How can Thanksgiving be complete without watching classic Thanksgiving movies?
After you’ve had your delicious turkey and thanksgiving pie, it’s time for you to curl up on the couch with your loved ones to watch an old-fashioned Thanksgiving movie.
As it is a holiday to be spent with family, it is important to watch age-appropriate movies.
Some movies are entirely based on thanksgiving themes, and some can make you have a good laugh having one or two thanksgiving scenes.
Here’s a list of the best thanksgiving movies for families and kids:
Table of Contents
The Oath
Directed by Ike Barinholtz, The Oath is a must-watch comedy film. This movie shows how a family’s Thanksgiving went wrong. The interracial couple had a hard time spending the holiday as the government asked every American citizen to sign a loyalty oath by Black Friday. The arrival of the two government officers made it even more difficult for the couple to survive the holiday.
Watch The Oath on Amazon Prime.
Krisha
Krisha is a family drama that received Grand Jury Award and Audience award at the 2015 South by Southwest film festival. This movie shows a woman who returns and tries to reconnect with her family. On Thanksgiving, she abandoned for addiction. Will her family accept her back? Find out in the movie!
Watch Krisha on Amazon Prime.
You’ve Got Mail
You’ve Got Mail is a romantic film directed by Nora Ephron. Unknown to each other’s true identity, Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) and Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) fall in love with each other when they meet online. Eventually, they get to know that they are real-life business rivals. The iconic thanksgiving scene of this movie is when Joe comes in to rescue cashless Kelly in a cash-only line.
Watch this You’ve Got Mail! on Amazon Prime.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is a comedy film directed by John Hughes, starring Steve Martin as Neal Page and John Candy as Del Griffith. This movie is one of the best thanksgiving movies, following an unlikely pair sharing a few days of misadventures to get home for Thanksgiving. Will they get home in time?
Watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles on Amazon Prime.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
You’re totally wrong if you think this classic movie is just for kids. It is Charlie Brown, and who wouldn’t like it? Thanks to Peppermint Patty’s last-minute self invitation, Charlie Brown and Sally cancel their plan of going to their grandmother’s house for thanksgiving dinner to throw together theirs.
Watch this classic movie on Amazon Prime.
Garfield’s Thanksgiving
This is one of the best Garfield’s special. Who doesn’t love the hungry orange cat? Thanksgiving can be probably the worst time of the year to go on a diet, especially if you love food as much as Garfield. This classic follows a story about how Garfield’s owner feels that Thanksgiving is the best day to put him on a new diet.
Watch Garfield’s Thanksgiving on Amazon Prime.
Pieces of April
This film shows a story where April Burns lives with her boyfriend in New York city’s low-rent apartments. April invites her mother, who has fatal breast cancer, and the rest of the distant family for thanksgiving dinner. She ends up having kitchen trouble and asks a neighbor for help.
Watch Pieces of April on Amazon Prime.
Addams Family Values
Addams Family Values is a great 90s movie to learn about the complex past of the holiday. No-good nanny marries off Fester and gets the kids shipped off to summer camp. Wednesday has a great plan. Watch what happens next! It makes for a great movie to watch after enjoying your turkey.
Watch Addams Family Values on Amazon Prime.
What’s Cooking?
What’s Cooking is a comedy film showing four families celebrating Thanksgiving with their diverse menus and cultures. The ending of this movie is a must-watch.
Watch What’s Cooking on Amazon Prime.
Home For The Holidays
Home For The Holidays is a comedy film which can surely make you laugh after dinner. This movie stars Holly Hunter as Claudia, a single mother who returns to her dysfunctional family for Thanksgiving after getting fired from her job. Meanwhile, her daughter has her own plans of spending the holiday with her boyfriend.
Watch Home for Holidays on Amazon Prime.
The Blind Side
The Blind Side is a sports drama film directed by John Lee Hancock. Be ready with a box of tissue paper while watching this beautiful movie. Homeless Michael Oher was offered to spend Thanksgiving with the Tuohys. Michael finally feels welcomed and a part of the family.
Watch The Blind Side on Amazon Prime.
