Laverne and Shirley : New Years Eve 1959 (1977)

Released on ABC, airing December 27th in the US.

Season 3. Episode 12.

The story: Shirley is having a party this New Year's Eve at the Pizza Bowl.
She doesn't want to pressure Laverne, but she wants her to finally make a decision on who she will be attending with.

Laverne really wanted to go out with Norman, but because he's a Milwaukee policeman, he is on duty on New Year's Eve.

So Laverne now has to make a decision between three other guys, although she really wanted to go out with someone special this year.

Just then, Beatrice shows up at the Pizza Bowl, and Shirley wants to know if Beatrice and her boyfriend Pete want to come to the party.

That's when Beatrice tells Shirley that she and Pete broke up.

Funny thing about that is, Laverne has had a crush on Pete since that picnic in the sixth grade.

Shirley thinks it's a big chance that if Laverne invites Pete over to the house, Shirley can persuade him to take Laverne to the party.
Stars Shirley Williams , Penny Marshall, David L Lander , Michael McKean , Craig Littler , Eddie Mekka , Phil Foster , Betty Garrett , Leoda Richards , Bo Kaprall

Directed by Alan Rafkin

Rated TV G

COMEDY/FAMILY/NEW YEARS/SERIES/TV

Laverne and Shirley : O Come All Ye Bums (1978)

Released on ABC, airing December 19th in the US.

Season 4. Episode 14.

The story: Every year at Christmas, Mr. DeFazio hosts a Christmas dinner for the homeless, and everyone is looking forward to it.

But this year, the pizza bowl hasn't been doing so well, and he's been working as a department store Santa to make the extra money to throw the party.

When he gets fired from the Santa gig, he insists there will be no dinner.

That's when Laverne, Shirley, and Carmine hit the streets to try and raise the funds.

Stars Penny Marshall , Cindy Williams , Hamilton Camp , Mickey Fox , Paul Micale , Michael McKean , David L Lander , Scott Marshall , Phil Foster , Rusdi Lane , Lynne Marie Stewart , Eddie Mekka , Wayne Powers

Directed by Joel Zwick

Rated TVG

COMEDY/FAMILY/CHRISTMAS/TV/SERIES

"Behave yourself, little man. Because Santa Claus likes to eat little bad boys...."

No Exit (2022)

Released February 26th in the US.

Filmed entirely in New Zealand.

The story: Darby is a young woman who recently overdosed and currently finds herself in rehab instead of jail...

While at a meeting, she gets an urgent phone call.

Apparently, her mother is in the hospital, and it's not good. 

When Darby tries calling her mother, she isn't allowed to, due to those rules she knows all about.

She is very worried about her mother, and because she is given such a hard time about using the phone, she decides there is no other alternative.

Darby must see her mother.

She finds her way outside of the rehab and hot-wires an orderly's car.

On her way out of town, she drives into a snowstorm.

When she is found by police sleeping on the side of the road, she is told to take a driving break at the rest area nearby.

There, Darby finds two men her age and an older couple.

It seems they are all stranded there and, of course, without any phone service.

When one of them mentions that they got a bit of phone service outside by the tree, Darby makes her way out there to give it a try.

Instead of service, she is terrified to find something else out there that she cannot bring herself to walk away from.

Stars Havana Rose Liu , James Gaylyn , Nick Davies , Jared Hill , Benedict Wall , Dennis Haysbert , Dale Dickey , David Rysdahl , Danny Ramirez , Mila Harris , Sam Forde , Paul Green

Directed by Damien Power

Rated R
MYSTERY/THRILLER

Taxi : A Full House for Christmas (1978)

Released on ABC , airing December 12th in the US.

Season 1. Episode 13.

The story : Elaine is down about Christmas this year , so she decides to have a small party at the garage.

Louie's little brother Nick is visiting from Las Vegas and that's all their mother has been talking about.

But Nick isnt exactly interested in spending time with his mother , he's more interested in gambling.

Louie gets Alex to play a high stakes poker game against Nick , with Louie funding Alex's game. 
If Alex wins , Louie can get his brother to commit to spending time with their mother.

Stars Marilu Henner , Danny DeVito , Jeff Conaway , Judd Hirsch , Tony Danza , Richard Foronjy , Benny Powell Singers , Randall Carver , Darren Milton , Ian Bruce , Joyce Goldman 

Directed by James Burrows

Rated TVPG

COMEDY/CHRISTMAS/SERIES/TV

Last Man Standing : Putting a Hit on Christmas (2012)

Released on ABC, airing December 14th in the US.

Season 2. Episode 7.

The story: Ryan has been trying to talk Kristen into allowing him to take Boyd to Canada for Christmas this year.

Mike also believes Boyd should be home with them at Christmas.

After Vanessa expresses how hectic the holidays are for her and that she really wishes Christmas was like it used to be, before they had any kids, Mike changes his mind about Boyd going to Canada.

Mike also tries getting rid of the rest of the family as well, so he and Vanessa can have a Christmas alone,  like old times.

Stars Amanda Fuller , Jordan Masterson , Nancy Travis , Tim Allen , Flynn Morrison , Christoph Sanders , Kaitlyn Dever , Hector Elizondo , Molly Ephraim , Hope Lauren

Directed by John Pasquin

Rated TVPG

COMEDY/CHRISTMAS/SERIES/TV

Last Man Standing : Last Christmas Standing (2011)

Released on ABC, airing December 6th in the US.

Season 1. Episode 12.

The story: While at Christmas service at the church, everyone notices Kristen's ex/Boyd's dad, Ryan has shown up.

After church, Kristen explains Rthat yan is back in town and wants to have a relationship with Boyd.

Mike is having the hardest time with Ryan's return and doesn't want to have anything to do with him.

But when Ryan shows up on Christmas day, Kristen reminds Mike of a story that teaches people to forget about the past and forgive those around us on the holidays.

