The Queen of Hearts

Best Thanksgiving movies

For me, Thanksgiving is all about getting stuffed (first the turkey, and then me FROM the turkey). Combine this with copious amounts of alcohol, some good online poker and lots of movie favorites, and you have my perfect Thanksgiving Day.

Here’s some Thanksgiving-themed movies to get you in the spirit…

1) “Home for the Holidays”
If you think you've got family issues, then "Home for the Holidays" is exactly the sort of movie you should be able to relate to. Jodie Foster directs Holly Hunter in this biting comedy, which also stars Dylan McDermot, Robert Downey Jr., and Anne Bancroft. Gay marriage, sex with a much older boss, a teen daughter who may be losing her virginity over Thanksgiving, and a bizarre aunt who's in love with her sister's husband - "Home for the Holidays" has a little something for everyone.

2) “Pieces of April”
Katie Holmes transitions from teen characters to a young woman on her own in "Pieces of April," the directorial debut of Peter Hedges. As April, Holmes wants to create the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for her estranged mother and the rest of her family. But with an oven that doesn't work, and a boyfriend who's jumped by thugs, April's perfect day seems to be turning out to be everything she hoped it wouldn't become.

3) “Planes, Trains, & Automobiles”
This 1987 comedy stars Steve Martin and John Candy and is one of those movies that should be checked out at least once a year. Neal (Martin) just wants to make it home in time to spend the holidays with his family. With weather and the transportation system conspiring to keep him from reaching his loved ones, Neal finds himself stuck with a hyper-talkative shower curtain ring salesman (Candy).

4) “The Ice Storm”
Simply an amazing film from director Ang Lee (I believe it's his best work to date), "The Ice Storm" is the tragic tale of middle class couples dealing with relationship problems and sexual infidelities. Definitely not for viewing when you're looking for lighter fare, "The Ice Storm" is a deeply moving, insightful look at middle America in the 1970s.

5) “The Myth of Fingerprints”
Bart Freundlich directs Julianne Moore, Michael Vartan, Noah Wyle, Hope Davis, and Roy Scheider in this 1997 family drama. "The Myth of Fingerprints" follows four siblings who return to their parents' home for Thanksgiving weekend, knowing the time spent in each other's company is going to be brutally harsh.

6) “Hannah and her Sisters”
Woody Allen's 1986 drama about three sisters is one of his very best. The film's set piece is Thanksgiving, where Hannah's (Mia Farrow) clan gathers together in a tremendous Central Park West apartment for the holiday celebration. The black maid polishes the silver, Mia's mother drinks too much and plays the piano, hearts are broken and mended in startling ways. Barbara Hershey, Michael Caine, Diane Wiest, Carrie Fisher, and Woody Allen also star.

7) “The House of Yes”
Indie film's first reigning queen Parker Posey won a Special Recognition award at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival for her all-out eccentric performance as Jackie-O. Mentally deranged but charming in her pill box hats, Parker flies into a menacing jealous rage when her adored older brother (Josh Hamilton) brings home a girlfriend (Tori Spelling) for Thanksgiving.

8) “Mighty Joe Young”
What has this got to do with Thanksgiving? Nothing, except for the fact that Ernest B. Schoedsack 1949 classic film about a beautiful young woman (Terry Moore) and her beloved ape used to play every year on turkey day, and the two are forever linked in my mind. The film was remade in 1998 with Charlize Theron, but it's essential you view the original.

9) “Miracle on 34th Street”
What is Thanksgiving for, if not to get hyped up about the coming of Christmas? Nowhere is that more joyously clear than in the 1947 classic "Miracle on 34th Street," starring Mareen O'Hara, John Payne and the super adorable, six-year-old Natalie Wood. The film starts at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade and heads straight into the venerable department store. Let the shopping begin!

Source:
Worldfilm.com
About.com

posted by Queen of Hearts @ 05:11