The Best Thanksgiving Movies Of All-Time
“What are the best Thanksgiving movies ever made?” We looked at 90 of the top Thanksgiving films, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 32 films, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Thanksgiving” movie lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 50+ movies, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Top 32 Best Thanksgiving Movies
32 .) Beethoven (1992) directed by Brian Levant
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- The Stir
- Tribalist
The Newton family live in their comfortable home, but there seems to something missing. This “hole” is filled by a small puppy, who walks into their home and their lives. Beethoven, as he is named, grows into a giant of a dog… a St Bernard. Doctor Varnick, the local vet has a secret and horrible sideline, which requires lots of dogs for experiments. Beethoven is on the bad doctor’s list.
31 .) Jack and Jill (2011) directed by Dennis Dugan
Lists It Appears On:
- Screen Rant
- Spy
- The Stir
Jack Sadelstein, a successful advertising executive in Los Angeles with a beautiful wife and kids, dreads one event each year: the Thanksgiving visit of his twin sister Jill. Jill’s neediness and passive-aggressiveness is maddening to Jack, turning his normally tranquil life upside down.
30 .) Spider-Man (2002) directed by Sam Raimi
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- The Stir
- Thrillist
After being bitten by a genetically altered spider, nerdy high school student Peter Parker is endowed with amazing powers.
29 .) ThanksKilling (2009) directed by Jordan Downey
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- Mandatory
- Riot Fest
A homicidal turkey axes off college kids during Thanksgiving break.
28 .) For Your Consideration (2006) directed by Christopher Guest
Lists It Appears On:
- Screen Rant
- The Stir
- Tribalist
- Web Visible
Three actors learn that their respective performances in the film “Home for Purim,” a drama set in the mid-1940s American South, are generating award-season buzz.
27 .) Rocky (1976) directed by John G. Avildsen
Lists It Appears On:
- Marie Claire
- Parade
- Screen Rant
- Web Visible
When world heavyweight boxing champion, Apollo Creed wants to give an unknown fighter a shot at the title as a publicity stunt, his handlers choose palooka Rocky Balboa, an uneducated collector for a Philadelphia loan shark. Rocky teams up with trainer Mickey Goldmill to make the most of this once in a lifetime break.
26 .) The Big Chill (1983) directed by Lawrence Kasdan
Lists It Appears On:
- Parade
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- Tribalist
A couple’s marital troubles are put on hold while they host an unhappy reunion of former college pals gathered for the funeral of one of their own, a suicide victim named Alex. As the weekend unfolds, the friends catch up with each other, play the music of their youth, reminisce, smoke marijuana, and pair off with each other.
25 .) The Daytrippers (1996) directed by Greg Mottola
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- IMDB
- Info please
- The Stir
Eliza D’Amico thinks her marriage to Louis is going great, until she finds a mysterious love note to her husband. Concerned, she goes to her mother for advice. Eliza, her parents, her sister Jo and Jo’s boyfriend all pile into a station wagon, to go to the city to confront Louis with the letter. On the way, the five explore their relations with each other, and meet many interesting people.
24 .) The Myth of Fingerprints (1997) directed by Bart Freundlich
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- Info please
- The Stir
- Tribalist
When a New England dysfunctional family gathers for Thanksgiving, past demons reveal themselves as one son returns for the first time in three years.
23 .) Avalon (1990) directed by Barry Levinson
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- Tech Hive
- The Stir
- Top 5
- Tribalist
Avalon is the third in Levinson’s semi-autobiographical series of four “Baltimore Films”: Diner (1982), Tin Men (1987), Avalon (1990), and Liberty Heights (1999). The film is set in Baltimore in the early 1950s and explores the themes of Jewish assimilation into American life.
22 .) Krisha (2015) directed by Trey Edward Shults
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Esquire
- Parade
- The Stir
- Thrillist
Krisha returns for Thanksgiving dinner after ten years away from her family, but past demons threaten to ruin the festivities.
