Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/F51uNhmdKu0

5 Thanksgiving Movies To Get You In The Holiday Spirit

by Kathy D

Watching a good movie after a Thanksgiving feast is the best way to get into the holiday spirit. You can watch a few Thanksgiving movies on cable television or stream others on Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu to get into the Turkey Day mood.

So, grab your pick between classic ‘90s flicks and rib-tickling comedies this Thanksgiving while you munch your favorite pumpkin pie or turkey sandwich.

Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/interested-multiracial-family-watching-tv-on-sofa-together-with-dog-4545955/

1. The Ice Storm

Year of Release: 1997

Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm film is a fascinating tale of a crooked President in the White House in the backdrop of a raging war in Vietnam. The Prez family cracks over a disorderly Thanksgiving.

Ben (played by Kevin Kline) cheats on his wife Elena (played by Joan Allen) with his married neighbor. Their teenage daughter Wendy gets sexually involved. Infidelities, loss of virginity in affluent children creep in because of parental neglect. Booze, pot-smoking, and sex become the wild entertainers of the yuppie class in the film. The Ice Storm is a satirical plot of adulteries and strained family relations until an ice storm strikes.

One of the best films of the 1990s, The Ice Storm, hints at drug experimentation and legal marijuana. It is probably a lesson for modern-day pot smokers to smoke responsibly. Black Diamond Strain for recreational users is a great strain for hanging out with your network or catching up on TV shows. It will help you get relaxed and energetic during the holiday season.

2. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Year of Release: 1973

This animated television serial based on the famous comic strip ‘Peanuts’ by Charles M. Schulz is sheer Thanksgiving entertainment. It is perfect for kids’ watching and family entertainment and won the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children’s Programming.

Peppermint Patty’s imaginary world of a tummy-filling, delicious turkey-day feast thrown by Charlie Brown and his three pals Snoopy, Linus, and Woodstock, is not entirely to her expectations. She gets two margarine-coated slices, some pan-fried popcorn, a handful of jelly beans, and some pretzels.

After reprimanding “Chuck” for getting such a low-down treat, she ends up eating her words and gains a few pounds. The film captures the holiday mood so well; most viewers will wish every day to be a Thanksgiving Day. There are good chances of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving being aired this year on PBS KIDS. Let us pray it happens.

Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/pensive-grandmother-with-granddaughter-having-interesting-conversation-while-cooking-together-in-light-modern-kitchen-3768146/

3. What’s Cooking

Year of Release: 2000

This ‘comedies of manners’ film directed by Gurinder Chadha is a fascinating story of four different families and their secrets on love and betrayal unfolding as they come together for Thanksgiving. The families serve a Turkey feast despite serving traditional dishes of their place.

‘What’s Cooking’ captures the generation gap in the four families preparing a Thanksgiving. The older family members hold on to their tradition, whereas the younger lot have a rebellious nature. The story of the four distinct families belonging to African-American, Jewish, Vietnamese, and Latino cultures is skilfully threaded. The vividly drawn characters in the film, portrayed with humor and life, celebrate the Thanksgiving spirit in a lightweight and unforgettable way.

4. Garfield’s Thanksgiving

Year of Release: 1989

Garfield’s Thanksgiving is an animated television special inspired by the iconic Garfield comic strip. It is ideal for family entertainment on Thanksgiving. Food-loving Garfield faces starvation on Thanksgiving feast day as he is forcibly put on a strict diet by his veterinarian, Dr. Liz Wilson, the heartthrob of Garfield’s owner, Jon.

The hungry Garfield tries to raid the refrigerator and steal cookies, sugar, and other edibles but gets prevented from doing so, making him feel grumpier than usual. Lorenzo Music as the voice of Garfield makes this animated classic a must-watch on Turkey Day. Garfield’s Thanksgiving earned a nomination at the 42nd Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Animated Program.

Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/happy-young-ethnic-mother-and-little-children-watching-tv-on-sofa-4474015/

5. Matilda

Year of Release: 1996

This film, based on the book by Roald Dahl, is a classic Thanksgiving entertainer. It is the story of Matilda Wormwood, a clever girl who stays with her aloof father and mother. The evil principal at Matilda’s school is a strict bully who adds to Matilda’s cup of woes. When Matilda realizes her telepathic skills, she defends her friends from the principal’s wrath and fights back her harsh and nasty parents.

Wholesome entertainment for family and kids, Matilda is a modern-day fairy-tale that makes you see the world from a kid’s eye. The film puts up hilarious humor and explores the cause of girlish independence and personal identity convincingly. The cartoonish violence put up by the school principal on the kids may sag your spirits, but it reveals the exceptional abilities of Matilda, who uses her telekinetic powers to bring hope to the disturbed fellow students.

The Bottom Line

There are many such entertaining films to watch this Thanksgiving. Get your turkey and pumpkin pie treats as you sit back with your family, pets, and pals to enjoy Turkey Day with all-time enjoyable flicks.