8 autumn movie classics to watch this weekend

We’re finally coming to terms with the changing seasons, and are ready to dive head-first into some of our favourite autumnal comfort films.

Giving off a feeling akin to that of a steamy bowl of soup or a warm hug, these movies always manage to set the soul alight, and are a great way to ease yourself into the season before Halloween horrors become order of the day.

Whether it’s with that sweet spot that can only be hit when Meg Ryan and Nora Ephron join forces, or the heart wrenching collaboration between Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon, here are some of our very favourite autumn films…

The Blind Side (2009)

Starring Sandra Bullock and Quinton Aaron, The Blind Side starts and ends in autumn. The film follows a gentle (and very tall) homeless black boy called Michael Oher, who is taken in by a rich white family in Memphis, Tennessee.

Michael’s new family help him to succeed in school and on the football field (not to mention boost his confidence and social skills). What’s more, Michael also helps them in return (in ways they didn’t know they needed).

Both powerfully emotive and wonderfully funny, this film will brighten any autumn evening.

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Aside from the fact it’s one of the best rom-coms of all time, When Harry Met Sally is also a perfect watch for autumn.

Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal play love interests Sally and Harry; a pair who debate whether or not men and women can be ‘just friends’.

She’s dressed in retro autumn wear, the leaves are falling from the trees, and the “I’ll have what she’s having” scene is just as entertaining as ever. It’s ‘cosy night in’ gold.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

It would be rude not to include Hocus Pocus in an autumn movies round-up. The Disney Halloween classic follows teenage boy Max, his little sister Dani, and his love interest Alison as they attempt to ‘finish off’ three witches.

The witches, played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker, were inadvertently resurrected when Max (foolishly) lit the Black Flame Candle. Now the kids must kill the witches before the witches get them first.

Stepmom (1998)

Few things are as autumnal as Susan Sarandon’s hair in Stepmom (except, maybe, the changing colours of the leaves on the trees behind her).

This comedy/drama shows a loving mother trying to come to terms with her ex-husband’s new partner (namely Isabel, played by Julia Roberts). With the children stuck in the middle, will the pair find a way to make things work?

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Here’s one for the nerdy book lovers (and fans of the rom-com genre).

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks play the roles of Joe and Kathleen; two singletons living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. While their paths cross regularly, they are unaware of each other’s true existence. Instead, they message back and forth via an online chatroom.

What makes this movie perfect for autumn? Well, besides the fact that it’s set during autumn, Meg Ryan’s tights (black, approximately 80 denier) ought to do it.

Autumn in New York (2000)

While this isn’t an amazing movie, per se, it is a heartwarming watch for anyone in need of romance (particularly on a cold fall night like this).

Richard Gere plays Will Keane; a successful restaurateur and womaniser who falls in love with a sweet young woman who is terminally ill. Charlotte Fielding, who is played by Winona Ryder, helps him to realise what’s important in life; with Keane ultimately putting his ‘player’ days behind him.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

The late Robin Williams stars as English teacher, John Keating; a man truly dedicated to his craft. He inspires his students to look at poetry from a different perspective, helping them to learn about who they are as individuals (as well as what they want from life, in the process).

Something about the ‘back to school’ atmosphere of the film and the boys’ red PE uniforms screams ‘autumn’ to us.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)

Just like Dead Poets Society, the ‘back to school’ nature of the first Harry Potter film makes it beautifully fall-like. Plus, the Halloween scene (with its hovering pumpkins and floating Hogwarts ghosts) puts other Halloween films to shame.