Courtesy of IMDb
By Aubrey Carr
This past week, The Crow’s Nest office got into quite a debate about the existence of Thanksgiving movies. I was firmly team “of course there’s Thanksgiving movies.” Unfortunately, it was a solo team.
I was alone in my belief of an abundance of fall-centered movies. It was a lonely pursuit, but I sought out to collect the greatest Thanksgiving movies together as proof of their existence.
Admittedly, this task was a bit harder than I expected. Sure, there were plenty of movies to choose from, but finding ones that weren’t awful was difficult. There was also the added challenge that a good portion of these films were just slightly too risqué to include in a school newspaper.
Even still, I managed to gather up a good docket of proof for my case and provide a guide of my favorite movies for you to watch on Thanksgiving.
“Addams Family Values”
This was the first movie I thought of when considering this list and I am not being ironic when I say I believe this to be one of the greatest movies ever made. Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) Addams are sent to a scarily chipper summer camp under the false belief that the siblings are looking to ditch their family’s gloomy aesthetics. While there, the pair are forced to perform a historically inaccurate reenactment of the first Thanksgiving. Being an Addams at heart, Wednesday makes sure to show off the true Thanksgiving, in all its gory details.
I sincerely hope that this will be a rewatch for most, but if you are one of the (hopefully) few who have never had the pleasure to see “Adam’s Family Values,” stop reading and go watch it. Right now.
“Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”
Not technically a movie, but a 25-minute holiday special, “Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” is by far the most lighthearted and family friendly feature on this list. Follow the Peanuts gang as they share their Thanksgiving traditions, learn about the first Thanksgiving and prepare a holiday feast. I’m sure your parents forced you to watch this at least once as a child, but rewatching as an adult can be a happy escape from what can be a very stressful day.
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
Okay, so, technically this film has absolutely nothing to do with Thanksgiving, but hear me out. Maybe it’s the brown and orange color scheme, or maybe it’s the general themes of gratitude and gluttony (each in equal measures), but something about the movie screams Fall. The movie is a beautifully stop-motion tale of a burglar-turned-family-man (or, family-fox) and his subsequent midlife crisis after giving up his old life of crime. It’s whimsical, funny and wonderfully crafted.
“Krisha”
Set during a turbulent Thanksgiving dinner, “Krisha” follows the titular character (Krisha Farichild), a recovering addict trying to make amends with long lost family. It’s an upsetting movie, showing the harsh realities of addiction and the impact it has on the sufferer and their family. Probably not the choice if you are looking for a feel-good film, but if you’re in search of a somber drama, this is the movie for you.
“The Humans”
Marketed as a psychological thriller, “The Humans’” quaint setting is where the film shines. Taking place almost entirely around a Thanksgiving dinner table, the movie has a nuanced plot of a distant family reconnecting for the holidays. What starts out as a heartfelt tale of relatives coming together shifts to the macabre as the family begins to recall the dark secrets that kept each member apart.
