The Best Thanksgiving Movies are great for many reasons but mainly because they make you smile and make you think of all the great family moments spent around the Thanksgiving table. They will make you sit back, relax and enjoy. There’s something about this wonderful time of year that makes you want to kick back, clear your head and enjoy the good vibes. And what better way is there to do that than with a Thanksgiving movie marathon? To make life a little easier for you, we’ve put together this list of the 15 Best Thanksgiving Movies ever!
Thanksgiving dinner is always something that we look forward to, and then we usually see a movie when we are done. It’s Thanksgiving season, and we’ve put together the Top 15 Best Thanksgiving Movies of All Time for your family to enjoy on this joyous holiday. Whether you are looking for a comedy movie to watch together or need something entertaining during the Macy’s Parade, you will find them all on this list!
Which is the best Thanksgiving movie of all time streaming on Amazon Prime Video?
The 1978 Documentary/Music movie, The Last Waltz is the Best Thanksgiving movie that streams on Amazon Prime with 98% Rotten Tomatoes ratings.
Is there any good Thanksgiving movie available on Netflix?
She’s Gotta Have It (1986) is the best Thanksgiving movie on Netflix, with 91% Rotten Tomatoes ratings.
15. Sweet November (2001)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 15% |
Currently available on: | Amazon Prime Video, iTunes |
IMDb Rating: | 6.7 |
Genre: | Drama, Romance |
Cast: | Keanu Reeves (The Matrix 4), Jason Isaacs, Charlize Theron |
Director: | Pat O’Connor |
Sweet November of 2001 is one of our best Thanksgiving Movies. Despite being a low rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it is a good family movie. It is a collaboration of great words, ideas. This movie by Pat O’Connor will drive your mind. The story tells the story of two characters named Sara and Nelson. Sara asks Nelson to stay with her in November and promises to change his life for the better. So, the two spend the month together, but the story turns out to be more than Nelson knows.
14. A Family Thanksgiving (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 29% |
Currently available on: | Amazon Prime Video, ITunes |
IMDb Rating: | 6.3 |
Genre: | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy |
Cast: | Daphne Zuniga, Dan Payne, Gina Holden |
Director: | Neill Fearnley |
Our next best thanksgiving movie for families is A Family Thanksgiving of 2010. It’s not your good vacation season until at least this movie has been watched. This one is about an ambitious lawyer, Claudia, who desperately wants to be a partner of her firm and neglects her parents and siblings in the process. A mysterious woman uses magic to teach her the importance of family. An entire gender study thesis could be done on the plot alone of this film, but the conflict begins when Claudia gets pressured to bake a pie for Thanksgiving by her sister. So, you might say that it’s a pie film.
13. National Lampoon’s Holiday Reunion (2003)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 31% |
Currently available on: | Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 3.4 |
Genre: | Comedy, Other |
Cast: | Bryan Cranston, Penelope Ann Miller, Judge Reinhold |
Director: | Neal Israel |
The National Lampoon’s Holiday Reunion is a 2003 American comedy Thanksgiving movie written and directed by Neal Israel and starring Bryan Cranston and Judge Reinhold. It is always good to go into the film, especially since some have stated that it is not the best movie. The movie tells the story of Chaos, who arises when a man’s hippie cousin (Bryan Cranston) visits Idaho by an anesthetist (Judge Reinhold) and his family.
12. Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 34% |
Currently available on: | ITunes, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 5.2 |
Genre: | Action, Comedy, Crime |
Cast: | Kevin James (Hubie Halloween), Jayma Mays, Keir O’Donnell |
Director: | Steve Carr |
Paul Blart: Mall Cop is our first black Thanksgiving movie directed by Steve Carr in 2009. Black Friday is now a holiday like Thanksgiving, so it makes sense for us to have a film entirely dedicated to that day. The movie tells the story of Paul, a single dad who makes ends meet by working as a security guard at a mall, must save the day after thieves, dressed as Santa’s employees, take over the mall. You should listen to the annual Till Death Do Us Blart podcast of the movie to do your Thanksgiving view.
