We grade three modern and classic crowd‑pleasers with a Thanksgiving lens, weighing plot, performance, and visual craft while asking what these films say about family, luck, and the American story. A sugar‑sweet guest brings cookies, a director brings fresh eyes, and a comedian brings knives and candied yams.

• Silver Linings Playbook as messy romance about mental health and hope
• why the middle sags but the parlay and dance stick the landing
• Lawrence’s breakout presence against Cooper’s restless drive
• camera moves that thrill and distract in equal measure
• soundtrack choices that frame trauma and momentum
• themes of addiction, superstition, and generational silence
• Planes Trains And Automobiles as slow‑build empathy engine
• Candy–Martin chemistry balancing annoyance and grace
• visual gags that date and delight, with savvy reveals
• sound and score as time capsule rather than showpiece
• sticktoitiveness, thankfulness, and choosing fellowship
• Knives Out as a portrait of privilege, class, and kindness
• production design dense with clues and metaphors
• metacasting: Bond, Captain America, and the American dream
• Anna de Armas grounding a mansion full of big choices
• final scoreboard with A‑range winners and honest B’s

Keith Kennedy: https://keithkennedy.me/
Matt Somerstein: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwRlAEqZ8QsICJ6NjuY3Z9g
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