Movies for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is just a short time away, and that always means family time. And, if you’re anything like me, Thanksgiving dinner almost always consists of turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie, all served with a heaping helping of quirky dysfunction. No family dinner is complete without it, and Hollywood knows it, so here’s a few movies to watch with your nearest and dearest that will either distract from, or add to the big ol’ feast of crazy that is Turkey Day.

Pieces of April

Back before Katie Holmes went crazy, she starred in this little flick about a black sheep punkish daughter trying to cook Thanksgiving for her family. Sure, they don’t like her, she doesn’t like them, and she can’t cook her way out of a paper bag, but at least they’re trying. Then her oven breaks (of course), and she has to go from neighbor to neighbor asking for help. Surprisingly touching without being overly sentimental, this movie premiered at Sundance and went on to win a host of awards for supporting actress Patricia Clarkson, for her role as April’s cancer-stricken mother.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

This classicly quoatable John Hughes comedy stars Steve Martin and the late, great John Candy as a grumpy businessman and a slovenly salesman, respectively. After fate and a snowstorm forces these two together, they embark on a journey to make it home to Chicago for Turkey Time. Sure, the plot is predictable (Odd Couple, anyone?) but it’s funny, and that’s what really matters. Well, that, and making sure you know where your hand really is. That is very, very important.

Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale

We all remember the story of the first Thanksgiving that we learned in school. It was the 1600s, buckles on hats and shoes were all the rage, and the friendly Indians taught us how to stick a fish in a corn hole so we thanked them with turkey and pie.

So it didn’t really happen like that. It didn’t really happen like it does in Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale either, but if you wanted actual facts, you’d be reading a book instead of watching a Disney Movie. All told, it’s not a perfect movie, but it is a well loved story of triumph with good lessons for the kids to learn, and as one IMDB reviewer puts it, part of the story is better than no story at all.

A Christmas Story

Okay, this isn’t a Thanksgiving movie, but in my family, it’s tradition. After the turkey coma starts to kick in and we’re too tired to argue with each other anymore, we take our place on the couch and put this up on the big screen. I’m almost positive I don’t need to tell you what it’s about, but just in case, the story centers on little Ralphie, and his desperate longing to get an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model BB rifle with a compass in the stock. But, you know, he’ll shoot his eye out.  This iconic holiday movie has forever cured me of my desire to stick my tongue to anything that looks even remotely frosty, and also ignited a secret desire for a Leg Lamp that continues to this day.

A Major Award!

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

No Thanksgiving list would be complete without Charlie Brown, even though this isn’t so much a movie as a Prime Time TV special that has been released on DVD, but hey, close enough. Charlie Brown’s gotta get to Grandmother’s  house, but Peppermint Patty puts ol’ Charlie in the awkward position of inviting herself along for dinner, and before you know it, too many people want too much from Charlie and apparently do not enjoy jelly beans for dinner. A heartwarming classic that will be played for kids for generations to come.

Son-In-Law

Yeah, I know. Pauly Shore. These days, you don’t admit to things like liking Pauly Shore, but in the 90’s, the guy was practically the President of Funny. It was a different time then. Quaint and simple, much like the South Dakota town the characters are visiting in this silly little fish out of water (or is it Weasel out of city) comedy about a small town girl who’s gone to LA, gotten city-fied, and come back home dragging her perpetual student friend with her to help stave off a Thanksgivingtime proposal from her cheating square of a boyfriend.  It may not be art, but it’s good for a couple of laughs.

The House of Yes

You think your family’s dysfunctional? Compared to the Pascal family, you’re about as bland as your Aunt Judy’s cooking (and that’s really bland.) The House of Yes starts out innocently enough, with a young man named bringing home his new fiancee to meet his family for Thanksgiving.  There, they get trapped by a hurricane outside, and a darkly hilarious crazy-storm inside, centered around Marty’s certafiably nuts twin sister, Jackie-O (played by an exquisite Parker Posey), who kinda sorta thinks she’s Jackie O. Oh, and there’s some hanky panky involved that I’m not going to get into detail about, but it’s definitely a family affair. You know what, maybe don’t watch this until Grandma’s asleep. And your siblings.  In fact, maybe save this one until you’re back home.

Hannah and Her Sisters

One of Woody Allen’s biggest box office draw, and possibly his best work, this 1986 dramedy begins and ends with Thanksgiving, and follows the story of…well… Hannah and her sisters as they deal with their marriages, addictions, religions, and everything in between.  Since it’s a Woody Allen movie, you know at least 1 of the characters is neurotic, and you won’t be disappointed here. This movie ended up winning 7 Oscars, including Best Picture.

And last but not least:

Blood Freak

Just kidding… but it is about a killer turkey, so, I don’t know, you might be into that.

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One Response to “Movies for Thanksgiving!”

1. Sandy Beckmeyer says:

   January 15, 2010 at 10:03 pm

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