As the fall months continue, the weather gets colder and the leaves continue to change colors, you may find yourself in need of some fall-inspired films to watch on a cold evening and to amplify your autumn spirit. I have compiled this list of four films that fit the fall season’s nostalgic feel and warm aesthetics that are sure to be a great send-off to October and a festive start to your November.
1. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966)
Bill Melendez’s 1966 animated Halloween special “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” based on Charles Schulz’s “The Peanuts” comics, is a warm, charmingly funny film that has been a part of the fall season for decades. The film, which I reviewed in depth in a 2024 issue of The Student Movement, follows Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang as they celebrate Halloween. Unlike his peers, who have plans for Trick-or-Treating and costume parties, Linus, Charlie Brown’s security blanket-carrying best friend, is looking forward to the arrival of the Great Pumpkin, a giant pumpkin who delivers presents to children on Halloween night. While Charlie Brown deals with the humiliation that another holiday season brings, Linus struggles to convince his friends of the Great Pumpkin’s existence while waiting patiently in a pumpkin patch for his arrival. The film, wonderfully animated and full of warm fall colors and jazz music, is a classic choice for a fall film.
2. “Little Women” (2019)
Based on Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel of the same name, Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of “Little Women” has quickly become synonymous with autumn due to its warm coloring, New England setting and sentimental and nostalgic themes. “Little Women” tells the story of the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, from childhood to early adulthood as they grapple with growing up, the change of family, romance, womanhood, and loss. The four sisters navigate their dreams, freedoms, expectations, and place in society as they leave their childhood home and pursue their own lives and opportunities. With an incredible cast that includes Hollywood legends like Meryl Streep and stars like Timothée Chalamet, “Little Women” is a beautiful exploration of life and change that fits perfectly with the autumn season.
3. “You’ve Got Mail” (1998)
Nora Ephron’s 1998 film “You’ve Got Mail” is based on the 1940 film “Shop Around the Corner,” which takes the viewer to New York in the midst of autumn, where Kathleen Kelly’s independent bookstore is threatened by the corporate bookstore that has opened across the street, owned by Joe Fox (Tom Hanks). Kathleen (Meg Ryan) and Joe, rivals in business, unknowingly meet online on an anonymous chat room and begin a correspondence. Still unaware of who the other is, Kathleen and Joe begin to fall in love and make plans to meet in person. However, when Joe realizes that Kathleen, whom he has begun to fall in love with, is his rival, he must grapple with his conflicting emotions. The film explores the way that the internet has changed relationships and what makes true romance. A classic 90s romcom, with a fun plot, loveable protagonist, and New York autumn atmosphere, “You’ve Got Mail” is another perfect choice for an autumn watch.
4. “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001)
The first in the “Lord of the Rings” film trilogy, Peter Jackson’s “The Fellowship of the Ring,” based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, is a classic fantasy adventure film that follows the journey of Frodo Baggins. An unlikely hero, Frodo begins his journey to deliver the One Ring, a magical object that brings its wearer power, to be destroyed in Mordor, a dangerous land controlled by the evil Sauron. Frodo, along with his companions, encounters danger and difficulty along the way but band together as a group to achieve their quest, demonstrating the importance of loyalty, community and honor. The medieval-inspired setting and film’s focus on nature, as well as the cozy autumnal atmosphere of Hobbiton and the Shire, make the film a great option for an autumn season film.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.