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By Jody Ellis

When one thinks of holiday movies, the first thing that springs to mind is most likely Christmas. With new releases every year at both the box office and on streaming services, as well as all those classic favorites we know and love, there’s no shortage of Christmas movies to add to your watch list.

But amid all that Yuletide cheer, other major holidays such as Thanksgiving shouldn’t be forgotten—and there are quite a few movies that align with “Turkey Day,” many of which can be an enjoyable addition to seasonal traditions.

Stacker looked at data from IMDb to rank the highest-rated Thanksgiving films of all time as of November 2023. To determine which movies would qualify, Stacker surveyed the history of film, comprehensive film databases, and legitimate editorial compilations of Thanksgiving movies.

Only feature films were considered (sorry, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”), and each film had to have at least 2,500 IMDb user votes. Films are ranked by IMDb user ratings, with ties broken by the number of IMDb user votes.

It is important to recognize that genre is meant to help describe and communicate the vibe of a film, not to serve as a limiting factor on what films can and cannot be. There are no hard-and-fast rules that define a Thanksgiving movie, and leaning into more open interpretations of what fits in certain fringe genres is the best practice for developing a pool of films that represent all possible expressions of a particular subgenre. As a result, any movie that takes place over Thanksgiving or involves significant Thanksgiving scenes was taken into consideration to be part of this “best of” list.

Keep reading to see if any of your favorite Thanksgiving-themed films made the list.

#15. The War at Home (1996)

– Director: Emilio Estevez
– IMDb user rating: 6.9
– Metascore: data not available
– Runtime: 123 minutes

When a Vietnam war hero named Jeremy comes home, he finds it difficult to return to his family and a “normal” small-town life. Played by Emilio Estevez, who also directed the film, Jeremy deals with PTSD and long-held resentment toward his father (Martin Sheen, Estevez’s real-life father) for not helping him evade the draft. It culminates at Thanksgiving dinner when Jeremy appears in his uniform and ends up pulling a gun on his father in anger. Playing off themes of estrangement during the Vietnam War era, the movie also focuses on the similarities between family conflict and the struggles of war.

#14. One True Thing (1998)

– Director: Carl Franklin
– IMDb user rating: 6.9
– Metascore: 63
– Runtime: 127 minutes

Based on the novel by Anna Quindlen, and loosely based on her own life experiences, “One True Thing” is a movie about a young woman (played by Renée Zellweger) who comes home to care for her terminally ill mother, all while trying to navigate their fractured relationship during what will be their last Thanksgiving and Christmas together. Meryl Streep, who plays Zellweger’s mother, was nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for her role in the film.

#13. The Daytrippers (1996)

– Director: Greg Mottola
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Metascore: 73
– Runtime: 87 minutes

The day after Thanksgiving, a woman named Eliza (Hope Davis) finds what she thinks is a love note to her husband while cleaning her house. She shows it to her mother, setting off a crazy chain of events in which her entire family decides to drive to New York to confront the husband and find out the truth. Along the way, they discover some equally surprising truths about their relationships with each other and meet some interesting characters during their hunt for Eliza’s husband.

#12. Pieces of April (2003)

– Director: Peter Hedges
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Metascore: 70
– Runtime: 80 minutes

Katie Holmes shows off her acting chops in this funny and charming offbeat movie about a young woman trying to make her first Thanksgiving dinner for her estranged family, as they all deal with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. Holmes’ hard-edged character earnestly tries to prepare a turkey, seeking out her less-than-enthusiastic neighbors for help when her oven quits working. While the meal doesn’t go exactly as planned, the family all ends up around the table together, finding a thread of connection despite their differences.

#11. Grumpy Old Men (1993)

– Director: Donald Petrie
– IMDb user rating: 7.0
– Metascore: 53
– Runtime: 103 minutes

Acting greats Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau shine in this holiday comedy about feuding friends who both become romantically interested in their new neighbor, played by Ann-Margret. Things only get worse when their love interest spends Thanksgiving with another man, and the other two men take rivalry to new heights as they try to impress the neighbor. The movie was a surprise hit, earning more than $70 million, and generated a sequel, “Grumpier Old Men,” in 1995.

#10. Krisha (2015)

– Director: Trey Edward Shults
– IMDb user rating: 7.1
– Metascore: 86
– Runtime: 83 minutes

Starring writer-director Trey Edward Shults’ real-life aunt, Krisha Fairchild, “Krisha” is the story of a woman struggling with addiction, who attempts to reconnect with her family by preparing Thanksgiving dinner for them. The movie was adapted from a short film Shults also wrote and directed, and debuted in 2015 at the South by Southwest Film Festival. For the film, Shults received various awards recognizing his achievement as a first-time feature director.

