Movies For A Cosy Autumn Evening by Alice

I think Autumn might be my favourite season... It's certainly one of the most beautiful. John Keats called it the "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness". I just love it when the leaves on the trees turn red, orange, and brown. I don't know about you, but as the nights drawn in, all I want to do is curl up under a blanket and watch a movie. And, there are some awesome films out there that will get you in that cosy autumn mood...

When Harry Met Sally

Released: 1989

Director: Rob Reiner

Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan

I think most will agree that When Harry Met Sally is one of the all time Romantic Comedy greats. If you haven’t watched it already, you need to right away… regardless of the season! The film discusses the age old mystery of whether men and women can simply be friends and nothing else. Harry, played by Billy Crystal before his hairline receded completely, believes that “men and women can’t be friends because the sex part always gets in the way”. Sally, played by Meg Ryan before she ruined her face with plastic surgery, disagrees… and they spend the entirety of the movie trying to work it out. 

To be completely fair, the film spans over several years and several seasons. Furthermore, the climax of the movie takes place on New Year’s Eve… But one of the most memorable and visually appealing scenes of the movie takes place in a beautifully autumnal Central Park. So beautiful in fact, that they used a still of the scene for the cover of the DVD. I dream of being Meg Ryan in that scene, in her Annie Hall inspired outfit, strolling through the fallen leaves. 

Dead Poet’s Society

Released: 1989

Director: Peter Weir

Starring: Robin Williams

Dead Poet’s Society is a movie likely to please hard core literary lovers just as much as film enthusiasts. It rightfully won the Academy Award for Best Original screenplay in 1989. The film tells the story of students of an elite prep school whose spirits are oppressed by their headmaster who preaches his four Pillars of Wisdom: “tradition, honour, discipline and excellence”.

Their souls are freed by their new and slightly unorthodox English teacher, played by the late great Robin Williams, who encourages them to stand on their desks, divulge in Romantic poetry and look at the world in a whole new way. He releases them from the bounds of the classroom to roam through the crisp fallen leaves on the grounds of the Welton Academy campus in order to teach them the importance of seizing the day. You don’t often come across a film quite as inspiring as the Dead Poet’s Society. 

Rushmore

Released: 1998

Director: Wes Anderson

Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Olivia Williams, Bill Murray

Rushmore, a Wes Anderson classic, tells the story of Max Fischer, played by a baby faced Jason Schwartzman who sports some rather fetching braces. Max is a fifteen year old scholarship student at Rushmore Academy. Like so many of Wes Anderson’s charming characters, Max is rather eccentric… to say the least. He spends the majority of his school day feuding with his headmaster, attempting to court his new teacher who is most likely twice his age, and focusing on weird and wonderful extracurricular activities to the detriment of his grades.

Over the course of the movie, he develops an unlikely friendship with Herman Blume, played by the wonderful Bill Murray (who doesn’t love Bill Murray), who is a dissatisfied multimillionaire whose two sons attend Rushmore. Herman is impressed with Max’s assertive and confident attitude, whilst Max admires Herman for his success.

The movie spans the entirety of Max’s autumn term, passing through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and ending at Christmas time and the end of the school year. It is thoroughly entertaining throughout, and is bound to get you in that autumn mood.

Hannah And Her Sisters

Released: 1986

Director: Woody Allen

Starring: Woody Allen, Michael Caine, Mia Farrow, Carrie Fisher, Barbara Hershey, Lloyd Nolan, Maureen O'Sullivan, Daniel Stern, Max Von Sydow, Dianne Wiest

Hannah and Her Sisters has everything you would expect from a Woody Allen movie; it’s witty, it has heart, and it’s chaotic… in a good way. The movie focuses on the stories and lives of three sisters: Hannah, Lee, and Holly. Allen provides us with a look into the relationships and dramas between the many interconnecting characters he presents in the film. It’s a tale of adultery, drug addiction, alcoholism, and suicide told by one dysfunctional family, with a little comedy thrown in to save it from being too depressing. 

The story of Hannah and Her Sisters is told over a period of two years, but it begins and ends with Thanksgiving dinners hosted by Hannah and her husband Elliot, played by Michael Caine. Woody Allen uses the holiday as an opportunity to place all the main characters, along with all their personal issues, in one place and allows the drama to unfold. It is quite the entertaining watch and will make even the most dysfunctional family seem normal.

