Whether you’re heading home for Thanksgiving or camping out with friends, you’ll probably spend at least a couple of hours looking for the perfect movie (or movies!) to kindle the holiday spirit. To be sure, the brilliance of classics like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Miracle on 34th Street, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles should never be understated, but it can sometimes feel like you’re stuck in a vortex of films you’ve seen before.
Fear not, however! We’ve gone through the vast selection of movies available to watch on the web and on your TV and created a list of slightly more offbeat movies set on, around, or at the very least around the idea of Thanksgiving. So, as you look ahead to a long weekend of eating and drinking next month, browse our favorite unconventional Thanksgiving movies below.
The Humans (2021)
Adapted from director Stephen Karam’s own Tony-winning play, The Humans—about a family assembled in a leaking, creaking Lower Manhattan apartment for Thanksgiving dinner—features a winning ensemble cast, including Amy Schumer, Beanie Feldstein, Steven Yeun, and June Squibb. Come November, its sobering drama (and touching humor) may well be just what the doctor ordered.
How to watch: Stream on Apple TV, Prime Video, or YouTube.