in large part, to do with the slew of movies that are related to this holiday.

Every year around this time, HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and any other movie channel seems to load their playbills up with quintessentially American movies. These movies tend to be action movies, depicting how America overcomes terrorism (usually of the Soviet and Arab variety), racism, and many times aliens. These are movies that reinforce what’s great about being an American. These are movies which tell us we all have a little John McClane, Martin Riggs, or Roger Murtaugh in us. And I eat ‘em right up.

While Independence Day definitely ranks a-top my all-time favorites list (American-loving or otherwise), I also understand I am not alone in feeling this way.  So when I was going through the stockpiles of films on all my favorite channels, I wanted to write about something a little less remembered. And that’s how I came across Air Force One which I hadn’t seen since I was a kid. And let me tell you, it was great, especially in terms of chill-inducing films.

Air Force One is one of those cheesy, over-the-top, blame the Soviets action films from the 1990s (1997 to be exact) by a director who is really less of an auteur and more of a guy who directs big-budgeted action films (Wolfgang Peterson to be exact). What makes this film so great? Well, not only does Harrison Ford play the President of the United States, with Glenn Close as the Vice President, who must protect both his country and plane from soviet terrorists (the main one played by Gary Oldman), but he also doles out numerous speeches taking a powerful stance against terrorism.

One speech in particular is extremely powerful, chill inducing, and even produces a slow-clap moment. Watching that speech, there seems nothing better than being an American. And boy, do I have the chills to prove it. Watch the speech below, and may I add, God bless America.