No disrespect to the veritable queen of autumn, but this movie list goes beyond the undeniable classics in its quest to spotlight some essential viewing for the season ahead…
Yes, when you envisage the autumn months, it’s almost always set against the eternally picture-perfect backdrop of a Nora Ephron movie. We imagine her linking arms with Meg Ryan and crunching her way across New York in the chunkiest knit you’ve ever seen and a scarf that could very well smother you in real life. It’s all very charming and pleasant and quite frankly has the power to make you emotional, because you’re not gliding through a crisp Central Park, but standing in a puddle in rural Ireland, trying to take an aesthetic photo of some sodden leaves underfoot.
It is for this reason that, when you search up ‘best autumnal movies’ online, You’ve Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally are top of the pile 99.9% of the time. While I love these films dearly, they’re being vetoed from the list in a bid to bring you some personal favourites that evoke the season beautifully.
Sweet November
Starring Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves, Sweet November actually has terrible reviews, which genuinely baffled me while searching for the above trailer. It’s one of those movies that I wasn’t able to find for so long, and now I rewatch it all the time. Free-spirited bohemian woman meets high power ad executive man, she invites him to live with her for a month, and she shows him a whole new pace and way of life. Every frame is dripping in autumnal beauty, and there’s a twist you won’t see coming.
Mona Lisa Smile
Didn’t I say I loved movies about inspiring teachers who change their students’ lives? Set in 1953, Julia Roberts plays the role of an art history teacher challenging her students to reexamine the traditional roles of women, and realise that there’s more to life than becoming a wife. The cast is stacked, including Julia Stiles, Kristen Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Ginnifer Goodwin.
Now and Then
This film bottles up the feeling of nostalgia and fills up your senses with it every single time. As four childhood friends gather together to prepare for the birth of a baby, they wonder how the girls they were at 12 years old could possibly have become the women they are now. We’re brought back in time, become well acquainted with their adolescent selves, and fall in love with each of them. It’s wholesome and adorable and cosy, which is exactly what I want throughout the month of autumn. No scary thoughts, just nice pleasant vibes!
About a Boy
Hugh Grant in jumpers taking care of a troubled 12-year-old kid really is a palate cleanser, preparing your palate for Hugh Grant in 10 Downing Street dancing to Girls Aloud. An adaptation of a Nick Hornby novel of the same name, the film’s plot is actually a little bonkers, considering Grant’s character, Will, attends single parent meetings to pick up lonely women. Long story short, he winds up befriending a young boy and inadvertently becomes his confidante and mentor of sorts.
Submarine
Directed by Richard Ayoade, every frame of this film is expertly shot and provides a beautiful viewing experience. Submarine stars Craig Roberts as Oliver, a 15-year-old with two objectives: to lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to extinguish the flame between his mother and an ex-lover who has resurfaced in her life. It captures the intrigue in mundanity, and the vibrancy in bleakness, and I could listen to Craig Roberts’ voice endlessly.
Kramer vs. Kramer
Dustin Hoffman in a coat and scarf in a leaf-strewn Central Park! Meryl Streep delivering a courtroom testimony in a beige pantsuit! A really cute child! The 1979 American legal drama tells the story of a couple’s divorce, its impact on their young son, and the subsequent evolution of their relationship and views on parenting.
In America
A firm favourite for this time of year in our house (mostly because the little girl looks alarmingly like I did as a child), In America has a gentleness to it that feels almost heartbreaking. It’s a story about coming to terms with life after death, and serves as a celebration of small moments and magical intervention. The bones of the story is an Irish family setting up their new lives in New York, but the performances given by each of them are staggeringly beautiful.
Stepmom
An annual ugly-cry-inducing rewatch, Stepmom is a classic for a reason, and the gorgeous aesthetics of the film are a comforting antidote to the devastating plot. Starring Susan Sarandon as the terminally ill mother of two as she must accept the fact that her ex-husband’s new partner—played by Julia Roberts—will be their step mother. As with any good movie, there’s an epic soundtrack, and the ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ scene will nestle its way into your heart. Caroline O’Donoghue dedicated an entire episode of her Sentimental Garbage podcast to it, which I highly recommend listening to.
10 Things I Hate About You
Perhaps one of the best films ever made, this adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew deserves a rewatch every other month, but autumn just feels particularly right. I’m going to make the bold assumption that we’ve all already seen it, so won’t bore you with the plot details, and simply commend it for its nuanced portrayal of what it means to be a teenager, the complicated emotions and vulnerabilities of young women, and the crushing pain of being in love. Plus, Heath Ledger singing ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ — no other man could ever.
LOL
Miley Cyrus in a teenage angst induced huff hurriedly scribbling in her diary? Her beautiful mother, Demi Moore, sneaking around with her ex husband? A class trip to Paris that actually seems much more like a couples holiday to rural France? This movie really does have it all. The soundtrack and fashion choices are top tier, and it’s got just the right levels of melodrama to make you happy you’re not a hormonal teenager any more.
Sing Street
One of the best Irish films ever made, Sing Street is a reconstruction of 1980s Dublin with a band of school kids at its centre. Formed for the reason all bands are formed: to impress a girl, frontman Conor (played by Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) manages to convince the sophisticated and slightly older Raphina (played by Lucy Boynton) to star in their music video. The soundtrack is genuinely incredible, and I regularly listen to ‘Drive It Like You Stole It’ unironically.
Dead Poets Society
One of my absolute favourite movie genres is ‘inspiring teacher changes lives’. Dead Poets Society leads the pack, with Dangerous Minds, Freedom Writers, and Take the Lead following close behind. It’s a film for the kids who were friends with their English teachers, and Robin Williams is perfect, perfect, perfect. O Captain, my Captain ‘til the end.
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