The 32 Best Thanksgiving Movies of All Time

“While not quite as well known as Charlie Brown’s Christmas or Halloween specials, this chapter in the lovable loser’s saga is just as charming. Peppermint Patty invites herself, Marcie, and the whole gang over to Charlie’s for Thanksgiving, where they contemplate the meaning of gratitude. A full meal appears but no parents seem to be involved. The magic of the holidays!”—R. Eric Thomas, former ELLE.com columnist

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“Something about the autumnal set pieces of Greta Gerwig’s fantastic Little Women adaptation make it ideal for late-November viewing, particularly if you’re eager to get in a gracious mindset even after the cranberry sauce and rolls are put away. The film features nuanced dramatic performances from all of its accomplished actors, but Florence Pugh in particular is a triumph.”—RET

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“Fed up with being single during the holidays? Relatable. Starring Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey, Netflix’s Holidate presents two strangers that agree to be each other’s ‘holidate’ at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any major holiday gathering, really. Starting out by creating a mutual pact with no romantic interest, will the two fall for each other along the way? You’ll never guess.”—Amanda Le, ELLE.com contributor

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“Who could forget Wednesday Addams’ iconic and hyper-violent deconstruction of the Thanksgiving story during a posh camp pageant? Christina Ricci’s dry-as-toast, delightfully morbid character takes the air out of many of the myths about the holiday, and almost takes camp counselors Christine Baranski and Peter MacNicol out in the process. Meanwhile, across town, Joan Cusack gives one of the greatest performances ever captured onscreen as Debbie Jellinsky. A winner all around.”—RET

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“An overlooked gem! What’s Cooking is very early-2000s in its fashion and storytelling, but is a delight nonetheless. The plot focuses on three families, who celebrate the holiday in disparate ways. Julianna Marguiles, Kyra Sedgwick, Joan Chen, and Mercedes Ruehl are cast standouts.”—RET

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“Based on a true story, The Blind Slide follows Micheal Oher—a homeless teenager with a tumultuous past—as he works his way to playing for the NFL, with the help of his adopted parents Sean (Tim McGraw) and Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). But it’s the Thanksgiving scene, in particular, you’ll remember as a real tear-jerker.”—AL

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“Another movie that’ll have you in your feels. When couple Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) decide to look into foster care, they unexpectedly come home with three package-deal siblings. Initially wanting one small child, the pair realize they’re way in over their heads and must learn how to become a—well, instant family. Full of humor and emotions, the film is based on film director Sean Anders’ own story.”—AL

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“Jodie Foster’s directorial debut features Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, and Robert Downey, Jr., as members of a highly dysfunctional but loving family. Hunter’s character has lost her job and fears losing her relationship with her daughter. She returns to the place where it all began to sort herself out.”—RET

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“A heartfelt homage to the Sunday dinner tradition—and the delicious, soul-nourishing food it provides—the George Tillman, Jr.-directed Soul Food isn’t exactly about Thanksgiving, but about the attitude Thanksgiving nurtures: Gratefulness, even in the face of adversity.”—RET

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“What are holidays without a little dysfunction? It’s supposed to be a low-key holiday for best friends Molly (Malin Åkerman) and Abby (Kat Dennings), but a chaotic, yet comical, friendsgiving arises instead. (For context, Molly is a new mother going through a divorce while Abby is overcoming a recent breakup.) Soon, their guests—all bringing their own baggage—gather for a large dinner party. Throw on this adult comedy for a fitting pick this Turkey Day.”—AL

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“While the majority of The Big Chill takes place during a reunion weekend for a group of college friends, a key flashback during a college Thanksgiving sets much of the present-day action in motion. Featuring excellent performances from an all-star cast including Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, Kevin Kline—it also garnered three Oscar nominations—this wise and melancholy film is perfect for that time of year when the temperature dips and memories rise.”—RET

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“Barry Levinson’s heartwarming love letter to his childhood in Baltimore, Avalon uses the occasion of a Thanksgiving gathering to tell the story of multiple generations of an American Jewish family. Joan Plowright stars as the family’s matriarch and a very young Elijah Wood co-stars.”—RET

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“Technically, this should be on the list of best Purim movies. In this Christopher Guest creation, a cast of C-list and below actors film a movie called Home for Purim. When awards buzz improbably springs up around the film, a studio head (Ricky Gervais) advises them to change the name of the film within the film to Home For Thanksgiving. And lo, a T-Day classic is born.”—RET

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“If you want to have a chuckle this Thanksgiving or Christmas, watch Paul Blart (Kevin James), a mall security guard that takes his job very seriously on an abnormal Black Friday. On top of that, he’s also recently back in the dating game. Whether he’s trying to win over his crush, Amy (Jayma Mays), or single-handedly save the mall from robbers, Blart is filled with heart.”—AL

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“Katie Holmes has rarely been better than in this low-budget gem about a family’s black sheep who tries to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for her folks and her salty sister. Patricia Clarkson and Oliver Platt are phenomenal as April’s parents, and Alison Pill steals every scene as her golden child sibling.”—RET

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“A comedy classic (and notable rejecter of the Oxford comma), Planes, Trains and Automobiles follows unlucky travelers Steve Martin and John Candy as bad weather disrupts their journeys home and thrusts them, uncomfortably, together as they seek alternate means of reaching their families.”—RET

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“This offbeat cult classic confirmed Parker Posey as an indie film star. She stars as a Jackie O-obsessed twin who has trouble dealing with her brother’s fiancée (Tori Spelling) over one slightly absurd Thanksgiving.”—RET

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“An Ang Lee masterpiece that ranks alongside House of Yes for its scandalizing portrayal of family dynamics. Set in a picture-perfect suburb in the mid-1970s, the film follows two families with members undergoing a sexual awakening at the most inopportune of times.”—RET

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“A prep school student (Chris O’Donnell) agrees to hang out with Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino), who is blind, over Thanksgiving break as a way of making money to pay for his trip home at Christmas. As often happens in these kinds of movies, Pacino’s character shakes up the stodgy prep student and shows him how to really live.”—RET

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