When the leaves start falling and the temperatures drop, there rises an immediate need to… well, watch fall movies.
When fall comes around, for some people like myself, it can be difficult to cope with the fact that summer has ended and now sunny days are almost a year away again. For others, fall is the start of a romantic time full of warm colors and coziness. Whether you fall into the former or the latter, it is without doubt that autumn films work wonders to lift your mood and get you ready to cozy up under a blanket.
That is why here on Filmsical we list 15 movies to watch this fall, from sweet and heartwarming fall staples to Halloween classics:
1. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Set in New York in the fall, Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail is one of the famous all-time autumn staples with its charming story of two strangers, Kathleen (played by Meg Ryan) and Joe (played by Tom Hanks), who meet online and form a deep connection without having any idea of what the other looks like. As it turns out, they very much know and hate each other in real life: she runs a small, much-loved children’s bookshop, and he owns the big chain bookstore that is putting her out of business.
“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”
With New York as the backdrop, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are a delightful duo on screen, making it the ultimate fall watch.
2. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
This list would not be complete without Rob Reiner’s When Harry Met Sally. When you think about this film, the only colors that come to mind are warm autumn colors, and for good reason: it is the perfect fall-in-New-York film, with a slow-burn romance between friends. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan bring to the screen Harry and Sally, who meet on an annoying car ride from Chicago to New York but, over the years, form a profound friendship full of knowing each other and deep appreciation. It is sweet and cozy, just what this list promises.
3. Little Women (2019)
Although Little Women by Greta Gerwig is not a romance film at heart, it has all the elements to make you feel warm and full of emotions. At its center is Jo March (played by Saoirse Ronan), a young woman who strives to be independent and do her own thing, and her sisters Amy (played by Florence Pugh), Meg (played by Emma Watson), and Beth (played by Eliza Scanlen), who love and care for each other no matter what happens. The film is filled with golden tones and beautiful New England landscapes that you dream of when you think of fall.
4. Pride & Prejudice (2005)
If you like period dramas and are on this list searching for fall movies, then Pride & Prejudice might just be it. Joe Wright’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel is a staple of the romance genre, but also of the fall season. It tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet (played by Keira Knightley) and Mr. Darcy (played by Matthew Macfadyen), who start out misjudging and disliking each other, and slowly, through their pride, prejudice, and many misunderstandings, fall in love. Its misty English fields, and the romantic conversations set in the countryside, fill your heart and warm you up.
5. Dead Poets Society (1989)
Dead Poets Society is one of the films that leave a mark on your life, forever to stay. Peter Weir’s film is about John Keating (played by Robin Williams), a new English teacher at a strict boarding school for boys, where the students are pushed to follow the rules. In time, by teaching them to think for themselves and “seize the day,” he forms such a deep and lasting bond with his students that it leaves the audience in awe of their relationship. It is set in Vermont in 1959, at the start of the school semester, with leaves falling and everything reflecting autumn.
6. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Written by childhood friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who won an Oscar for the screenplay, and directed by Gus Van Sant, Good Will Hunting is an undoubtedly moving movie with its autumn setting. It features Matt Damon as Will, a young man who has never studied at university despite being extremely intelligent, held back by a lack of opportunities and a troubled past. While he is working at MIT as a janitor, a math professor (played by Stellan Skarsgård) sees him solve a problem that none of his students could, and discovers that he is a genius mathematician. To keep him out of trouble, Will is sent to see a therapist, Sean (played by Robin Williams). With Robin Williams again playing the inspiring mentor, and Matt Damon playing the troubled yet brilliant young man, Good Will Hunting leaves one inspired and touched, making it a must for the season.
7. October Sky (1999)
Joe Johnston’s October Sky is based on the true story of Homer Hickam (played by Jake Gyllenhaal, one of my favorite actors there is), a teenager growing up in a town in West Virginia. One night, upon watching the Soviet satellite Sputnik cross the sky in October 1957, he decides to build his own rockets with friends, even though his father (played by Chris Cooper) has more traditional expectations of him. The boys chase their dreams with the help of their teacher, Miss Riley (played by Laura Dern), making for a heartwarming watch. And the film takes its name from being an anagram of “Rocket Boys,” the name of Homer Hickam’s memoir that the film is based on.
