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Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow© Sergei Bachlakov

Need ideas?

20 Thanksgiving films you could watch with your family while eating leftovers

Here are some options to keep you and yours entertained this holiday weekend


Shirley Gomez
Senior Writer
UPDATED NOVEMBER 27, 2024 5:30 PM EST

Thanksgiving weekend is in full swing, and at this point, Christmas is just around the corner! Let’s face it it’s the perfect time a year to cuddle up and put on a good movie and eat leftovers. To make it easier for you, we curated, 20 Thanksgiving films you could watch with your family while eating Pumpkin Pie with whip cream or make yourself a turkey sandwhich.

Ideas of movies to watch on Thanksgiving

Lifetime - Turkey Hollow

Film synopsis: The Emmerson family heads to the quaint town of Turkey Hollow to visit Aunt Cly. Tim and Annie quickly grow bored without the Internet, and soon try to track the Howling Hoodoo, an elusive monster the locals dismiss as a legend.

Free Birds

Free Birds Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Owen Wilson Animated Movie HD

Film synopsis: Pardoned by the president, a lucky turkey (Owen Wilson) named Reggie gets to live a carefree lifestyle, until fellow fowl Jake (Woody Harrelson) recruits him for a history-changing mission. Jake and Reggie travel back in time to the year 1621, just before the first Thanksgiving. The plan: Prevent all turkeys from ever becoming holiday dinners. Unfortunately, the two birds encounter colonist Myles Standish (Colm Meaney), out to capture feathered friends for all the hungry Pilgrims.

Garfield’s Thanksgiving

🥧 Garfield's Thanksgiving 🦃 Garfield & Friends 🍂

 Film synopsis:   Garfield and Odie scare Jon out of bed with military music and drill sergeant attitudes as he demands pancakes the size of Australia and plenty of coffee for breakfast. After the meal, Garfield decides to take a nap but changes his mind to kick Odie off the table.

Home for the Holidays

Home For The Holidays (1995) - Official Trailer

Film synopsis: When her teenage daughter opts out of Thanksgiving, single mother Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) travels alone to her childhood home for an explosive holiday dinner with her dysfunctional family. Claudia quickly tires of her parents, her long-suffering sister (Cynthia Stevenson), her snobby brother-in-law (Steve Guttenberg) and her nutty aunt (Geraldine Chaplin). But the evening gets interesting when sparks fly between Claudia and her brother‘s handsome friend Leo Fish (Dylan McDermott).

Addams Family Values

Addams Family Values (1993) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

Film synopsis: The members of the odd Addams Family are up to more macabre antics in this sequel. This time around, Gomez Addams (Raul Julia) and his wife, Morticia (Anjelica Huston), are celebrating the arrival of a baby boy. But siblings Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) are none too happy about the new addition, and try their best to eliminate the infant. When nanny Debbie Jelinsky (Joan Cusack) appears to keep the kids in line, her presence leads to an unexpected treacherous twist.

Son-In-Law

Son-In-Law (1993) Trailer

Film synopsis: Country girl Rebecca (Carla Gugino) has spent most of her life on a farm in South Dakota, and, when she goes away to college in Los Angeles, Rebecca immediately feels out of place in the daunting urban setting. She is befriended by a savvy party animal named Crawl (Pauly Shore), who convinces the ambivalent Rebecca to stay in the city. When Thanksgiving break rolls around, Rebecca, no longer an innocent farm girl, invites Crawl back to South Dakota, where he pretends to be her fiancé.

Instructions not included

Instructions Not Included Official Trailer #1 (2013) HD

Film synopsis: An irresponsible playboy (Eugenio Derbez) must grow up quickly when a former lover gives him their daughter to raise — then leaves without a trace.

A Family Thanksgiving

EXCLUSIVE - A FAMILY THANKSGIVING - Hallmark Channel Original Movie - On Location

Film synopsis: An ambitious attorney (Daphne Zuniga) awakes in an alternate reality as a wife and mother of two.

Pilgrim

Into the Dark: Pilgrim - Official Trailer

Film synopsis: Inspired by true events: In an attempt to remind her family of their privilege and help them bond, Ms. Anna Barker invites Pilgrim re-enactors to stay with them over Thanksgiving. When the “actors” refuse to break character, the Barker family learns that there is such a thing as too much gratitude. Into the Dark: Pilgrim, premieres on Hulu on Friday, November 1.

Sweet November

Sweet November - Trailer

Film synopsis: Nelson Moss (Keanu Reeves) and Sara Deever (Charlize Theron) have nothing in common except an hour spent in DMV hell. Intrigued by each other, but not quite ready to commit, they settle on a rather unconventional courtship: a one-month trial, after which they‘ll go their separate ways. No expectations. No pressure. No strings attached. What neither of them counts on is falling in love.

For Your Consideration

For Your Consideration - Trailer #1

Film synopsis: The possibility of Oscar gold holds the cast and crew of an independent film in its grip after the performance of its virtually unknown, veteran star (Catherine O‘Hara) generates awards buzz. Though the movie in question, “Home for Purim,” is impossibly awful, the rumors of future nominations snowball and attract the attention of a distributor who wants to make a few ”minor” changes.

Peanut's Holiday Collection | Digital Trailer | Warner Bros. Entertainment

    Film synopsis:  Charlie and Sally Brown are planning to go to their Grandmother‘s for Thanksgiving dinner, when Peppermint Patty calls Charlie Brown, and invites herself to have Thanksgiving dinner at his house.

Knives Out

Knives Out Trailer #1 (2019) | Movieclips Trailers

Film synopsis: The circumstances surrounding the death of crime novelist Harlan Thrombey are mysterious, but there‘s one thing that renowned Detective Benoit Blanc knows for sure -- everyone in the wildly dysfunctional Thrombey family is a suspect. Now, Blanc must sift through a web of lies and red herrings to uncover the truth.

Miracle on 34th Street

Miracle on 34th Street 1994 Trailer

Film synopsis: In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy‘s annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he is soon appearing regularly at the chain’s main store in midtown Manhattan. When Kringle surprises customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus, it leads to a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity.

Coco

Coco Trailer (2017) | 'Find Your Voice' | Movieclips Trailers

Film synopsis: Despite his family‘s generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. After meeting a charming trickster named Héctor, the two new friends embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.

¿Qué Culpa Tiene el Niño?

¿Qué culpa tiene el niño? (2016) - Trailer Oficial HD

Film synopsis: After a one-night stand results in pregnancy, the woman in question decides to try and build a relationship together with the emotionally immature father-to-be.

El Americano

EL AMERICANO: THE MOVIE - Official Trailer USA Version

Film synopsis: When a gang of bully birds threaten his father and take over their circus, Cuco the parrot heads to Hollywood to ask TV superhero El Americano for help.

Latin History for Morons

John Leguizamo's Latin History For Morons | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

Synopsis: Comic and actor John Leguizamo examines the repression of Hispanic culture throughout American history in his one-man show “Latin History for Morons.”

Almacenados

Almacenados (2015) - Trailer Oficial

Film synopsis: A retiring employee and his replacement share five journeys in the workplace.

Residente

Residente - Residente (Trailer)

Film synopsis: After taking a DNA test, Latin America‘s most decorated artist, Rene Perez, embarks on a global adventure to trace the footsteps of his ancestors and record his latest album.