Five Movies to Be Thankful for This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time not just for feasting, but family antics. Everyone has a story from the holiday, whether heartwarming or heartbreaking. This year, instead of focusing on the drama at the table, why not direct your attention to the silver screen? When you need a time-out from your family...

By Amanda Moutinho

November 25, 2014

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Thanksgiving is a time not just for feasting, but family antics. Everyone has a story from the holiday, whether heartwarming or heartbreaking. This year, instead of focusing on the drama at the table, why not direct your attention to the silver screen? When you need a time-out from your family or need to veg out after you've stuffed yourself, these five movies are reason to be thankful.

5. Home for the Holidays (1995) Take comfort in the fact that holidays can be hard on everyone. In Home for the Holidays, Claudia gets fired from her job just in time to fly home to her parents' house for Thanksgiving. It's one of those madcap family dramas that makes your family look normal, and it's got a great cast, with Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr. and My So Called Life-era Claire Danes. And, weirdly enough, it was directed by Jodie Foster.

4. ThanksKilling (2008) Turkeys are among the most scary-looking birds out there. So it's no surprise that they can make one hell of a villain. ThanksKilling tells the harrowing story of five college students and a Native American legend about a killer turkey that awakens every 500 years. While it's not quite Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, it tries its best. Totally low-budget, kitschy and silly, this is one of those "so bad it's still bad but kind of funny" movies. It's definitely good for a few laughs; consider it a palate cleanser after your Thanksgiving feast.

Keep reading for three more Thanksgiving movies.

3. The Blind Side (2009) Thanksgiving is the catalyst for this inspiring story. In an Oscar-winning performance, Sandra Bullock plays a mother who opens her house to a homeless youth and helps him all the way to the NFL. As cheesy as it sounds, the story will melt your cold, bitter heart -- especially since it's based on the true story of Michael Oher. That means the movie has two of Thanksgiving's most essential elements: family and football. This is one of those films that gets you invested right away, so don't put it on before dinner is served, or you might skip the meal.

2. Addams Family Values (1993) While not technically a Thanksgiving movie, Addams Family Values has one of the best tributes to turkey day, complete with a song called "Eat Me." This movie is a good option for those who don't like lame, holiday-card-type movies and prefer a little tongue-in-cheek dark humor. Consider this plot: Wednesday Addams stars in her camp play as Pocahontas and rewrites the Thanksgiving tale by giving Native Americans some cathartic vengeance and burning down the pilgrim village. For those who prefer Halloween to Thanksgiving but still want to be festive, this is the perfect film.

1. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) Any type of traveling during the holidays can be stressful. Planes, Trains and Automobiles packs the ordeal with laughs by teaming up the always wonderful Steve Martin and the late, great John Candy. Whether you're more like the uptight Martin or the laid-back Candy, you'll relate to this movie. After you've made it home, watch their wacky hijinks and remember, the journey can be just as important as the destination.

Follow Amanda Moutinho on Twitter at @amandamoutinho.

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