The arrival of fall typically means cooler temperatures, shorter days, and more opportunities to spend some time inside watching great movies. If you’re looking for a movie that feels seasonally appropriate, then we’ve got you covered. We’ve selected eight of the best fall movies that you can watch to get you in the mood for one of the most beloved times of the year. From compelling dramas to unnerving thrillers, this list has a little bit of everything.
Donnie Darko (2001)
114m
Genre
Fantasy, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, James Duval
Directed by
Richard Kelly
Watch on Hulu
If you like your fall movies a little bit unsettling, then Donnie Darko is a perfect fit. The film tells the story of Donnie, a troubled young kid who begins to have visions that the world is going to end. The question at the movie’s center is whether Donnie’s visions are actually prophetic, or whether he’s actually suffering from mental illness. Donnie Darko is the kind of movie best left unspoiled, but it’s also definitively a fall movie, with much of its primary action taking place in the month of October. If you’re looking for something strange, this is your best bet.
Good Will Hunting (1997)
127m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck
Directed by
Gus Van Sant
Watch on max
What’s better than Boston in the fall? Good Will Hunting is a distinctly fall movie and a definitive college film. Telling the story of Will Hunting, a genius who works as a janitor at MIT and is discovered by one of the professors there, the movie is ultimately about whether Will can overcome the trauma of his past in order to live up to all of the potential he has. Matt Damon is brilliant in the central role, and Robin Williams is even better as the therapist he turns to to help him understand everything that’s happened to him.
Knives Out (2019)
131m
Genre
Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Stars
Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas
Directed by
Rian Johnson
Watch on Amazon
Rian Johnson’s first murder mystery is filled with the vibes and aesthetics of fall. We’ve got a huge manor house, rolling fog, lots of sweaters, and delightful trench coats. Of course, the movie’s fall aesthetics are not the only thing about it worth recommending. The movie tells the story of a murder investigation and the detective who is brought onto the case to solve it. Featuring a remarkable cast and a breakout performance from Ana de Armas, Knives Out is as fun as murder mysteries get, but gripping enough to keep you engaged from minute one.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
128m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke
Directed by
Peter Weir
Watch on Hulu
Some of Robin Williams’ best performances came in movies set during the fall, and Dead Poets Society is certainly among them. Telling the story of a teacher who arrives at a boys-only private school determined to get through to his students in new ways, the movie is about the pressures these boys face, and the way his teaching helps them through those pressures. While it’s not always subtle, Dead Poets Society is an incredibly effective tear-jerker that gives Williams the chance to use his comedic talents in service of something slightly more serious.
Little Women (2019)
135m
Genre
Drama, Romance, History
Stars
Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh
Directed by
Greta Gerwig
Watch on Hulu
Great Gerwig’s Little Women is technically set during every season, but many of its more impactful sequences take place during the fall. The movie tells the story of four sisters growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil War as they deal with problems both large and small. In rejiggering the timeline so that we are jumping between the past and the present, Little Women manages to inject new life into one of the most frequently adapted novels in Hollywood history. And with Soairse Ronan and Florence Pugh leading an incredible cast, the movie more than earns its spot on this list.
Marriage Story (2019)
137m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern
Directed by
Noah Baumbach
Watch on Netflix
A tender drama about divorce, Marriage Story is about the tragedy of the end of marriage, and the difficulty of losing the person you thought you would be with forever. Adam Driver stars as a theater director and Scarlett Johansson as an actress and his wife, and much of the movie is absorbed with the two of them hiring various lawyers in an attempt to out maneuver one another for custody and everything else. Marriage Story‘s central performance and sharp script are what make it great, but it’s also a reminder that divorce can be deeply emotional and ugly, sometimes in ways that feel almost unavoidable.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
122m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Romance
Stars
Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro
Directed by
David O. Russell
Watch on max
A remarkably funny romantic comedy anchored by its two lead performances, Silver Linings Playbook tells the story of an adult man who returns home after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. When he meets Tiffany, a young woman suffering from clinical depression, she agrees to communicate to his ex-wife if he enters a dance competition with her. The movie plays out along relatively predictable beats from there, but thanks to Bradley Cooper and especially Jennifer Lawrence, the movie was a major awards player. Add in a dose of the Philadelphia Eagles and Robert De Niro, and you’ve got a classic.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
110m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller
Directed by
Wes Anderson
Watch on Amazon
Wes Anderson’s entire filmography has a kind of fall vibe, but The Royal Tenenbaums may be the epitome of that more general trend. Telling the story of a family that reunites in the aftermath of the news that their father has cancer. Thanks to a brilliant central performance from Gene Hackman, and supporting turns from a roster of excellent actors, The Royal Tenenbaums is both funny and dark in ways that would offer a good roadmap for how Anderson’s career would proceed from here. Some think he has yet to make a better movie.