21 .) Nobody’s Fool (1994) directed by Robert Benton
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- IMDB
- Info please
- The Stir
- We Got This Covered
Sully is a rascally ne’er-do-well approaching retirement age. While he is pressing a worker’s compensation suit for a bad knee, he secretly works for his nemesis, Carl, and flirts with Carl’s young wife Toby. Sully’s long- forgotten son and family have moved back to town, so Sully faces unfamiliar family responsibilities. Meanwhile, Sully’s landlady’s banker son plots to push through a new development and evict Sully from his mother’s life.
20 .) Alice’s Restaurant (1969) directed by Arthur Penn
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Esquire
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Man Made DIY
- Ranker
Alice’s Restaurant is a 1969 movie adapted from a song by Arlo Guthrie. The song is Arlo Guthrie’s most famous work, a talking blues based on a true story that began on Thanksgiving Day 1965. The movie reproduces the events of the song, in addition to other scenes.
19 .) Funny People (2009) directed by Judd Apatow
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Marie Claire
- Patch
- The Stir
Famous and wealthy funnyman George Simmons doesn’t give much thought to how he treats people until a doctor delivers stunning health news, forcing George to reevaluate his priorities with a little help from aspiring stand-up comic Ira.
18 .) You’ve Got Mail (1998) directed by Nora Ephron
Lists It Appears On:
- Glamour
- Marie Claire
- Parade
- Patch
- Pure Wow
- The Stir
Book superstore magnate, Joe Fox and independent book shop owner, Kathleen Kelly fall in love in the anonymity of the Internet—both blissfully unaware that he’s trying to put her out of business.
17 .) Son in Law (1993) directed by Steve Rash
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- IMDB
- Ranker
- Riot Fest
- Screen Rant
- Thanksgiving
- The Stir
Country girl Rebecca has spent most of her life on a farm in South Dakota, and, when she goes away to college in Los Angeles, Rebecca immediately feels out of place in the daunting urban setting. She is befriended by a savvy party animal named Crawl, who convinces the ambivalent Rebecca to stay in the city. When Thanksgiving break rolls around, Rebecca, no longer an innocent farm girl, invites Crawl back to South Dakota, where he pretends to be her fiancé.
16 .) The Blind Side (2009) directed by John Lee Hancock
Lists It Appears On:
- Glamour
- Marie Claire
- Ranker
- The Stir
- Time Out
- Tinsel Town
- Web Visible
The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family
15 .) What’s Cooking? (2000) directed by Gurinder Chadha
Lists It Appears On:
- Bustle
- IMDB
- Info please
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Tribalist
- Web Visible
In LA’s Fairfax district, where ethnic groups abound, four households celebrate Thanksgiving amidst family tensions. In the Nguyen family, the children’s acculturation and immigrant parents’ fears collide. In the Avila family, Isabel’s son has invited her estranged husband to their family dinner. Audrey and Ron Williams want to keep their own family’s ruptures secret from Ron’s visiting mother. In the Seelig household, Herb and Ruth are unwilling to discuss openly their grown daughter’s living with her lover, Carla. Around each table, things come to a head. A gun, an affair, a boyfriend, and a pregnancy precipitate crises forcing each family to find its center.
14 .) The House of Yes (1997) directed by Mark Waters
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- IMDB
- Info please
- Man Made DIY
- Parade
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Tribalist
Jackie-O is anxiously awaiting the visit of her brother home for Thanksgiving, but isn’t expecting him to bring a friend. She’s even more shocked to learn that this friend is his fiance. It soon becomes clear that Jackie Kennedy’s obsession is nothing compared to her obsession with her brother, as it also becomes clear she isn’t the only member of the family with problems..
13 .) The New World (2005) directed by Terrence Malick
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Esquire
- IMDB
- Parade
- Ranker
- Spy
- The Stir
- Time Out
A drama about explorer John Smith and the clash between Native Americans and English settlers in the 17th century.
12 .) Dutch (1991) directed by Peter Faiman
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- Spy
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Time Out
To get to know his girlfriend’s son, a man volunteers to pick him up from a prep school….only to learn that her son’s not the nicest kid.
11 .) Free Birds (2013) directed by Jimmy Hayward
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- Marie Claire
- Patch
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- Screen Rant
- Thanksgiving
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Thrillist
- Time Out
- Web Visible
In this irreverent, hilarious, adventurous buddy comedy for audiences of all ages, directed by Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who!), two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history – and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.