Stars Tom Allen , Nancy Travis , Molly Ephraim , Kaitlyn Dever ,  Alexandra Krosney , Evan George Kruntchev , Luke Andrew Kruntchev , Nick Jonas , Paris Dylan , Kristop Sanders , Hector Elizondo , Natalie Distler , Logan Kishi 

Directed by John Pasquin

Rated TVPG
COMEDY/CHRISTMAS/SERIES/TV

Golden Girls : Have Yourself a Very Little Christmas (1989)

Released on NBC, airing December 16th in the US.

Season 5. Episode 12.

The story: It is only two days before Christmas, and it's really too hectic at the stores to go running around shopping for gifts.

Dorothy suggests that they put their names in a bowl, and whoever's name each one of them picks is the only gift they need to buy.

At first, Rose disagrees with the idea.

But after giving it some thought, she believes it's a good idea.

Her church is serving Christmas dinner to the poor, hungry people in the neighborhood, and Rose volunteered to help serve, so that will give her all the Christmas spirit she needs.

After opening their presents and Blanche is happy with the gift Rose gave her , Dorothy asks if the church could use more help.

Rose assures her they could , that's when Blanche decides she wants to help too.

While helping , Blanche and Dorothy are saddened to see so many children at the dinner.

Then , Dorothy finds out that the man in the Santa suit that arrived with the rest of the people for dinner is Stan which she never seen coming.

Stars Bea Arthur , Herb Edelman , Rue McClanahan , Estelle Getty , Betty White , Matt McCoy , Cynthia Lea Clark

Directed by Terry Hughes

Rated TVPG
COMEDY/CHRISTMAS/SERIES/TV

"Who's for some fresh, baked Christmas cookies?"
"Rose, why are the cookies in the shapes of American flags and Liberty bells?"
"I couldn't find the Christmas cookie cutters, so I used the Fourth of July cutters instead."
"I wonder where President Bush stands on eating the flag."

Golden Girls : 'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas (1986)

Released on NBC, airing December 20th in the US.

Season 2. Episode 12. 

The story: This year for Christmas, the girls have plans to go home to spend the holidays with their families, which they are all really looking forward to.

But before they go, Rose has suggested that they have a small Christmas celebration together and swap gifts that they made for each other instead of buying them, and everyone agrees.

On Christmas Day, Rose is helping at the Grief Counseling Center.

When Dorothy and Blanche show up to get Rose, they end up having to wait a bit while Rose deals with a man who is struggling with money problems.

Just as they are on their way out, a man dressed as Santa Claus enters the room.

Rose greets him, telling everyone Santa has come to visit.

That's when Santa keeps them all hostages.

Stars Bea Arthur , Estelle Getty , Betty White , Rue McClanahan , Craig Richard Nelson , Sam Anderson , Terry Kiser , Teddy Wilson , Buddy Daniels Friedman

Directed by Terry Hughes 

Rated TVPG
COMEDY/CHRISTMAS/SERIES/TV

"Rose, I love it. This will come in a lot handier than those pearl earrings....the next time I'm lost in the woods with a stack of pancakes."

ReMastered : Tricky Dick and the Man in Black (2018)

Made for Netflix, airing on instant streaming November 2nd in the US.

Filming location(s) unknown.

The story: When Richard Nixon ran for President of the United States in 1960, he was beaten out by John F. Kennedy.

In 1968, Richard Nixon ran, once again for the presidency, and this time around won.

It was a time of battles between race, war, and peace.

Nixon's intention was to identify with Middle America, and he felt that singer/songwriter Johnny Cash was literally as much Middle America as humanly possible.

He believed that he understood Cash's symbolic importance, and, relating to him, believed Cash could relate to him as well.

When Cash spoke publicly on his TV show one evening that he supported the president, it spoke volumes to the world.

Even more so to Nixon, who decided to invite Cash and his whole family to the White House.

On April 11 , 1970, President Nixon helped to organize the Cash concert at the White House that night, titled 'An Evening at the White House with Johnny Cash'.

It was the very same night that the Apollo 13 mission became a successful failure.

All that happened that night was completely legendary and changed America once again.

Stars Joanne Cash , Mark Stielper , Tommy Cash , Rev Jimmy Snow , Billy Zimmerman , Aram Bakshian , John Carter Cash , Don Reid , Pat Buchanan , Alexander Butterfield , WS Holland 

Directed by Sara Dosa & Barbara Kopple

Not Rated

HISTORY/DOCUMENTARY/BIOGRAPHY/MUSIC/TV

"A dove with claws."

Being Charlie (2015)

 

Released May 6, 2016 in the US.

Filmed in Utah and California.

Based on truths.

The story: Eighteen, Charlie takes it upon himself to skip the drug clinic he was currently in treatment at in the middle of nowhere and heads home, where it's familiar.

When he gets there, he walks into an intervention, which he tries running out on, but has no other choice.

At first, Charlie is ready to leave just as quickly as he arrived, but one night,  while getting ready to walk away, he hesitates due to Eva, a seemingly strong girl who is also getting treatment there.

Charlie then begins to give this new way of life a good try, mostly due to the new people with struggles like his that he befriends and lets into his life.

He still battles with his relationship with his politician father, but truly wants to do what's right for himself as well as his parents.

Soon Eva and Charlie are inseparable and help each other through their treatments.

When they finally get a bit of freedom that they believe they need, Eva cannot stay sober, and that sends Charlie over the edge right behind her.

But at what cost?

Stars Nick Robinson , Charles Halford , Aubrey Reynolds, Devon Bostick , Cary Elwes , Susan Misner , Common , Morgan Saylor , Eric Aude , Richardo Chavira , Richard Sharrah , Christy Summerhays , David H Stevens , Christopher Robin Miller , Zachary Grant , Nathan Stevens , Karli Hall

Directed by Rob Reiner

Rated R
DRAMA

Rob Reiner 

1947 - 2025

Rest in Peace 

Welcome to Chippendales (2022)

Released on Hulu instant streaming as an 8-part mini series, November 22nd in the US.

Filmed in California and Nevada.

Based on truths.

