Top 10 Thanksgiving Movies

On Thanksgiving Day, after all the exhausting preparations and eating a hearty meal at the table most people like to relax on a comfortable chair and watch a good movie. Below are 10 of my favorite movies that feature Thanksgiving scenes. I like comedies the most, so of course they'll be at the top of my list.

1. Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I'm a huge Steve Martin fan and he's in this one, along with John Candy. This movie is from 1987 and it's a classic John Hughes comedy. It's about an advertising executive who wants to fly home to spend Thanksgiving with his family but instead gets stuck with a loud salesman because of blizzards, strikes, transfers and delays.

2. Home For The Holidays is a 1995 movie with a fantastic cast: Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Claire Danes, Dylan McDermott, Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning. It's about a dysfunctional families' Thanksgiving. Holly Hunter plays a single mom who on the day before Thanksgiving loses her job, makes out with her boss and is also told by her daughter (played by Claire Danes) of her upcoming intention to lose her virginity. If that wasn't stress-inducing enough, she then spends Thanksgiving Day with her dysfunctional family including Robert Downey Jr., who plays her prankish, gay brother; Anne Bancroft as her neurotic mother; Charles Durning as her nutso father and others. Aside from turkeys flying there are tender sweet moments in this movie. Jodie Foster directed this film.

3. Son-In-Law. I admit you have to like Pauly Shore's comedy to get through this movie. It's from 1993 and Pauly Shore plays a college student who is asked by a female friend (played by Carla Gugino) to pretend to be her fiance over Thanksgiving break, to ward off a hometown jerk from proposing to her. It turns out they actually do have a crush on each other and as the relationship unfolds, Pauly Shore's stamina in the relationship is challenged by her family, who are farmers and their way of life.

4. Hannah and Her Sisters. Some people can't stand Woody Allen but if you like him, this is one of his great ones. And if you love New York, it's another reason to watch this movie because it takes place there - in a Central Park West apartment. This movie is from 1986 with a superb cast: Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, Michael Caine, Diane West, Carrie Fisher and also, Woody Allen. It's about 3 sisters who gather for Thanksgiving dinner and of course everyone has issues, including their mother.

5. Pieces of April is an indie drama from 2003 starring Katie Holmes. Yes, Tom Cruise's Katie Holmes. It's for lovers of New York, also. Katie Holmes plays an independent young woman who invites her estranged family to her East Village apartment for Thanksgiving. All of her turkey preparing/cooking goes well until the stove breaks.

6. Dutch is a 1991 movie starring Ed O'Neill from Married With Children, JoBeth Williams, Ethan Randall and Christopher McDonald. Ed O'Neill plays Dutch Dooley, a working class good guy who becomes the boyfriend of a wealthy big shot's ex-wife. Dutch volunteers to go pick up her bratty son from his Southern Prep School when he refuses to come home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Knowing the roles Ed O'Neill always plays, it's needless to say that the car trip was uneventful - and hilarious. This is another John Hughes movie.

7. Tadpole is a 2002 movie starring Sigourney Weaver, John Ritter, Bebe Neuwirth and Aaron Stanford. Tadpole is the nickname for Oscar (played by Aaron Stanford), who is a precocious 15 year old who not only likes girls his own age but also becomes infatuated with his 40+ year old stepmother (played by Sigourney Weaver). But while home from school for Thanksgiving, Oscar gets drunk and falls in bed with Eve's best friend, Diane (played by Bebe Neuwirth). Imagine the hilarious ackwardness of a 15 year old trying to seductively win over an older woman. Once he gets her, he's taken on more than someone his age can handle.

8. Holiday Inn is a movie for those who loved and miss the "Good Old Days." It's from 1942 and it stars Bing Crosby. Of course in this movie Bing Crosby sings his well known song, "I've Got Plenty To Be Thankful For."

9. What's Cooking. If you like more than one story line in a movie, then this is the movie for you. It's a 2002 movie about four families (one Hispanic, one Vietnamese, one African American, one Jewish) preparing and celebrating Thanksgiving in their own cultural way. It has a superb cast starring: Mercedes Ruehl, Alfre Woodard, Joan Chen, Julianna Margulies, Kyra Sedgewick, Dennis Haysbert, and others. Of course along with culture, you'll see plenty of family stress and tension.

10. Waltons: Thanksgiving Story. If you love a traditional movie that your whole family can definitely watch together this 1972 movie is for you. As your children watch it with you, they will also learn about good manners, respect and caring. And yes, some of us do miss John Boy, John Walton, Olivia, Mary Ellen, Ben, Erin, Jim Bob, Elizabeth and the others so much, that we love to watch this movie every year.

I added 3 children's movies if you have children and/or if you are like me and always want to keep your inner child alive.

1. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. This is a 1973 movie also starring Peppermint Patty, Linus, Snoopy, Woodstock and the others. They all go over to Charlie Brown's house for Thanksgiving.

2. Garfield's Thanksgiving is a 1989 movie starring Jon Arbuckle, Odie, Arlene, Pooky, Nermal, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Dr. Liz Wilson, Herman Post, and the others. Jon Arbuckle orders Garfield to go on a diet, but then goes over for a Thanksgiving dinner. Poor Garfield!

3. A Rugrat's Thanksgiving is all about Thanksgiving dinner and festivities at the Pickles house. Unexpectedly, a real live turkey appears at the door. This 1991 movie features all of our Rugrat's favorites: Tommy Pickles, Angelica Pickles, Dil Pickles, Chuckie Finster, Kimi Finster, Phil and Lil DeVille, and the others.

P.S. Don't forget to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to start your Thanksgiving Day.