From cinematic adventures with Dad Flick King Tom Hanks to nostalgic pop culture gems from the ’80s, here’s our ultimate list of films to revisit with your old man this Father’s Day.
What comes to mind when you hear “Dad Flick”? We think The Karate Kid. We think Spielberg. We think Tom Hanks stranded on an island or running across America as Forrest Gump. We think of Kevin Costner building baseball fields and Al Pacino stirring pasta sauce. Tom Cruise looking for a wingman, Val Kilmer grinning with pride. Russell Crowe shouting his name to the Roman heavens, and Private Ryan dreaming of home. What do they all have in common? They’re awesome. And we’re pretty sure you and Dad will be, as Maximus might say, “thoroughly entertained” this Father’s Day.
Forrest Gump (1994)
The first Dad Flick on this list is perhaps the king of all Dad Flicks. Released in 1994, Forrest Gump captured the imagination of audiences around the world with its sentimental journey through American history. The film follows the life of Forrest Gump, a kind-hearted man with an intellectual disability, as he finds himself at the center of pivotal historical moments: the Vietnam War, the rise of Flower Power, the consumer-driven 1980s, the AIDS epidemic, and more. Its lighthearted tone, coupled with reflections on fate, love, and perseverance, resonated deeply with audiences and earned it the Oscar for Best Picture. Today, it remains the quintessential Dad Flick, and one of the most beloved films ever made.
Top Gun (1986)
How can we talk about Dad Flicks without mentioning at least one Tom Cruise movie? He’s the essential action star and arguably the guy every young man wanted to be when he first burst onto the scene in the early 1980s. We’re pretty sure our dads were humming along to the Top Gun soundtrack (“Danger Zone,” anyone?), rocking aviators, and casually throwing out lines like: “You can be my wingman anytime.” Set in the high-octane world of the U.S. Navy, Cruise plays Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a hotshot pilot determined to be the best of the best. There isn’t much of a plot to Top Gun, but who cares? It’s cool, it’s iconic, and it definitely screams Dad Flick.
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Field of Dreams (1989)
The Philippines isn’t exactly a baseball-loving country, but that doesn’t mean Field of Dreams doesn’t belong on this list of Dad Flicks. It falls under the same emotional category as Cinema Paradiso—it’s one of those rare films that might actually bring a tear to Dad’s eye. Once the undisputed King of Dad Flicks, ultimate ’90s megastar Kevin Costner plays Ray: a farmer who, after hearing a mysterious voice whisper “If you build it, he will come,” decides to construct a baseball diamond right in the middle of his land. Soon, legendary players from the past start appearing to play there.
Field of Dreams is very much a heartfelt fantasy, but it’s also so much more. It’s a deeply human story about faith, the resilience of the human spirit, fatherhood, grief, and the longing to connect with others.
Gladiator (2000)
When DVDs were still new in the early 2000s, Mom and Dad definitely had their go-to home video picks. Mom probably chose Moulin Rouge!, while Dad almost certainly grabbed Gladiator—Ridley Scott’s epic swords-and-sandal flick that took home the Best Picture Oscar. Nothing screams Dad Flick (or should we say Tito Flick) quite like Russell Crowe declaring, “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North…” It just is what it is: a Dad Flick through and through, and probably the highest-budget one at that.
The film follows Maximus, a Roman army general who, after the death of his emperor, is betrayed, enslaved, and forced into gladiatorial combat, all because of the spite of the emperor’s spoiled son (a convincingly ruthless Joaquin Phoenix). It’s endlessly quotable and absolutely re-watchable—all the while, you’ll definitely find yourself thinking: “Are you not entertained?!”
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Cast Away (2000)
Tom Hanks is like the modern-day Jimmy Stewart, the everyman that every guy loves. He’s just so relatable and totally a dad’s dad kind of guy…and dare we say, maybe even the King of Dad Flicks. While his crowning glory is truly Forrest Gump, we can’t deny his brilliant turn in Cast Away, where he plays a FedEx executive stranded on a deserted island for years after his plane crashes. He must survive using only what’s around him, including a bunch of unopened FedEx packages. Hanks is resourceful in the film, which I think is exactly what appeals to dad viewers all around the world. And how can you blame them? It’s cool to watch a man struggle to survive for almost three hours, and it’s even better to see how he finds his way home.
