I don’t know about you guys, but I could use a little bit of an escape. While the root of Thanksgiving leaves much to be desired, most of us take this time to express our extreme gratitude for the past year, revel in time spent with family, and devour traditional soul food delights. Yes, delights.

However, one of my favorite things to do during this time of year is to revisit some favorite family films. I love a feel-good film around the holidays. Call it cheesy, but nothing is better than a great scene with folks sitting around a dinner table, confronting and dealing with the ups and the downs of life as a family with both tears and laughter.

So, here’s to paying it forward–a few films that can get you in the mood of gratitude for family, friends, and connection.

 

The Wiz

A real classic! Aside from outstanding performances and amazing costumes, The Wiz continues to hold a special place in our hearts. I mean, the film is all about Dorothy realizing how special home is and she spends the length of the film trying to get back there.

 

Soul Food

Mama Joe always said, “One finger won’t make an impact, but you ball all those fingers into a fist, and you can strike a mighty blow. Now, this family has got to be that fist.” She was right.

 

The Nutty Professor

The Klump dinner table is one that we will never forget because of the food spreads but also the laughs.

 

The Color Purple

No matter where you are in the country, you can find another person who will quote nearly half of The Color Purple along with you. From the dinner table scene to Celie reuniting with Nettie?! The tears, oh the tears.

 

The Best Man

Sometimes you can create your own family, and that is a blessing that we don’t take lightly. Even though there are stumbles in the road, The Best Man shows that friends can be just as important as family.

The post 5 Feel-Good Films to Watch this Thanksgiving appeared first on Black Enterprise.