There’s a lot to look forward to as Thanksgiving rounds the corner, from spending time with friends and family members, to eating great food. Thanksgiving Day is a time for conversation, football, and turkey, but afterward is the perfect time to watch something fun and relaxing after the meal. There is no shortage of great Thanksgiving-themed episodes of television to watch, but for those looking for a movie, the right viewing choice may be outside the holiday theme.
While sitting down to watch a movie after Thanksgiving dinner, it’s ideal to watch something cozy and relaxing, no matter what genre. These sorts of movies will still have conflict, but there’s an understanding that things will turn out right in the end, and there’s a comfortable vibe to the movie. These are the cozy movies that you should add to your watchlist for after Thanksgiving dinner.
1
‘Sweethearts’ (2024)
Sweethearts follows two codependent best friends named Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) and Ben (Nico Hiraga) who go back to their hometown from the college they attend together for the Thanksgiving break. The two are stuck in relationships that don’t feel right anymore, so they make a pact to dump their high school sweethearts, Simon (Charlie Hall) and Claire (Ava DeMary), on Thanksgiving.
There is something so fitting about watching a movie that takes place on Thanksgiving night, on Thanksgiving night. Similar to classic teen movies like Superbad and Booksmart, the bulk of Sweethearts takes place over the course of one bizarrely funny night. With a limited amount of time to dump Simon and Claire, Jamie and Ben wind up following them all around town to a series of parties, where they encounter a number of faces from their pasts.
2
‘Just Like Heaven’ (2005)
Just Like Heaven kicks off with the sudden death of ER doctor Elizabeth Masterson (Reese Witherspoon). Three months after Elizabeth’s death, a widowed architect named David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo) moves into Elizabeth’s apartment. David is soon dismayed to learn that the apartment is haunted by Elizabeth’s ghost, and that he is the only one who can see or communicate with her.
With wintery vibes and a sweet central romance, Just Like Heaven is a delightfully cozy movie that will make an excellent Thanksgiving night watch. It has sharply funny dialogue, a strong main message, and a number of excellent twists throughout. There is perhaps no cozier type of movie than a rom-com, and with Just Like Heaven‘s speculative twist, it makes for a silly and entertaining comfort watch.
3
‘The Wedding Singer’ (1998)
The Wedding Singer follows Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler), an enthusiastic and locally successful wedding singer. When Robbie is suddenly left at the altar by his fiancée (Angela Featherstone), Robbie falls into a funk and loses his faith in love. He quickly develops a close friendship with Julia Sullivan (Drew Barrymore), a waitress whom he met through work. Julia gets Robbie to help her plan her upcoming wedding, but in the process, the two start to develop feelings for each other.
The Wedding Singer is one of the cozier rom-roms, and it makes for a perfect watch for a group of family or friends. It has a slow-burn romance that develops organically over the course of the movie, as well as some fun songs and a number of excellent side characters. The main romance is sure to be a hit with all who watch, and the plot will have everyone on the edges of their seats until the very end.
4
‘Imagine Me & You’ (2005)
Imagine Me & You begins on the wedding day of happy couple Rachel (Piper Perabo) and Heck (Matthew Goode). Rachel feels ready to get married to Heck, until she experiences love at first sight with flower shop owner Luce (Lena Headey), who did the flower arrangements for the wedding – right as she’s walking down the aisle. From there, Rachel and Luce quickly develop a close friendship, while struggling to bury their feelings for each other.
Imagine Me & You is the perfect cozy romance movie to enjoy in the wintertime. It’s a funny, heartwarming movie that shows Rachel and Luce pining after each other while Rachel tries to make her new marriage work. For those looking for a sweet romantic comedy with cold weather activities to enjoy after Thanksgiving dinner, Imagine Me & You is an excellent choice.
5
‘The Sound of Music’ (1965)
The Sound of Music is a true classic that would make the perfect holiday watch. The movie musical follows Maria (Julie Andrews), a former nun who is sent to be the governess for the seven children of a retired naval officer and single father, Captain Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer). Set in Austria in 1938, the third act is intense and unforgettable, but the lead-up to this more intense storyline is a lovely story of family.
Over the course of the movie, Maria changes the lives of the von Trapp children through music and encouragement, and in the process, develops a connection with Captain von Trapp as well. The Sound of Music is the perfect cozy and emotional sing-along to watch as a group after Thanksgiving dinner – but it would be best started earlier in the evening, because it’s nearly three hours long.
