22 Family Movies Not To Watch With Your Family On Thanksgiving

Courtesy of Focus Features.

The Kids Are All Right

We’ve arrived at the last, best, and gayest Julianne Moore entry on the list. Most of these movies have been, at best, 80% depressing and 20% entertaining, but this one, my friends, is the reverse. It serves up often hilarious, sometimes comforting, but occasionally frustrating and unsettling family realness. We follow Nic and Jules, mothers to two teens, Joni and Laser (LASER!!!!), who’ve reached out to their sperm donor as Joni has just come of age. Of course, as if this new semi-unwelcome addition to their otherwise stable and fully functioning family unit isn’t dramatic enough, Jules and Paul (donor daddy) become engaged in a bizarre affair. All of this, and we’re also dealing with Joni’s imminent departure for college, which puts pressure on all involved to make these last few months as a family count.

This is a lovely and fully entertaining portrayal of a modern family trying to work out the atypical kinks that come along with the territory, and ultimately, finding comfort in each other. Plus, it features one of the most honest and realistic portrayals of the fear of the beginning of college life, which can often feel like the end of your place within your family life. Also, Julianne Moore and Annette Benning as wives is a thing I could and would be HONORED to watch for the rest of eternity.

Especially avoid if: Kinda explicit sex scenes and/or discussion of sexuality isn’t for you. Also, if you’re about to graduate high school and are feeling some type of way about it: the final scene will gut you, but then heal you right back up.