20 movies you must watch this Thanksgiving

Son In Law is a true Thanksgiving movie. The main story takes place over the holiday weekend, and there’s a major scene devoted to the Thanksgiving meal. It's a classic ‘90s Pauly Shore comedy that the entire family will love. 

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is everyone’s go-to when it comes to Thanksgiving movies. The film is all about the lead-up to the holiday, but it’s got Steve Martin and John Candy, so who wouldn’t be pleased with that?

The Blind Side has a Thanksgiving scene, and it’s all about football, which is a decidedly Thanksgiving activity. When you’re finished watching football on Thanksgiving, you can watch The Blind Side. 

Pieces of April is a commentary on familial relationships told through Thanksgiving. It’s not the most uplifting film to watch on the holiday, but it’s a great option for cinephiles who also love festivity. Plus, it’s got Patricia Clarkson, and it’s always a good choice to watch one of her films. 

We would be remiss not to mention the most classic Thanksgiving movie of all time, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. You’ve probably seen this film dozens of times, but that’s all the more reason to watch it. It’s tradition. 

Holidate covers all the major holidays throughout the year, as well as some of the minor ones, so you could watch this whenever you feel like it. But why not watch it over Thanksgiving?

Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr. Need we say more? Home for the Holidays is fun and funny while still offering a worthwhile commentary on family dynamics. The writing is good, and the performances are great. 

Hannah and Her Sisters is a Thanksgiving movie because it’s bookended by Thanksgiving scenes. The middle features stories about, as the title suggests, Hannah and her sisters, all portrayed by a truly excellent cast. 

Of all the holidays covered in When Harry Met Sally… , Thanksgiving is not one of them. However, there is a scene where Billy Crystal repeatedly says “pecan pie,” and there’s plenty of fall foliage to look at, so you can consider it Thanksgiving-adjacent. 

Silver Linings Playbook also doesn’t have anything to do with Thanksgiving, but it takes place during football season and places a huge importance on the Philadelphia Eagles. For that reason, this is a film you can watch on Thanksgiving. 

There are very few true (good) Thanksgiving movies, so recommendations need to extend to films with Thanksgiving scenes, like Addams Family Values. The spooky movie includes a Thanksgiving play scene, making it the perfect compromise for anyone who’s still mourning the end of Halloween.

Everyone has seen Paul Blart: Mall Cop, but we fail to remember that this film takes place on Black Friday. Although Thanksgiving and Black Friday are diametrically opposite in tone, watching a Black Friday film over Thanksgiving is acceptable. 

Stepmom will make you weep, but it’s a beautiful film with fantastic performances, so it’s worth it. Plus, quite a bit of the film takes place outside in the fall weather, and there’s a Thanksgiving play scene. There’s no better time of the year to watch this film.

If you spend Thanksgiving with your chosen family, Friendsgiving is the film for you. It shows a holiday meal spent with a group of friends, and it’ll totally get you in the holiday spirit. 

You’ve Got Mail is a rom-com that can be watched any time of the year because it’s so cozy, and it takes place over multiple seasons, but it has a Thanksgiving scene, so it can certainly be watched in November. Not that anyone needs an excuse to watch a Meg Ryan rom-com… 

Knives Out doesn’t have anything to do with Thanksgiving, and many would say it’s more of a Halloween movie, but there is certainly an argument to be made for watching it over Thanksgiving. If you’ve got a large extended family with interesting dynamics, Knives Out is the perfect film to watch over the holiday. 

Unfortunately, there just aren’t that many true Thanksgiving movies in the world, so we have to settle for films that include a Thanksgiving scene. Funny People is one such film that includes a Thanksgiving scene, but it’s a Judd Apatow film with Leslie Mann, Seth Rogen, and Adam Sandler, so it’s not exactly settling. 

Dan in Real Life also has Thanksgiving scenes, so it’s a Thanksgiving movie. The Thanksgiving part happens at the film's beginning, so you only have to pay attention for a few minutes if you want. 

Brokeback Mountain also has a Thanksgiving scene, and it’s one of the most important scenes in the film. Granted, it’s quite dramatic, but who can’t relate to having had at least one Thanksgiving celebration in the past that was touched by a bit of family drama?

Rocky is another fantastic option if you want to watch a movie that’s loosely tied to Thanksgiving. The Sylvester Stallone classic features an iconic Thanksgiving scene that no one in your viewing party will forget.