When it comes to themes in Thanksgiving movies, big screen or DVD, dysfunctional or problematic families and assorted characters win the prize. Hannah and her Sisters is a 1986 Woody Allen drama about three sisters getting together for Thanksgiving and all the mayhem that ensues. Jodie Foster’s directorial debut in 1995, finds Holly Hunter as a jobless Claudia Larson forced to spend Thanksgiving with her crazy family in Home for the Holidays. But, those are just two American anomalies served up for audience holiday enjoyment. There are more.

1 cup of travel
Thanksgiving is one of the most traveled holidays of the year so we have to throw in some travel to make this recipe right. The classic 1987, Planes, Trains and Automobiles takes Neal Page (Steve Martin) and Del Griffith (John Candy) to great lengths to get home for Thanksgiving.
In The Scent of a Woman (1992) a college student (Chirs O'Donnell) takes care of a blind retired Lt. Colonel (Al Pacino) in New York City during Thanksgiving to earn money to go home for Christmas.

3/4 cup of Troublesome Relations
Parker Posey adds some more dysfunction starring in at least two Thanksgiving movies: The House of Yes and The Daytrippers. In Yes, Parker is at her best as an eccentric “Jackie-O” in a house where “no” is never uttered. Parker has a smaller part in the movie that brings troublesome family thanksgiving into the station wagon in The Daytrippers. You could consider her role as Patricia Eden in You’ve got Mail as another “Thanksgiving movie” - the setting begins in the fall - only Parker Posey’s character misses out on singing the corny instrument song during the Thanksgiving celebration.

1/2 cup of Something is Bound to Go Wrong
Tom Crise’s woman also stars in two Thanksgiving movies. The Ice Storm is Katie Holmes’ film debut where she plays a small part in this intense holiday film. The 1997 Ang Lee film follows two families during an impulsive and tumultuous time in the ‘70s. In another Thanksgiving movie, Pieces of April (2003), Katie Holmes takes the lead role as April, who offers to bake a turkey for her dying mother and other family members, only to find out her oven is broken.

1/4 cup of diversity
What's Cooking (2000) is a look at a modern American Thanksgiving set in Los Angeles. This comedy takes a look at four families - African American, Latin, Jewish, and Vietnamese - highlighting their differences and similarities during the Thanksgiving holiday.

1 Canadian goose
Of course a Thanksgiving recipe is not complete without a Canadian goose. The 1986 The Thanksgiving Promise shows the struggle a teenage boy must face being forced to choose between an injured Canadian goose and his commitment to fatten the goose up for his neighbor’s Thanksgiving dinner. This is directed by Beau Bridges and the only movie where you will see the Bridges - Beau, Jeff and Lloyd - all three together in the same movie.

And for dessert -- all you want of

Fruitcake
The Thanksgiving Reunion (2003) by National Lampoon. Crude, raucous, bizarre, and possibly slightly sentimental, but you have to look quick to see the good side. Or, families could opt instead for:

Pie and ice cream
Both on DVD and, in some older stores, also on tape: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) and Garfield's Thanksgiving (1989).

A happy ending to a questionable repast.