Thanksgiving Movie List

Thanksgiving may still be a few days away but the Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog wanted to give you a guide to some holiday viewing for your extended weekend fun. Make sure you are ready by rounding up a few of your favorites now.

Thanksgiving Movie List

You spent hours preparing the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. You cut, you chopped, you baked and sauteed. You were the proper hostess with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Your guests were amazed at your perfect appearance, happy smile and witty banter. All was right with the world. But now the dinner table has been ransacked, the turkey stripped from its bones, the guests have left and the dishes are piled in the sink. Now it's time to fall on the couch, unbutton a few buttons and enjoy some Thanksgiving goodness coming from the soft glow of your television set. Make sure to leave a comment below letting us know what you favorites are this time of year.

These first two are not necessarily Thanksgiving but are playing during Thanksgiving.


The Gilmore Girls - A Year in the Life
A new miniseries on Netflix premieres on Thanksgiving Day. See where your Stars Hollow favorites are almost ten years later. I loved the Gilmore Girls and am looking forward to this.

The Simpsons Marathon
All 600 episodes of the Simpsons starting Thanksgiving Day on FXX. How long does 600 episodes take? 13 days!

Alice's Restaurant ~ 1969
Based on the classic Arlo Guthrie song of the same name. Alice's Restaurant told the true story of Arlo visiting friends on Thanksgiving in 1965. He went to take some garbage to the dump for them but the dump was closed. The rest of the story snowballs from there. A lot of classic rock stations will play the song on Thanksgiving. I would hope someone somewhere will show the movie too!

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving ~ 1973
Not quite the classic that the Christmas and Halloween specials are but hey, it's Charlie Brown.

Hannah and Her Sisters ~ 1986
Considered one of Woody Allen's best, Hannah and Her Sisters tells the story of three sisters over the coarse of two years marked by the Thanksgiving dinners.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles ~ 1987
A John Hughes film. What more do you need? Steve Martin and John Candy in an 80's classic about two very different men trying to get home for Thanksgiving. It's silly in all the right ways. This is a bygone era of comedy.

Dutch ~ 1991
John Hughes again. I have not seen this one but it is on my list for this year. I love Mr. Hughes movies (for those that are not familiar - Sixteen Candles, the Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink among many other 80's teen classics.) and I have been a fan of Ed O'Neil since Married With Children first aired. This one is about a guy who, to impress his girlfriend, volunteers to drive her son home for Thanksgiving from school. He quickly learns that he is a bit of a brat. I have a feeling immature pranks ensue along with some heartfelt moments.

Scent of a Woman ~ 1992
A student takes the job of looking after a blind man over Thanksgiving to make some extra money. This movie won Al Pacino a Best Actor award. It also had most of its viewers saying "Hoo-ah".

Son in Law ~ 1993
Pauly Shore. Well, you know we were young and stoopid and please don't hold us accountable for our pour judgement in what was funny. Yes, Pauly Shore was a comedy bit that was short lived for most. Though Encino Man still has its moment. In this one a collage girl brings her fiance home to her country family. Can you say fish out of water?

Grumpy Old Men ~ 1993
The original Odd Couple reunited for the same comedy on screen. Two neighbors have had a long ongoing feud that only gets worse when sexy Ann-Margret moves in across the street. This one is spread out over Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Home for the Holidays ~ 1995
I have not seen this one but my sister loves it so it is going on my list for this year. The story of a dysfunctional family that gathers for Thanksgiving. I think the poster says what a lot of us think!

Myth of Fingerprints, The ~ 1997
It's been awhile since I've seen this one but I remember liking it. Definitely a drama and yes, a little eye candy for me (Michael Vartan) but a decent enough film overall. Another dysfunctional family gathers over Thanksgiving where personal demons and regrets will surface.

Ice Storm, The ~ 1997
During the worst ice storm of the century, another dysfunctional family airs its dirty laundry during the 1973 Thanksgiving weekend. Hmmm.... I'm seeing a pattern here with Thanksgiving movies. Adding this one to my list.

