While everyone has their own Thanksgiving traditions, if you're not in charge of preparing the big meal, there's typically a bit of built-in downtime. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the NFL's Thanksgiving Day Games are mainstays on our televisions, but after you've gotten your fill of turkey and all the sides, you may want to crash on the couch, relax, and press play on a flick. If you want to stick with the Thanksgiving theme, we've compiled a list including everything from family drama tearjerkers and animated classics to zany comedies and even a little horror. Read on for a few of the best Thanksgiving movies you can watch this year.
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1 | The Holdovers (2023)
Focus Features
When he’s suddenly ditched by his family over Christmas break, Angus Tilly (newcomer Dominic Sessa) is forced to spend the holidays at his New England boarding school with a handful of his classmates and a bachelor teacher (Paul Giamatti).
After some initial pushback, Angus finally begins to crack the shell of his curmudgeonly instructor as the two form a bond. Nominated for multiple Oscars—including a well-deserved win for Best Supporting Actress by Da’Vine Joy Randolph—The Holdovers exhibits some of the very best trademarks of director Alexander Payne. In this film, lighthearted comedy meets tearjerker moments that can help everyone appreciate the family they have, whether they’re blood-related or not.
2 | Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Paramount Pictures
While the stress of Thanksgiving travel can feel like it’s no joke, this classic comedy pits an uptight traveler (Steve Martin) with a talkative stranger (John Candy) after his flights home to his family are canceled due to a blizzard. The two end up going to great lengths to make it home in time for the holiday in a caper that’s as timeless as it is endearing.
3 | A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
Paramount Pictures/Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Would it be a major holiday without a Charlie Brown film to go with it? This animated classic features everyone’s favorite Peanuts characters coming together for Thanksgiving—and Snoopy attempting to cook a very special meal. With Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, Linus, Lucy, and the whole gang, it’s arguably one of the most feel-good and lighthearted options for Turkey Day movies.
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4 | Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
20th Century Studios
Even though it stands as a Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street film kicks off at the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade when the real Santa stands in as himself on the event’s famous finale float. However, Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwen) gets himself in trouble when he publicly claims to be the "mythical" holiday figure. It’s the perfect crossover movie for anyone ready to begin the transition to binge-watching holiday films.
5 | Thanksgiving (2023)
TriStar PicturesJust because Halloween is over doesn’t mean you have to stop watching horror films! This slasher follows a mysterious masked killer as he terrorizes the residents of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Just be careful if you’re the squeamish type: It's packed with the high level of in-your-face horror and shocking gore audiences have come to expect from director Eli Roth.
6 | Big Night (1996)
Samuel Goldwyn Films
When the stress of preparing a large Thanksgiving feast feels like it’s becoming too much, it can be nice to remind yourself of just how enjoyable a big meal can be with a film like Big Night.
When struggling Italian immigrant restaurateur brothers Primo and Secondo (Tony Shalhoub and Stanley Tucci, respectively) get word that famous bandleader Louis Prima is planning to stop by for a meal, they pull out all the stops to prepare an impossibly delicious meal for the occasion. At first, Primo’s devotion to traditional recipes clashes with Secondo’s front-of-house attempts to please patrons, but things turn when the truth about the duo’s big chance at notoriety reaches its climactic main course.
With a stellar all-star cast (including Isabella Rossellini, Ian Holm, and Minnie Driver), there’s arguably no better movie showing how food can bring us all together.
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7 | Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
20th Century Studios
At this point in his career, Wes Anderson has made coziness and visual quirks trademarks of his work. While Fantastic Mr. Fox isn't about Thanksgiving directly, this claymation adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl story has the perfect autumn pastiche to make it feel right at home in the season. The cutesy caper is also a great choice that people of all ages can enjoy after their big meal.
8 | The Big Chill (1983)
Columbia Pictures
After the funeral of one of their core members, a group of friends who met in college reunite after 15 years and spend the weekend together. The reunion brings back plenty of happy memories while also dredging back up painful problems, resentments, and doubts.
With a stellar cast that includes Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, Kevin Kline, and Tom Berenger, this movie not only includes a Thanksgiving feast but also examines the intricacies that come tangled even with the people you choose as family. The amazing soundtrack doesn’t hurt, either!
