Spooky Season is behind us, Yuletide is ahead of us, and American Thanksgiving falls in between the two. Despite being the most traveled holiday in this country it’s not represented as obviously in mass media as the aforementioned Hallowe’en and Christmas are. With that in mind we wanted to carefully curate a list of 5 Geeky Movies to Watch for Thanksgiving - we know there’s a good chance you are going to need to several hours over the long weekend whether that be with family or flying solo.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, or perhaps not celebrate at all, please know we are thankful for you and your support of Geek History Lesson. Whether it be here on the Blog, listening to the podcast, as a Super Friend on Patreon, or however you show up for the Mind University.
5. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Of all the offerings on this list Planes, Trains and Automobiles is the least geeky, but it is a film classic. Canadian icon, John Candy, really shows out his comedy skills in this comedy. One of the few movies that has been made over the years about Thanksgiving we would be remiss not to include. Candy and Steve Martin are a team of comedic dynamo spewing joke after joke which still resonate with a modern audience - trust us, we watched it last year! If you want an absurdist encapsulation of the stress of Turkey Day traveling Planes, Trains and Automobiles was made just for you.
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
We’re going to go ahead and give Fantastic Mr. Fox bonus points for featuring Professor Ashley’s favourite wild animal - vulpes vules, the red fox. While these whimsical woodland lead characters aren’t celebrating Thanksgiving the narrative of the movie is driven by the evolution of a family dynamic as a young boy becomes a young man. Bonus points for being based on a classic Roald Dahl children’s book! Consider enjoying this film with your family then reading the book together with the littles this holiday season!
3. Spider-Man (2002)
You didn’t think there wasn’t going to be a superhero offering on this list from Professors Jason and Ashley, did you? The OG Spider-Man live action movie which we often laud on the podcast actually features a scene on Turkey Day! It is arguably the dramatic turn where the tension between Peter Parker (Spider-Man), and Norman Osborn (Green Goblin), really rachets up and heralds the big final act fight we have come to love and expect in every comic book movie ever. Particularly if Thanksgiving can be tense for you, Spider-Man lets you know it can be tough for superheroes too.
Here’s a bonus Spider-Man video along with a suggestion for some holiday reading you can follow up Fantastic Mr. Fox with - Spider-Man Blue!
This movie is so ahead of its time! Probably the only offering on our list which actually addresses the treatment of Indigenous Americans by the colonizers in a truthful and incredibly entertaining method. Like Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Addams Family Values takes the creepy, cooky, loving Addams family and focus their attention on celebrating the uniquely North American holiday of Thanksgiving. Consider this watch an additional history lesson to supplement our podcast feed (there is a new episode coming out! Be sure to listen in with your loved ones!), with the leftover aesthetics to properly celebrate the end of the autumn season before winter wraps everyone in the northern hemisphere in its sleepy embrace.
Another bonus video! If you want to watch Addams Family Values with someone who is unfamiliar with the family we have a little supplemental content to help them out and smooth away any concerns.
Yup, we brook no argument, this is the best Thanksgiving movie which has ever happened. Almost 50 years old and based on the defining comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving exalts the love of your found family and your furry friends. It’s done up in Schulz’s immediately recognizable and beautiful-in-its-simplicity art style, friendly for viewers of any ages, 30 minutes long, and has the best score of any offering on this entire list. We defy you to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and not feel warmer inside than when the special started. Stuck trying to compose your Turkey Day menu? A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving offers a simple straightforward meal option you can mock up to watch along with the movie - no matter how experienced or novice a cook you are.
Thank-you for reading! We are thankful for each and every one of you.
header image courtesy of Ketut Subiyanto via pexels