Best Fall Movies to Watch

Autumn always makes movies feel different. Winter flicks are either drenched in Christmas lights or prestige Oscar bait begging for a gold statue. But fall, hmn. Fall movies are like a knit jumper pulled fresh out of storage: a little scratchy, a little nostalgic, and exactly what you didn’t know you needed. They’re the films you watch with a hot drink in hand, preferably while the world outside smells like wet leaves and the neighbour’s chimney.

As someone who has burned through way too many rewatches in dimly lit apartments, I’ll say this: the “fall movie” isn’t just about it being October. They’re a mood, they’re a colour palette full of browns and oranges.

It’s Meg Ryan walking through Central Park with leaves crunching underfoot. It’s Robin Williams whispering carpe diem in a New England prep school. It’s witches, foxes, football teams, and the occasional headless horseman.

So, trust me, here’s the ultimate Esquire-approved list of the best fall movies to watch.

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

There’s a reason this one always tops the “autumn watch” lists: it just feels like fall. Nora Ephron wrapped New York in golden leaves, wool coats, and the kind of conversational intimacy that makes you believe love is just one witty back-and-forth away. Billy Crystal’s cable-knit jumper became a cultural icon (later resurrected by Chris Evans in Knives Out), but it’s Meg Ryan strolling through Central Park that cements this as the fall rom-com.

Beetlejuice (1988)

If When Harry Met Sally is a mug of mulled wine, Beetlejuice is the spiked apple cider. It’s campy, chaotic, and very, very Tim Burton. It’s a ghost story that’s more kooky than creepy, the film nails that perfect Halloween-adjacent vibe without tipping into gore. Michael Keaton’s unhinged energy, Winona Ryder’s goth wardrobe, and Danny Elfman’s score all scream “spooky season”, and we love it.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

Not all fall movies are cosy. Some hit a little deeper. Dead Poets Society is set in a world of ivy-covered walls, autumn leaves swirling across prep school courtyards, and young men on the cusp of figuring out who they are. Meanwhile, Robin Williams’ John Keating teaches what it means to be alive, to chase meaning, to defy the safe and expected.

Little Women (2019)

Greta Gerwig’s Little Women is all about the inevitability of change — seasons turning, sisters growing, lives colliding. And though it moves through different times of year, its most memorable sequences are framed by the crisp light of autumn in Massachusetts. There’s something so distinctly fall about its tone: bittersweet, tender, and lined with nostalgia. It’s the kind of film that makes you want to write letters, bake bread, and call your siblings — or at least think about it.

Harry Potter Series (2001–2011)

Now this is basically a fall tradition, at least for me. The Harry Potter series has become the unofficial September ritual for fans across the globe. Whether it’s the Halloween feast in Philosopher’s Stone, the pumpkins dotting Hagrid’s hut, or the perpetual crispness of the Scottish highlands surrounding Hogwarts, the entire saga carries autumn in its DNA. Always, okay? Always.

Coco (2017)

Coco is pure fall perfection. Set around Día de los Muertos, it’s both a celebration of life and an acceptance of death — told in a way that’s vibrant, heart-tugging, and visually stunning. Miguel’s journey into the Land of the Dead is filled with marigolds, skeletons, and music that sticks in your bones. It’s not just a kids’ movie; it’s a family film in the truest sense (but keep tissues around you).

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Autumn is about the outsider: the kid who doesn’t fit in, the new beginnings that don’t quite settle. Edward Scissorhands is that, wrapped in Tim Burton’s gothic fairy-tale aesthetic. It’s suburban lawns, falling snow (yes, winter sneaks in), and a love story told through sharp edges and soft gazes. Johnny Depp’s Edward is both strange and gentle, and watching him navigate a too-perfect neighbourhood feels especially poignant in fall.

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Wes Anderson basically shot this film through a jar of pumpkin spice. Every frame is drenched in burnt oranges, browns, and yellows, making it perhaps the most visually fall movie ever made. Clooney’s sly Mr. Fox is charming, sure, but what really makes this film resonate is its warmth — it’s clever, whimsical, and cosy all at once.

Knives Out (2019)

A murder mystery in a creaky New England mansion, with tweed jackets, tartan scarves, and Daniel Craig saying “Benoit Blanc” in a Southern drawl — it really doesn’t get more fall than this. Knives Out is witty, sharp, and visually autumn-coded without ever being obvious.

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Don’t you just love New York in the fall? You’ve Got Mail might be a relic of the dot-com bubble, but it’s also a love letter to bookstores, sharpened pencils, and New York in the autumn. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan’s email-driven romance is laced with charm and melancholy. It’s the perfect closer to the cosy end of fall.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

It bombed at release (in July, of all months), but has since become the official background film of October. Hocus Pocus is pure camp: witches resurrected in Salem, over-the-top revenge plots, and Bette Midler belting “I Put a Spell on You.” It’s silly, it’s culty, and it’s exactly what you need for a light-hearted Halloween night in.

This Is Where I Leave You (2014)

This movie – in fact, a very underrated one, is about returning home, confronting old ghosts, moving through arguments you thought you’d buried years ago. This Is Where I Leave You captures that perfectly: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver, and Jane Fonda thrown together for a week of grief, chaos, and reluctant reconnection. It’s messy, it’s heartfelt, and it’s lovely.

The Intouchables (2011)

In my opinion, this movie works year round. But hey, I don’t make the rules. The Intouchables is about the unexpected comfort of companionship. This French gem pairs François Cluzet’s aristocratic Philippe with Omar Sy’s Driss, and together they create a friendship that defies class, expectation, and cliché. It’s tender without being saccharine, funny without undercutting its heart.