11. For Your Consideration (2006)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 52% |
Currently available on: | iTunes, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 6.3 |
Genre: | Comedy |
Cast: | Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey, Harry Shearer |
Director: | Christopher Guest |
For Your Consideration is a 2006 American movie about Thanksgiving on Netflix directed by Christopher Guest (Space Force Season 2). You must watch this film if you guys are fans of Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy (Schitt’s Creek), and Catherine O’Hara. These films are called Home for Purim, allegedly featuring a lot of Oscar buzz. The studio intervenes and renames Home for Thanksgiving a little bit as things stop, as the first title seems to be “too Jewish.” No doubt, this movie is a satire of Hollywood and the entertainment industry. You will be going to love it.
10. What’s Cooking? (2000)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 52% |
Currently available on: | Vudu, ITunes, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 7.0 |
Genre: | Comedy, Drama, Romance |
Cast: | Joan Chen, Mercedes Ruehl, Julianna Margulies |
Director: | Gurinder Chadha |
What’s Cooking is our other best Thanksgiving movie for kids. Here in the movie, there are four different graces, all thrown from diverse backgrounds by families who share something: stress, food, and fun. This movie seats up to four different Thanksgiving foods. So, you are invited to a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, which will take you all at once to four different worlds and take you back home. This Thanksgiving’s menu includes turkey, sweet potatoes, kitchen cakes, and all the other delicious and spicy surprises that arise in modern families’ annual meals.
9. The Oath (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 62% |
Currently available on: | Vudu, ITunes, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 5.5 |
Genre: | Comedy, Thriller |
Cast: | Ike Barinholtz, Tiffany Haddish, Nora Dunn |
Director: | Ike Barinholtz |
Another Hallmark Thanksgiving movie, The Oath of 2018 was created under the direction of Ike Barinholtz and Ryan Tiffany deliver a shattering satirical phrase from the red/blue-state break-up, which brings together rhetoric from both sides concerning presidential culture, the epidemic of an attack weapon, and America’s military engagement. This movie tells the story of Chris and his wife who were shocked after learning that citizens should sign an oath of loyalty to the president. The story is about, As the Thanksgiving deadline approaches, a series of comical situations.
8. Home for the Holidays (1995)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 63% |
Currently available on: | Vudu, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 6.6 |
Genre: | Comedy, Drama, Romance |
Cast: | Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, Robert Downey Jr. |
Director: | Jodie Foster |
This 1995 comedy about the Thanksgiving reunion of the dysfunctional clan of Holly Hunter continues with the finest directing efforts of Jodie Foster. It follows some golden moments for family holiday movies, full of ridicule, pathologies, and ultimately a thrilling sense of the ups and downs of family affairs. The story tells Claudia that her daughter has plans to spend her Thanksgiving holiday with her insane family after losing her job and having an affair with her ex-boss.
7. Alice’s Restaurant (1969)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 63% |
Currently available on: | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 6.3 |
Genre: | Comedy, Drama, Music |
Cast: | Arlo Guthrie, Patricia Quinn, James Broderick |
Director: | Arthur Penn |
Our next iconic movie about Thanksgiving is Alice Restaurant of 1969. This comedy genre 60s movie is adapted from the folk song of Arlo Guthrie, “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree,” Guthrie stars as himself on a journey to Thanksgiving from college to his friend’s home. The movie tells the story of insightful events which unfold in an ironic circle after being enrolled in college to escape the drought. The main character, Arlo voluntarily takes the basket of Thanksgiving dinner in the dump after dinner but finds it shut off during his vacation, so he dumps the basket in a ravine and the story starts.
6. The Big Chill (1983)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 69% |
Currently available on: | Vudu, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 7.2 |
Genre: | Comedy, Drama |
Cast: | Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum |
Director: | Lawrence Kasdan |
While the typical image of a meeting is darker, The Big Chill has an elevating balance of gravity and friendship, ideal for a vacation. That’s why we put this Thanksgiving movie on this list. The 80s film follows an old college group of students. After the funeral of one of a friend from a group of their former college, Alex, they all meet to remember some of the best times but have to reassess their lives. This movie will remind you of the best days of your college this Thanksgiving.
