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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!

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