Cinema Paradiso (1988)
Few films can make dads cry, and Cinema Paradiso is one of them. Part coming-of-age tale, part tender romance, part sweeping drama, and ultimately an ode to the magic of cinema, the film is often regarded as one of the greatest ever made. It follows a fictional film director named Salvatore, who recalls his childhood in the small town where he grew up, fell in love, worked at a movie theater, experienced the magic of film, and formed a life-changing bond with the theater’s projectionist, Alfredo (a brilliant Philippe Noiret). Though Alfredo has since passed, he lives on in Salvatore’s memory as the ultimate father figure and life mentor.
It’s a sweet and touching tale of a broken man revisiting a golden childhood—and reaffirming his existence through memory. Okay, bye—we’ll leave you to cry to that iconic musical score by father-son duo Ennio and Andrea Morricone, which we’ve had on loop in Spotify for years.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
We promise—this is the last Tom Hanks film on the list. But come on, it isn’t a proper lineup of Dad Flicks without a Steven Spielberg entry. And while all of his work could arguably qualify, nothing feels more right here than the epic World War II adventure-drama Saving Private Ryan. Hanks plays the noble Captain Miller, who, along with a small troop of dedicated soldiers, treks across Europe to find the elusive Private Ryan: a man who must be sent home after the tragic death of all his brothers in combat.
Spielberg won his second Best Director Oscar for the film, a true showcase of his genius and craftsmanship. The film ultimately lost Best Picture to Shakespeare in Love, a result still considered one of the most shocking snubs in Oscar history.
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The Back to the Future Trilogy (1985-1990)
We’re counting the Back to the Future trilogy as one item on the list—because do you actually ever watch just one of them? We sure don’t. Use Father’s Day as an excuse to revisit these pop culture juggernauts with Dad. The story of Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is iconic. Across all three films, he and his eccentric friend, scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), must save his existence again and again as their time-traveling adventures to the past and future wreak havoc on reality. Every trip creates a ripple effect that changes the world around them—sometimes hilariously, sometimes disastrously. The films are fun, memorable, endlessly entertaining, and might just lead to some spirited (or errr…heated?) discussions with Dad about their time travel logic. You’ve been warned.
The Karate Kid (1984)
Dads around the world got fresh binge material when Cobra Kai premiered on Netflix, reviving the iconic lore of the pop culture smash hit The Karate Kid and introducing it to a new generation—including their own kids. But of course, nothing beats the original. From the badass Crane Kick in the final fight scene to those dramatic sunset silhouettes in fighting stance—and Mr. Miyagi’s hilarious attempt to catch a fly with chopsticks—it’s pure popcorn entertainment, and we love every second of it. Now’s the perfect time to revisit this Ralph Macchio classic with Dad.
The Godfather Trilogy (1972-1990)
One more, and then we’ll call it a day for this ultimate Dad Flick list. We have to include The Godfather trilogy, right? It’s not only one of the greatest in cinematic history, but also one of the most culturally relevant film series ever made. Everyone—from lolo to Dad to son to tito—has probably seen all its movies already, but it’s always a good time to revisit Francis Ford Coppola’s epic saga.
The trilogy follows the story of the Corleone crime family, specifically Michael (Al Pacino), the son of Don Vito (Marlon Brando), a decorated war hero who slowly, and inevitably, becomes part of the family’s criminal empire. It’s a gripping character study filled with brilliant performances and impeccable craftsmanship across the board.
And if you haven’t seen it before, trust us: when you’re done, you’ll be casually dropping lines like “Leave the gun, take the cannoli,” or “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Before you know it, you and Dad will basically be Corleones too.
All photos courtesy of Kinorium.com