10 .) Grumpy Old Men (1993) directed by Donald Petrie
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- Forbes
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Mandatory
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- Screen Rant
- Spy
- Thanksgiving
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Web Visible
For decades, next-door neighbors and former friends John and Max have feuded, trading insults and wicked pranks. When an attractive widow moves in nearby, their bad blood erupts into a high-stakes rivalry full of naughty jokes and adolescent hijinks. Will this love triangle destroy the two old grumps? Or will the geriatric odd couple overcome their differences and rediscover their friendship?
9 .) Miracle on 34th Street (1947) directed by George Seaton
Lists It Appears On:
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Info please
- Metro
- Parade
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- The Stir
- Time Out
- Tinsel Town
- Top 5
- Tribalist
- We Got This Covered
Kris Kringle, seemingly the embodiment of Santa Claus, is asked to portray the jolly old fellow at Macy’s following his performance in the Thanksgiving Day parade. His portrayal is so complete that many begin to question if he truly is Santa Claus, while others question his sanity.
8 .) Scent of a Woman (1992) directed by Martin Brest
Lists It Appears On:
- Esquire
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Info please
- Man Made DIY
- Metro
- Parade
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- SCMP
- Spy
- The Stir
- Thrillist
- Tribalist
Charlie Simms is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade, a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.
7 .) Addams Family Values (1993) directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
Lists It Appears On:
- Bustle
- Cheat Sheet
- Esquire
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Mandatory
- Metro
- Parade
- Patch
- Ranker
- Riot Fest
- The Stir
- Time Out
- Tribalist
- Web Visible
Siblings Wednesday and Pugsley Addams will stop at nothing to get rid of Pubert, the new baby boy adored by parents Gomez and Morticia. Things go from bad to worse when the new “black widow” nanny, Debbie Jellinsky, launches her plan to add Fester to her collection of dead husbands.
6 .) Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) directed by Woody Allen
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Esquire
- Forbes
- IMDB
- Info please
- Man Made DIY
- Metro
- Parade
- Patch
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- SCMP
- Spy
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Thrillist
- Top 5
Between two Thanksgivings, Hannah’s husband falls in love with her sister Lee, while her hypochondriac ex-husband rekindles his relationship with her sister Holly.
5 .) A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) directed by Bill Melendez
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Esquire
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Mandatory
- Metro
- Parade
- Patch
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- Spy
- Thanksgiving
- The Stir
- Time Out
- Tinsel Town
- Top 5
- Tribalist
- We Got This Covered
- Web Visible
Turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie… and the Peanuts gang to share them with. This is going to be the greatest Thanksgiving ever! The fun begins when Peppermint Patty invites herself and her pals to Charlie Brown’s house for a REALLY big turkey party. Good grief! All our hero can cook is cold cereal and maybe toast. Is Charlie Brown doomed? Not when Linus, Snoopy and Woodstock chip in to save the (Thanksgiving) Day. With such good friends, Charlie Brown – and all of us – have so many reasons to be thankful.
4 .) The Ice Storm (1997) directed by Ang Lee
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Bustle
- Esquire
- Forbes
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Info please
- Man Made DIY
- Marie Claire
- Medium
- Metro
- Parade
- Patch
- Ranker
- SCMP
- Spy
- Tech Hive
- The Stir
- Tribalist
In the weekend after thanksgiving 1973 the Hood family is skidding out of control. Then an ice storm hits, the worst in a century.
3 .) Pieces of April (2003) directed by Peter Hedges
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Bustle
- Esquire
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Info please
- Man Made DIY
- Mandatory
- Marie Claire
- Medium
- Metro
- Parade
- Patch
- Pure Wow
- Screen Rant
- Spy
- Tech Hive
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Thrillist
- Tribalist
- Web Visible
Quirky and rebellious April Burns lives with her boyfriend in a low-rent New York City apartment miles away from her emotionally distant family. But when she discovers that her mother has a fatal form of breast cancer, she invites the clan to her place for Thanksgiving. While her father struggles to drive her family into the city, April — an inexperienced cook — runs into kitchen trouble and must ask a neighbor for help.