8. Knives Out (2019)
Knives Out by Rian Johnson is a movie not so cozy by definition, as it is a captivating crime film full of suspense. However, it definitely plays its part as a fall movie with its knitwear, old mansion and moody ambience. The story follows detective Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig) as he tries to solve the death of Harlan Thrombey (played by Christopher Plummer), a wealthy crime novelist and the head of a big, complicated family, who leaves behind a considerable inheritance. Although it is a crime film, it is made so cleverly that it is a very fun watch that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
9. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
With its orange-and-gold palette and brilliant stop-motion animation style, Fantastic Mr. Fox is Wes Anderson’s top-notch creation where every frame screams autumn. Based on Roald Dahl’s book, it follows Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney), a former chicken thief who has promised his wife (voiced by Meryl Streep) to stop stealing, but can’t resist one last raid. Things eventually get out of hand, and we watch the chaos unfold. The animation, the dry humor, and the snug underground homes make it an ideal film for a chilly autumn evening.
10. Coraline (2009)
Fall is as much about Halloween and a little fright as it is about coziness. Coraline by Henry Selick brings just enough spookiness to the season with its inventive story about a girl, Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning), in a family she is bored with. Coraline then discovers a hidden door in their house to a parallel world, an identical copy of her home, with a fun mom and dad that she has always longed for. However, these parents have buttons in place of their eyes. As fun and nice as things may seem, it gets creepy and scary real quick, and definitely stays in our minds as a film that leaves you holding your breath in many scenes. The film’s distinct shots and stop-motion animation also leave a lasting eerie effect on the audience, fit for Halloween.
11. Coco (2017)
Pixar’s Coco, directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, takes place during Día de los Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrated at the beginning of November. Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of being a musician in a family where music has been banned. On the night of the celebration, he accidentally ends up in the Land of the Dead, where he meets Héctor (voiced by Gael García Bernal) and his own ancestors. Filled with marigolds, music, and a bit of spookiness, it is a colorful film about family and what matters. Keep the tissues close.
12. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Kenny Ortega’s Hocus Pocus rightfully deserves its place on this list by being an iconic witch movie that everyone comes back to every October. Max (played by Omri Katz) has just moved to Salem, Massachusetts, and on Halloween night he lights a cursed candle that brings the three Sanderson sisters (played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) back from the dead. He has until sunrise to stop them, and what follows is a fun and gripping Halloween movie that gets us in the mood for fall.
13. The Addams Family (1991)
For the spooky season, Barry Sonnenfeld’s The Addams Family is another Halloween must-watch. Gomez (played by Raul Julia) and Morticia (played by Anjelica Huston) live happily in their gloomy mansion with their children Wednesday (played by Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (played by Jimmy Workman), until a man claiming to be Gomez’s long-lost brother Fester (played by Christopher Lloyd) shows up at the door. What they don’t know is that he might be planning to steal their fortune. The Addams Family is dark but strangely sweet, as many Halloween movies are.
14. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
When we talk about fall and Halloween, we cannot leave out Tim Burton and his classic Edward Scissorhands. Edward (played by Johnny Depp) is the unfinished creation of an inventor, left with scissors in place of hands, and he struggles to become a part of the community. He is taken in by a kind local saleswoman, Peg (played by Dianne Wiest), and her family, who care for him. Eventually, he ends up falling in love with the daughter of the family, Kim (played by Winona Ryder), and learns to live life. It is tender and also full of suspense.
15. Beetlejuice (1988)
Tim Burton’s second film on this list, Beetlejuice, is spooky and chaotic, as well as hilarious. After a car accident, Adam and Barbara Maitland (played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) come to find out that they are ghosts, stuck in their country house. When a loud family from New York moves in, along with their teenage daughter Lydia (played by Winona Ryder), the couple tries to scare them away and eventually calls in the “bio-exorcist” Betelgeuse (played by Michael Keaton), which quickly turns out to be not much of a good idea.
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