You've Got Mail ~ 1998
Another in the long list of romantic formula comedies of the 90's. Based on the 1940 movie Shop Around the Corner, two business rivals unknowingly fall in love online. You know, back in the days where your computer announced "You've got mail". It's cute but not as strong as Sleepless in Seattle.

What's Cooking ~ 2000
A comedy drama about four different families in LA dealing with issues during Thanksgiving. I had not even heard of this one but it has a lot of good actresses in it. Adding to my list.

Tadpole ~ 2000
Home from school for the Thanksgiving holiday, Oscar sets in motion his plan to win the heart of his true love... his stepmom. Again, another film I am not familiar with but with Bebe Neuwirth and Sigourney Weaver it looks like it could be funny. Going on my list.

Pieces of April ~ 2003
The black sheep of the family invites her estranged family, including her dying mother, to Thanksgiving dinner at her apartment. I saw this one when it was new on video and I remember liking it. It's quirky, funny and sad. I think I need a rewatch of it.

For Your Consideration ~ 2006
When a low budget production thinks it has a chance at an award, the little movie "Home for Purim" becomes "Home for Thanksgiving" to make it more profitable. This comedy comes to us from the same people that made "Best in Show". I have to admit that I have not watch most of these movies but people definitely love the comedy.

American Son ~ 2008
The story of a young Marine who returns home for Thanksgiving before shipping out to Iraq. Another one I am not familiar with but looks like it would be a good drama. My list is getting long.

Free Birds ~ 2013
Two turkeys go back in time and try to change history so turkeys are no longer the star of Thanksgiving dinner. Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson voice the turkeys. How could this not be good? Well, at least it's family friendly.

A little something for those of us that like our holidays a little bloody too.

Blood Rage ~ 1987
10 years after a murder one half of a set of twins escapes from the institution and goes on a killing spree... on Thanksgiving night. A Thanksgiving horror film??? How did I not know about this??!!! Yes, it looks painfully bad but hey, that's half the fun.

House of Yes, The ~ 1997
An unstable woman, who thinks she is Jackie Kennedy, has a hard time when her brother shows up for Thanksgiving newly engaged. Wicked dark comedy, obsession, inappropriate family ties and a little murder. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. This is going on my list as I like a little dark to my comedy.

Boogeyman ~ 2005
A man has to travel home to face his fears in this not too bad but not the greatest PG-13 movie. OK, this may push the limits of a Thanksgiving film but it is Thanksgiving and why he and his girlfriend are visiting her family.

ThanksKilling ~ 2009
There is a turkey on the cover. Do you really need to know anything else? Yes, a homicidal turkey murders collage students with an axe over Thanksgiving break. Why is the turkey homicidal? How can he lift an axe? Why would I waste 90 minutes of my life watching this? These are questions best left unanswered *adds movie to list*

Deadfall ~ 2012
This one is more of a thriller. I watched it a couple years back and thought it was interesting enough. It's also filled with nice looking people (Charlie Hunnam, Olivia Wilde and Eric Bana) so it has that going for it. The basic setup for this one is Jay, who has issues, is heading home for Thanksgiving. He meets Liza who has issues of her own. Then some bad stuff happens. No really, it was a pretty good movie. Just don't think about it too much.

Kristy ~ 2013
Girl stays at school during Thanksgiving break. Bad people come. Really bad stuff happens. I saw this one on TV earlier this year so it would have been edited for TV. For these kind of movies I thought it was pretty good. But I don't except a lot from this kind of movie.

I hope you find something to your liking here that maybe adds a little fun to your holiday weekend. Join us next Monday for some Holiday Recipes. The Laughing Vixen Lounge Blog has gathered some holiday favorites from some of our favorite shops and from this Vixen's own private stash. Stop by and share your own favorites with us. This Thursday there will not be a Route 66 post since it is Thanksgiving but it will be back on December 1st. Instead we will have a little Thanksgiving fun this Thursday. And don't forget, we have 2 new giveaways starting the 23rd and the 30th!

Until next time *wink*