Get Cozy on the Couch with a Thanksgiving Movie
This holiday weekend will be a good one for outdoor walks along the paths and trails in Colliers Hill, AND, for getting cozy on the couch with a bowl of buttered popcorn and a watchable Thanksgiving-themed or otherwise four-star movie. Here are a few to consider!
Cartoons and Comedies
While Ree Drummond is known more for her family-friendly recipes, she also loves a good movie and compiled her own list of Thanksgiving flicks to watch this holiday weekend. We’ve presented a few of her top picks here, but you’ll find all 35 on her website, The Pioneer Woman.
Called the best romantic comedy of 1998, You’ve Got Mail casts Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the lead roles and teases: “Someone you pass on the street, may already be the love of your life.” Hard to pass that one up, right? Directed by Nora Ephron, this rom-com is about two business rivals who despise each other in real life, but unwittingly fall in love via the internet. It’s $3.99 on Amazon Prime Video.
Fun for the whole family, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a holiday classic as Peppermint Patty invites herself and her friends over to Charlie Brown’s for Thanksgiving. Charlie, with sidekicks Snoopy, Linus and Woodstock, attempts to throw together a meal for his friends. If you missed it on PBS last Sunday, you can watch it free from November 25 to 27 on the Apple TV+ app. Oh, and you can also catch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on Apple TV, too.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles is the story of a high-strung marketing executive (Steve Martin), desperate to fly home for Thanksgiving with his family, aided and annoyed by a chatty traveling salesman (John Candy). After a series of mayhem and mishaps, made worse by the inimitable Candy, Martin arrives home in time for dinner – ultimately inviting his lonely traveling companion along for the holiday meal. It is $3.99 on Amazon Prime Video, or free with a seven-day trial subscription to AMC.
Dramas with Humor
These might be called dramedies in some lists, but we like them for their pathos and poignant take on family gatherings. Which might be even more so this year when we’re forced to keep our gatherings smaller and safer.
Little Women is Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the timeless and beloved coming-of-age novel by Louisa May Alcott about four sisters each determined to live life on their own terms. This 2019 film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, and Florence Pugh, and is free with a seven-day trial of STARZ on Amazon Prime Video.
Miracle on 34th Street – the original – is a classic Christmas favorite, and it actually starts out at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – which is on this year, BTW, as a televised event. The 1947 movie stars Natalie Wood as the little girl and Edmund Gwenn is the nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus. When the elderly gent is declared insane and institutionalized, a young lawyer decides to defend him in court, arguing that he is the real Kris Kringle! You can watch the miracle on Amazon for $3.99.
Pieces of April stars a young Katie Holmes (circa 2003) as April preparing dinner for her dying mother (Patricia Clarkson) and estranged family (driven by father Oliver Platt) – none of whom think she can cook. As they travel to her tiny New York City apartment, April’s stove conks out and her parents opt out in favor of dinner at a diner. Ultimately everyone returns for what might be their last Thanksgiving together and we found this sweet movie — which originally premiered at Sundance — on more than one list. You can see this film free with a Prime Amazon membership.
Scent of a Woman is the Al Pacino-vehicle that earned the veteran actor his only Oscar – if you can believe that. For anyone 35 or younger who may have missed this Thanksgiving-themed film, it co-stars a young Chris O’Donnell who plays a prep school student hired to “watch” the blind, tango-dancing, alcoholic military vet. Pacino comes to Chris’ defense, after a particularly awkward family dinner, in a rousing and epic speech in front of prep school administrators. You can see this one on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
Rudy is one of those feel-good movies the entire family will enjoy. And while not strictly Thanksgiving-themed entertainment, it’s based-on-a-true story and will have you cheering in the end. Rudy Ruettiger is a working-class kid who won’t give up on his dream to play football at Notre Dame – despite having neither a strong academic nor athletic background. You can watch the 1992 movie starring Sean Astin for $3.99 on Amazon Prime.
You can also see the 2018 documentary of the real Rudy Ruettiger. Hear in his own words how he succeeded getting into the famed school and on the football team The doc is free with a Prime membership.
Happy Thanksgiving from Colliers Hill
It may be a holiday week, but sales are happening all weekend, with quick move in homes ready now for homeowners in the master-planned community of Colliers Hill! From the Seasons floor plans at Richmond American Homes, to Century Communities ranch and two-story designs – there are LOTS of options if you’re interested in new home construction! And coming in 2021: paired offerings from KB Home! Check out the amenities and the beautiful models from three of Colorado’s top builders — from the high $300s.