#9. The Big Chill (1983)

– Director: Lawrence Kasdan
– IMDb user rating: 7.1
– Metascore: 61
– Runtime: 105 minutes

When an old friend dies by suicide, a group of former college pals gathers over Thanksgiving weekend to reminisce about their younger years and who they have become. While the story centers around the death of a loved one, it is also a heartwarming reminder about how sometimes the family we have is the one we create. The film was nominated for three Oscars—Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Glenn Close, and Best Original Screenplay—and won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in 1983.

#8. Avalon (1990)

– Director: Barry Levinson
– IMDb user rating: 7.2
– Metascore: 68
– Runtime: 128 minutes

The third in a series of semi-autobiographical films by director Barry Levinson, “Avalon” explores a Jewish family’s integration into American culture. The family can’t seem to connect, which culminates on Thanksgiving when their Uncle Gabriel (played by Lou Jacobi) arrives late for dinner to find they’ve started without him. His outrage (“You cut the turkey without me?”) leads to more drama, estrangement, and loss. “Avalon” was critically acclaimed and was nominated for Oscars in four categories, including Best Original Screenplay.

#7. Nobody’s Fool (1994)

– Director: Robert Benton
– IMDb user rating: 7.3
– Metascore: 86
– Runtime: 110 minutes

Paul Newman plays an aging hustler living in a small town who tries to navigate love and relationships as he comes to terms with where his life has ended up. The movie takes place over the holidays, starting with Thanksgiving, and highlights the loneliness of both Newman’s character and those around him. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Newman’s performance.

#6. The Ice Storm (1997)

– Director: Ang Lee
– IMDb user rating: 7.3
– Metascore: 72
– Runtime: 112 minutes

Set in 1973 during Thanksgiving weekend, “The Ice Storm” tells of two disconnected families that become enmeshed in sexual experimentation and drug use, all of which ultimately lead to tragedy. Starring Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Christina Ricci, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, and Elijah Wood, the movie was nominated for several awards, and Weaver won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress.

#5. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

– Director: John Hughes
– IMDb user rating: 7.6
– Metascore: 72
– Runtime: 93 minutes

Probably one of the most well-known Thanksgiving movies to date, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” takes Steve Martin and John Candy on a wild comedic ride as Martin’s character tries to get home for Thanksgiving, while Candy’s well-intentioned attempts to help bring nothing but disaster. The film marked director John Hughes’ first attempt at making a movie geared more toward adults than the teen movies he was known for, and while it wasn’t a huge commercial success, it has remained a holiday classic.

#4. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

– Director: Woody Allen
– IMDb user rating: 7.8
– Metascore: 90
– Runtime: 107 minutes

This Woody Allen movie follows a family over two years, starting and ending with Thanksgiving dinner. While Hannah (Mia Farrow) deals with her husband’s infatuation with her sister, Lee (Barbara Hershey), the third sister, Holly (Dianne Wiest), repeatedly fails at every career she tries. Upon release in February 1986, the film became one of Allen’s biggest box office hits, grossing more than $35 million worldwide.

#3. Scent of a Woman (1992)

– Director: Martin Brest
– IMDb user rating: 8.0
– Metascore: 59
– Runtime: 156 minutes

When student Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell) takes a job over Thanksgiving weekend to help care for a woman’s blind uncle (Al Pacino), he finds it to be a much bigger task than he had imagined. Pacino’s portrayal of retired Army ranger Frank Slade garnered major accolades, including his first Oscar for Best Actor.

#2. The Last Waltz (1978)

– Director: Martin Scorsese
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Metascore: 87
– Runtime: 117 minutes

Directed by Martin Scorsese, “The Last Waltz” is a documentary about a farewell concert the musical group The Band performed on Thanksgiving Day in 1976. Playing live songs interspersed with interviews and studio segments, it features many big-name artists, such as Eric Clapton and Neil Diamond. The film is considered by many to be one of the best concert movies of all time.

#1. Rocky (1976)

– Director: John G. Avildsen
– IMDb user rating: 8.1
– Metascore: 70
– Runtime: 120 minutes

While “Rocky” might not be considered a quintessential Thanksgiving tale, the conflict that takes place at the Thanksgiving table during the film is a reminder of the difficulties of family gatherings. When Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) attends Thanksgiving dinner at his girlfriend Adrian’s house, she and her brother get into an argument that leads to the turkey being thrown outside. Rocky and Adrian (Talia Shire) leave and go ice skating as their romance blooms.

Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.

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