16 Thanksgiving Movies to Watch Over the Long Weekend
- Thanksgiving movies aren’t as popular as Christmas ones, but there are some films about the holiday out there.
- There are also plenty of movies set in fall that just fit the mood.
- Read on to find out more about 16 films that are great options to watching during the long, food-filled weekend.
Many people love Thanksgiving for the turkey and sides, but it’s not exactly known for movies. The holiday is nestled in between the horror flicks of Halloween and the warm and cozy films of Christmas, but if you think “Thanksgiving movie“, you might not get much further than A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving—which is wonderful, but a 30-minute-long TV special, not a movie.
So, if you’re searching for a film about Thanksgiving to view while you wait for the turkey to come out of the oven—or alongside your Thanksgiving sandwich the following day—look no further. The following list is full of movies either set during the November holiday or that at least have an autumn-y vibe. From horror to rom-coms, you’ll find the Turkey Day watch for you.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
John Candy and Steve Martin star in the ’80s comedy classic Planes, Trains and Automobiles. It’s about an unlikely pair, who end up on an adventure together—one involving, yes, planes, trains, and automobiles—in an attempt to get to their holiday destinations.
Pieces of April (2003)
The dramedy Pieces of April follows a young woman, April (Katie Holmes), who invites her estranged family over for Thanksgiving dinner, including her mother, Joy (Patricia Clarkson), who has terminal cancer. Various things go wrong as April attempts to host in her tiny apartment, but the focus is on family.
The Ice Storm (1997)
The Ice Storm is about two families, the Hoods and the Carvers, who are mixed up in all sorts of drama involving affairs, swinging, and substance abuse. And it takes place over Thanksgiving weekend. And there’s an ice storm. Not exactly comfy holiday feelings, but, hey, it’s relevant!
Free Birds (2013)
If you’re looking for something that younger members of the family can enjoy—so, definitely not The Ice Storm—check out Free Birds, an animated film about time-traveling poultry. Two turkeys, Reggie (Owen Wilson) and Jake (Woody Harrelson), travel back to the first Thanksgiving in an attempt to save their kind from becoming the meal of the holiday.
Thanksgiving (2023)
Why not settle in with a movie called Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving? Well, because you’re not a fan of horror movies? But if you do like slasher films, this one is about a town that is confronted by a killer wearing a mask of John Carver, a famous pilgrim who arrived on the Mayflower.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
You know that picture of Meg Ryan holding a pumpkin that pops up on social media every autumn? It’s from You’ve Got Mail. While not a Thanksgiving movie in content, the rom-com celebrates fall and thus, is a Thanksgiving movie.
Home for the Holidays (1995)
Dramedy Home for the Holidays stars Holly Hunter as a single mom, who visits her chaotic family for Thanksgiving after her daughter (Claire Danes) ditches her for her boyfriend. Drama and hijinks ensue.
Addams Family Values (1993)
Addams Family Values is about the creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky Addams Family—I mean, it’s right there in the song!—and much of the plot is about Wednesday and Pugsley attending summer camp. But, at the camp, they participate in a play about Thanksgiving, and Wednesday shocks everyone with a speech about Native Americans. It counts!
Stepmom (1998)
This is a vibes one. Stepom is a drama centered around a divorced mother, Jackie (Susan Sarandon), who has terminal cancer, and her ex-husband Luke’s (Ed Harris) new partner, Isabel (Julia Roberts), who will become Jackie’s kids’ stepmom when she dies. Those might not sound like positive vibes exactly, but it’s very autumnal and there’s themes of hope and acceptance and all that good stuff.
What’s Cooking? (2000)
What’s Cooking? follows four families and explores how each of their cultures—Vietnamese, African American, Latino, and Jewish—spend Thanksgiving. There’s drama. There’s comedy. There’s romance. There’s food.
Julie & Julia (2009)
Speaking of food, while Julie & Julia is not about Thanksgiving, it is about cooking, making it perfect to play while you cook—or while someone else does and then it’s like Smell-O-Vision! If you’re unfamiliar with the plot, Amy Adams stars as Julie, a woman cooking her way through Julia Child’s cookbook, while Meryl Streep plays Child in a flashback timeline.
Soul Food (1997)
While we’re on food movies, Soul Food is a natural choice, too. Be ready for some heavy drama, though. The movie isn’t just about a family meeting up for dinner every Sunday, it’s also about their tumultuous lives.
Holidate (2020)
Holidate is about Thanksgiving… and a bunch of other major holidays. The rom-com stars Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey as a pair who agree to pretend to be a couple, so they don’t have to attend family holiday events solo. You’ll never guess what happens next.
When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
Chunky sweaters. Fall foliage. A scene in which the stars repeatedly say “pecan pie.” The classic romance is not a Thanksgiving movie, but it is a Thanksgiving movie.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
This is the Thanksgiving movie pick for anyone who is really just looking forward to Christmas. The movie begins with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the story about a department store Santa who claims to be the real guy continues throughout the holiday season, ending with Christmas.
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Yeah, same deal as the 1947 movie, but it’s the made-up Cole’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, because the powers that be at Macy’s didn’t allow the name to be used this time. Still just as heartwarming, though!
