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The 7 Best Movies To Watch Over Father’s Day Weekend

DeMario Phipps-Smith
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Although many stadiums, arenas, and event spaces are opening up nationwide after more than a year in the COVID lockdown, chances are dads around the country are looking to spend a peaceful Father’s Day at home.

In between checking on burgers and brats, and checking sports scores, the celebration of fatherhood presents a chance for men (and masculine-identifying people) to enjoy the people that appreciate and support them. 

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Sure, they’ll still have to take out the garbage and clean the garage. But when the paternal figures in your life get an opportunity to rest on their day, the best Father’s Day gift you can give is quality time. If his love language is quality time (or if he’s a movie buff), then you’re in luck because here are some of the best films to watch with dear ole dad (gramps, or great grandpa). 

Daddy's Home (2015)

Daddy's Home
42 %
6.1/10
pg-13 96m
Genre Comedy
Stars Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Linda Cardellini
Directed by Sean Anders
watch on Amazon
watch on Amazon
This comedy from director Sean Anders cashes in on the hilarious bromance actor Will Farrell shares with co-star Mark Wahlberg. Farrell stars as a mild-mannered radio executive who is the proud stepfather to his wife Sara’s two kids. Once the children’s biological father Dusty (Wahlberg) comes back into the picture, it becomes an all-out war for the hearts of Sara and the children. 

Read more: Best Amazon Prime Movies

Fences (2016)

Fences
79 %
7.2/10
pg-13 139m
Genre Drama
Stars Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson
Directed by Denzel Washington
watch on Amazon
watch on Amazon
Based on August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1985 play of the same name, this Oscar-nominated film centers on the story of a Black working-class man dealing with his past demons while raising a family in the 1950’s. With film icon Denzel Washington in the director’s seat, Fences was praised by critics for how it blended impeccable cinematography into the storytelling while invoking a compelling emotional tone. 

Bad Boys for Life (2020)

Bad Boys for Life
59 %
6.5/10
r 124m
Genre Thriller, Action, Crime
Stars Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Paola Nuñez
Directed by Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah
watch on Amazon
watch on Amazon
Action flicks are big on any male-inspired holiday. Bad Boys For Life combines all the bravado and over-the-top car chases that men clamor for. This time around, Miami cops Mike Lowery (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) square off against a mother-son duo of destructive drug dealers that show a questionable interest in one of the Bad Boys.
The Manual streaming roundup

Finding Nemo (2003)

Finding Nemo
90 %
8.2/10
g 100m
Genre Animation, Family
Stars Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould
Directed by Andrew Stanton
watch on Disney+
watch on Disney+
If you have young kids, or are a young father yourself, here’s a good choice to keep the entire house glued to the living room. Follow the adventures of Dory, and concerned father Marlin as they journey to find the titular clownfish in this widely celebrated Disney movie.

He Got Game (1998)

He Got Game
64 %
6.9/10
r 136m
Genre Drama
Stars Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Rosario Dawson
Directed by Spike Lee
watch on Hulu
watch on Hulu
NBA legend Ray Allen is a major success in his acting debut as a preps basketball phenom set on a path to stardom. Though the film has just a few action sports sequences, He Got Game dazzles in its portrayal of the ups and downs of a prodigious, rising athlete. While Jesus Shuttlesworth (Allen) may seem to have the world at his feet, his family issues bring him just as much pressure as scoring against double teams on the hardwood.

Taken (2008)

Taken
51 %
7.8/10
pg-13 94m
Genre Action, Thriller
Stars Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Leland Orser
Directed by Pierre Morel
watch on Amazon
watch on Amazon
Over the years, Taken has become a cultural staple. The film is often depicted in memes and other digital media on the web. But when it was first released, it set a new precedent for action-thrillers. Retired CIA agent Bryan Mills traverses across Europe to save his daughter from the hands of nefarious traffickers with a particular set of skills. What film better showcases how far a father is willing to go to protect his child.

Big Daddy (1999)

Big Daddy
41 %
6.4/10
pg-13 93m
Genre Comedy, Drama
Stars Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart
Directed by Dennis Dugan
watch on Amazon
watch on Amazon
When an aloof law school student adopts a wise-cracking boy to impress his girlfriend, he learns that fatherhood is nothing to be taken lightly. The boy warms up to his new foster parent and the two develop a heart-warming relationship that highlights one of Adam Sandler’s most beloved films to date. 

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DeMario Phipps-Smith
DeMario Phipps-Smith
Former Digital Trends Contributor
DeMario Phipps-Smith is a Chicago native passionate about working to uplift marginalized communities. He previously worked as…
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