The story: In the 70s, South Asian Somen "Steve" Banerjee was working at a gas station in L.A.

But he wanted to be a businessman who made a lot of money.

After 7 years of saving up almost all of the small amounts of cash he made, he decided to buy a dying club and turn it into a bar/backgammon club. But that just wasn't working.

On an off night in 1979, Banerjee met Paul Snider, who was a club promoter.

Snider befriended Banerjee simply by telling him all about his and his wife Dorothy Stratten's friendship with Hugh Hefner, which fascinated Banerjee as he aspired to be rich and famous just like Hefner.

Soon, the two men brainstormed the club as a strip club for women, and that's when Chippendales was born.

It did well at first, but when Emmy-award-winning choreographer Nick De Noia was thrown into the mix, the club really took off.

Soon, many problems arose. From Banerjee's constant jealousy of De Noia's fame over his work with the club, to rival male stripclub openings, and finally to the club being shut down by the L.A. fire department due to the club being overloaded, causing the fire exits to be blocked off.

All that Banerjee ever wanted was accomplished, but his control issues and fierce neglect for the law finally caught up with him.

Stars Kumail Nanjiani , Eliyas Qureshi , Dan Stevens , Nicola Peltz Beckham , Philip Shabaz , Darren Lipari , Mark Jacobson , Joshua Hoyo Jr , Luke Crory , Adam Ray , Murray Bartlett , Cyrus Hobbi , Maximillian Acevedo , Nathan Provost , Danny Axley , Zach Chyz , Chuck Saculla , Annaleigh Ashford , Juliette Lewis , Quentin Plair , Jack Schumacher , Max Teboul , Daxton Bloomquist , Michael Graceffa , Justin L Wilson , Kevin Mylrea , Robin de Jesus , Spencer Boldman , Ravi Kapoor , Mona Sishodia , Suriyan Di Ianni , Jacob Buckenmyer , Andrew Rannells , Patrick Cage , Jeff Elam , Jack Laufer , Tamar Davis , Anthony Marciona , Matthew Floyd Miller , Roland Rusinek , Adrian Sparks , Kelly Cole , Nathan Madden , Jim Meskimen , Lucie Pohl , Davis Rahal , Ricky Jaime , Devinn Harris , Jason Bernardo , Jen Cohn , Brighton Sharbino , Donna Pescow , Evan Jonigkeit , Van Epperson , Joe Tapper 

Directed by Matt Shakman, Gwyneth Horder Payton, Nisha Ganatra & Richard Shepard

Rated TVMA
BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY/DRAMA/TV/SERIES

Heretic (2024)

Released November 8th in the US.

Filmed entirely in Canada.

The story: Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are two young missionary Mormon women.

They are trying to recruit as many people to their church as possible.

The last person they decide to talk with on this particular day is a man they had met sometime ago.

The man, known to them as Mr. Reid, had shown some interest in their religion and church and agreed to talk with the women another time.

They arrive at Mr. Reid's home, who welcomes them into his house.

The woman resist the invite as it's in their religion that a woman of the residence must be present for them to be allowed inside.

Mr. Reid assures the women that his wife is inside the house, and all is fine.

Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton go inside the house, and while having a lot of small talk with Mr. Reid about religion, ask to meet his wife.

Mr. Reid leaves the room but returns without his wife.

The women ask again and again about his wife, who never appears, no matter how many times he goes to get her.

It finally becomes obvious that Mr. Reid isn't being truthful with them, and they decide they want to leave.

But when they try to open the door, it is locked, and when they finally ask Mr. Reid to open it, he flat-out refuses.

Stars Sophie Thatcher , Chloe East , Elle McKinnon , Hanna Huffman , Haylie Hansen , Anesha Bailey. Elle Young, Topher Grace, Julie Lynn Mortensen, Miguel Castillo, Hugh Grant 

Directed by (& story written) Scott Beck and Bryan Woods

Rated R
MYSTERY/THRILLER/HORROR

Every Secret Thing (2014)

Released April 20th in the US.

Filmed in New York.

The story: Seven years ago, two 11-year-old girls, Alice Manning and Ronnie Fuller, kidnapped a baby, who was later found dead.

The girls were sent to juvenile detention but have since been released.

Eighteen years old now, Ronnie is working and trying to build a life for herself, while Alice struggles to find a job and lives with her single mother.

When a 3-year-old girl goes missing, the mother of the baby who was kidnapped seven years ago tells the police they should be looking at Alice and Ronnie.

The policewoman who solved that case doesn't think that the girls could have anything to do with this particular case, but the more she thinks about it, the more she thinks there may be something she needs to know about the girls' current lives that will help find the missing child.

Stars Diane Lane , Brynne Norquist , Eva Grace Kellner , Clare Foley , Paige King , Lance Hubbard Jr , Roslyn Ruff , Danielle Macdonald , Dakota Fanning , Sarah Sokolovic , Common ,  Hayden Johnson , Tonye Patano , Darin Guerrasio , Chris McGinn , Elizabeth Banks , Nate Parker , Julito McCullum

Directed by Amy Berg 

Rated R
MYSTERY/THRILLER

The Substance (2024)

Released September 24th in the US.

Filmed entirely in France.

The story: Elisabeth Sparkle is an aging celebrity who has just been fired from her workout program for being too old.

Upset after leaving a meeting with the show's producer, Elisabeth is in a car accident.

She is okay but shaken.

The nurse who is with her examines her spine, which she finds odd due to the doctor telling her she's good to leave. But he makes mention that she is the perfect candidate.

Outside, Elisabeth looks in her pocket to find a small note and a memory stick. The note simply says, "It changed my life."
Curious, she takes the memory stick and watches its content.

What she takes from watching the product's promotion is that it will make her the best version of herself.

After signing up for all of that, Elisabeth is transformed into a younger version of herself.

When she applies for the job to host the workout show she once hosted and gets the job, she believes she has one-upped everyone.

But when Elisabeth gets greedy for her new life and for the attention she is now receiving once again, 

She makes a horrible conscious mistake that will really changes her life.

