As great as it can be, Thanksgiving can also be a struggle. If you’re hosting, you’ve got your hands full juggling times and temperatures. If you’re a guest, you need to come prepared with whatever side dish and/or beverage you’ve been assigned and — this is the really important part — not start an argument. After you’ve done a backstroke through a river of gravy and made it through dinner by avoiding politics, nothing’s as comforting as the couch and a good Thanksgiving movie. The films we collected in this list range from classic, family-friendly holiday flicks to coming-of-age tearjerkers, with a few esoteric picks thrown in for good measure.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
Celebrate this Thanksgiving with the loveable ragtag “Peanuts” gang, led by anxiety-ridden Charlie Brown and his iconic pup, Snoopy. In “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” Peppermint Patty invites herself, Franklin, and Marcie over to Charlie’s for Thanksgiving dinner wherein the gang settle in around a ping-pong table to chow down on jelly beans, ice cream sundaes, pretzels, and other traditional holiday dishes. It’s at once a simple, yet potent stomachache for the characters and a nostalgic way to kick off the holiday season for the rest of us that’s fun for the whole family.
Where to stream: Apple TV+
Addams Family Values (1993)
Thanksgiving gets a hilarious shout-out in this ghoulish sequel to “The Addams Family;” the 1991 film adaptation of the comic strip-turned-sitcom about a wealthy and macabre family with a lust for death. The family made its first appearance in The New Yorker back in 1938, but saw its star rise in the “Addams Family Values” when Fester Addams (Christopher Lloyd) fell in love with the conniving and money-hungry Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack). Without spoiling too much of the film, the true pièce de resistance comes when Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley Addams (Jimmy Workman) are cast in the Camp Chippewa Thanksgiving play “A Turkey Named Brotherhood.” Hijinks ensue and we’re left to awkwardly laugh and question everything we’ve been taught about the holiday in grade school.
Where to stream: Paramount Plus and Pluto TV
Home for the Holidays (1995)
“Home for the Holidays” follows Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) as she begrudgingly travels home to Baltimore to spend Thanksgiving with her dysfunctional family. It’s the quintessential Thanksgiving movie and captures the holiday’s essence and cliches at once, as Larson navigates difficult relationships and conversations with a mix of levity and compassion until she boards the plane back home for Chicago. You’ll laugh, maybe cry, and definitely relate to the family complexities among the ensemble cast featuring Anne Bancroft, Dylan McDermott, Charles Durning, and a wholly unserious Robert Downey Jr.
Where to watch: Apple TV+
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
While it may lean into the magic of Christmas and spirit of Santa Claus, “Miracle on 34th Street” opens on turkey day during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It stars Natalie Wood as Susan Walker, a little girl who was raised to not believe in fairy tales. Admittingly, it’s not heavy on pilgrims and cornucopias, but it’s our top pick for films to watch on Thanksgiving when you want to get excited about the holiday season. If you can’t get into old films, the excellent 1994 version starring Dylan McDermott, Elizabeth Perkins, Mara Wilson, and Richard Attenborough will do in a pinch.
Where to watch: Freebie TV or available to rent on Prime Video
Pieces of April (2003)
As Thanksgiving films go, “Home for the Holidays” walked so “Pieces of April” could run, except in this version, April’s (Katie Holmes) dysfunctional family visits her instead of the other way around. The movie sees April and her boyfriend Bobby (Derek Luke) prepare Thanksgiving dinner with the help of neighbors after their stove breaks. It’s clear that April is the black sheep of the family based on how her mother (Patricia Clarkson), father (Oliver Platt), and sister (Alison Pill) chat about her as they make the long car trek to Manhattan from the suburbs. The message here is that it truly does take a village sometimes and each actor drives that point home while injecting humor and pathos into their roles. If you’re into low-budget, indie movies with an accompanying soundtrack written and performed by Stephin Merritt and his bands “The 6ths” and “The Magnetic Fields,” watch “Pieces of April” with your second glass of boozy eggnog.
Where to watch: Tubi and Pluto TV
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
You already know “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” as the ultimate Thanksgiving film. If you’ve seen it once, it’s probably because it’s a turkey day tradition. If you haven’t seen it, just stop reading this and go watch it. Written and directed by John Hughes, the movie stars Steve Martin as high-strung marketing executive Neal Page, and John Candy as over-friendly salesman, Del Griffith. Together, the pair embark on a road trip from New York to Chicago racing the clock to make it home in time for Neal’s Thanksgiving dinner. You’ve seen enough road comedies to guess how things go here, but as predictable as “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” may be, our recommendation is to pair it with leftovers the day after Thanksgiving.
Where to watch: Paramount Plus and Pluto TV
Prisoners (2013)
When heartwarming, coming-of-age holiday movies won’t cut the mustard and you’re sick of hearing your dad scream about the Detroit Lions losing (again), it’s time to watch “Prisoners.” Admittingly, the Denis Villeneuve thriller isn’t family-friendly, as the story follows an abduction of two children during Thanksgiving Day festivities. Hugh Jackman plays Keller Dover in possibly his finest performance of all-time, one which coincidentally strays far from the roles he usually chooses. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Detective Loki, who’s at odds with Dover throughout the investigation. Other ensemble cast actors include Viola Davis, Terrence Howard, and Paul Dano. If you like movies like “Zodiac” or “Memories of a Murder” then you’ll love this off-kilter Thanksgiving film.
Where to watch: Max
Scent of a Woman (1992)
“Hoo-ah” is probably the best way to describe “Scent of a Woman” to those of who have not seen it and may be the most-used phrase throughout the film. The story plays out over Thanksgiving weekend as preparatory student Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell) takes care of Lt. Col. Frank Slade (Al Pacino), a blind, ultra-sassy, and problematic veteran. While Pacino previously received Academy Award nominations for films like “The Godfather” and “Serpico,” he won his first and only Oscar for Best Actor in “Scent of a Woman.” The movie can feel like a rollercoaster ride, and you’ll likely feel both disdain and compassion for Slade at various points throughout the film. But, it’s ultimately a captivating story about unlikely friendships and learning to be thankful, in spite of the odds.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Prime Video
Son in Law (1993)
While some holiday films try to hit you over the head with messages about kindness, community, and warmth, “Son in Law” is just happy to be here. It’s the go-to when you’re in need of something hilariously stupid. After Becca Warner (Carla Gugino) graduates as valedictorian from high school, she opts to leave her rural South Dakota town to attend college in sunny Los Angeles where she meets Crawl (Pauly Shore), the wild and bohemian resident advisor of her dormitory. After a jaw-dropping makeover, Becca brings Crawl home with her to South Dakota for Thanksgiving weekend where he’s forced to intermingle with country folk. As tensions rise, cockamamie shenanigans ensue and the Warner family and Crawl are forced to figure out if they can coexist in harmony.
Where to watch: Hulu
