Top Ten Thanksgiving Movies

These top 10 Thanksgiving movies don't necessarily all take place on Thanksgiving, but they embody the essence of Thanksgiving, which is sharing time, food, and fellowship with loved ones and appreciating who and what we have in our lives.

1. Joe Vs. The Volcano - This is a movie about a man struggling with unhappiness about his life circumstances. When he gets a surprise diagnosis, he goes through a series of events, and learns the true value of life. This is an uplifting movie, and is appropriate for holiday viewing, because it teaches that life is what we make of it, and that by changing our perceptions, we can change our reality.

2. Dutch - Dutch is a movie about a man and a boy, the son of his girlfriend. Dutch volunteers to pick up the boy from boarding school and bring him home for Thanksgiving. At first they don't even like, let alone appreciate, one another. However, as they spend time, get to know one another, and face challenges together, they form a strong bond, and become friends. One thing this movie teaches us is that although people may appear different at first, if we take the time to get to know them, we may have more in common than we think.

3. Prancer - This is a movie about a girl who finds an injured reindeer, and believes he is Prancer, one of Santa Claus' reindeer. She wants to help heal and return him to Santa, so he will be able to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. In trying to heal and protect the reindeer (Prancer), she and her father butt heads, become closer, and heal emotionally. Prancer shows that with faith, all things are possible.

4. Pieces of April - April lives away from her extremely dysfunctional family, and has little contact with them. She invites them to visit for Thanksgiving, and that is only the beginning of myriad twists and turns. April works hard in making her first attempt at cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner perfect for her family, but when those plans fall apart, the family learns the true value of each family member, and the strength of a family when they work together.

5. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving - This is a classic movie that epitomizes the meaning of Thanksgiving. Peppermint Patty invites herself over to Charlie Brown's for Thanksgiving, and despite Charlie Brown's hopes, the day does not turn out to be the standard Thanksgiving celebration. In the process, the characters (and we) learn that it doesn't really matter whether we have a traditional dinner, or share whatever we have on hand, because the perfect holiday is merely a matter of spending time with loved ones, and is not based on whether we have all the traditional Thanksgiving 'fixings'. This movie is timeless, and is especially fitting during the current economic climate.

6. Hope Floats - After Birdie survives the traumatic public airing of her marital failure, she decides to take her son and move back into her mother's house. Living with her mother brings up many issues from the past, along with a large dose of stress. Initially, Birdie experiences depression, and has difficulty coping with her new life, however, in going back to her beginnings, she finds herself, and happiness. Hope Floats teaches us that regardless of what we've been through, we can make positive changes in our lives, and find happiness.

7. The Family Man - Nicholas Cage plays a single, financially successful businessman, who thinks he is satisfied with his life. Suddenly, he wakes up in a totally different life, one he may have had, if he had made different choices when he was younger. He has difficulty understanding what has happened, and is unhappy with his 'new life'. This movie enables the watcher to think about life, the choices we make, the effects those choices have on our lives, and gives a greater appreciation for the people in our lives.

8. Planes, Trains and Automobiles - This movie is about the relationship that develops between two strangers when one is trying to get home for Thanksgiving, after their flight is diverted. The two appear to be incompatible, one being easy going, and the other being straight-laced and rigid. This movie shows that we make assumptions when dealing with others, and those assumptions are sometimes way off base. This comedy has stood the test of time, and in addition to being very entertaining, it teaches a great lesson about how kindness and compassion can change not only the lives of others, but also our own lives.

9. Uncle Buck - This is another movie with John Candy (also in Planes, Trains and Automobiles). He plays a single man with a long-term girlfriend, who has no experience with children. Due to a family illness, he ends up babysitting for his brother and sister-in-law's children, when they have to leave town to visit his sister-in-law's father, who has had a heart attack. Because of what his brother and siter-in-law consider his immaturity and irresponsible lifestyle, Buck is their last resort as a babysitter, but they have no other options. While babysitting the children, Buck gains maturity by having to function as an adult. He is able to break through his oldest niece's adolescent angst, which improves her relationship with her parents, when they return, and brings Buck closer to his brother and sister-in-law. This is a good family and holiday movie, because it covers estranged adult siblings who don't really know or respect one another, but who pull together when the chips are down. What this movie can teach us is that everyone has value, and sometimes we need to look beneath the surface to find it.

10. Raising Helen - Helen is a single female, living a fast lifestyle in the city. She is the fun aunt, who has no responsibility other than her job and apartment, and spends her time partying. She enjoys her life, but everything changes when her sister and brother-in-law die suddenly. To the surprise of Helen, her other sister, and the children of the couple who died, the children are left in Helen's care. Helen quickly learns that her life will have to change drastically, if she is to honor her deceased sister's wishes, and raise her children. This is a learning experience for Helen, and the movie addresses the struggles among the children, among the children and Helen, and also the relationship between Helen and her surviving sister. The lessons that make this a good holiday movie, is that life is short, and we have to learn to deal with changing circumstances, as well as the importance of family members loving and supporting one another.

Source: Personal Video Library