Stars Demi Moore , Dennis Quaid , Robin Greer , Gore Abrams , Oscar Lesage , Christian Erickson , Tom Morton , Margaret Qualley , Hugo Diego Garcia , Akil Wingate , Daniel Knight , Jonathon Carley

Directed by Coralie Fargeat 

Rated R
MYSTERY/SCIFI/THRILLER/HORROR

The Conjuring : Last Rites (2025)

Released September 5th in the US.

Filmed entirely in the UK.

Based on truths.

The story: Young married couple Lorraine and Ed Warren are expecting their first child.

While helping a young woman who looks after her deceased father's antique shop, Lorraine has some trouble, which causes her to go into labor.

Almost losing their newborn daughter, Judy, the Warrens try to make a go at stepping back from their life of helping people who have paranormal experiences.

Fast forward. Judy is an adult who has always struggled with seeing scary things and having eerie feelings, but she's learned, with her mother's help, to control the problem.

Lately, Judy's struggles are getting worse, but she keeps this from her mother so, to not worry her.

When a friend of the family with whom Judy was close dies unexpectedly and mysteriously, Judy travels to a residence in Pennsylvania where her beloved friend was last seen alive.

There is the home of the Smurl family, a family of 8 living in a duplex.

The Smurls have recently reported paranormal activity at their residence and are in desperate need of help, but have no idea how to go about that.

When Lorriane and Ed find out Judy has traveled to Pennsylvania alone, worried, they rush there to take her home.

But they find that their daughter has taken it upon herself to visit the Smurls for an important reason and convince her parents to stay and help as well.

Stars Paula Lindblom , Madison Lawlor , Orion Smith , Emily Nolan , Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson , Mia Tomlinson , Ben Hardy , Steve Coulter , Rebecca Caulder , Elliot Cowan , Beau Gadsdon , Kila Lord Cassidy , Peter Wight , Kate Fahey , Tilly Walker , Molly Cartwright , Lili Taylor

Directed by Michael Chaves

Rated R

HISTORY/MYSTERY/THRILLER/HORROR

I Love You , You Hate Me (2022)

Released on Peacock instant streaming as a two-part mini series, October 12th in the US.

Filming location(s) unknown.

The story: Sheryl Lyna Stamps was a school teacher for 7 years before she accepted a job at the Developmental Learning Materials Company (DLM).

DLM was a family-run company, and it was there that Sheryl met the father of their only son, Patrick, later to become her husband Jim Leach.

In 1986, Sheryl wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, taking care of her son Patrick.

Patrick, an extremely active 2-year-old, kept Sheryl overly busy.

She went to the video store looking for a video that would keep her high-energy sons' attention, and there she found the show 'Wee Sing Together'.

Patrick adored the show, playing it over and over again.

Sheryl now wanted to create a tailor-made show for Patrick, incorporating aspects that worked from 'Wee Sing Together', while also being educational and developmentally appropriate for his age.
She did just that.

Her father-in-law owned a production studio, so she pitched her idea to him, which he loved.

He quickly gathered a group of people to work together alongside Sheryl to create her show, and that group of people created what we know today as Barney the purple dinosaur.

Barney's success did not happen overnight, but by late 1990, the show was a giant success.

As soon as two years later, parents began having many love/hate issues with the big purple dinosaur.

From that point on, no matter how much children loved Barney, he gained that many more haters.

Stars Bob Singleton, Burt Dubrow , Kim Goad , Charles Mittelstadt , Larry Rifkin , Steve Gomer , Lauren Mayeux , Pia Hamilton , Sean Breen , Rickey Carter , David Joyner , Dean Wendt , Andrew Olsen , Bob West , Shelley Aubrey , Lori Wendt , Pat Reeder , Bill Nye , Steve Burns , David Voss , Hope Cervantes , Stephen White , Leah Montes , Sloan Coleman , Ted Giannoulas

Directed by Tommy Avallone

Rated TV14

DOCUMENTARY/HISTORY/BIOGRAPHY/SERIES/TV

"Hopefully, the world will be a better place someday because of Barney."

Selena y Los Dinos (2025)

Released on Netflix instant streaming, November 17th in the US.

Filming location(s) unknown.

The story: Selena Quintanilla, born in April of 1971, got her musical start really early.

Singing since she was little, along with her older sister and brother, the Quintanillas were fueled by their father's love for Tejano music.

Their father had also been a singer, who was in the band 'y Los Dinos', so when he got married and had children of his own, he decided that marketing his kids in his Tejano musical vision was the right way for them.

After many years of hard work, that work paid off for the Quintanilla kids.

They worked hard at their craft and worked all the time until they knew they had finally broken out of the musical independence world and into the mainstream.

Soon, everyone wanted to see Selena.

The family was signed and made the money they knew they could.

But the ultimate dream was to go mainstream in American music.

Things were on the up for the Quintanillas, but it was Selena with the star power, and every dream she dreamed was beginning to come true.

Just before the release of her first American album in 1995, things took a tragic turn for the worse, changing the Quintanilla family's lives forever.

Here, we get to see many early home videos, performances, photographs, and never-before-seen interviews of an amazing, shining star who faded too soon.

Directed by Isabel Castro

Stars Abraham Quintanilla , Suzette Quintanilla , AB Jr Quintanilla , Chris Perez , Marcella Samora 

Rated PG
DOCUMENTARY/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY/MUSIC

The Drew Carey Show : Mimi's Day Parade (1996)

Released on ABC, airing November 27th in the US.

Season 2. Episode 9.

The story: This year, Drew has got all his holiday hiring done and over with, so he is looking forward to a stress-free Thanksgiving.

Mr. Wick has come up with a business idea that he believes is brilliant: a Winfred-Louder Thanksgiving Day parade, and he wants Drew to organize it.

Drew thinks its a great idea because Cleveland hasn't had a Thanksgiving Day parade in years, plus it's an opportunity to help from firing people.

He sits down to get right to work for next year, but quickly learns Mr. Wick means this year.