Rocky
Rocky is undoubtedly Sylvester Stallon’s most remarkable performance. Rocky Balboa is a struggling boxer. Other than the heavyweight championship plot, the Thanksgiving giving scene where the turkey was chucked out of the backdoor is worth rewatching.
Watch this classic movie on Amazon Prime.
Free Birds
Free Birds is a 3D animated comedy film that not only your kids, but you will also love. The story is about two turkeys traveling back in time to prevent Thanksgiving. They try to head back in time to the first Thanksgiving with him to take turkeys off the menu. It is voiced by Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, George Takei, Colm Meany, Keith David, and Dan Fogler.
Watch Free Birds on Amazon Prime.
Miracle on 34th Street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiypbCFV7Ao
Miracle on 34th Street is a fantasy-drama film. Surely this film is related to Christmas, but it starts during Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so the movie is on the theme.
Watch Miracle on 34th Street on Amazon Prime.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Paul Blart: Mall Cop is a comedy film starring Kevin James as Paul Blart. Paul Blart was a single dad and security guard. He finds himself to be the only one to rescue the hostages from the heist which the thieves planned on the night of Black Friday.
Watch Paul Blart: Mall Cop on Amazon Prime.
Hannah and Her Sisters
Directed by Woody Allen, Hannah and Her Sisters is a romantic comedy film. A love triangle was formed between two thanksgivings from the beginning to the end hosted by Hannah and her husband.
Watch Hannah and Her Sisters on Amazon Prime.
The Big Chill
The Big Chill is a drama-comedy film directed by Lawrence Kasdan. This movie shows a reunion of college buddies after one of their friends’ death, including thanksgiving flashbacks.
Watch The Big Chill on Amazon Prime.
Avalon
Avalon is an American drama film directed by Barry Levinson. Avalon uses the occasion of Thanksgiving to tell his exciting story as he and his family come to the US for a better future.
Watch this movie on Amazon Prime.
Scent of a Woman
Scent of a Woman is a drama film directed by Martin Brest starring Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell. Charlie accepts a temporary job over Thanksgiving weekend to make money for his trip home,
Watch Scent of a Woman on Amazon Prime.
Tadpole
Tadpole is a rom-com drama movie directed by Gary Winick. The movie follows a 15-year-old boy traveling home from school for Thanksgiving who is extremely wise for his age and falls for a woman in New York City.
Watch Tadpole on Amazon Prime.
A Family Thanksgiving
A Family Thanksgiving is directed by Neill Fearnley. This movie follows a woman, Claudia, who is a successful trial attorney. On being asked by her sister to prepare the thanksgiving pie, Claudia gets annoyed as she has no time for these things.
Watch it on Amazon Prime.
The House of Yes
The House of Yes is a comedy-drama film directed by Mark Waters. This movie follows a story where Marty, who in 1983 went to visit his family on Thanksgiving. He brought his fiancé along with him to introduce her to his parents. His mother was cold and nosey, and his sister, Jackie-O, was mentally unhinged. Parker Posey gave her best hilarious performance of all times.
Watch The House of Yes on Amazon Prime.
Son-in-Law
Son-in-Law is a comedy film directed by Steve Rash. On the first day of her college, Rebecca met Crawl, the resident advisor. On realizing that Crawl has nowhere to go on Thanksgiving, Rebecca invites him to visit her family. Tension rises when Crawl expresses his intentions.
Watch Son-in-Law on Amazon Prime.
Tower Heist
Tower Heist is a heist comedy directed by Brett Ratner. Josh is the manager of a high-class complex. He planned a heist in the days leading up to the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade as one of his residents stole a part of his retirement funds.
Watch Tower Heist on Amazon Prime.
Funny People
Judd Apatow directed funny People. George Simmons is a retired comedian who turned into a movie star. He meets a comic in search of a mentor. George was diagnosed with leukemia, and he delivers a thanks toast for his chosen family.
Watch Funny People on Amazon Prime.
The takeaway
This list contains some classic movie ideas for Thanksgiving that you can watch with your family and kids. Don’t have Prime membership from Amazon? Try the Amazon Prime trial free for 30 days here to enjoy unlimited movies and TV shows and, of course, unlimited 2-day free shipping!
Thanksgiving is a time to bond with families and friends, so why not spend that time watching some beautiful classic Thanksgiving movies.
