Autumn is, without a doubt, my absolute favorite season. The minute the leaves start to turn, I’m ready for sweaters, pumpkin-themed drinks, Halloween costumes, scary movies, and that perfect in-between temperature. And since Pittsburgh is still unbearably hot most days, I’m even more than ready to fast-forward into fall. In preparation for the season, I’ve put together a list of the 10 coziest autumn movies—a mix of classics, hidden gems and personal favorites. Let’s go!
- donnie darko
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A film about the world ending and a mysterious huge rabbit probably doesn’t scream “cozy” to most people, but Donnie Darko will always be a peak autumn film to me. It follows a troubled teen, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who is plagued by visions of a man in a rabbit suit who warns him about the end of the world, and leads him to believe he’s entered an alternate universe.
With a suburban setting, Halloween backdrop, and eerie atmosphere, Donnie Darko defines the strange, spooky part of the fall season. It’s more horror-adjacent than most of the films on this list, which makes it even more perfect for curling up on an autumn night.
- manhattan murder mystery
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Yes, it’s a Woody Allen film, which makes it a complicated pick. But putting that aside, the movie itself is a witty, cozy mystery. Manhattan Murder Mystery follows a middle-aged couple, played superbly by Allen and Diane Keaton, as they gradually begin to suspect their neighbor murdered his wife.
This probably goes down as one of my favorite comedies of all time. Every line is written and delivered so perfectly, and there are gags that I can’t even think about without laughing. It’s a perfect comedy while also being an interesting mystery that keeps you on your toes—a great movie to watch during the autumn season.
- super dark times
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If Donnie Darko is the quintessential eerie teen movie, then Super Dark Times is its contemporary little sibling. It follows two teenagers in upstate New York whose close friendship is torn apart after they accidentally cause a fatal accident.
I had the perfect original viewing experience of Super Dark Times—sitting in my basement with my best friend, curled up in blankets on my couch. Halfway through, we got so spooked that we had to turn the lights back on to finish the film. Super Dark Times perfectly encapsulates the unnerving vibe of fall.
- rushmore
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I implore anyone who claims not to be a fan of Wes Anderson’s signature filmmaking style to check out Rushmore, only his second directed film. It doesn’t have the pale color palette and symmetry of his later works, but it’s still distinctly Anderson, and it’s my personal favorite of his. Rushmore follows a 15-year-old student who becomes friends with a rich industrialist, and the two battle in their affections for an elementary school teacher.
Rushmore has a mix of a campus setting, fall tones, and quirky humor, making it the perfect fall comedy. It’s witty, sharp, and surprisingly moving, like many of Anderson’s films, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a good September flick.
- my cousin vinny
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I’m aware that this seems like a very bizarre inclusion, but I’ll go to bat for My Cousin Vinny being a perfect fall movie. It stars Joe Pesci as New York lawyer Vinny, who’s called in to represent his younger cousin when he’s wrongfully accused of homicide. It’s up to Vinny, and his younger girlfriend Mona Lisa, to somehow save his cousin from jail, despite never having won a case before.
My Cousin Vinny is a brilliantly written fish-out-of-water comedy that most everyone who watches loves. The dialogue and performances are razor-sharp. My personal favorite is the character Mona Lisa, performed so perfectly by Marisa Tomei that she even brought home an Oscar for it. I highly recommend this for a casual, light October movie night.
- death becomes her
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Another comedy, but this one leans into being full-fledged camp. Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn play two rivals who discover the elixir for eternal youth and beauty, and both take it in an attempt to one-up each other, only to discover that immortality comes with gnarly side effects.
Death Becomes Her is like the 90s version of The Substance. It’s hilarious and ridiculous while also being a pretty biting critique of beauty standards and the lengths people will go to prevent aging. Equal parts spooky, weird and funny, this is another perfect pick for a fall movie night, especially with friends.
- juno
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Nothing puts me in the fall spirit more than the opening notes of The Moldy Peaches’ Anyone Else But You from this movie’s soundtrack. Juno is truly the perfect fall film. It follows the titular character, a precocious 16-year-old who gets pregnant and becomes close with the parents she’s chosen to adopt her child.
This movie never gets old to me. The soundtrack, cozy suburban setting, and mid-2000s fashion get me amped up for fall every single time. Juno is funny, brilliantly written, and is one of the ultimate comfort movies, especially for this time of year.
- good will hunting
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Few movies are as quintessentially autumn as Good Will Hunting. Besides the crisp Boston fall scenery and charming Harvard campus, it’s a mix of comforting and devastating that defines the season. It follows Will, played by Matt Damon, a troubled math prodigy working as a janitor at MIT, who finds unexpected direction and healing when he begins seeing a therapist, played by Robin Williams.
Man, this movie. There’s a very short list of films that make me cry every single time I watch them, and Good Will Hunting tops it. The performances are all incredible, the writing unforgettable, and Williams’ Oscar-winning turn as therapist Sean Maguire is an all-timer. It’s the perfect autumn movie, but don’t forget your tissues.
- the way we were
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In the wake of Robert Redford’s passing, it feels only right to include my personal favorite from his filmography, The Way We Were. Beyond that tribute, the film itself is so perfectly fall that I can’t resist rewatching it every season. Redford and Barbra Streisand star as Hubbell and Katie—two opposites whose love for each other is as undeniable as it is undone by their irreconcilable differences.
I absolutely adore this film. It’s a bittersweet romantic comedy, and the chemistry between Redford and Streisand is as intoxicating as it is heartbreaking. Plus, if you’ve ever seen Sex and the City, Carrie’s iconic line to Big comes from this film—”Your girl is lovely, Hubbell.” That’s reason enough to curl up this autumn and fall in love with The Way We Were.
- when harry met sally
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There’s not much I can say about When Harry Met Sally that hasn’t been said before. For the record, this is my third time writing about it. But honestly, no list of fall movies is complete without it. It’s autumn on film. The story follows two enemies-to-friends, Harry (played by the brilliant Billy Crystal) and Sally (the equally brilliant Meg Ryan), who, over the course of 12 years, come to grapple with the age-old question: can men and women just be friends, or does sex always get in the way? Spoiler: Sex and love do get in the way, and it’s as funny, messy and irresistible as it sounds.
This movie is about as perfect as it gets, instantly putting me in the fall spirit. Between the cozy sweaters and the New York City backdrop, it captures autumn like nothing else. I’ve already watched it once this year, and I know it won’t be the last.
The only thing I love more than autumn is movies, and nothing makes me happier than curling up in bed with a stack of fall favorites once the air turns crisp. Hopefully, some of my picks make it onto your next movie night, and maybe even earn a spot on your yearly fall watchlist.