Drew has only two weeks to get things organized, meaning the pressure is on.

When Oswald and Kate try to help by making a Buzz Beer float, they wish they had at least had a flatbed truck.

Just when Drew believes he's in big trouble, Mimi shows up.

She has heard things with the parade aren't going so well, and she's come by with claims to be able to get flatbed trucks and permits.

But there's just one thing she wants in return for her help. She wants to be the Snow Queen at the head of the parade.

Stars Drew Carey , Kathy Kinney , Lisa Darr  , Craig Ferguson , Christa Miller , Diedrich Bader , Ryan Stiles , David L Lander , Ian Gomez , Tom Bosley , Tammy Faye Bakker , Lynn Wanlass , Don Perry

Directed by Gerry Cohen

Rated TVPG
COMEDY/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

"Gotta keep my spirits up. Gotta stay positive. I hope. I hope. I hope...this is death."

Flo : A Castleberry Thanksgiving parts 1 & 2 (1980)

 

Released on CBS, airing November 24th in the US.

Season 2. Episode 4.

The story: Mama, Flo, and Fran are all up way too early preparing Thanksgiving dinner.

Flo is really excited because she has invited the whole family home for dinner, and it's been 25 years since they've all been together.

The one thing no one knows about yet, though, is that Flo invited Daddy, who the family hasn't seen since he walked out on everyone over 25 years ago.

Flo's way of thinking about it is that everyone is getting old, and it's been a long time, so everyone should just be together and happy.

But even before Daddy arrives, feelings about him around the room aren't very happy ones.

Stars Polly Holliday , Sudie Bond , Lucy Lee Flippin , Joyce Bulifant , Jim Baker , Robert Ayers , Geoffrey Lewis , Leo Burmester , GW Bailey , Burton Gilliam , Jerry Hardin , David Hollander , Sharon Spelman , Kaela Dobkin , Kristy Dobkin , Forrest Tucker 

Directed by Dick Martin 

Rated TV G
COMEDY/FAMILY/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

Poly Styrene : I Am a Cliche' (2021)

 

Released February 22, 2022, in the US.

Filmed in England.

The story: After her untimely death in early April of 2011, her daughter, Celeste Bell, was in charge of going through all of the things that flowed through her mother's life.

Marianne Joan Elliott Said, better known to the world as Poly Styrene, the trailblazing young Scottish/Irish/Somali woman from Britain who wrote songs for and fronted the punk rock band X Ray Spex,  was a force to be reckoned with.

Quite the sensitive soul, Poly was a fashion victim with her own sense of style who, at a young age, wrote songs that had much meaning for her.

Celeste, Poly's only child, was not ready to be the caretaker of her mother's extremely large legacy, mostly because it was too painful to look back at without her mother here.

So, 5 years after her passing, Celeste finally brought herself to explore all the things that were her mother's life.

Through journal entries, photographs, videos, interviews, art, poetry, and performances, as well as words from many people who knew and loved Poly, Celeste takes us along with her through her mother's profound journey.

Stars Celeste Bell , (voice) Ruth Negga , (voice) Hazel Emmons , (voice) Rina Vergano , (voice) Don Letts , (voice) Rhoda Dakar , (voice) Ifrah Ahmed , (voice) Pauline Black , (voice) Bruno Wizard , (voice) Vivienne Westwood , (voice) Lora Logic , (voice) Youth , (voice) Helen McCookerybook , (voice) Paul Dean , (voice) Jonathan Ross , (voice) Thurston Moore , (voice) Neneh Cherry , (voice) Gina Birch , (voice) Kathleen Hanna , (voice) Adrian Bell , (voice) Ana De Silva , (voice) Yashoda 

Directed by Celeste Bell & Paul Sng

Not Rated

BIOGRAPHY/DOCUMENTARY/HISTORY/MUSIC

"She was a woman of color working within an industry full of white middle-class men that had it all their own way. It's really important that people get that."

A Different World : If You Like Pilgrim Coladas (1988)

Released on NBC, airing November 24th in the US.

Season 2. Episode 6.

The story: Everyone is going home or at least to someone's home this Thanksgiving, except for Whitley and Kim.

Whitley is used to it, but Kim gets upset after getting off the telephone with her mother.

Kim would much rather be home for Thanksgiving.

Whitley tries to cheer her up, but Kim decides they need to go out somewhere and have some fun.

Kim breaks out her fake ID, and the two decide to go to a local bar where there is a band playing.

After they have a couple Pilgrim Coladas, the girls are ready to party.

Just when things are going great, Kim sees a professor from their school and tries to get Whitley to leave before he recognizes them.

Stars Lou Myers , Sinbad , Dawnn Lewis , Kadeem Hardison , Cree Summer , Jasmine Guy , Charnele Brown , Ryan Phillippe , Carlos Lacamara , Lewis Dix Jr , Michael DeLorenzo , Darryl M Bell , Vincent Craid Dupree

Directed by Debbie Allen

Rated TVPG
COMEDY/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

The Bernie Mac Show : Thanksgiving (2004)

Released on Fox, airing June 29th in the US...
Season 3. Episode 22.
The story: Bernie has been pressuring Vanessa to study hard for her English test, so when she brings home an A, he is more than proud, and it's just in time for parent/teacher conference.

When Bernie and Wanda meet Vanessa's teacher, Mr. Diggs, he explains how well she's been doing and says he's looking forward to her next paper.

A biographical essay on someone each student is thankful for.

Bernie assumes that Vanessa will write about him, and is bummed when he learns, Vanessa has decided she is now a vegetarian after learning about Mr. Diggs' childhood, that she will be writing about Mr. Diggs.

When Bernie gives her a hard time about eating meat, she asks Mr. Diggs if she can have Thanksgiving dinner at his house.

Mr. Diggs then invites all the Macs to his house for a vegetarian dinner.

