Five Best Thanksgiving Movies

Published on Thursday, November 22 2012

Written by Wes Ferguson

Everybody has the day off anyways, so extend the holiday. As my mother used to say: "It’s Thanksgiving in this house until the turkey is gone!" This season, rub elbows at the table with Robert Downey Jr. and Katie Holmes.

Not literally, unless you have some sort of tactile 3D TV, in which case you must be from the future, so shouldn’t you be flying a hoverboard somewhere?

1) Home for the Holidays

Robert Downey Jr. is one of many delectable delights in this dysfunctional portrait of the typical American family. We’re all a little crazy! No gathering is complete without relatives doing things we can’t erase from our memories.

2) Planes, Trains and Automobiles

This ‘80s classic may seem a little dated, but just think of it as a period piece. Watching two comedic greats (Steve Martin and John Candy) share the screen is a history lesson in funny. They just don’t make them like this anymore, but they should!

3) The House of Yes

This whacked-out family get together is a bizarre blend of batshit crazy, incest, Tori Spelling, and JKF assassination recreations. A dark sense of humor is required to appreciate what’s going on here.

4) Pieces of April

Remember that time when Katie Holmes acted and stuff? She was actually pretty good! So is this funny and quirky indie film, which was shot for just $200,000. By Hollywood standards, that’s a bargain!

5) Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

So, it turns out that most Turkey Day-themed movies feature offbeat families with their own unique set of problems. Charlie Brown is the most screwed up kid in Toon Town! I mean, does he even have parents? His friends are horrible to him and even his dog pushes him around. Yet somehow, in the end, he manages to eek out a victory and has an enjoyable holiday -- just like the rest of us try to manage.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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