Nothing beats sitting down on a chilly autumn afternoon with family, friends, or just yourself to watch the perfect fall movie! Except, you have no clue what to watch! You’ve got fifty different apps, and you’re arguing over whether you should watch a horror movie or a rom-com, or you simply have no idea where to start. Here’s my definitive list of the best fall movies to watch, and where you can find them!

Fantastic Mr. Fox

 Starting off strong with (what I think is) one of the best movies ever made! Fantastic Mr. Fox is Wes Anderson’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s famous children’s book and features a unique stop motion style! The movie tells the story of Mr. Fox, a fox who wishes for more thrills than he finds in his everyday life as a newspaper reporter. With the help of his friend Kylie, he plans a great heist so that he can relive his glory days. All the while, his son Ash struggles with the arrival of his distant cousin Kristofferson and his glaring differences from others. You can watch Fantastic Mr. Fox on Disney+ and Hulu!

Beetlejuice

 Of course I had to include the Tim Burton classic Beetlejuice!  The film follows young Lydia Deetz, an outcast of her town, as she discovers the spirits of a deceased couple, the Maitlands that are haunting their former residence, Deetz’s new home.  The Maitlands attempt to get the Deetz family out of their home so that they can rest peacefully, but are unable to do so on their own, leading them to enlist the help of the spirit Betelgeuse. Beetlejuice is a great movie for all ages that displays the fine line between the corporeal and physical world! You can find the movie on HBO Max and Hulu.

Vertigo

In this Alfred Hitchcock classic, Scottie Ferguson is forced to retire from the police force after his partner is killed on the scene of a crime and he develops a debilitating fear of heights (or vertigo). Ferguson is soon called in by businessman Gavin Elster who believes his wife, Madeline, is being possessed and is in great danger. The movie is filmed with wild twists and suspense as Ferguson unravels what has truly happened to Madeline and who she is under all of the mystery. In my opinion, this movie is one of the most masterful examples of suspense in cinema and will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time! You can watch Vertigo on Netflix!

The Royal Tenenbaums

 This other Wes Anderson movie is on the more mature side, telling the tale of The Tenenbaum family. The Tenenbaum’s have three children, Margot, Richie, and Chaz, who all end up moving back in with their parents after major crises in their lives. The family has always been distant, and the film explores their complicated relationships and dealing with themes such as redemption, suicide, and failure. The movie weaves together many different lives in a beautiful way that evokes heavy emotion, whilst still leaving viewers with an enjoyable experience. The Royal Tenenbaums can be found on Disney+.

Laura 

 Laura is a classic noir film originally released in 1944. In this movie, Detective McPherson is hired to investigate the murder of Laura Hunt after she was tragically shot in her apartment. In his investigation, the detective meets Laura’s old friend Waldo, who had become increasingly close with her through the years who believed that her then fiancé, Shelby, was unworthy of her. Shelby is a young man who was well known to live off the success of women like Laura, who in turn hated Waldo’s obsession with his fiancé. The two men’s rivalry makes Detective McPherson’s case all the more difficult to solve as he navigates the motives of his suspects and his own feelings for the now dead Laura Hunt. Laura is available for Rent on Apple TV as well as YouTube.

Little Women 

 Little Women, based on the classic Laura Ingalls Wilder novel, follows the March sisters through their navigation of life as a young woman in the post Civil-War era. Each sister is unique and explores different facets of young womanhood. I believe all teenage girls can see themselves in at least one of the March sisters (I personally love Amy the most)! There are many amazing adaptations of this novel, but my personal favorites are Greta Gerwig’s adaptation from 2019 as well as Mervyn Leroy’s 1949 film. The older film can be rented on Apple TV or YouTube, and the 2019 version is on Hulu!

Now, there is no time for me to tell you every single film that I think is perfect for autumn (because there are so so many), so here is a quick list that includes titles and genres for you to also check out!

• The Shining (Horror)
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Musical/Gothic)
• Coraline (Stop-Motion/Thriller)
• Harry Potter and The Sorcerers Stone (Fantasy)
• Twilight (Fantasty)
• Juno (Coming of Age/Rom-Com)
• Knives Out (Mystery)
• Practical Magic (Fantasy)
• Dead Poet’s Society (Coming of Age)
• Remember The Titans (Coming of Age/Sports)

I hope you will check out a few of these films, and that you enjoy them as much as I do. Happy watching!