Whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving, gratitude takes center stage during the month of November. You’re most likely attending potlucks, friendsgivings, and spending lots of time with your chosen family. But if you’re not feeling the November spirit yet, a comforting film about love and gratitude can get you in the right mood. Here, we’ve lined up five feel-good movies that perfectly capture the reason for the season—and might just help you look forward to what’s in store.
1. Dumplin’
This heartwarming movie feels like a hug. Dumplin’, which stars Jennifer Aniston, follows a beauty pageant winner’s daughter as she navigates the world of pageantry herself, which leaves her feeling isolated and underrepresented—so she decides to set a new norm for herself and her community. Dumplin’ is the perfect film to watch with your family on a cozy fall night when everybody’s home.
2. The Martian
The Martian, a critically acclaimed film starring Matt Damon, follows an astronaut as he blasts off into space and is presumed dead after an intense storm. Using the limited resources he has up there, the stranded astronaut has to figure out how to return to Earth. It’s virtually impossible to make it through this movie without shedding at least one tear—and feeling grateful for the ground beneath your feet.
3 . A Week Away
A Week Away is a musical romance that’s perfect for a lighthearted evening with your friends or family. The story follows a troubled teenager as she leaves her hometown to attend summer camp, not realizing that she’s about to find friendship, belonging, and best of all, love.
4. The Prom
For musical lovers, here’s another option to make you feel thankful for the season: The Prom. When down-on-their-luck Broadway stars find themselves in small-town Indiana, they end up rallying behind an outcast teen who just wants to attend prom with her girlfriend.
5. Moxie
If you’re having a mother-daughter movie night, Moxie won’t disappoint. The film, which stars Amy Poehler, follows a high school student inspired by her mother’s rebellious and progressive youth. In turn, she begins publishing an anonymous zine at her school that calls out all the problematic behaviors she’s witnessed, and she ends up spearheading a teenage revolution.
