Why do holiday movies look and sound so similar?
Reese Witherspoon sits around the campus of Harvard Law School amid the fallen leaves in this classic comedy about a triumph of wit and charm over intellectual snobbery.
The autumnal vibes are strong in this warming Robin Williams movie, where prep school students wear their fall-friendly blazers with aplomb.
'Garden State' is a quirky fall-set movie starring Zach Braff and Natalie Portman, and the soundtrack is a standout feature. It also serves as a reminder that fall can be about bucketing rain as well as crisp autumn leaves.
"Don’t you love New York in the fall?” asks Tom Hanks' character Joe Fox. The setting is indeed part of the enduring charm of this classic rom-com.
Pixar's Day of the Dead-themed animation is a visual treat of autumnal reds, oranges, and golds. Musically-minded 12-year-old Miguel accidentally slips between the world of the living and the world of the deceased in a warm movie that will bring tears to your eyes.
The fall-friendly tweed fashions are strong in Wes Anderson's prep school comedy. Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman add warmth and wit to a fall-set film that will make you chuckle into your pumpkin spice latte.
Altogether scarier, the first film in the 'Scream' franchise pokes fun at the slasher movie franchise, while delivering popcorn-spilling shocks. Watch this one for a nostalgic Halloween spook-fest.
A kids' movie that's genuinely unsettling, Caroline is perfect Halloween viewing. Coraline slips through a secret doorway to a spooky world where characters have buttons for eyes, and 'perfect' parents are not all they seem. It might make the children glad their own parents are a little less creepy!
Christina Ricci delivers the spooky goods again in Tim Burton's creepy tale about a headless horseman and the out-of-town policeman (Johnny Depp) who comes to investigate.
Tim Burton is the master of spooky cinema, and this animated classic pulls double duty as essential Halloween and Christmas viewing. Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, leaves Halloween Town and wreaks havoc on the residents of Christmas Town.
Fall means football, and there's plenty of it in this drama about a newly-integrated high school team. Based on a true story.
Christina Ricci once again, on fine form as Wednesday Addams, the deadpan daughter of the ghoul-filled family. Perfect Halloween viewing that stands the test of time.
Grab your nearest and dearest to revel in the sibling coziness of Louisa May Alcott's warming tale. Have some hankies on hand for the tear-jerking moments.
Feel-good football flick 'The Blind Side' is based on a true story, and there are many fall semester scenes to enjoy, alongside the gripping tale and stellar performances.
Fall vibes abound in this warming true story, which sees a youthful Jake Gyllenhaal play Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who overcomes the odds, and his father's opposition, to become a whizz at rocketry.
Reese Witherspoon's fashion designer protagonist returns to her hometown to resolve some pre-wedding issues. Scenic fall scenes involving fallen leaves add to the picturesque, homely appeal.
Richard Gere and Winona Ryder play a couple with a considerable age gap, strolling handsomely around a picturesque New York set in, you guessed it, fall.
New York is at its golden-leafed best in this classic rom-com set in the most romantic season of the year.
Another fall favorite starring Reese Witherspoon. She's at her sharp-tongued best in this high school political satire, filled with preppy tank tops and other back-to-school fashions.
After October's warm skies comes November: a month which sees a just-dumped workaholic (Keanu Reeves) move in with an alluring mystery woman (Charlize Theron) on the understanding that she's going to turn his life around.
The late '90s were strong on spooky films, and 'The Craft' is supernatural teen-cinema at its best. A group of high school friends get more than they bargain for when they begin to dabble in the occult.
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Possibly the most fall-colored movie ever, 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' is Wes Anderson's wry adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic kids' tale. George Clooney voices Mr. Fox, who plots cunning revenge against unpleasant farmers.
The fall semester is also the setting for this witty family drama centered around a super-smart, book-loving girl. Based on Roald Dahl's novel, it delivers plenty of laughs as well as a heart-warming ending.
For a Halloween movie marathon, you can't go wrong with the darkly humorous follow-up, 'Addams Family Values.' There's a new baby in the family, but Wednesday and brother Pugsley are less than happy about it.
For those who like their Halloween spooky thrills a little more modern, the animated 2019 version and its 2021 sequel are guaranteed Halloween crowd-pleasers.
Continue the scare-fest if you dare: follow-up 'Scream 2' sees the survivors of the first film come face-to-masked-face with the knife-wielding maniac again. Follow with 'Scream 3' and 'Scream 4' if you're really in the mood for a marathon!
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are two non-scary witch sisters in this Halloween movie with a difference. Ostracized by society and fearful of their own powers, they have to rid themselves of a shared curse while trying to accept themselves as they are.
Christina Ricci has starred in more than her fair share of Halloween-friendly movies. Here, a baby-faced Ricci befriends a mischievous but friendly ghost who has to contend with exorcists and his own unruly uncles.
Boston in the fall makes for pleasant visuals, as Matt Damon's uber-smart janitor mingles with the sweater-clad students at MIT. As he attempts to overcome his personal demons, the plot pulls at the heartstrings.
Movies to get you in the mood for fall
These flicks will have you feeling autumnal in an instant
MOVIES Autumn
If summer is the season for enjoying long, warm evenings, fall is the perfect time to curl up indoors and enjoy a good movie. And what better way to embrace the season of colorful leaves and cozy sweaters than to settle down with films that remind us of everything that's great about autumn? From warmly-lit romantic comedies to spooky Halloween tales, these movies all come into their own as the nights grow darker and the trees turn golden brown. Get clicking to discover the best movies to get you in the mood for fall.