When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Romance//Comedy//Drama
When Harry Met Sally is one of my favourite films of all time. The wardrobe alone is to die for (especially Billy Crystal’s sweater collection), but the dialogue, sets, and score all together make for a great cozy fall film. The movie follows a young Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) and Harry Burns (Billy Crystal). It starts with them roadtripping in Sally’s car from Chicago to New York and the two striking up a debate on whether or not men and women can truly be strictly platonic friends. The rest of the 1989 film follows the coming years of their lives and the development of their relationship.
Fantastic Mr Fox (2009)
Adventure//Comedy//Family
An absolute fall classic is Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. The colour palette, animation, setting, and general atmosphere of the film all scream fall. The star-studded cast (like most of Anderson’s films) makes it a “Where’s Waldo” of celebrity voices, which can be fun. The plot of the film revolves around an anthropomorphic fox family living in a valley belonging to three separate farmers. The farmers are the antagonists of the film, who are pushed to revolt against the animals after Mr. Fox relapses into stealing and looting from each of the farms. It’s a beautifully made film with heartwarming moments and a fun and family-centric plot.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Drama//Coming of Age
One of my other favourite films, both for fall and all year round, is Dead Poets Society. The story follows a group of young boys attending an all-boys private school called Welton Academy. They get inspired by their new English teacher, Mr. Keating, to make their lives extraordinary and to live more for themselves. The boys start a club called “The Dead Poets Society,” following a club Mr. Keating was in when he attended Wellington under the same name. This movie has one of my favourite performances from Robin Williams. He brought more than life to every character he portrayed, but there is just something so special about his performance as Mr. Keating that really captures and inspires you (or at least me) to be creative and live life to its fullest. The movie will make you laugh, cry, and be ready to seize the day.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Drama//Coming of Age
Working as a janitor at MIT, Will Hunting (Matt Damon) gets discovered by a professor for having a genius-level IQ. After a difficult home life, Will is finally given a shot and the mentor he always needed. Once again, Robin Williams (as Sean Maguire) gives an outstanding performance and one of my favourite monologues in a film. Minnie Driver (as Skylar) also gives an exceptional performance.
Coraline (2009)
Family//Spooky//Animation
A classic annual autumn film: The stop motion animation is timeless, captivating, and great for all ages. The story follows Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning), an eleven-year-old girl who recently moved to Oregon and into the Pink Palace with her mom (Teri Hatcher) and dad (John Hodgman). The story takes a turn when Coraline finds a small door in the wall, taking her to a parallel world with parents she has always dreamed of. When I first watched it as a kid, it definitely freaked me out, and shockingly, to this day, moments still do. It’s a great movie by Henry Selick, and especially great for the autumn season.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Romance//Drama
Screeeeech Beep Boop Boop. Who remembers AOL (I don’t!), but that’s the recurring jingle in the film You’ve Got Mail. A very cute enemies-to-lovers romcom that is a great movie to cozy up to this fall. Following Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan), a small book shop owner, and Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), owner of Foxbooks, a chain bookstore. The two start an anonymous internet romance, unknowingly falling for their business nemesis. Will the two work it out? Who knows! It’s up to you to find out.
Little Women (2019)
Drama//Period Piece
While some might not categorize this film as “autumn,” I think it’s a great film for fall, especially in November. The days are getting shorter, colder, and you need something to take the edge off: put on Little Women. The movie is based on the classic book Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Little Women follows the stories of sisters Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Amy (Florence Pugh), Meg (Emma Watson), and Beth March (Eliza Scanlen). The four sisters live under one roof, along with their mother Marmee (Laura Dern). The film focuses on how this cramped living situation has tested the sisters’ relationships over the years. The movie flashes between past and present with the addition of characters like Theodore (Timothee Chalamet), Aunt March (Meryl Streep), and Mr. John (James Norton) along the way. I will warn you now, while a beautiful film with a fantastic script, it is also quite the tear-jerker, at least in my experience.
