When the leaves start falling, there is nothing better than settling in with a comforting autumn movie. Over the years, cinema has given us plenty of films that feel inseparable from the season.
Whether it is through their stellar colour palettes, cozy settings or stories that keep you hooked, these movies are inherently autumnal. Extra points if they make you cry, and of course, they should be endlessly rewatchable. Here is the ultimate bucket list of the top 10 comforting autumn movies to watch.
10. Twilight (2008)
Nostalgia alone makes ‘Twilight’ an autumn comfort watch, no matter how much we cringe at it today. It follows the teenage girl Bella Swan who falls for the mysterious vampire Edward Cullen. With its iconic soundtrack, moody atmosphere and the unforgettable rainy aesthetic of Forks, you simply got to return to this supernatural romance every fall.
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9. Knives Out (2019)
The first ‘Knives Out’ movie takes place during the fall, fittingly giving its brilliant murder mystery an equally brilliant autumnal colour palette. After the mysterious death of wealthy bestselling crime novelist Harlan Thrombey, his eccentric family gathers as detective Benoit Blanc is summoned to investigate the case.
8. Fantastic Mr Fox (2009)
Wes Anderson surely has his ways of taking inspiration from different seasons. With its incredible colours and comforting, laugh-out-loud plot, ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ is practically made for a cozy fall watch. After returning to his old ways of stealing, Mr Fox finds himself, his family and his community in danger and his latest spree of theft turns into a fight for survival.
7. Coraline (2009)
Whimsical, creative, spooky and surprisingly emotional, ‘Coraline’ has that very unique Gothic atmosphere and a story that is unforgettable. Curious and adventurous Coraline walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her frustrating real life. But beneath this charming world lies something far darker and more sinister that she soon has to face.
6. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Although ‘You’ve Got Mail’ unfolds across multiple seasons, it is impossible not to romanticise its gorgeous portrayal of New York in the fall. It is warm, charming, and endlessly rewatchable as we follow Kathleen and Joe, two strangers who fall in love while exchanging emails online, unaware that they are bitter business rivals in real life.
5. Little Women (2019)
There isn’t a better movie to watch with a warm cup of tea than Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’. Every scene in this movie feels like a painting that must be adored, and the emotional story will most certainly make you cry. The film chronicles the lives of the March sisters as they navigate love, ambition, sisterhood and growing up in 19th-century New England.
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4. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Is there a more iconic autumn scene than Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal walking through a leaf-strewn Central Park in ‘When Harry Met Sally’? The film follows the titular Harry and Sally over the course of twelve years as their chance encounter turns to friendship and then eventually to romantic feelings, and they are forced to confront how they really feel about each other.
3. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Every frame in ‘Good Will Hunting’ is beautifully filled with reds, oranges and browns. But its appeal goes far beyond the aesthetic. It is one of those films that stays with you long after watching, and somehow hits just as hard on every rewatch. The story follows Will Hunting, a mathematical genius working as a janitor at MIT, whose therapy sessions force him to confront his troubled past.
2. The ‘Harry Potter’ Franchise (2001-2011)
There is something inherently autumnal about the magical world of Hogwarts, and the ‘Harry Potter’ saga is a quintessential comfort watch when the weather turns colder. While the entire franchise carries that cozy feeling, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ captures it best. It is the first film that introduced us to Hogwarts and its enchanting aesthetic, and we can’t help but return to it every autumn.
1. Dead Poets Society (1989)
Whether it is the return-to-school setting, Robin William’s incredible performance, its beautiful message that still holds up or simply the nostalgia, you just can’t separate ‘Dead Poets Society’ from autumn. Set in a highly conservative boarding school, the film follows an unconventional poetry teacher who inspires his students to challenge the status quo and find deeper meaning in life.
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