Stars Kellita Smith, Bernie Mac, Camille Winbush, Jeremy Suarez, Dee Dee Davis, Don Franklin, Tembi Locke, Ryan Napier, Steve Abbott

Directed by Reginald Hudlin

Not Rated

COMEDY/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

"What about Thanksgiving? Everything on the table will have meat in it.
The stuffing is gonna have meat in it. The sweet potato...? This year I've been thinking about meat potato....
I'll put meat in the water! ...Meat!"

Fresh (2022)

Released on Hulu instant streaming, March 4th in the US.
Filmed entirely in Canada.
The story: Dating apps are usually hit or miss for most people.
But not Noa, she finds it all completely depressing and has just about given up.
While at the grocery store one evening, she happens to meet charming Steve, who asks for her number.
Soon, the two get together and quickly hit it off.
Noa finds Steve fascinatingly down to earth and believes they have a lot in common.
So when Steve asks Noa to go away for the weekend with him, she totally agrees.
When she tells her best friend about the situation, she warns her not to go.
Noa goes along with the plan anyway, and the night before the said weekend, things take a turn for the worse.
Stars Daisy Edgar Jones , Brett Dier , Sunghee Lapell , Jojo T Gibbs , Arghavan Jenati , Sebastian Stan , Dayo Okeniyi , Andrea Bang , Lachlan Quarmby , Frances Leigh , Charlotte Le Bon
Directed by Mimi Cave
Rated R

MYSTERY/HORROR/THRILLER

Wish Upon (2017)

Released July 14th in the US.

Filmed in Canada.

The story: Clair is a teenager who has a hard time.

She lost her mom at a young age, and her dad embarrasses her by picking trash and being a hoarder.

One day, while her father is looking through trash at an old house, he finds a music box with ancient Chinese wording on it that he believes Claire will appreciate.

Claire finds the box interesting but has no idea about it or what the writing says, although some of her studies involve Chinese.

After being completely bullied at school, Claire, innocently enough, makes a wish that the girl who does the bullying would just rot...

The very next day, her bully nemesis does just that, and this gets Claire really thinking.

But after each wish, someone close to Claire dies.

Once she starts understanding this, she begins trying to save the people she loves from the wrath of the wishing box.

Stars Raegan Revord , Elisabeth Rohm , Joey King , Ryan Phillippe , Kevin Hanchard , Victor Sutton , Sherilyn Fenn , Ki Hong Lee , Sydney Park , Shannon Purser , Josephine Langford , Mitchell Slaggert , Alexander Nunz , Daniela Barbosa , Alice Lee , Albert Chung , Ryan Taerk , Jerry O'Connell

Directed by John R Leonetti

Rated PG13

MYSTERY/THRILLER/HORROR

Mama's Family : An Ill Wind (1986)

Released on NBC, airing November 22nd in the US.

Season 3. Episode 9.

The story: It's Thanksgiving morning, and Mama has been busy in the kitchen since daybreak.

She wakes Vinton and Naomi because he has to pick up Aunt Effie.

When Naomi finally makes her way up to the kitchen, Mama sets her to work, drying dishes.

While doing so, she and Iola notice how dark it is outside, but Mama insists it's always sunny in Raytown on Thanksgiving.

After Aunt Effie and Vinton arrive, it begins raining.

Soon, a wild storm rolls in, sending a tree through the dining room window and cutting the power off.

They all take cover in the basement, trapped there with only chips and rum balls to eat.

Stars Vicki Lawrence, Ken Berry, Dorothy Lyman, Beverly Archer, Allan Kayser, Dorothy Van

Directed by Dave Powers

Rated TVPG

COMEDY/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

Perfect Strangers : Wild Turkey (1991)

 

Released on  ABC, airing November 22nd in the US.

Season 7. Episode 9.

The story: Jennifer, Mary Ann, and Balki have all bought turkeys this year.

Jennifer's plan was to cook because it is the first Thanksgiving she and Larry are a married couple.

Balki wants to cook because he has been cooking Thanksgiving dinner since he came to the United States, and Mary Ann wants to cook to show Balki that she is wife material, only he won't notice anyway.

When Larry arrives home, his surprise is the biggest.

He had gotten a great deal on 58 wild turkeys, which he intends to resell.

Thanksgiving day, Jennifer and Mary Ann are in the kitchen when there's a knock at the door.

Mary Ann opens it to find three turkeys, which make their way into the kitchen.

Closely behind them are Larry and Balki, scurrying to get the turkeys back outside.

When Larry and Balki make their way back inside the house, Jennifer explains that she cannot find her diamond...

She always takes it off and puts it on the counter next to the salt and pepper, but it's not there, and the only ones who were in the room were the turkeys.

After checking all the turkeys with a metal detector, Larry learns that there is just one left that they did not check.

The one that Balki sold to the Johnsons next door.

Stars Melanie Wilson , Rebecca Arthur , Bronson Pinchot , Mark Linn Baker , Julie Payne , James Staley , Glen Vernon , Adam Hendershott , Brandi Chrisman

Directed by Judy Pioli

Rated TVPG
COMEDY/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

Brooke Shields : Pretty Baby (2023)

Released on Hulu instant streaming as a two-part mini series, April 3rd in the US.

Filming location(s) unknown.

The story: Brooke Shields has been in the public eye most of her life.

From the very beginning, Brooke had been accompanied by her devoted parents, notably her manager mother.

Her mother made some very risque decisions when it came to helping her only daughter make it big, and she never looked back.

But for Brooke, it wasn't all glamour.

Sexism played a big role in getting her seen and heard, and it wasn't until she grew up that she realized what was really fueling the machine.

Here, Brooke spills the beans on everything that went on in her life up until this point.

We see glimpses of all the things she's done, gone through, and then some , all while Brooke explains the situations.

Stars Brooke Shields, Scaaachi Koul , Isobel Coleman , Meenakshi Durham , Gavin de Becker , Gregory Butler , Jean Kilbourne , Deborah Tolman , Lyda Ely , Laura Linney , Alexandra Wentworth , Jeffery Alexander , Lionel Richie , Diana Cunningham , Drew Barrymore, Judd Nelson 

Directed by Lana Wilson

Rated TVMA

DOCUMENTARY/BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY

The Midnight Meat Train (2008)

Released August 1st in the US.