2 .) Home for the Holidays (1995) directed by Jodie Foster
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Bustle
- Cheat Sheet
- Esquire
- Forbes
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Info please
- Marie Claire
- Medium
- Metro
- Parade
- Patch
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- SCMP
- Screen Rant
- Spy
- Tech Hive
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Thrillist
- Time Out
- Tinsel Town
- Tribalist
- We Got This Covered
- Web Visible
After losing her job, making out with her soon to be ex-boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson has to face spending the holiday with her family. She wonders if she can survive their crazy antics.
1 .) Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) directed by John Hughes
Lists It Appears On:
- AZ Central
- Bustle
- Cheat Sheet
- Esquire
- Forbes
- Glamour
- IMDB
- Info please
- Man Made DIY
- Mandatory
- Marie Claire
- Medium
- Metro
- Parade
- Patch
- Pure Wow
- Ranker
- Riot Fest
- SCMP
- Screen Rant
- Spy
- Tech Hive
- Thanksgiving
- The Stir
- Thought Co
- Thrillist
- Tinsel Town
- Top 5
- Tribalist
- We Got This Covered
A man must struggle to travel home for Thanksgiving, with an obnoxious slob of a shower ring salesman his only companion.
The 50+ Additional Best Thanksgiving Movies Of All Time
| # | Movies | Directors | Lists |
| 33 | An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving (2008) | Graeme Campbell | IMDB |
| – | – | – | The Stir |
| 34 | Broadway Danny Rose (1984) | Woody Allen | AZ Central |
| – | – | – | IMDB |
| 35 | Four Brothers (2005) | John Singleton | IMDB |
| – | – | – | Ranker |
| 36 |
Garfield’s Thanksgiving (2017)
|
The Stir | |
| – | – | – | Time Out |
| 37 | Holiday Engagement (2011) | Jim Fall | IMDB |
| – | – | – | The Stir |
| 38 | Holiday Inn (1942) | Mark Sandrich | IMDB |
| – | – | – | The Stir |
| 39 | House of Yes | Screen Rant | |
| – | – | – | Web Visible |
| 40 | Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) | The Stir | |
| – | – | – | Time Out |
| 41 | Pocahontas (1995) | Mike Gabriel | IMDB |
| – | – | – | Ranker |
| 42 | Tadpole (2000) | Gary Winick | Esquire |
| – | – | – | IMDB |
| 43 | Thanksgiving (2007) | Medium | |
| – | – | – | Thrillist |
| 44 | The Last Waltz (1978) | Martin Scorsese | IMDB |
| – | – | – | Thrillist |
| 45 | The Oath | Ranker | |
| – | – | – | The Stir |
| 46 | The War at Home (1996) | Emilio Estevez | IMDB |
| – | – | – | Info please |
| 47 | Tower Heist | The Stir | |
| – | – | – | Thrillist |
| 48 | A Family Thanksgiving’ | The Stir | |
| 49 | A Time to Remember (2003 TV Movie) | John Putch | IMDB |
| 50 |
A Winnie The Pooh Thanksgiving
|
Patch | |
| 51 |
A Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving’
|
The Stir | |
| 52 |
Alvin and the Chipmunks – Alvin’s Thanksgiving Celebration (2008)
|
Time Out | |
| 53 | Blood Rage (1987) | John Grissmer | IMDB |
| 54 | Boogeyman (2005) | Stephen Kay | IMDB |
| 55 | Breathing Room (1996) | Info please | |
| 56 | Brokeback Mountain | Glamour | |
| 57 |
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
|
Ranker | |
| 58 | Curly Sue’ | The Stir | |
| 59 |
Dora the Explorer: Dora’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (2012)
|
Time Out | |
| 60 |
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (1994)
|
Marie Claire | |
| 61 | Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) | Marie Claire | |
| 62 | Forrest Gump | Mandatory | |
| 63 | Friends (1994–2004) Episode: The One with All the Thanksgivings (1998) | Kevin Bright | IMDB |
