Oh fall, how we have missed you! The season of Gilmore Girls, pumpkins, and desperately wanting to wear a sweater despite it being 80 degrees in southern California.
In an attempt to get into the fall aesthetic that Pinterest has ingrained into my being, every year I try to watch movies that encapsulate the aesthetic that circulates the internet every time the leaves change colors.
So you all can join me, here are my top five movies for fall.
1. When Harry Met Sally.
If you are only going to watch one of the movies on this list, this should be it! It’s got everything you could possibly want for fall: New York City, Meg Ryan, witty banter, and the most comforting movie soundtrack ever made. It’s a romcom with a good old enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope that takes place throughout Harry and Sally’s friendship. It’s funny, heartfelt, and has a classic running-through-the-streets-of-New York-to-confess-my-love scene. Not only that, but it’s written by Nora Ephron. Need I say more?
2. You’ve Got Mail.
In case you’re wondering, no this article has not turned into a Nora Ephron fanpage (yet). Like most Nora Ephron romcoms, this one takes place in New York City during the holidays, starting with fall. You’ve Got Mail is one of three movies where Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks play the two main characters who fall in love. In this movie, Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) fights Joe Fox’s (Tom Hanks) chain bookstore that is putting her quaint children’s bookshop out of business. While all this is going on, she falls in love with a stranger she messages on the internet, who just so happens to be –you guessed it–Joe Fox. It’s comfy, cozy, and includes the dad from Diary of a Wimpy Kid as a supporting character. Who knew he would go on to such big things?
3. Dead Poets Society.
I’ll admit: this one is rough. You might be asking yourself why I would recommend such an emotionally devastating movie on my list of cozy fall films. But not only is this just a great movie, the fall (and Christmas) vibes are definitely present. Set at an elite New England boarding school in 1959, Mr. Keating (Robin Williams), the new English teacher, inspires his students to be themselves, read poetry, and embrace carpe diem. It’s somehow sad, uplifting, and heartfelt all at the same time as we follow the characters trying to survive their own circumstances.
4. Halloweentown
Technically this is a halloween movie, but Halloween is in fall so it counts. Cinema truly reached its peak with the debut of Halloweentown. Plus, if you really get into it, there’s three other movies after the original. My personal favorite is the sequel, Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge. Not only will it put you into the Halloween spirit, but its nostalgia will bring you right back to your Disney Channel Monstober days. It’s got the right amount of cheesy one-liners, outdated graphics, and early 2000s nostalgia that makes it the perfect comfort movie.
5. About Time
About Time is one of those movies that isn’t necessarily set in fall, but it gives all the warmth and comfort to warrant a fall feeling. Everything about this romcom is feel-good, and it is not so much a romantic comedy as it is a movie about trying your best with the people you love. About Time’s plot description doesn’t do the movie justice, so I’ll leave you with this: it involves Rachel McAdams, it’s set in London, and there’s an epilogue at the end. And I know we can all appreciate a good epilogue, because there’s nothing more annoying than wondering what happened when all you wanted was a movie to take your mind off the chaos of your everyday life.