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5 must-watch movies & TV shows streaming this Thanksgiving weekend
The best of what's new streaming on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and more.
Welcome to Boston.com’s weekly streaming guide. Each week, we recommend five must-watch movies and TV shows available on streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock, Paramount+, and more.
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New Movies Streaming
‘Best in Show’ (2000)
Watching the annual dog show on NBC has been a yearly Thanksgiving tradition for many families since 2002. But did you know that the executive who originally came up with the idea to televise the canine competition was inspired by Christopher Guest’s hilarious mockumentary about the kooky world of show dogs? There’s not a turkey in sight, but I’ll use any excuse to watch Jennifer Coolidge talk about “talking and not talking.”
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How to watch: “Best in Show” is streaming on streaming on MGM+.
‘Knives Out‘ (2019)
OK, the only real connection Rian Johnson’s Massachusetts-filmed whodunnit shares with the holiday is that it was released on Thanksgiving weekend in 2019. But it’s a movie about a dysfunctional family gathering, is filled with landscapes in the Boston area that scream late November/early December, and has some of the coziest outfits ever put to film — particularly Chris Evans’ white sweater. After you watch the first one, head to theaters to catch the third film in the series, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” (You can read my review here.)
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How to watch: “Knives Out” is streaming on Prime Video.
‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ (1987)
My personal Turkey Day viewing choice is this buddy comedy about an uptight executive (Steve Martin) and an obnoxious traveling salesman (John Candy) who must use all of the aforementioned methods of transportation to make it home for Thanksgiving dinner. While it’s hard to pick just one role as the apex of Candy’s too-short career, shower curtain ring salesman Del Griffith captures so much of what made the Canadian comedian an indelible screen presence — a guileless schlub you always root for no matter how outré his persona.
How to watch: “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” is streaming on Paramount+, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel
New TV Shows Streaming
‘Bob’s Burgers’ (2011-25)
Since its 2011 debut, “Bob’s Burgers” has consistently celebrated the spirit of Thanksgiving every year. Hulu has harnessed that spirit, creating a Thanksgiving episode playlist full of Bob (H. Jon Benjamin) whispering sweet nothings to his turkey, Linda, loading up on wine, and the Belcher children, finding new and exciting ways to complicate the festivities.
How to watch: “Bob’s Burgers” (Thanksgiving collection) is streaming on Hulu.
‘Stranger Things’ (Season 5)
Netflix didn’t provide press access to Season 5 of “Stranger Things” ahead of its debut at 8 p.m. on November 26, so we’ll all find out at the same time what the Duffer Brothers have been cooking up since the Season 4 finale more than three years ago. Seasons 1 and 2 still rank among Netflix’s best original offerings to date, while Seasons 3 and 4 were a bit of a step down.
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The company clearly has faith in “Stranger Things,” doling out the eight-episode final season in three parts to maximize viewership: The first four arrive the night before Thanksgiving, the next three arrive on Christmas Day, and the finale debuts on New Year’s Eve.
How to watch: “Stranger Things” is streaming on Netflix.
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