The Thanksgiving season is fast approaching, which means the turkeys are on the way, the mashed potatoes and corn are soon to be made, and the stuffing should be…stuffed! The wonderful Thanksgiving food also creates a bit of drowsiness when the tryptophan, a chemical found in turkey that makes those who had just eaten the turkey a bit tired, finally kicks in.
So, there are a few Thanksgiving movies and other food-related movies including some delicious meals to check out. This season, there’s so much to be thankful for!
'Soul Food'
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While this film does not directly relate to the holiday of Thanksgiving, there is a strong similarity between the sentiments of both the film and the turkey-centered holiday. Soul Food centers around a family and their health-related problems. When a diabetic matriarch falls into a coma during an operation to amputate her leg, the family is thrown into a fit of chaos.
With her looming absence from familial traditions, they all must work together to keep the tradition of Sunday family dinners strong. While this film is not about Thanksgiving, Soul Food most definitely will stir up some hunger with all the good food being eaten on-screen.
'Home for the Holidays'
Home for the Holidays is a Thanksgiving film that could bring a bit of rom-com to the holiday season. In Home for the Holidays, a single woman finds out her teenage daughter has other plans for the Thanksgiving holiday. So, she sets out to her hometown and decides to spend Thanksgiving with her dysfunctional family.
This movie is absolutely hilarious and has an all-star ensemble cast. Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., and Anne Bancroft lead the film, and they are absolutely wonderful.
'What’s Cooking?'
What’s Cooking? Is a hilarious Thanksgiving comedy film that everyone should try watching this holiday season. What’s Cooking? Follows four ethnically diverse families as they all gather for their traditional Thanksgiving meal. Each family has its quirks and cute holiday moments, its nasty and nerve-racking issues, and of course the meals!
This movie is genuinely a goofball of a holiday film. For any comedy geeks and those looking for a good laugh after the big meal, What’s Cooking? Is one of the best choices.
'Julie & Julia'
Julie and Julia is a biopic about the life of famous chef Julia Child in the early years of her life and of a young New Yorker named Julie Powell who wants to cook all 524 recipes in Child’s cookbook within 1 year. The movie also stars Meryl Streep as Julia Child and a screenplay based on Child’s books.
The film is also not directly related to Thanksgiving but has a ton of food-related moments that should be enough to get anyone craving for a big Thanksgiving meal.
'Fantastic Mr. Fox'
The Wes Anderson-led film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, is based on a children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. This film was not originally intended to be a Thanksgiving movie, but it has become a cultural staple for Thanksgiving because of the plotlines—feasting upon glorious food, the well-known family arguments, and the Fall aesthetic.
Fantastic Mr. Fox follows the titular character Mr. Fox as he deals with the consequences of his kleptomaniacal actions.
'The Oath'
The Oath is a dark comedy film surrounding a divided family during the Thanksgiving Holiday. That sounds about right! The film follows a family that gathers together for Thanksgiving dinner after the U.S. government asks every citizen to sign a loyalty pledge swearing allegiance by the day after Thanksgiving.
As political views clash and arguments arise, this comedy film seems to be a little closer to reality than anticipated.
'Instant Family'
Instant Family is another comedy that is not directly related to Thanksgiving but there are scenes including the topic of Thanksgiving and all the food that goes along with it.
The film follows two parents who adopt three siblings. As they jump from no children to three, they quickly realize that they are in under their heads. There is a famous Thanksgiving scene including a “word fight” that is absolutely hilarious.
'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'
Perhaps one of the most famous Thanksgiving movies, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, is an absolute must-watch on the Turkey Day. The film, based on the Peanuts comics, follows Charlie Brown as he tries to put together the annual Thanksgiving dinner with his friends.
As usual, the antics ensue and some adorable cartoon characters create a ruckus before the big meal. The big meal is one of the best parts of the film, showing a variety of foods that are sure to make anyone hungry.
'Free Birds'
While many of the other movies show the food after they are dead and are to be eaten, Free Birds has a different perspective: the food that decides they do not want to be eaten. Free Birds follows two turkeys who travel back in time to prevent their kind from being eaten at the first-ever Thanksgiving.
This film is perfect for the little ones, and is so fun to watch—but maybe not right before eating the big meal.