I would like to get back to posting individual reviews of each movie I watch, but with all of the possibilities out there at this time of year, it just isn't practical for me to watch them all and review them. So this year, for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas I'm getting a taste of what's out there. I'll keep certain ones in mind for next year and give them their own posts then.
The selection of Halloween movies in October spoiled me. The selection for Thanksgiving-themed movies was not as vast. Still, I managed to watch several (though not all Thanksgiving-themed) and find a couple of gems along the way.
Unrelated to Thanksgiving
"Casino Royale"
"Instant Family"
"Meet the Parents"
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail"
"Some Kind of Wonderful"
"Rango"
"Casino Royale" was recommended to me when I was struggling to find a good movie to watch this month. It was the first James Bond movie I've ever seen all the way through and actually paid attention to. This movie deserves at least one more viewing and its own post. I am planning to watch it again and review it sometime next year.
"Instant Family" was a pleasant surprise. I chose it because it centers around family, which is very much in line with the spirit of Thanksgiving. It's a comedy about a serious topic - fostering children. The comedy in the movie never makes light of what it means to foster children from troubled homes. It simply provides comic relief just when you think you're going to cry a river of tears. In my teaching career, I often saw the education side of foster children. This movie provided a different perspective for me - mostly from the foster parents' point of view and the dynamics that go on in their family. Of course no two families are exactly alike, but it shed light on the overall topic. It's a heart-warming and sometimes hilarious movie with a bittersweet ending.
"Meet the Parents" is a movie I own and have seen multiple times. While it doesn't center around Thanksgiving, it is about family and meeting soon-to-be family for the first time. It takes place in the fall, which is very clear through the scenery, so it was the perfect movie to watch in November. It's an over-the-top comedy with a happy ending.
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is unlike any movie I've ever seen. It has nothing to do with family nor Thanksgiving. In fact, it really has nothing to do with anything. You can't go in thinking you're about to see something deep. On the contrary, expect an oversimplified plot with more silliness than you ever thought possible. There's humor from the very beginning, even before the opening scene of the movie, and lasts through the very end. It's worth watching if you need a good laugh with not a lot of thought involved. We all could use that sometimes, can't we?
"Some Kind of Wonderful" is one of my all time favorite movies. I have seen it many, many times, but it's been a while before this month. It just happens to be on Hulu right now, so I watched it. It isn't just another teen movie or love story. There are unexpected twists and turns that set it apart from the rest. All three of the main characters change for the better as the movie progresses and they portray their roles flawlessly. It has a bittersweet ending, but mostly sweet.
"Rango" has been on my mind for a long time, so I decided to watch it. I may have to give this one another chance next year. I had a hard time getting into it, but by the end of the movie, I wished I had been more focused on it. I'll keep it in mind for another time. I think it might fit better into my lineup as a summer movie.
Thanksgiving-themed
"A Family Thanksgiving"
"An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving
"Hannah and Her Sisters"
"Pieces of April"
"Planes, Trains & Automobiles"
"The Turkey Bowl"
"Turkey Drop"
Of these movies, my two favorites were "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" and "Hannah and Her Sisters". Both capture the spirit of Thanksgiving in two very different ways. "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" is a comedy with a heart-warming ending. It deserves a second viewing, especially now that I know how it ends. The end makes the entire movie worthwhile and I can now watch it from a different perspective. The theme of "you never know what someone else is going through, so be kind always" is made very clear. I am planning to watch this one again next Thanksgiving.
"Hannah and Her Sisters" shows us what a beautiful mess life can be. It shows us what it means to be imperfectly human. This is another one I'll watch, and most likely review in its own post, next Thanksgiving.
"A Family Thanksgiving" was a bit predictable, but overall an okay choice for November. "An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving" is based on a short story and takes place in the late 1800s. It was a pleasant change of pace from all the modern day Thanksgiving-themed movies.
"Pieces of April", "The Turkey Bowl", and "Turkey Drop" were my least favorite of the Thanksgiving-themed movies. "Pieces of April" is pretty good, especially considering it is a low-budget film. I never quite got on board with it, though. It seemed to be missing some...pieces. "The Turkey Bowl" highlights the fact that football is very much a part of Thanksgiving traditions. That is the one thing that sets it apart from all the rest of the movies I watched that were centered around Thanksgiving. It isn't a terrible movie, just not one of my favorites and definitely not one I'll be watching again. Is "turkey drop" really a thing? Apparently in the movie of the same name it is. I never quite found my way with it. It could be because it was the last Thanksgiving-themed movie I watched this year and it was immediately after I devoured a very carby meal.
Movies for Thanksgiving 2021
"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving"
"Hannah and Her Sisters"
"Anna Karenina"
"Planes, Trains & Automobiles"
"Son-in-law"
I'm open to adding more movies to my list for next year if something good comes along, but for now these are the ones I want to watch and review in November 2021. "Hannah and Her Sisters" was inspired by the book, Anna Karenina, so I think watching both of the movies around the same time would be good. "Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and "Son-in-law" were on my list, but I didn't watch them. So they are on the agenda for next year.
This year I also watched all Thanksgiving episodes for the sitcom, "Friends". I'll do that again next year, too, and perhaps I'll rank them then.
I'm already looking forward to it.
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