It’s almost “Gilmore Girls” and “Red (Taylor’s Version)” pumpkin spice season. The trees are on the brink of changing color and the local thrift stores have started stocking up on Halloween costumes. Fall is fast approaching.
With that drop in temperature and the increased amount of plaid worn around the city, curling up under a blanket with warm apple cider and a movie sounds especially inviting.
- “Dead Poets Society” (1989): The dark academia vibes in this classic film are immaculate. The story follows high school junior Todd Anderson as he enrolls at the prestigious New England preparatory school, Welton Academy. Along with his roommate, Neil Perry, and a group of friends, under the guidance of their enigmatic English teacher Mr. Keating, played by Robin Williams, Todd discovers the beauty of poetry, friendship, and life.
- “Coco” (2017): A Pixar marvel, Coco follows Miguel, a young boy from Santa Cecilia, Mexico, who harbors a secret passion for music that he must hide from his family, who have sworn off music. The film celebrates the Day of the Dead and uses colors and visuals that are quintessentially autumnal. The story speaks about unraveling the secrets of the past to ensure a hopeful future, and it brims with emotion and song.
- “Practical Magic” (1998): In time for Halloween, “Practical Magic” is a classic starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sisters Sally and Gillian Owen, social pariahs and witches in a small Massachusetts town. The film will have you wishing you were part of the sisterhood as they strive to lift the curse set upon them centuries ago and, all in all, it is cozy and highly rewatchable.
- “Addams Family Values” (1993): Netflix’s “Wednesday” had the world in a chokehold when it premiered, so it’s time to acknowledge its precursor. This film is an oldie but a goodie with Christina Ricci and Angelica Huston’s timeless performances as Wednesday Addams and Morticia. And after all, nothing captures the essence of Halloween more than the Addams Family Spirit.
- “The Age of Adaline” (2015): This is the story of a woman who remains 29 for over eight decades and restrains herself from love so no one will discover her secret. “The Age of Adaline,” starring Blake Lively, is a heart-wrenching science-fiction romance following one woman’s rediscovery of her passion for life.
- “Beetlejuice” (1988): It wouldn’t be a fall movie session without Tim Burton, and “Beetlejuice” is an iconic creation. This film showcases Michael Keaton as you’ve never seen before, with a curious lack of reflections in mirrors, and an advisory against the “Handbook for the Recently Deceased.” Winona forever.
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- “Mona Lisa Smile” (2003): A vastly underrated film, this movie stars powerhouses like Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Julia Stiles as students at Wellesley College in the 1950s, and Julia Roberts is their firebrand Art History professor. The visuals exude an old-world charm, and the story revolves around feminism, making choices true to oneself, and, above all, a love of knowledge.
- “Kiki’s Delivery Service” (1989): The house of Miyazaki gives us the ultimate fall family movie night film with a little witch and her cat who help a baker by delivering confections on a rather unusual form of transport: a broomstick.
- “Knives Out” (2019): Every season is mystery season and “Knives Out” serves it to you on a vibrant platter with bold fall colors, an idyllic house of secrets, and beautiful fall fashions —yes, Chris Evans’s cable knit sweater was revolutionary. Watch it for the star-studded cast and the perfect, autumnal aesthetics, and stay for Daniel Craig’s flawless Southern accent.
- “If Beale Street Could Talk” (2018): Shot against the backdrop of New York’s changing foliage, this adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel follows Tish, played by Kiki Layne, and Fonnie, played by Stephen James, in what can only be described as a gorgeous love affair. Through turmoil, trials, and tribulations, the two stick together and make the film a feel-good, comfort