Ever since 1895, when film was first introduced as a medium of entertainment, each and every production behind these works has confronted the challenge of the many different genres and themes that have come about from what the business entails.
From the iconic, comforting ‘90s-’00s rom-coms that represent love in a way that every girl strives for to the endlessly relevant silent pictures that brought about legendary symbols, such as Charlie Chaplin and Gary Cooper, the industry has aspired to create something for every particular subject matter; for the most part, they’ve been pretty successful.
But even with the many holiday movies that rise to popularity during specific times of the year, there’s one occasion that’s generally overlooked: Thanksgiving.
Everyone seems to bounce from the horror-heavy Halloween flicks to the Christmas movies that pull at my heartstrings but disregard the arguably most crucial date that comes in between.
With that being said, I’ve put together a list of my favorite Thanksgiving-themed films from the limited possibilities that are available.
4. Knives Out
Although this movie sits near the top of my favorite list, it’s last here because it technically has nothing to do with the holiday itself. Thanksgiving isn’t even referenced, but I’m taking it as a similar situation to controversial Die Hard fans categorizing the film as a Christmas film simply because it takes place at that time of year. The premise follows world-renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as he investigates the peculiar passing of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). Sifting through the web of lies and cryptic messages left by the billionaire generates irreversible tension in the family as the truth behind his death—and the will that left his blood relatives with virtually nothing—drives a wedge in their relationship. Despite the fact that this is a whodunit thriller, the added layer of humor and witty lines create an added layer of complexity to the mystery. Thanksgiving doesn’t necessarily fit the theme of the film, but aesthetically, since it’s set in Boston’s last phase of autumn, the hazel foliage creates the fall atmosphere—not to mention the fact that seeing the dysfunctional dynamic of the Thrombey family makes me more thankful for my more conventional home-life.
3. Friends Thanksgiving Episodes
Acknowledging the fact that this is a series, my logic behind putting it in this lineup is pretty straightforward: due to the fact that Friends is one of the most popular works of television in history, and the Thanksgiving episodes are perpetually iconic, there’s no way this wouldn’t be an addition to this list. In case anybody has lived under a rock for the past 30 years and doesn’t know the loose plot, it follows a group of six friends—Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), Ross Geller (David Schwimmer), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry)—as they go about entering the next phase of adulthood in New York. Even though I am yet to be an adult, the show presented love, heartbreak, loss, and the true meaning of friendship in a way that made me feel as though I matured right alongside my favorite characters for the ten seasons it aired. Despite the entire franchise being labeled as one of the greatest things to see on the big screen, the Thanksgiving episodes are specifically among the highest-rated. Because they were usually the lower-budget episodes per season, most were shot on a single set with the main actors just having banter with each other, generally showcasing the outstanding writing that went into the series and containing some of the funniest moments.
2. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
For over 50 years, the Peanuts comic strips have been one of the most beloved series across the world. While the television versions depicted other holidays—most notably It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown—the Thanksgiving special was a staple in my childhood. Following the original Peanuts crew, we see Charlie as he attempts to prepare a holiday meal for his legendary friend group. But, through all the humorous mishaps that are bound to happen to his ill-fated self, the heartfelt ending brings about an air of nostalgia that makes me wish I could watch it for the first time again.
1. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
While I categorize this as one of the greatest movies, period, it has to be at the top of the Thanksgiving list. It begins with the story of businessman Neal Page (Steve Martin) as he misses his flight home from New York to Chicago. As he fights to transport himself back to his family in time for the holiday dinner, every single mode of transport imaginable is needed. Along with weather and money complications, his horrible travel days only seem to get darker when he meets Del Griffith (John Candy), a conversationalist who sells shower curtain rings for a living and decides he’s going the same route. Saying this film is absolutely perfect is still downplaying the genius of its storyline. Both stars were already soaring to high popularity at the time it was made in the late ‘80s. Both actors, Martin’s physical humor combined with Candy’s top-level comedic timing, bring this script to life in a laugh-until-you-cry way. But, similar to any seasonal movie, the emotional conclusion brings it full circle, as I’ve shed tears multiple times.
All in all, there’s something about certain films that become popular only a few months every year; a sense of novelty is brought to them. So, through the waves of Halloween and Christmas films, this is my petition to bring Thanksgiving to the front of the Hollywood production line.
