Top 5 Thanksgiving Movies

If you think you've got family issues, then Home for the Holidays is exactly the sort of movie you should be able to relate to. Jodie Foster directs Holly Hunter in this biting comedy, which also stars Dylan McDermott, Robert Downey Jr., and Anne Bancroft. Gay marriage, sex with a much older boss, a teen daughter who may be losing her virginity over Thanksgiving, and a bizarre aunt who's in love with her sister's husband - Home for the Holidays has a little something for everyone.

Katie Holmes transitions from teen characters to a young woman on her own in Pieces of April, the directorial debut of Peter Hedges. As April, Holmes wants to create the perfect Thanksgiving dinner for her estranged mother and the rest of her family. But with an oven that doesn't work, and a boyfriend who's jumped by thugs, April's perfect day seems to be turning out to be everything she hoped it wouldn't become.

This 1987 comedy stars Steve Martin and John Candy and is one of those movies that should be checked out at least once a year. Neal (Martin) just wants to make it home in time to spend the holidays with his family. With weather and the transportation system conspiring to keep him from reaching his loved ones, Neal finds himself stuck with a hyper-talkative shower curtain ring salesman (Candy).

Simply an amazing film from director Ang Lee (I believe it's his 2nd best work to date behind Brokeback Mountain), The Ice Storm is the tragic tale of middle class couples dealing with relationship problems and sexual infidelities. Definitely not for viewing when you're looking for lighter fare, The Ice Storm is a deeply moving, insightful look at middle America in the 1970s.

Bart Freundlich directs Julianne Moore, Michael Vartan, Noah Wyle, Hope Davis, and Roy Scheider in this 1997 family drama. The Myth of Fingerprints follows four siblings who return to their parents' home for Thanksgiving weekend, knowing the time spent in each other's company is going to be brutally harsh.