Fall is officially here. Gone is the oppressive heat and blasting sun…replaced by cool and crisp air, boots and flannels, hot beverages and glorious colors of foliage. As with any season, Fall brings a period of transition and a different atmosphere. This has been reflected in cinema for decades. Where the Summer months were home to fun and colorful films, the Fall season brings about darker movies; the dramas meant for Oscar glory, and the horror films intended to feel at home with the spookiness of October. But it would be unfair to classify Fall films as all dark and gloomy. Fall is one of the most romantic seasons of the year, and it often dips it’s leaves into other genres such as sports and family films. What are the best films to watch while huggling with a loved one under a blanket with a steaming beverage, while capturing the essence or the atmosphere of the season? The answer, or suggestions come with Reel Speak’s first Top 10 Best Films to watch in the Fall.
So let’s break out the blankets…
10. PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES (1987)
Thanksgiving seems to be the bastard child of cinematic holidays; often pushed aside in favor of Christmas movies and Halloween flicks. Heck, even the 4th of July got its own movie. That alone makes this an easy entry to the must-watch films for the season. Steve Martin and the late great John Candy go through one mishap after another in a quest to get home for Turkey Day…earning one laugh after another and making us all nod our heads in agreement about the hassles of travelling during the holidays.
9. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (2001)
The first installment of the HARRY POTTER film franchise has everything a Fall film needs; a back-to-school theme, witchcraft and wizardry, black cats, trolls, and every character dressed for cold weather. The floating pumpkins in the dining hall hovering over tables full of succulent Autumn treats alone makes the film inclusion-worthy. But most importantly: Fall is a season of transition, and this is a family-friendly film that can move kids from the wildness of Summer to the more structured time of the school months.
8. THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999)
One of the first found-footage films that was a cultural smash and convinced audiences that it was real. Three student filmmakers venture out into the Maryland forest to make a documentary about a witch…never thinking that they would actually find her. Fall is definitely a time for horror films, and BLAIR WITCH brings the scares and shows the forest in way that will never have us look at leaf-less trees the same way again…or be out there in the woods after dark.
7. BATMAN BEGINS (2005)
Christopher Nolan’s Batman origin tale. It’s hard to ignore the impact superheroes have had on our culture in the last 20 years, and their films seem to make their way into every list. Taking inspiration from the classic Batman comic The Long Halloween, BATMAN BEGINS has all the elements of a horror film; capes, masks, and more than one bat. It’s primary color palette has the official Fall colors of black and orange, and Hans Zimmer’s iconic two-note Bat-theme has the foreboding of the dark nights ahead.
6. THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)
Wes Anderson’s colorful adaptation of the beloved children’s book. Lovingly brought to life with old-school, stop-motion animation, the film has a special, childlike wonder to it. The beauty of Autumn is on full display to the point where the color orange is basically a character in the film; it’s basically a love letter to the season. Boasting an impressive ensemble cast (as all Wes films tend to do), and a gorgeous presentation, MR. FOX works just as well for kids as it does adults.
5. HOCUS POCUS (1993)
No one ever said that Halloween movies have to be all blood and guts and cover-your-eyes scary. Bette Midler leads a trio of witches resurrected in modern-day Salem, leading to adventures and mis-adventures ranging from spells, talking cats, and zombies. It’s saturated in Halloween lore, and is perfect for the entire family to gather and enjoy after a night of tricking and treating.
4. REMEMBER THE TITANS (2000)
For many, Fall means football and going back to school, and Boaz Yakin’s based-on-a-true-story about an African-American coach (played by Denzel Washington), trying to integrate a high school football team hits all the right notes for the season. It works as a sports drama, family film, and is socially relevant after 20 years. And if a little more grit is needed for the more serious movie fan, there’s always FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004).
3. HALLOWEEN (1978)
John Carpenter’s horror classic that made the white-mask wearing, kitchen-knife wielding man-hulk Michael Myers an instant icon. Never before have the suburbs looked so beautiful in the Fall…only to turn terrifying in an instant. And who could get that music out of their head after one listen?
2. SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999)
Tim Burton’s take on the 1820 short story by Washington Irving, telling the tale of a constable (Johnny Depp), trying to solve a series of murders by a headless horseman. Burton has made a career out of movies about the strange and unusual, and any one of his films are right at home in the Fall or for Halloween, but SLEEPY HOLLOW is timeless as it can be told to youngsters on a Halloween night; a fairy tale to keep them well-behaved. The village of Sleepy Hollow and the surrounding forest is presented as creepy as can be, and the scenes of that headless horseman still brings the chills.
1. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989)
One would not expect a rom-com to fully capture the feelings of Autumn, but Nora Ephron’s cultural smash that elevated the stars of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal clicks all the right boxes. Filmed against the stunning foliage of Central Park and showcasing some great, bundle-up fashions of the time, HARRY MET SALLY catches two characters in a period of transition in their lives which serves as a metaphor for the changing of seasons. Harry and Sally are in the Autumn of their relationship, with changes coming ranging from dark (Winter) to hopeful (a New Year). Fall has always been a comfort-season; the comfort of a hot beverage, warm blanket, roaring fire, and the closeness of someone special. HARRY MET SALLY is very much a comfort; showing that a change in season is always a good thing.
Reel Speak's TOP 10 Best Films to watch in the Fall
- WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
- SLEEPY HOLLOW
- HALLOWEEN
- REMEMBER THE TITANS
- HOCUS POCUS
- THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX
- BATMAN BEGINS
- THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
- HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE
- PLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES
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