WatchMojo's 2024 Top 10 Movie Recommendations for Thanksgiving

While not explicitly a Thanksgiving movie (it’s set at a family patriarch’s 85th birthday), “Knives Out” captures the exquisite fall vibes that make the holiday special. Think about it — you’ve got a tense, awkward family reunion, Chris Evans’ iconic cable-knit sweater, and a murder most foul. Okay, hopefully your Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t contain that last part, but it’s definitely what gives “Knives Out” its nail-biting atmosphere! Released over Thanksgiving weekend in 2019, the film was a colossal hit, making over $300 million on its $40 million budget. And hey, it’s a murder mystery but it’s rated PG-13, so no awkward nude scenes to watch with your parents!

Spike Lee’s directorial debut immediately let audiences know what the budding, often incendiary filmmaker would have in store. “She’s Gotta Have It,” a romantic comedy as only future Oscar winner Lee could do it, follows the dating misadventures of Nola Darling, a Brooklyn-based graphic artist. In one highly memorable scene, Nola invites her “Top 3” male suitors to an intensely awkward, increasingly heated Thanksgiving dinner at which she intends to compare them, ranking them in terms of dating potential. So… basically just as awkward as any other Thanksgiving dinner? Even if the scene is deeply cringeworthy, be sure to watch out for Lee’s hilarious performance as the iconic Mars Blackmon.

Admittedly, “Thanksgiving slasher movie based on a fake trailer” doesn’t sound like the most promising concept. Your concerns may be eased when you learn that “Thanksgiving” was directed by horror mainstay Eli Roth, who elevates what could easily have been B-movie material with his quirky, over-the-top sensibilities. An inspired send-up of slasher movies that serves as a tongue-in-cheek love letter to the genre, “Thanksgiving” focuses on a group of teens in small-town Massachusetts being terrorized by a killer who, rather fittingly, wears a John Carver mask. For context, Carver was a British Pilgrim who came to America on the fateful Mayflower voyage. Thanks for the history lesson, Eli!

If you’re tired of sickly sweet Thanksgiving sentimentality, we’d recommend firing up the Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy action comedy “Tower Heist.” No feasts or fireplaces to be found here: instead, you’ve got a group of disgruntled apartment complex employees aiming to take revenge on a disgraced billionaire. With a plot that still feels fresh today, hilarious interplay between its cast members, and old-school “Ocean’s 11”-esque thrills, “Tower Heist” earns its “turkey movie” title by taking place during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. A box office bomb at the time of its release, you can play a part in giving “Tower Heist” its well-deserved cult status this Thanksgiving.

Director Woody Allen’s controversial personal life aside, “Hannah and Her Sisters” is a funny, bittersweet, heartbreaking, uplifting dramedy that endures. Allen’s film features a star-studded ensemble cast that includes such legends of the screen as Michael Caine, Mia Farrow, Carrie Fisher, Dianne Wiest, and more still. Bookended by Thanksgiving dinners, the holiday serves as the story’s frame, planting the seeds of conflict that the movie brings to light in Allen’s characteristically tightly-wound manner. At one point the director’s highest-grossing project, “Hannah and Her Sisters” won Allen his second Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, while also winning Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Caine and Wiest’s performances, respectively.

Looking to add a pinch of goth seasoning to your Thanksgiving meal? Look no further than director Barry Sonnenfeld’s wildly inspired sequel to his 1991 “Addams Family” film adaptation. The vanishingly rare sequel that accomplishes the remarkable feat of surpassing its predecessor, “Values” lands a spot on our list for its… unique take on Thanksgiving. In the film, Christina Ricci’s devious, rebellious Wednesday Addams leads the charge against the snooty bullies at Camp Chippewa. In doing so, we get a surprisingly progressive deconstruction of Thanksgiving as a whole. As Eater’s Esra Erol wrote, the film serves as “a reminder that America’s first Thanksgiving isn’t really the heartfelt celebration our textbooks and children’s books made it out to seem.”

Hoo-wah! It’s easy to forget that the film that finally won Al Pacino an Oscar is a stealth Thanksgiving movie. That’s right — despite being released at Christmas Time 1992, the events of “Scent of a Woman” take place over Thanksgiving weekend. Prep school student Charlie (played by Chris O’Donnell) takes on a job babysitting a curmudgeonly, alcoholic Vietnam War vet (Pacino)... and almost immediately gets way more than he bargained for. While it’s served with a hearty helping of ‘90s cheese, it’s undeniable that “Scent of a Woman” is just as stirring and heartfelt as you remember it, and may even be worth watching for Pacino alone.

Move over, “Die Hard”... there’s a new holiday movie in town for people to argue over whether or not it’s actually a holiday movie. Hear us out — Sam Raimi’s superhero classic not only features a pivotal scene set at a Thanksgiving dinner, but features the hilariously named “World Unity Festival,” clearly intended to allude to the iconic Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. That is, without stepping on any toes (*cough* copyright infringement *cough*). See? Even “Die Hard” didn’t have that much actual Christmas stuff in it! Having said all of that, “Spider-Man” is a certified crowd-pleaser, featuring enough thrills, chills, and webbed spills for the whole family.

Beloved writer-director Nora Ephron had a unique gift for making her romantic comedies feel warm, lush, lived-in, and above all, real. That gift is no more apparent than in “You’ve Got Mail,” which, in a stroke of genius, reunited “Sleepless in Seattle” stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The pair’s chemistry radiates off of the screen like a Thanksgiving roast (okay, sorry, we had to). In all seriousness, “You’ve Got Mail” may not be exclusively a Thanksgiving movie, but it exemplifies all of the best qualities that the holiday has to offer. And, since it’s Nora Ephron we’re talking about, be sure to take a second to enjoy the film’s depiction of autumn in New York City. Aahhh…

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Arlo Guthrie, Son of Woody, Stars as Himself in This Comedy Based on His Own Song

Martin Scorsese’s Legendary Concert Film Features the Band Playing On Thanksgiving 1976

A Sweet, Well-Acted Palate Cleanser, Directed by Oscar Winner Jodie Foster

Patricia Clarkson Was Oscar-Nominated For Her Role In This Emotional Dramedy

This Underrated Christopher Guest Picture Brilliantly Skewers Hollywood Culture

Yeah, you probably saw this one coming. But can you blame us? Possibly writer-director John Hughes’ finest comedic hour (excluding semi-dramatic fare like “The Breakfast Club”), “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” benefits tremendously from its superbly-matched leads, played by comedians Steve Martin and John Candy in career-defining roles. In case you haven’t seen this classic of Thanksgiving cinema, uptight Chicago ad executive Neal desperately attempts to return home from New York to spend the holiday with his family. His efforts are upended at every turn by his new friend Del, a sweet but obnoxious and overeager salesman. “Planes” holds up to this day… mostly due to the secondhand relief you’ll feel at not being the guys in this movie.