25 Best Fall Movies for a Cozy Night In
Movies are a particular craving in the autumn months—throws are out, candles are burning, something is simmering or baking in the kitchen, and the evenings creep in a little earlier each day. These crisp fall days (especially on a slow Sunday) are the perfect excuse to curl up with a film.
Nothing feels quite as satisfying as wearing your slouchiest sweater, sipping a favorite warm beverage while you fire up a love story set in New York's fall (When Harry Met Sally). Experience the migration with a surrogate mother goose in "Fly Away Home" or watch the wind rustle through the English cliffsides in "Pride and Prejudice." Maybe you're feeling nostalgic for school supplies (Dead Poets Society) and need to make sense of life (Good Will Hunting) (Mystic Pizza). Perhaps you're looking for a puzzle (The Bone Collector) in that I-need-to-lift-my-feet-up kind of way (Silence of the Lambs) or celebrate a fall evening with your witches (Practical Magic) and bring a little spellwork (Hocus Pocus) into your season?
I've rounded up 25 of my favorite fall films, both new and old, that elicit those cozy, witchy, and nostalgic autumnal vibes.
Practical Magic
This movie will make you wish you were living at the Owens’ house. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star as witch sisters in this magical romantic comedy about family, love, and embracing one's true self.
The Breakfast Club
John Hughes' classic teen drama featuring Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, and Molly Ringwald as five high school students from different cliques who form an unlikely bond during Saturday detention.
Good Will Hunting
Matt Damon and Robin Williams star in this drama about a troubled genius janitor at MIT who finds guidance from a therapist while navigating love and his potential.
You've Got Mail
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan reunite in this romantic comedy about two rival bookstore owners who unknowingly fall for each other online.
The Silence of the Lambs
Jodie Foster plays an FBI trainee who must consult with the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to catch a serial killer in this psychological thriller.
Dead Poets Society
Robin Williams portrays an inspiring English teacher who encourages his students to seize the day in this coming-of-age drama set at a conservative prep school.
Silver Linings Playbook
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence star in this romantic comedy-drama about two people with mental health issues who form an unlikely bond.
Fly Away Home
Jeff Daniels and Anna Paquin lead this heartwarming adventure about a young girl who helps a flock of orphaned geese migrate south for the winter.
Knives Out
Daniel Craig leads an all-star ensemble cast in Rian Johnson's modern whodunit about a detective investigating the death of a wealthy crime novelist.
Hocus Pocus
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy play three witches accidentally resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts, in this family-friendly Halloween comedy.
When Harry Met Sally
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star in this romantic comedy classic that explores whether men and women can ever truly be just friends.
The Goonies
A group of kids, including Sean Astin and Josh Brolin, embark on an adventure to find pirate treasure and save their homes in this beloved family adventure.
Stepmom
Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon navigate a complex family dynamic in this emotional drama about divorce, remarriage, and terminal illness.
October Sky
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in this biographical drama about a coal miner's son inspired by the launch of Sputnik 1 to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.
The Cider House Rules
Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, and Michael Caine star in this poignant coming-of-age drama about an orphan who becomes entangled in the orphanage's complex world.
St. Elmo's Fire
A group of recent college graduates, including Rob Lowe and Demi Moore, struggle with adulthood in this Brat Pack coming-of-age drama.
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen bring Jane Austen's beloved romance to life in this visually stunning and wholesome adaptation.
Mystic Pizza
Julia Roberts, Lili Taylor, and Annabeth Gish play three working-class friends coming of age in a small Connecticut town in this romantic comedy-drama.
The Bone Collector
Denzel Washington plays a quadriplegic forensics expert who teams up with a young police officer (Angelina Jolie) to catch a serial killer in this thriller.
Mona Lisa Smile
Julia Roberts stars as a progressive art history professor challenging the status quo at a conservative women's college in the 1950s.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
The first film in the magical series, starring Daniel Radcliffe, introduces us to the world of Hogwarts and young wizard Harry Potter.
Remember the Titans
Denzel Washington stars in this inspiring true story about a newly integrated high school football team in early 1970s Virginia.
Charade
Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant star in this classic romantic comedy thriller about a widow pursued through Paris by several men in search of her dead husband's fortune.
The Lake House
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock play two people living two years apart who fall in love through letters left in a magical mailbox in this romantic drama.
A Little Princess
This enchanting adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic novel about a young girl (Liesel Matthews) using her imagination to endure hardship at a boarding school.