11 Feel-Good Movies to Watch With Your Family on Thanksgiving

By | November 15, 2017

Feature Image by A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Ah, Thanksgiving — it’s a time to eat (a lot), give thanks, and, of course, spend quality time with family. And what better way to bond with your loved ones than by watching movies together?

Since it’s tricky to find Thanksgiving-appropriate flicks, we have you covered with a complete movie guide to make the most out of Turkey Day. So after you’re done chowing down on your giant turkey and waiting until pie time, sit down with your crew and have a Thanksgiving movie marathon. #yourewelcome

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Nothing says Thanksgiving like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and that’s why it’s at the top of our list. Follow Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the iconic Peanut friends as they make a Thanksgiving feast — it’s utterly adorable, to say the least.

Home Alone

OK, we know what you’re thinking — Home Alone is about Kevin McCallister being accidentally left at home while his family is gone for Christmas, not Thanksgiving — but trust us, it really is a good Thanksgiving movie. Not only will it help your family kick off the holiday season, but it’ll also give you a ton of things to laugh about as everyone quotes this holiday favorite.

Free Birds

Whether you have a bunch of kids running around your turkey table this year or you’re all about the adult Thanksgiving, you’ll get a chuckle from watching the animated film. Starring Woody Harrelson and Owen Wilson, it’s about turkeys trying to rewrite history and to avoid being the go-to delicacy of the holiday.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

This movie is one of the rare flicks that actually surrounds Thanksgiving. Follow Neal Page (Steve Martin) and Del Griffith (John Candy) as they embark on a wild and wacky journey to try to get home for the holidays.

Home For the Holidays

This star-studded film follows Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) when she comes home for Thanksgiving. Her life might’ve felt out of control before, but once she’s in her hometown, she’s reminded that her family is why she left in the first place. It also stars Robert Downey Jr. and Dylan McDermott, so there’s lots of eye candy.

You’ve Got Mail

Don’t you just love New York in the fall? That line alone is enough reason for you to watch You’ve Got Mail after your Thanksgiving dinner. It’s the perfect fall movie and tops our list of romantic comedies we love as Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks play booksellers who hate one another but are actually in an e-romance with each other. Plus, they do have a run-in during Thanksgiving in the film, and it’s hilarious.

Hannah and Her Sisters

If you have sisters, then this movie is for you. Hannah and Her Sisters follows the lives of three sisters who year after year bring their baggage with them to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s hilarious yet totally timeless, despite the fact that it first premiered in 1986.

The Blind Side

What goes better with turkey, stuffing, and pie than football? Well, The Blind Side combines southern hospitality with the true story of famous football star Michael Oher and how he was adopted by the Tuohys when he was in high school. In addition to a lot of football and sassy lines from Sandra Bullock, who plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, there is a touching Thanksgiving dinner scene that you’ll love.

Holiday Inn

As one of our favorite Christmas movies, this might come as a surprise on this list, but it does have songs about other holidays, including Thanksgiving. In fact, the Thanksgiving scene with the animated turkey trying to figure out a calendar is one of the best moments in the classic Hollywood film.

Grumpy Old Men

Grumpy old men are definitely something everyone has dealt with throughout their lives, and during the holidays, these guys are in their prime. The movie is about two old neighbors (yes, two grumpy old neighbors) who fight over a new love interest all while hating each other’s guts — with an added Thanksgiving scene to make it timely.