Thanksgiving 2016: Here Are 15 Movies To Watch On Netflix For The Whole Holiday Weekend
It's that glorious time of year when we get together with both the family members we love (and some that we could probably do without) to sit down for a tasty meal and hopefully not a big fight. But with an extended weekend upon us, you'll likely have plenty of spare time while you're hanging out with family, and you're just not in the mood to talk anymore. That's what it's time to turn to Netflix to fill some time, and thankfully, there's a wide variety of movies for you to watch with anyone and everyone in your family.
Below check out our Thanksgiving 2016 Netflix suggestions for some movies available right now that will help you pass some time and keep every single member of your family occupied.
Zootopia
To keep the kids distracted while you cook, give them one of the best animated movies of the year. It has a powerful message at its core without being too preachy, the animation is outstanding, it's funny, and even some of the adults in your house might leave you alone once they realize how good it is. Watch it now.
Heavyweights
When you're thinking about eating another slice of pumpkin pie, this movie will either make you second guess your eating decisions this weekend or encourage you to stuff your face some more. This is one of those live-action comedies for adolescents from the 90s that don't really get made anymore, but this one actually holds up in adulthood thanks to the fact that it's written by Judd Apatow. It also features a younger Paul Feig in jorts, so that's pretty special, and Ben Stiller makes a great villain. Watch it now.
10 Things I Hate About You
If you just want to snuggle with your significant other, you can't go wrong with arguably the best teen romantic comedy of the 90s. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is adorable as he pines after Larisa Oleynik, and Heath Ledger is charming as hell as he tries to woo the rough around the edges Julia Stiles. Watch it now.
Miracle on 34th Street
When you're in the mood for Christmas and the kids aren't in bed, this remake of the classic holiday movie is a good way to get the little ones in the Christmas spirit. It's not quite as captivating as a bright and colorful animated movie, but it should get them believing in Santa Claus thanks to a great performance by Richard Attenborough. Plus, we can all remember how adorable Mara Wilson was as a child star. Watch it now.
Tommy Boy
Because this movie is always funny any time of the year, it's a good one to pop on for some laughs. If you're like me, you can still quote all the best lines, and you don't really have to pay attention to it much if you're trying to carry on a conversation, screwing around on your computer, or just tossing back some holiday nosh. Watch it now.
Sing Street
To show your family an uplifting movie they've never heard of, toss on this spectacular journey back into the 1980s. With a soundtrack that is full of spectacular music from the decade, as well as a slew of toe-tapping original songs from Once director John Carney, this movie will energize you and put a smile on everyone's face. Good luck not getting "Drive It Like You Stole It" out of your head. Watch it now.
A.C.O.D.
If you have a bit of a dysfunctional family and you want to laugh about it, spend some time with a hilarious cast that includes Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Catherine O'Hara, Richard Jenkins, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jane Lynch and Clark Duke. You'll probably find that your family fights just like this one around the holidays, and it'll bring some levity to the more tense moments. Watch it now.
Philomena
Because it's tough to find a movie to watch with your grandparents, Philomena delivers a touching drama starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan about a woman who is searching for her son that she was separated from after being forced to join a convent. It's sounds a little cheesy, but it's a powerful one, and it'll make you appreciate the family you have. Watch it now.
Scrooged
When you're in the mood for Christmas and the kids are asleep, let Bill Murray be your guide through this contemporary adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. It's a hilarious meta spin on the holiday tale that has been told over and over again, but never quite as good as this. Watch it now.
Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie
If you want to start a fight with your family, toss in this Funny or Die production that puts Johnny Depp under the wisp of string that Donald Trump calls hair. It's an adaptation of Donald Trump's positively ludicrous book of the same name, and it's bound to piss off the right-wing family members who voted for him. Watch it now.
Spotlight
To remind everyone what won Best Picture last year, put in a movie that shows why the media isn't always the monster its made out to be thanks to the advent of awful cable news. Good journalists do exactly what The Boston Globe team did to expose the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal, and this story masterfully tells it in a reserved way that lets the story stand on its own without a lot of flash. Watch it now.
The Princess Bride
If you need to show the kids in your family how good movies used to be, then you toss in this comedic fantasy adventure. Movies like this just don't get made in Hollywood anymore, and it's always good to pass on the love of movies that the younger kids have never heard of so we can keep them alive for decades to come. To deprive the youngest generation in your family of this movie would be inconceivable. Watch it now.
Chef
Because you want to work up that appetite for Thanksgiving dinner, watch this movie if only just for the incredible footage of delicious culinary creations by Jon Favreau's titular character. After you watch this one, you can even make the Cuban sandwich that is at the center of this movie so you have something to eat once you run out of leftovers. Watch it now.
Galaxy Quest
To satisfy all the geeks in your family, put in a movie that will also make the less nerdy members of your family laugh. This movie is so ingrained in Star Trek that it might as well be canon, and the cast of characters is one of the best in sci-fi comedy. If you're waiting to get Star Trek Beyond in your stocking, this will make a fine substitute. Watch it now.
Love Actually
Once you're exhausted from Thanksgiving and need a pick-me-up to lead into December, this movie is the remedy. A massive ensemble cast of the finest actors from across the pond (and some American ones too) come together for one of the best romantic comedies of all time, and one of the best Christmas movies too. If you have The Walking Dead fans in your family, remind them that Sheriff Rick Grimes used to be a passive aggressive, stalkerish pursuer of Keira Knightly. Watch it now.
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That ought to keep you and your family distracted for the next few days. If you need to leave your house, don't forget that a bunch of new movies are in theaters this weekend, including Disney's Moana, Warren Beatty's Rules Don't Apply, the raunchy sequel Bad Santa 2 and Robert Zemeckis' spy drama Allied. You might also find Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk at a nearby theaters, as well as the outstanding coming of age drama The Edge of Seventeen. Plus there are holdovers like Doctor Strange, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and the stellar Arrival still around as well. There are plenty of choices at your disposal, so go enjoy a movie and have a great Thanksgiving!