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Thanksgiving is a day for food, family, and films that make you grateful for your own life, no matter how messy it gets. These movies serve up drama, comedy, and heart, all centered around the quirkiest and most chaotic holiday of the year. Grab some sweet potato pie (or a second helping of stuffing) and check out these Thanksgiving classics.

Soul Food

In the movie Soul Food, food is love, even when family is messy.

This iconic drama showcases a Black family navigating their relationships after the matriarch falls ill. Centered around Sunday dinners that feel like Thanksgiving every week, this film beautifully captures how food brings families together — even when things fall apart. Critically acclaimed for its relatable storytelling and strong performances, Soul Food is a poignant reminder of the importance of family, making it a perfect watch during Thanksgiving or any time of the year. The movie inspired a successful TV series of the same name, extending its legacy of celebrating family bonds. And who can forget the Boyz II Men “Mama” track?

Black Friday

Black Friday is a horror-comedy that cleverly blends the chaos of holiday shopping with a zombie apocalypse. Directed by Casey Tebo, the film stars Devon Sawa, Bruce Campbell, and Michael Jai White. It follows a group of overworked toy store employees who must fend off hordes of shoppers transformed into parasitic monsters during the titular shopping event.  The film delivers a chaotic blend of holiday satire and campy horror mixed with comedy, making it an entertaining choice for fans of genre mashups.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Prepare for the ultimate travel nightmare in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Steve Martin and John Candy give us the funniest road trip of all time, as an uptight businessman and an overly friendly shower-ring salesman try to make it home for Thanksgiving. Cue misadventures, hilariously bad luck, and a surprisingly heartfelt ending. It’s like Thanksgiving dinner: frustrating, exhausting, and ultimately worth it. The movie chronicles their misadventures as they try to get Neal (Martin) home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving.

What starts as a straightforward journey devolves into a chaotic series of mishaps involving canceled flights, wrecked rental cars, and awkward hotel stays. The comedic clashes between Martin’s straight-laced demeanor and Candy’s larger-than-life personality create unforgettable moments, from the iconic “those aren’t pillows!” scene to Del’s hilariously upbeat monologues.

Why Did I Get Married?

Secrets, sex and a little dinner party drama are revealed in Why Did I Get Married?

Tyler Perry’s romantic comedy doesn’t take place on Thanksgiving per se, but with a Thanksgiving storyline of family gathering, contemplation and reunion, it’s a perfect holiday movie. And then there are the cabin retreat moments which just sounds like a family Thanksgiving break scene. One of the movie’s major points is about the necessity of candor and openness in maintaining love. Why Did I Get Married? is a well-done emotional piece mixed with good fun humor which is easy to enjoy for everyone. The film was successful at the box office and launched the sequel Why Did I Get Married Too? Which continued the stories of the characters.

Home For The Holidays

Family dysfunction with an all-star cast is what Home For The Holidays brings to the table.

It’s a Jodie Foster dramedy with Holly Hunter as a widowed woman fighting her family to survive Thanksgiving. This one, with Robert Downey Jr. as her pompous, messianic brother, hits the comedy and awkwardness of family reunions. It isn’t necessarily a Thanksgiving movie but it is family-centric, romantic, and hilarious, so this is a great film to watch around the holidays. Home for the Holidays has a reputation for having great lines, good acting, and its balance between humor and drama.

The Oath

There’s no talk of politics and pie in the wacky comedy The Oath.

Dark comedy about family drama, The Oath shows what happens when Thanksgiving becomes political. It stars Ike Barinholtz and Tiffany Haddish and it’s an icky comedy – and painfully relatable one. The movie takes place in a near-future America in which all citizens sign a government loyalty oath and Chris (Barinholtz) is coerced into doing so even though he believes the government to be highly corrupt. During the festive dinner, which is being held between his extended family, it becomes a theater of political conflict, a spectacle of absurd and perilous madness.

Addams Family Values

Addams Family Values is indeed a Thanksgiving film. Turkey Day, meets Wednesday Addams, here.

The Addams Family fawns over Thanksgiving during a hilariously gory rendition of “The First Thanksgiving” at summer camp. The dark comedy is the sequel to the 1989 smash The Addams Family. This movie picks up where Gomez (Raul Julia), Morticia (Anjelica Huston) left off with their eccentric kids, Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman). A Thanksgiving story, Addams Family Values is a Christmas satire. The movie plays a joke between the conventional, clean, Thanksgiving society and the Addams family and their wacky, unconventional lifestyle.

Get your family together this holiday season, get out some leftovers, and put one (or more) of these Thanksgiving specials on the table for an epic movie feast. Remember to watch the classic cable programming year-round shows such as the Macy’s Day Parade and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. I cannot go a day without watching at least one of those shows! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

The post Must-Watch Films for Thanksgiving Chaos and Comedy appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.