| 64 | Friends (1994–2004) Episode: The One with the Rumor (2001) | Gary Halvorson | IMDB |
| 65 | Kristy | Bustle | |
| 66 |
March of the Wooden Soldiers’
|
The Stir | |
| 67 | Matilda | Mandatory | |
| 68 |
National Lampoon’s Holiday Reunion (2003)
|
Time Out | |
| 69 |
National Lampoon’s Thanksgiving Family Reunion’
|
The Stir | |
| 70 | Night Shift | Ranker | |
| 71 | One Special Night (1999 TV Movie) | Roger Young | IMDB |
| 72 | One True Thing | Ranker | |
| 73 | Prisoners | Glamour | |
| 74 | Rescue Dawn (2006) | Werner Herzog | IMDB |
| 75 | Smart People (2008) | Noam Murro | IMDB |
| 76 | Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale (1994) | Xavier Koller | IMDB |
| 77 | Thanksgiving Family Reunion (2003 TV Movie) | Neal Israel | IMDB |
| 78 |
The Addams Family Values (1993)
|
Marie Claire | |
| 79 | The Game | Mandatory | |
| 80 | The Incredibles | Mandatory | |
| 81 |
The Nightmare Before Christmas
|
Ranker | |
| 82 | The Passion of the Christ | Ranker | |
| 83 | The Scent Of A Woman | Patch | |
| 84 | The Sopranos (1999–2007) Episode: He Is Risen (2001) | Allen Coulter | IMDB |
| 85 | The Stepfather (1987) | Tech Hive | |
| 86 | The Vicious Kind (2009) | Man Made DIY | |
| 87 | Trading Places | Metro | |
| 88 | Turkey Hollow (2015) | Time Out | |
| 89 |
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999)
|
Time Out | |
| 90 | Zack and Miri Make a Porno | Tech Hive |
32 Best Thanksgiving Holiday Family Film Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| AZ Central | Thanksgiving movies: From idealized to horrifying, here’s what to watch |
| Bustle | 7 Thanksgiving Movies Streaming Now To Get You In The Mood For … |
| Cheat Sheet | The Best (and Worst) Thanksgiving Movies of All Time |
| Esquire | 20 Great Thanksgiving Movies To Watch on Turkey Day With Family |
| Forbes | Top Five Best Thanksgiving Movies |
| Glamour | 16 Best Thanksgiving Movies to Watch on Thanksgiving Day |
| IMDB | Best Of, Thanksgiving Movies |
| Info please | Thanksgiving Movies |
| Man Made DIY | 8 Legitimately Good Thanksgiving Movies to Watch While You Digest |
| Mandatory | Ten Of The Best Thanksgiving Movies |
| Marie Claire | 13 Best Thanksgiving Movies to Watch on Turkey Day with Family |
| Medium | What are the five best Thanksgiving movies? |
| Metro | 10 Thanksgiving movies to watch before and after you’re full of turkey |
| Parade | 15 Must-Watch Thanksgiving Movies We’re Thankful For |
| Patch | 12 Best Thanksgiving Movies Ever: See Where And How to Watch |
| Pure Wow | 12 Thanksgiving Movies You Can Watch |
| Ranker | Best Thanksgiving Movies | List of Films w/ Thanksgiving Scenes |
| Riot Fest | There Are ONLY Four Good Thanksgiving Movies |
| SCMP | The five best Thanksgiving movies ever, from Scent of a Woman to |
| Screen Rant | 10 Best Thanksgiving Movies of All Time |
| Spy | The Best Thanksgiving Movies Of All Time: Family Favorites and More |
| Tech Hive | Top 20 movies to stream this Thanksgiving |
| Thanksgiving | Top 5 Thanksgiving movies to watch |
| The Stir | 40 of the Best Thanksgiving Movies to Watch This November |
| Thought Co | The Top 10 Funniest Thanksgiving Movies |
| Thrillist | Best Thanksgiving Movies of All Time to Watch This Year |
| Time Out | 15 Best Thanksgiving Movies for Kids To Watch This Year |
| Tinsel Town | 5 Thanksgiving Movies From the 1940’s to 2000’s |
| Top 5 | Top 5 Thanksgiving Movies |
| Tribalist | The 15 Best Thanksgiving Movies of All Time |
| We Got This Covered | Top Five Thanksgiving Movies |
| Web Visible | 11 Best Thanksgiving Movies Of All Time |
