One the best ways to spend Thanksgiving is to coop up in the living room with the family to watch movies and eat popcorn together. Movies have always been a communal activity, a way to participate in this collective consciousness where one feels loved and present.
So here is a roundup the best movies for families to stream on Netflix this Thanksgiving. Whether it's about kids trying to navigate a foster home or a family faced with the struggles of prejudice, there's plenty of excellent movies to stream, so read on.
Moonrise Kingdom
A pair of young lovers flee their New England town, and a search party ensues to locate them before a violent storm strikes. That plot seems ordinary, but keep in mind that filmmaker extraordinaire Wes Anderson directed this one, and calling it visually mesmerizing is such an understatement. It combines charm, an adorable love story, and a juvenile campsite adventure. What else is there to ask for?
Stream it on Netflix.
My Life As A Zucchini
An import from Switzerland and France, this Oscar-nominated stop-motion film is equal parts silly and emotionally exhausting. After his mother dies, Zucchini is befriended by a police officer who takes him to a new foster home filled with other orphans his age. It is a gorgeously crafted film that explores how "family" could mean different things.
Stream it on Netflix.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
A film that needs no introduction, Rogue One is a spinoff of the main Star Wars trilogy, a sort of supplementary tale taking place in the sidelines of the space opera. It tells the story of Jyn Erso, the daughter of an Imperial scientist who joins the Rebel Alliance to steal the plans for the most powerful weapon in the galaxy — the Death Star.
Stream it on Netflix.
Mudbound
Part post-war flick, part social examination, Mudbound looks at two rural American families — one black, one white — under a microscope. Mudbound premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this January, where it was met with critical acclaim.
Stream it on Netflix.
Okja
A Netflix Original, this film tells the story of Mija and her massive animal companion Okja. When a conglomerate multinational corporation takes Okja and transports her to New York, Mija plots a rescue mission, not knowing the dangers ahead. Okja was directed by renowned South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, who directed Memories of Murder and The Host.
Stream it on Netflix.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Sure, it's Thanksgiving, but there's plenty of space for a good Halloween-themed flick. The Nightmare Before Christmas, a Henry Selick stop-motion animated musical, is the perfect example. It's spooky but not too much. It's dark but not too dark. Conceived by visionary artist Tim Burton, this film is not only gorgeous to look at, but it also delivers some emotional punches.
Stream it on Netflix.
Sing Street
Sing Street is about a group of boys who create a makeshift band to escape their troubled home lives and form an outlet where they could be creative. At school, kids are tough and the teachers are relentless. At home, things are a mess, but in the band, there's music. From Once and Begin Again director John Carney, Sing Street captures the fragility of adolescence and explores the innate desire to escape and take a chance on something one values. Oh, and it's got incredible music — perhaps one of the best this year.
Stream it on Netflix.
