Planes, Trains and Automobiles Tops Thanksgiving Rewatches

As Americans gathered for Thanksgiving on Thursday, a new analysis of streaming habits revealed the holiday's most popular rewatched films, highlighting a preference for stories of family reunions, travel woes, and quirky gatherings amid the festivities. The study, drawn from three years of data on over 20 million U.S. users, ranked "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" as the top choice, followed by "Knives Out," "Wicked," "The Hunger Games," and "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving."

The 1987 comedy "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," directed by John Hughes and starring Steve Martin and John Candy, topped multiple rankings for its relatable tale of an advertising executive's chaotic journey from New York to Chicago to reach his family. The film's blend of humor and heartfelt moments about perseverance and unlikely friendships resonates during a holiday often marked by travel disruptions and the rush to connect with loved ones. Observers note its status as an unofficial emblem of Thanksgiving, capturing the frustration and warmth of holiday logistics without overt sentimentality.

Other lists echoed this focus on thematic ties to the holiday, even for films not exclusively centered on it....