Filmed entirely in California...

The story: Leon is a New York photographer who is trying to make it big with his photos of the city that he loves.

A friend introduces him to an arts gallery owner who thinks he has potential but needs to work harder for his work to be seen in one of her shows.

Leon begins going out shooting late night and returns to the art dealer with the results.

She tells him that his current efforts are what she is looking for. So if he brings her two more efforts in the same vein, she will display them.

While Leon is out the second time late night, he sees the same man he happened to see the first time around, only he didn't realize it then.

Leon is now fascinated and decides to follow the man, who seems quite mysterious and equally dangerous.

Leon doesn't know it yet, but he is absolutely correct about the man he is now obsessed with following.

But when the man catches on to Leon following him, he not only puts himself in danger, but he also threatens the safety of his girlfriend.

Stars Bradley Cooper , Leslie Bibb , Roger Bart , Brooke Shields , Vinnie Jones , Barbara Eve Harris , Peter Jacobson , Stephanie Mace , Ted Raimi , Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson , Tony Curran

Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura

Rated R
HORROR/MYSTERY/THRILLER

Married...with Children : A Bundy Thanksgiving (1996)

Released on Fox, airing November 24th in the US.

Season 11. Episode 6.
The story: This year, all Al wants for Thanksgiving is an original Aunt Maddie's sweet potato pie.

It is the one tradition from his childhood that is very important to him.

While he is out with his friend Griff to get a pie, Kelly shows up at home with a turkey, which she claims followed her home.

She befriends the turkey, even naming it, while Peg, Bud, and Jefferson try to convince her to cook it.

Stars Katey Sagal  , Ed O'Neill, David Faustino , Amanda Bearse , Harold Sylvester , Ted McGinley , Christina Applegate , Nick LaTour , Beau Billingslea , Ann Weldon , Patricia Belcher 

Directed by Amanda Bearse

Rated TVPG

COMEDY/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

"Do you mind!? I'm overwhelmed with grief!"

"Well, how'd you like to be overwhelmed by Griff?"

Kevin Can Wait : Cooking Up a Storm (2017)

Released on CBS, airing November 20th in the US.

Season 2. Episode 9.
The story: This year, Kevin insists he will cook Thanksgiving dinner for everyone, although he has never done it before.

Kendra wants him to just go out to dinner because it will be much easier, and she's so busy with school work, she cannot help.

Vanessa also offers to help, but Kevin resists all offers.

When Kevin's neighbor Wendy, who has the hots for him, drops off a pie while Kevin is trying to tackle the turkey and sees he is having a hard time, she offers to help.

Kevin explains how his whole family expects him to cook because he insisted, so he has to cook.

Wendy comes up with a plan that she will prepare the dinner and drop it off before anyone notices it wasn't him cooking, and he agrees.

The day of Thanksgiving, and there's a blizzard going on.

Vanessa catches Wendy coming by, and before she realizes that Wendy cooked dinner,  Vanessa sends her back home.

Stars Kevin James , Leah Remini , Florencia Lozano , Taylor Spreitler , Mary Charles Jones , James DiGiacomo , Ryan Cartwright , Gary Valentine

Directed by Andy Fickman

PGTV

COMEDY/DRAMA/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

Bewitched : Samantha's Thanksgiving to Remember (1967)

Released on ABC, airing November 23rd in the US.

Season 4. Episode 12.
The story: It's Thanksgiving day, and Samantha is busy in the kitchen tending to the turkey when she hears a commotion in the living room.

She finds Aunt Claire has arrived unexpectedly, but just in time for dinner.

Darrin is upset because he was looking forward to a peaceful dinner with just the three members of the Stevens family.

Aunt Claire begins reminiscing over the very first Thanksgiving, and while doing so, feels homesick for Plymouth.

As she begins explaining, she would like to go back and visit her friends at that very first Thanksgiving and not stay with them as expected for dinner, she accidentally takes Samantha, Darrin, and Tabitha, along with their neighbor Gladys Kravitz, with her to the 17th Century, where they don't take kindly to witches.

Stars Elizabeth Montgomery , Marion Lorne , Dick York , Erin Murphy , Diane Murphy , Sandra Gould , Richard Bull , Jacques Aubuchon , Peter Canon , Laurie Main , Norman Stevans , Herbert Winters

Directed by Richard Kinon

Rated TVG

COMEDY/FAMILY/FANTASY/THANKSGIVING/SERIES/TV

"I didn't know you spoke pilgrim..."

Can You Feel the Beat : The Lisa Lisa Story (2025)

 

Released on Lifetime, airing February 1st in the US.

Filming location(s) unknown.

Based on truths.

The story: 1982, Hell's Kitchen.

Lisa Velez is a 15-year-old living with her mother, abusive father, and older brother.
A year later, leaving the abuse behind forever, the small family moves to a different part of New York without their father.

But it's now a much larger financial struggle for their mother.

Lisa is an ambitious and talented singer who wants to help her mother.

At work, she talks a friend into helping her meet famous DJ Jellybean, to see if she can get some sort of paying music gig.

Lisa and her friends attend a teen night at a local club where Jellybean is performing.

She makes her way to meet him, and he allows her to audition.

Jellybean believes she has talent, so he takes her number. But before she leaves, she is approached by Mike Hughes, who heard her audition.

He explains has a band and is looking for a singer and gives Lisa his number.

Quickly, with the help of Mike and his connections, Lisa becomes the lyrical part of the three-person  Latin pop group, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam.

Lisa convinces her mother to sign a recording contract for her, and things take off fast for them all.

But after some years on the rise, personal struggles, health, and contract issues threaten to stop the group for good.

Stars Jearnest Corchado , Alijah Kai , Bryan Arion , Bre-Z , Terence Willias , Donny Carrington , Matt Borlenghi , Giovanni Cristoff , Ian Lyons , Angie Martinez , Maurice P Kerry , Lisa Lisa

Directed by Tailiah Breon

Rated TV14

BIOGRAPHY/HISTORY/MUSIC

The Rule of Jenny Pen (2024)

Released March 7, 2025, in the US.