Donald Trump’s aide, Natalie Harp, who once worked as a news anchor for the far-right One America News Network, wrote Trump deeply uncomfortable, adoring letters.

Some of Harp’s admiration of Trump is understandable, considering she claims he saved her life. In 2018, Trump passed the Right to Try Act, which allows terminal patients to access experimental treatment even if the FDA has not approved it. Harp had bone cancer when the Right to Try Act allegedly permitted her to try experimental drugs that helped her fight her cancer. However, her claims have been called into question, with Simon Fraser University’s Professor of Health Science Jeremy Snyder claiming that she had actually been given an FDA-approved drug that she had access to even before Right to Try. Even so, Harp continues insisting that Trump saved her life and has, in turn, become possibly his most devoted follower.

Composite by India Espy-Jones By Stixx Mathews ·Updated November 22, 2024

In an industry where there is an overwhelming amount of product launches daily, Product Of The Week helps you cut through the noise. To help you find your new beauty and wellness favorites, this series highlights the tried-and-true products that our writers can’t live without.

2024 has been the year of lip balms and lip oils, with most beauty brands releasing at least one version of these products. The trend in lip balms, however, found a new standard set by indie brand EADEM with its Le Chouchou Lip Softening Balm. 

EADEM is known for its stellar products and formulas that work for everyone, but specially cater to the diverse needs of BIPOC skin. When the brand released their lip balm, it was only natural to give it a try, as the results were expected to be more than favorable.

At its core, this lip balm is a multifunctional product that combines exfoliation and moisturization. The inclusion of AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) helps to gently remove dead skin cells, addressing the issue of dry, flaky lips. 

Meanwhile, the peptides in the formula work to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the lip area, promoting a smoother, more youthful look. Other key ingredients such as lactic acid, African mongongo butter and moringa oil work together to ensure that the lips stay plump, soft and kissable.

One of the standout features of Le ChouChou is its incorporation of signal peptides, which provide a natural plumping effect, enhancing the fullness of the lips without the need for more invasive treatments. This plumping action, combined with the balm’s glossy finish, creates a visually appealing effect that can boost confidence whether worn alone or as a base for other lip products such as lip liners, glosses or lipsticks. 

Le ChouChou, offering five universal shades suitable for all lip tones and shapes, stands out for its inclusivity, particularly for those with two-toned lips common among people with melanin-rich skin. Unlike many lip balms that emphasize this feature, EADEM has thoughtfully addressed it during formulation. 

Among the range, two shades have captured my attention: “Butter Mochi,” a buttery clear shade perfect for day and night treatment (I literally sleep in the bed with this), and “Bissap Glaze,” a plum color ideal for any season but especially fitting for fall. 

The packaging of these products is equally impressive. The beautifully crafted silver tubes are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional. They arerel="tag">eadem Lip Balm Product Of The Week

The post Product Of The Week: EADEM Le ChouChou Lip Balm appeared first on Essence.

Listen, at its heart, Gladiator is a campy affair. The people who know and love it best understand this as a deep truth. And so, it seemed only right to celebrate Gladiator II at the COLAsseum. What is the  COLAsseum, you ask? Well, it’s that part in Gladiator II where the Romans filled the Gladiator with Pepsi, and gladiators competed to see who could drink it all the fastest… Just kidding! But, really, it could have happened. No, the COLAsseum was actually an incredible immersive activation courtesy of Pepsi and Regal that transformed Regal Times Square into a festive Gladiator II celebration. This epic COLAsseum really brought the spirit of Gladiator to life. It had that kind of lavish energy one might associate with a Roman emperor. The Pepsi, decidedly, was flowing from every corner, at least. And there were poets, shields, and many golden wreaths to go around. That’s my kind of party.

You can check out some images of the adventure below:

Click To View Gallery

As you can tell, Gladiator II inspired us to go all in on the excitement. One of the best parts was truly the half rap-battle/half-dance-off that took place while everyone was waiting to see the movie. One of the poets of our age even created a poem around some incredibly complicated words in real-time, and it was quite impressive.

Of course, a highlight of the evening was undoubtedly watching Gladiator II at Regal Times Square’s 4DX auditorium, which is “the largest 4DX auditorium in the world with a record-breaking 296 seats, more than double the average amount of seats for theatres offering this premium format.” We have to say, 4DX was an iconic way to witness Gladiator II. Never was there a movie more perfectly suited to bringing you directly into the action, in our opinion.

Alas, the COLAsseum was a one-night affair in honor of Gladiator II. But we feel strongly that Pepsi and Regal should consider making it a more permanent exhibition. We surely were entertained by this affair.

Play the Dinosaur Game—Press Spacebar to Begin:

The post GLADIATOR II Invited Us to the COLAsseum and We WERE Entertained appeared first on Nerdist.