The Mist (2007)
Thriller//Science Fiction//Horror
I haven’t seen The Mist for years, but what I do remember is that I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks. Based on Steven King’s novel The Mist, the movie follows a father and son trapped in a food and supplies store while outside, the whole store gets enclosed by a mysterious mist. If you touch it, you’re dead. If you know nothing at all about the movie and have never read the book, I beg you to go watch it for the ending alone; you will not regret it.
Lady Bird (2017)
Drama//Coming of Age
Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut, Lady Bird, is critically acclaimed for a reason. The script, cinematography, and cast are all what make it so good. It is also a great representation of a tumultuous mother-daughter relationship that I haven’t seen done so well in a long time. The most exciting and most awkward parts of growing up are all on full display in Lady Bird. As it takes place at the beginning of the school term, like Dead Poets Society, they are great ways to keep the motivation going in the darker months to come.
Juno (2007)
Drama//Comedy//Coming of Age
One of the best soundtracks of all time can be enjoyed while watching the absolute classic Juno. Juno follows the coming-of-age story of Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) and her unexpected teen pregnancy. She doesn’t want to keep it, but couldn’t bear the emotional and mental weight of an abortion, so she decides to give the child up for adoption. The movie follows her somewhat confusing relationship with the baby’s potential adoptive parents and the social and societal repercussions of being a pregnant teenage girl. Coupled with the emotional weight of the scene, every time I hear Cat Power’s “Sea of Love”, I can’t help but shed a tear. With a shockingly stacked cast of powerhouse acting, Juno will make you laugh, bop your head, and maybe even shed a few tears.
Donnie Darko (2001)
Drama//Mystery//Thriller
A forgotten autumn classic, Donnie Darko is a fantasy psychological thriller about a teenage boy (Donnie Darko). The film starts with Donnie Darko sleepwalking out of his house one night and sees a huge, dark, scary-looking rabbit (Frank) in the middle of the road, who tells Donnie that the world will end in 28 days. He gets back home to find a jet engine has crashed into his bedroom. Will the world end? I know, but you don’t and still need to watch the movie to find out.
The Half of It (2020)
Romance//Coming of Age//Drama
The Half of It will make you cry, but it is oh so good. The film revolves around the friendship of Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) and Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer). Their relationship starts off when Paul asks Ellie if she could write love letters to Aster Flores, one of their classmates, as he doesn’t see himself to be a good enough writer. The film progresses as Ellie continues to write letters for him to Aster, only for it to be later revealed that Ellie has also fallen for her. It is a great film about friendship, love, and growth.
But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
Comedy//Romance
But I’m a Cheerleader probably doesn’t come to your mind when you think “autumn film,” but I think it’s one to add to your list. Natasha Lyonne stars as Megan Bloomfield, a typical American girl. She is a cheerleader and has a football-playing boyfriend. She gets confronted by her parents, friends, and “ex-gay” Mike (RuPaul Charles) about her certain behaviours, such as vegetarianism and posters of women in her room, claiming that she is a lesbian (a fact unknown to her). She gets sent to True Directions, an inpatient conversion therapy camp where she meets other LGBTQ+ teens. The spoofy film aesthetically is vibrant and alive. The film is filled with comedy, while touching on some very important themes. Overall, it’s a great movie, especially for the fall season.
BONUS: Practical Magic (1998)
Comedy//Romance
While I have never seen practical magic, it’s the film on top of everyone’s fall list. While writing this article, I have had three friends tell me to add it to the list because it is the epitome of fall. Starring icons Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as two witch sisters, I have very high hopes for the film.
If you need something to look forward to, a little motivation, add these to your list of movies to watch on a weekend or when the semester is over. Better yet, use one of these as a great way to procrastinate! I could go on and on about which movies I think everyone needs to watch for every season, but for now, I think I’ll leave it at that.