Filming location(s) unknown.

The story: Stefan Mortensen is an elderly judge.

One day, while holding court, he suffers a stroke.

The next thing he knows, he is wheelchair bound and in a rest home.

Stefan is suffering from all this change, but he is hopeful that once he recovers, his life will be back to normal.

He shares a room with aging rugby player Tony Garfield, who Stefan soon finds out is tormented by, without consequence,  another elderly resident, Dave Crealy.

Mr. Crealy happens to have been an employee at the rest home, who, of course, knows how to get around the place without any of the caretakers catching on.

So when he begins harassing and brutalizing Stefan, the caretakers will not listen.

You see, Mr. Crealy, who is never without his accomplice, eyeless handpuppet Jenny Pen, plays the role of a confused man who is in need of help from the caretakers.

But the reality is that Mr. Crealy is a bully who gets away with tormenting the other residents.

So much so that he is a danger to them all.

Stars Geoffrey Rush, Ian Mune , George Henare , Fiona Collins , Yvette Parsons , John Lithgow , Bruce Phillips , Richard Chapman , Maaka Pohatu , Annie Ruth , Hilary Norris , Nick Blake

Directed by (& story partly written) James Ashcroft

Rated R
MYSTERY/THRILLER/HORROR

Cobweb (2023)

Released October 20th in the US.

Filmed in Bulgaria.
The story: Young Peter, who lives with his mom and dad in an old house, is unable to sleep.

Every night, he hears noises in the wall in his bedroom...

His parents check, but they hear nothing.

The problems at home are also showing up at school. 

When his new, very nice substitute teacher visits his home to check on him, his mother is completely bothered.

Soon, Peter finds himself home all the time and completely isolated, other than being with his parents, now that they believe homeschooling is the answer for him.

But when the noises in the wall turn into voices that seem to know Peter, things get really complicated.

Stars Woody Norman , Lizzy Caplan , Antony Starr , Cleopatra Coleman , Luke Busey , Anton Kottas , Jay Rincon , Aleksandra Dragova , Jivko Mihaylov , Alexander Carra , Iliyan Nikolov

Directed by Samuel Bodin

Rated R
MYSTERY/THRILLER/HORROR

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (2025)

Released on Hulu instant streaming, October 22nd in the US.

Filmed entirely in California.

The story: Caitlin is a young mother who is expecting.

One day at work, she meets Polly Murphy, who is looking for an apartment.

The two seem to hit it off a bit and then part ways.

Fast forward to after Caitlin's baby is born.

She is out shopping with her two kids when she runs into Polly.

After chatting a while, Polly notices Caitlin could probably use some help with the kids.

She offers to babysit for Caitlin is she ever needs her to, claiming that she used to be a nanny.

They exchange numbers and part once more.

Caitlin looks into Polly's reference and thinks she is legit so she calls her.

Right away, Polly steps into the nanny role seemingly like a pro, which satisfies Caitlin.

But there really is a sinister reason for the fact that Polly has made her way into Caitlin and her family's life.

Stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Maika Monroe , Raul Castillo , Martin Starr , Riki Lindhome , Mileiah Vega , Lola Contreras , Nora Contreras , Yvette Lu , Shannon Cochran , Arabella Olivia Clark

Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera

Rated R
REMAKE/MYSTERY/THRILLER

Spaceman (2024)

Released February 23rd in the US.

Filmed in the Czech Republic and New York.

The story: Jakub is a scientist who has become the first Czech astronaut.

He has currently been on a six-month mission, alone on Jupiter, to explore the end of the solar system.

This makes him quite the hero with the people of his country, but not so much with his wife, who is currently pregnant with their child.

Because of the many demons Jakub faces, he feels, against his wife's wishes, that he must be the person to do this mission.

While in space, going through the regular, daily motions, Jakub encounters what he believes is possibly contamination to his spacecraft in the shape of a giant spider...

After some time, he realizes that what he believed was a virus is actually an alien spider who has come in peace to join him to learn about him and his mission...

Jakub cannot believe what is happening and doesn't know if it is real or his imagination.

But the spider quickly grows on him, causing Jakub to remember all the things in his life that have led up to this point.

Stars Adam Sandler , Isabella Rossellini , Kunal Nayyar (voice), Paul Dano , Carey Mulligan , Lena Olin , Petr Papanek , Marian Roden , Zuzana Stivinova , John Flanders , Sunny Sandler , Sinead Phelps

Directed by Johan Renck

Rated R
SCIFI/MYSTERY

The Boogeyman ; Stephen King's (2023)

Released June 2nd in the US.

Filmed entirely in Louisiana.

The story: The recent death of high school student Sadie and her little sister Sawyer's mother has devastated them, but Sadie is having the hardest time.

Their father, Will, is there, but he doesn't exactly know how to go about helping his girls deal with their grief, although he is a therapist.

After Will sees Sawyer and Sadie off to school for the day, he is visited by Lester Billings, an unexpected visitor who says he needs to speak to Will because he's a therapist.

Will doesn't usually see clients without an appointment, but Lester is adamant that he talk to him.

Will sits and allows Lester to tell him what is going on. 

He is clearly in distress and explains that all three of his children were killed by "something" that lives in the darkness, something that kills children while their parents are not looking...

But Lester believes people will think he is responsible because his story seems too outrageous.

When Will excuses himself to call the police, thinking Lester is crazy, Lester offs himself in Will's deceased wife's studio.

Or does he?

Stars Vivien Lyra Blair , Sophie Thatcher , Chris Messina , David Dastmalchian , Cristala Carter , Madison Hu , Lisa Gay Hamilton , Leeann Ross , Maddie Nichols , Rio Machado , Marin Ireland

Directed by Rob Savage

Rated PG13

MYSTERY/THRILLER/SCIFI/HORROR