Thanksgiving is all about family togetherness, lots of delicious food, and fun with friends. But for many, it’s incomplete without cinematic bingeing. To lift your holiday spirit of gratitude and love and double your enjoyment, here are some best Thanksgiving movies for kids and adults.
These are hallmark thanksgiving movies that the whole family can watch together on Turkey Day and create some really good moments. I have added old classics as well as modern favorites along with IMDb ratings so that you can pick up the best movie and settle down with a warm beverage after a long day of baking and feasting.
(P.S. Some of the movies are not really based on Thanksgiving but are a perfect holiday treat!)
Let’s get started!
Best Thanksgiving Movies For Children
1. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
This 1973 animated movie is a true classic that teaches us the true meaning of thanksgiving. Kids will surely love the character of Charlie Brown, who tries hard to prepare a Thanksgiving meal, but nothing goes as planned.
Check out what he and his beloved Peanuts gang come up with. Besides the holiday feast, football and amazing conversation among the Peanuts will keep kids hooked to the couch till the end. This movie is one of the best thanksgiving movies for kids for decades!
2. The Sound of Music (1965)
In many families with kids, it has become a tradition to watch this American musical drama that has earned five Oscars. It’s all about a widowed naval officer and his seven children, who are taken care of by Maria, an aspiring nun. Top-rate music, breath-taking scenery, and an amazing plot with humor and drama will hit you just where it needs to. One of the memorable kids thanksgiving movies in my opinion!
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3. Free Birds (2013)
Another popular animated comedy, perfect to calm down your little kids creating havoc in your house post-turkey. Two time-traveling turkeys learn to put aside their differences and try to head back to the first Thanksgiving feast to change the course of history. Check out to know and imagine how things can be when they get Turkeys off the Thanksgiving menu for good. Free Birds is one of the best thanksgiving movies on Netflix
4. The Blind Side (2009)
A must-watch movie for kids who love sports. A homeless and traumatized 17-year-old boy is taken in by a wealthy Tennessee woman. Life changes for both when he becomes an all-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick. It’s heart-touching and leaves everyone with the feeling of gratitude for being gifted with a family and friends.
5. Little Women (2019)
Although it’s not exactly a Thanksgiving movie, there are a lot of around-the-table scenes, which makes Little Women (2019) an instant holiday classic. This movie is all about the March sisters, Amy, Jo, Beth, and Meg, and their journey set in 19th-century Massachusetts. This is the best Thanksgiving movie for families with kids.
6. Ratatouille (2007)
This movie is all about the adventures of an ambitious chef (who is a rat) in Paris. Beautiful animation, fantastic characters, and vividly imagined world makes Ratatouille one of the best family thanksgiving movies.
7. Garfield’s Thanksgiving (1989)
Chaos ensues as Garfield – an animated cat attempts to cook Thanksgiving dinner after learning from his vet that he’s overweight and needs to eat only a low-fat, low-carb diet. It’s fun to watch how food-loving Garfield handles this crisis on his favorite feast day of the year. Kids are sure to love this comic strip!
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Best Thanksgiving Movies For Adults
8. A Family Thanksgiving (2010)
Do you often wonder how your life would’ve turned out if only you had made different choices? Then this Hallmark drama movie is a must-watch for you! Learn about the joy of living a balanced life this Thanksgiving. Rated as one of the top family thanksgiving movies! Do you know what you are missing in life right now or what really matters at the end of the day? This movie may give you some answers, you never know!
9. Home for the Holidays (1995)
A feel-good movie for people belonging to dysfunctional families. It’s very exciting to see how a family get together turns very chaotic, and secrets come out. But, in the end, our protagonist Claudia Larson gains a new outlook on things. This is my mother’s all-time favorite among family thanksgiving movies!
10. The Big Chill (1983)
For all those who are experiencing the coming-home-for-the-holidays feel, The Big Chill is sure to be on the list of family Thanksgiving movies. A group of college friends meets at a South Carolina vacation home after a long time again after the death of another of their college buddies.
11. Pieces of April (2003)
Quirky and rebellious April Burns hosts her family for Thanksgiving at the apartment where she lives with her boyfriend. But, she is an inexperienced cook and has never shared a happy bonding with her mother. And she notices that her oven is broken, which adds to the pressure. Genuine sweetness, endearing performances, and playful humor make this movie a touching holiday treat.
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12. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Extremely touching and funny, this American comedy-drama is all about the time between two Thanksgivings. Hannah finds out about her husband’s secret affair with her sister Lee, while Lee’s ex-husband is dating her third sister, Holly. Watch how we make our lives complicated searching for love.
13. Queen of Katwe (2016)
A Ugandan girl Phiona sees her world rapidly change after being introduced to the game of chess by Robert Katende. She becomes the top player that helps her escape the life of poverty. A compelling movie that will keep you hooked till the end.
For me, this movie is the best ever with lots of emotions and authenticity and no scope of nonsense. Queen of Katwe is one of the must-watch Thanksgiving movies for kids and adults who love Chess!
14. What’s Cooking? (2000)
The family thanksgiving movies list is incomplete without “What’s cooking?” Four different families (Latino, Asian/Vietnamese, African, and Jewish) all with different problems in real life gather together for Thanksgiving dinner.
As the different dinners progress, hidden agendas and the truth starts coming out. The movie also includes irreversible kitchen mishaps. This movie gives that warm family feeling that people get around holidays.
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15. Sweet November (2001)
A wonderful romantic movie to kick off the holiday season. A high-powered executive starts a new relationship with a free-spirited woman for a short period. This turns out to be a life-altering romance for the man. The movie is sure to make you love, smile, laugh, and be emotional.
16. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
This movie is perfect for spending this Thanksgiving with your partner. It tells the story of two people in an online romance who are unaware they are also business rivals
17. Scent Of A Woman (1992)
This movie follows a young college student who goes to earn money by looking after a knowledgeable blind war veteran. But the job is not at all what he anticipated.
18. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
The story takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas in New York City. It focuses on the life of a department store Santa Claus who claims to be the real Santa.
These were some of the 15+ best Thanksgiving movies for kids and adults to watch and enjoy after the big meal. Which one is your favorite? Drop a comment below.
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Have a happy Thanksgiving!
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