5. August: Osage County (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 67% |
Currently available on: | Netflix, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 7.2 |
Genre: | Comedy, Drama |
Cast: | Meryl Streep, Dermot Mulroney, Julia Roberts |
Director: | John Wells |
This one is not on Thanksgiving, but it’s about an imploding family, so it seems appropriate in our list. This film focuses on a family that mourns the loss of their patriarch while at the same time fighting their distressed, abusive matriarch, a play written by Tracey Letts in 2014 and adapted to a film. There is nothing left to say about Meryl Streep, too, in the physical struggle with Julia Roberts. You must watch this one of the best family thanksgiving movies.
4. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 70% |
Currently available on: | Vudu, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max |
IMDb Rating: | 6.7 |
Genre: | Comedy, Drama, Romance |
Cast: | Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear |
Director: | Nora Ephron |
Our next iconic Hallmark Thanksgiving movie is You’ve Got Mail of 1998. This 90s drama is set in the autumn, and you can enjoy many Grace scenes in this movie. This Thanksgiving movie tells the story of the two Upper West Side New Yorkers meeting in an online chatroom and falling in love for several months. This romantic comedy of 1998, featuring Tom Hanks (BIOS) and Meg Ryan and created under the direction of Nora and Delia Ephron. Here Tom Hanks goes to Zabar’s Thanksgiving at one point, which perhaps is New York’s biggest thing to do.
3. She’s Gotta Have It (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 91% |
Currently available on: | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video |
IMDb Rating: | 6.7 |
Genre: | Comedy, Romance |
Cast: | Tracy Camilla Johns, John Canada Terrell, Tommy Redmond Hicks |
Director: | Spike Lee |
She’s Gotta Have It of 1986 is a typical Thanksgiving family drama by Spike Lee (thanks to him for this creation!!). The story follows Beautiful Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) who chooses to date three men at a time. The first is a rich, beautiful narcissist, Greer Childer (John Canada Terrell). Then there is the stable, overprotective Alpha male, Jamie Overstreet (Tommy Redmond Hicks). Finally, there’s a timid geek with the core of gold, Mars Blackmon (Spike Lee). Sadly, although every supporter has its virtues, Darling can’t just seem to think about them.
2. Chicken Run (2000)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 97% |
Currently available on: | Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play, FandangoNOW |
IMDb Rating: | 7.0 |
Genre: | Animation, Adventure, Comedy |
Cast: | Mel Gibson, Phil Daniels, Julia Sawalha |
Director: | Peter Lord, Nick Park |
All right, so technically, this is one of the best thanksgiving movies for kids. Chicken Run is our favorite chicken run film and classic Hayao Miyazaki in 2000. This long functional laugh will never get old with this funny animation movie. This unique Thanksgiving movie hit the big screens in 2010. If you like chicken, the humor of this animation masterpiece will certainly be appreciated by you. This film tells the story of Rocky, a rooster, and Ginger, a chicken who decides to flee from a chicken farm when they learn their owner is killing them.
1. The Last Waltz (1978)
Rotten Tomatoes: | 98% |
Currently available on: | Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, FandangoNOW |
IMDb Rating: | 8.2 |
Genre: | Documentary, Biography, Music |
Cast: | Robbie Robertson, Muddy Waters, Neil Young |
Director: | Martin Scorsese |
Now coming to our lead movie of this Best Thanksgiving Movies list. Yes, it is The Last Waltz of 1978. This is a documentary for a small switch-up. This 70s film, which Martin Scorsese directed, follows The Band’s gratitude show. It is also appreciated by the audience because of the amazing acting of Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton. You can watch this Thanksgiving movie on Netflix too. The movie tells the story of Ronnie. Seventeen years after joining forces as the backing band for rockabilly cult hero Ronnie Hawkins, Canadian roots rockers The Band called it quits with a lavish farewell show at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom on Nov. 25, 1976. This movie is also liked by music lovers ( probably, we all are music lovers!!).
Conclusion!
Thanksgiving is the best time for people to come together as a family and enjoy delicious food and warm movies. As you are looking up the 15 best Thanksgiving movies of all time, we hope you find this list helpful. These are great, fun films for your whole family.