Oddly enough, the best Thanksgiving film is "Thanksgiving," the latest gruesome slasher from misanthropic master Eli Roth. I have never been a massive fan of Roth's work. Despite his early success with "Cabin Fever," recent films of his, like "Hostel" and "Green Inferno," often swim in amorality without injecting any real fun or substance.
With "Thanksgiving," Roth thrives within the confines of this blood-soaked, whip-smart horror satire that pokes fun at consumerism and the inherent exploitation of the social media age. It is a miraculous feat for Roth, who wins the most obscure adaptation prize by transforming his fake trailer from 2007's "Grindhouse" into a feature-length experience.
The hard-hitting kills exhibit endless creativity and technical verve. The script is sharp like a turkey carving knife, dispensing timely ruminations and cunning, Boston-flavored one-liners at a breakneck pace. Even Addison Rae and Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey deliver some of their best big-screen performances to date as unlikely figures drawn into a mysterious man's murdering rampage.
While horror may not be on everyone's Thanksgiving appetite, "Thanksgiving" delivers a full-course meal that will leave genre fans hankering for more.