6
‘Knives Out’ (2019)
The cozy murder mystery is a delightful and underrated subgenre, and Knives Out is one of its best contributions. The movie follows detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as he investigates the murder of Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), a renowned writer of mystery novels and the wealthy patriarch of the Thrombey family. Any one of Harlan’s family members and those working in his house could have had the motive to kill him, leaving viewers to guess about the true killer until the very end.
Knives Out is the perfect post-Thanksgiving dinner watch, especially for those who haven’t seen the movie before, so that they can enjoy guessing the killer and learning the twists throughout the course of the movie. It also makes for an excellent rewatch, for the silly humor, cozy vibes, and entertaining murder mystery at its center. It also features cold weather and knit sweaters, which will be perfect for the holiday season.
7
‘Ella Enchanted’ (2004)
Ella Enchanted is a fairytale that tells the story of Ella of Frell (Anne Hathaway), a young woman who’s been cursed with the gift of obedience. After her evil stepsisters use this to ruin her life, Ella goes on a quest to find her fairy godmother, Lucinda (Vivica A. Fox), to ask her to take back the gift. Along the way, Ella gains some unexpected companions on her quest, including Prince Charmont (Hugh Dancy), who’s about to become the leader of a deeply flawed regime.
Ella Enchanted is the perfect cozy fairytale and mental vacation to watch after Thanksgiving dinner. It has an excellent soundtrack, a delightful central romance, and some truly wonderful side characters. Ella Enchanted is such a fun and silly movie with a heartwarming and powerful central message that will be a delight for viewers looking for something light to watch after the holiday.
8
‘Dave’ (1993)
Dave is the story of Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline), a nice, normal guy who runs a temp agency and just so happens to be an exact lookalike of the President of the United States, Bill Mitchell (also Kline). When the corrupt President Mitchell has a stroke and falls into a coma, his Chief of Staff (Frank Langella) brings Dave in to take his place so that nobody finds out the truth until the president recovers.
Dave has an excellent and suspenseful political subplot, but it is ultimately a delightfully cozy story about an ordinary person doing extraordinary things with his limited time in power. Dave’s kindness is a welcome change from Mitchell’s cruelty, so he makes quite an impact. In the process, Dave also charms Mitchell’s estranged wife, Ellen (Sigourney Weaver), who has not been told about her husband’s coma.
9
‘While You Were Sleeping’ (1995)
While You Were Sleeping is more of a Christmas movie, but it is the perfect cozy winter watch for after Thanksgiving dinner. The movie follows Lucy (Sandra Bullock), an isolated woman who collects tolls at the train station for a living. When her longtime crush from afar, Peter Callaghan (Peter Gallagher), is mugged one day, Lucy saves his life by pulling him from the train tracks. With Peter now in a coma, Lucy tries to visit him at the hospital and gets mistaken for his fiancée.
Lucy tries to clear up the error, but she quickly gets drawn into Peter’s large and loving family, who immediately accepts her as one of them. In the process, Lucy starts spending a lot of time with Peter’s brother, Jack (Bill Pullman), for whom she develops feelings. The problem is, Jack – like the rest of his family – believes that Lucy is engaged to Peter, and she’s too afraid of losing them all to reveal the truth.
10
‘Howl’s Moving Castle’ (2004)
There is no better holiday watch than Howl’s Moving Castle, whether it be with the whole family, or alone. The animated classic follows Sophie (Emily Mortimer), a young hatmaker who is turned into an old woman by an evil witch (Lauren Bacall). Now forced to live a new life, Sophie is also free for the first time. She ends up getting a job working in the moving castle of a wizard named Howl (Christian Bale), and she soon becomes an integral part of his household.
Howl’s Moving Castle is a magical and cozy found family tale with a delightful central romance, some truly lovely character dynamics, and an exploration of multiple important themes. With its beautiful animation style and wonderful cast of supporting characters, Howl’s Moving Castle is the perfect comfort watch to wrap up a fun day with friends and family.
Howl’s Moving Castle
- Release Date
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September 9, 2004
- Runtime
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119 minutes
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Chieko Baisho
Sophie (voice)
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Takuya Kimura
Howl (voice)
