Shubhabrata Dutta
Thanksgiving is one of those occasions where we celebrate togetherness with our near and dear ones. Being thankful for all that we have received the past year, including the blessings, we get to express that joy most piously while feasting on good food. While food plays an important role, it is always fun to spend time watching a movie, especially when it is a full house, isn’t it? Well, keeping that in mind, we bring you ten great movies available on HBO Max that you can watch and add to the Thanksgiving vibe. Each of these movies, in some way, explores a family dynamic, which is what the occasion is all about. Be it sadness or happiness, having a family helps cope with the former while adding to the latter.
9. The Daytrippers (1996)
It’s a family affair, or at least it seems so for Eliza (Hope Davis), who arrives in New York with her family to find out whether her husband Louis (Stanley Tucci) is having an affair because she found a love letter at home in Long Island. Following a dysfunctional family that comprises Eiza’s mother (Anne Meara), sister (Parker Posey), and sister’s boyfriend (Liev Schreiber) in the city that never sleeps, ‘The Daytrippers’ is an entertaining family drama worthy of a watch on Thanksgiving. It was nominated for the Caméra d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. You can stream ‘The Daytrippers’ here.
8. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
A timeless classic directed by Victor Fleming, ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is based on L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” It follows the story of Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto, who land in the magical world of Oz thanks to a tornado. There, they make friends with a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) without a brain, a Tin Man (Jack Haley) without a heart, and a Lion (Bert Lahr) without courage. Together, they set off to meet the Wizard (Frank Morgan), who can give them what they are in dire need of, as well as send Dorothy and Toto back home. However, to fulfill their wishes, they must bring him the broomstick of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton). The catch? The Witch is bent on revenge after Dorothy, without even knowing it killed the Wicked Witch of the East, her sister. Will Dorothy and her friends be able to pull off this dangerous feat? To find out, you need to be a part of a magical tale, which you can do by clicking right here.
7. The Big Chill (1983)
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, ‘The Big Chill’ claims to be a comedy but is inherently a tragicomedy. It centers on a once close-knit group of friends who come together after the funeral of one of them, Alex, who killed himself. As the people reminisce about their now non-existent friendship, including that with Alex, unresolved issues and truths make their way out in the open, forcing the people to confront them and themselves.
With an ensemble cast that includes Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, and Kevin Kline, ‘The Big Chill’ was nominated for three Academy Awards, one BAFTA, and two Golden Globes, among many others. Largely appreciated for the way it presents the characters, the film is a splendid, moving watch, perfect for Thanksgiving viewing with friends. You can watch it here.
6. Free Birds (2013)
Jimmy Hayward’s animated comedy movie ‘Free Birds’ follows two turkeys who time travel back to the first Thanksgiving ever to remove turkeys from the occasion’s menu. We have Reggie (voiced by Owen Wilson) and Jake (voiced by Woody Harrelson), who time travel to 1621 and join forces with native turkey chief Broadbeak to execute their plan. However, they must be careful of the colonial hunters led by Myles Standish, who are bent on adding turkeys to their feast. Funny, entertaining, and authentically Thanksgiving-themed, ‘Free Birds’ is made more for the kids to enjoy as they have their favorite Thanksgiving meal. It can be streamed here.
5. Yes Man (2008)
There aren’t many actors who can bring laughter to different generations of people, and Jim Carrey is one of them. So, for you to share laughter with your whole family on Thanksgiving, we bring you ‘Yes Man.’ Directed by Peyton Reed, the film centers on bank loan officer Carl Allen (Carrey), who starts saying no to everything after getting a divorce. However, realizing that things cannot get better unless he stops it, he attends a motivational seminar that addresses the power of saying yes. Thus begins Carl’s hilarious yes-propelled journey, much to our hilarity. Will this help him get better? While Carl would say, “Yes, man,” you can watch the movie here to find out.
4. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ is the first film in the ‘Harry Potter’ film franchise. Directed by Chris Columbus, the cult classic movie centers on young orphaned wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), who is inducted into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While gobsmacked by the new magical world, Harry finds family in his friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson). Unfortunately, dark forces within the school’s walls are bent on causing him harm. How they are connected to his past is what we find out in this film, which is based on J. K. Rowling’s 1997 novel ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,’ the first book in her ‘Harry Potter’ novel series. You can experience the worldwide phenomenon right here.
3. Beetlejuice (1988)
From Tim Burton, ‘Beetlejuice’ stars Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and Winona Ryder. A classic 80s fantasy horror comedy, the film centers on the souls of a deceased couple, Adam Maitland (Baldwin) and Barbara Maitland (Davis), who hire a malicious poltergeist, Betelgeuse (Keaton), to get rid of the new mortal occupants of their house, the Deetz. However, the Maitlands soon realize that they got more than they bargained for when Betelgeuse starts wreaking havoc, intending to send the mortal world into chaos.
Winner of the Best Horror Film award and the Best Make-up award at the 1988 Saturn Awards, ‘Beetlejuice’ is an immortal addition to the fantasy genre. Keaton plays the role of Betelgeuse to the T, and his performance might just have wooed Burton into opting for him for the character of Batman/Bruce Wayne (Burton’s ‘Batman’ came out in 1989). You can watch it here.
2. Wonka (2023)
Directed by Paul King, ‘Wonka’ centers on Willy Wonka, a character in Roald Dahl’s 1964 children’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’ The film stars Timothée Chalamet as the titular character and shows how Willy Wonka became the world-famous chocolatier that we know him as. How he overcomes the overwhelming odds posed by the Chocolate Cartel and establishes his chocolate factory is what we find out in this musical fantasy. The cast also includes Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, Matt Lucas, and Jim Carter. You can watch the movie here.
1. Superman (1978)
A movie for not just Thanksgiving but any season and one that deserves to be seen by people of all ages, ‘Superman’ showcases the famous DC superhero who was sent to Earth from Krypton as a baby. His parents Jor-El (Marlon Brando) and Lara (Susannah York) sacrificed their lives while saving their son as the whole of Krypton was devoured by destruction. On Earth, he was found by a couple, Jonathan (Glenn Ford) and Martha Kent (Phyllis Thaxter), who named him Clark and brought him up. He would go on to become the superhero Superman we all know.
Christopher Reeve plays the titular character who fights evil in Metropolis, his primary foe being the sinister Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman). He also has a love interest, his (Clark’s) co-worker Lois Lane (Margot Kidder), who doesn’t know that Clark is Superman. Directed by Richard Donner, it is one of the best superhero movies ever made, especially due to the actors who made their roles immortal. You can watch it right here.
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