Pieces of April (2003) - "Pieces of April" is one of the best Thanksgiving movie of the bunch. Part comedy, part drama, this indie flick stars Katie Holmes, Patricia Clark, Oliver Platt & Alison Pill. April (Holmes) is the older, rebellious daughter of a highly dysfunctional family, and she's never gotten along with her cancer-stricken mother (Clark). She decides to have Thanksgiving in her apartment on the lower east side of Manhattan. Of course, her stove breaks among other obstacles. It's a quick moving film that has a satisfying ending.
Addams Family Values (1993) - The movie is set during the summer, but one of the best moments of the film comes when the summer camp that Wednesday (Christina Ricci) & Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) were sent to. They are forced to act in a play about the first Thanksgiving. Wednesday doesn't take this lightly, and concocts a devious plan to turn the production upside down, as her and her fellow misfits acting as Native Americans burn the pilgrim village to the ground and take back their land. Joan Cusack also delivers an outstanding performance as the villain you just can't help but laugh with, Debbie.
Tower Heist (2011) - Well you can tell from the title that the film includes a heist. The people who work in a high-rise apartment building find out a wealthy tenant was operating a ponzi scheme and their money is gone. They decide to break into his apartment during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since that is when his hearing is. The comedy stars Ben Stiller, Casey Affleck, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Alan Alda, Gabourey Sidibe, & Tea Leoni.
The Ice Storm (1997) - Set across Thanksgiving weekend of 1973, 'The Ice Storm' is a drama that takes a look at life in the affluent suburbs of New York City, taking a look at the political climate as well as the sexual revolution of the early 1970s. Yes, that means a Key Party. It all happens during a pretty nasty ice storm (which, is what much of the country may experience this year). It features Christina Ricci (Queen of 90s movies), Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen, Kevin Kline, Tobey Maguire, Elijah Wood, Allison Janney & Katie Holmes. Holmes was also in the Thanksgiving themed bomb 'Jack & Jill' in 2011, making that 3 Thanksgiving set films.
Home For The Holidays (1995) - Jodie Foster directed this film that deals with a woman who was just fired from her job that decides to spend Thanksgiving at her parents. Its a Dramedy in the same vein as "Pieces of April", while also packing quite the cast that features Claire Danes, Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Charles Dunning, Anne Bancroft, Steve Guttenberg & Dylan McDermott.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) - This comedy classic directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin & John Candy tackles Holiday travel as Neal Page (Martin) trying to get home to his family in Chicago for Thanksgiving, which is complicated by a run-in with Gel Griffith (Candy).
And don't forget these favorites: 'Grumpy Old Men', 'Hannah & Her Sisters', 'Alice's Restaurant', 'Funny People', and 'The House of Yes'.
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