500 Days Of Summer

Released: 2009

Director: Marc Webb

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

Since its release in 2009, 500 Days of Summer has become somewhat of a classic with its unique spin on your standard romantic comedy. If you aren’t charmed by Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in this film… there’s something wrong with you. The movie tells the story of Tom, a greetings card writer, who has fallen deeply in love with co-worker Summer. The only issue is… Summer does’t believe in love and does not want a boyfriend. The movie follows a non-linear narrative, jumping back and forth, examining Tom and Summer’s relationship over a 500 day period. 

Although the film spans an entire year, the seasons are used perfectly to represent the highs and lows of Tom’s doomed relationship with Summer. Autumn represents the downfall of their relationship and is a time for reflection Tom. It is a wonderfully wistful section of what I believe is a wonderful movie on the whole. It also boasts a pretty awesome soundtrack. 

Days Of Heaven

Released: 1978

Director: Terrence Malick

Starring: Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz

It has to be said, if you are looking for a film that provides you with non-stop entertainment and a jam-packed plot, this is not going to be the film for you. However, there is a lot to be said about Days of Heaven in terms of mood and visual impact. In fact, it won an Oscar in 1979 for Best Cinematography. There’s nothing like shots of beautiful orange skies and vast fields of wheat to get you in the mood for Autumn.

The film, set in 1916, tells the story of Bill (played by Richard Gere), who accidentally kills his boss in the steel mill where he works in Chicago. In order to escape punishment, he flees to Texas with his girlfriend Abby and younger sister Linda. They are hired by a rich farmer as part of a group of seasonal workers. The story continues as Bill and Abby plan and scheme in order to remain within the safety of the farm after the autumn harvest period has passed, and after their employment contract has been discontinued. 

Good Will Hunting

Released: 1997

Director: Gus Van Sant

Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Stellan Skarsgård, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver

Being a student of Screenwriting for three years, Good Will Hunting had always been on my “to watch” list, knowing that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were awarded Best Original Screenplay for the film at the Oscars in 1998. However, I didn't get the pleasure of watching it until a few months ago… Robin Williams tragically passed away just a week or so later.

Will Hunting, played by Matt Damon, is a twenty year old self-taught genius who works as a caretaker at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is discovered by Professor Lambeau after Will manages to solve a near impossible equation, which the Professor had left on a chalkboard for his students to attempt. Lambeau saves Will from his imminent imprisonment after he assaults a man under the condition that Will studies mathematics under his supervision, as well as receiving behavioural health treatment from a therapist. The film studies Will’s relationships with the Professor, his therapist (played by Robin Williams), his friends and his girlfriend, and displays the healing of Will’s troubled soul as he looks towards the future. 

Good Will Hunting takes place in the City of Boston, its beauty brought to life by the autumn season. One scene, where Will and Sean share a moment on a park bench surrounded by autumn colours, is one of the most powerful moments in the entire movie. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Released: 2009

Director: Wes Anderson

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon, Jarvis Cocker, Roman Coppola, Adrien Brody

Fantastic Mr. Fox is yet another lovely Wes Anderson film, perfect for watching to get you in the mood for autumn. It is an adaptation of the much loved children’s novel by Roald Dahl (so you already know it’s going to be a winner). If you are unaware, it is the charming story of Mr. F. F. “Foxy” Fox and his family who move into a beautiful new home in the base of a tree, despite the fact that it is situated in a risky area. After stealing produce from three local farms, with the help of some of his other animal friends, the owners of the farms decide to hunt and kill Mr. Fox. However, Bean, Boggis and Bunce are unaware of what our favourite fox is capable of, and as the story unfolds, the animals create cunning schemes to outwit the three farmers. 

The film features the voices of many famous actors and actresses, as well as members of Wes Anderson’s usual clan, including Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartman and Adrien Brody. Anderson is famed for his distinctive cinematography and his use of carefully chosen colour palettes (there’s a great article about the topic here). Fantastic Mr. Fox is no different. He makes use of lovely rustic browns and deep oranges, which are so obviously reminiscent of autumn, to build a charming world for his larger than life woodland creatures. 

The Trouble With Harry

Released: 1955

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Starring: Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Shirley MacLaine, Mildred Natwick, Mildred Dunnock, Jerry Mathers, Royal Dano

When you put on an Alfred Hitchcock film, you know you are in for some thrills and chills.  The Trouble With Harry is no different. It is a black comedy set in a small, quirky hamlet in Vermont. The simple folk of Highwater are presented with a problem when the freshly deceased body of Harry Worp appears on a hillside. The film plays out like a game of Cluedo, each of the main characters believing that another is responsible for the death of Harry. We, as members of the audience, are also none the wiser. 

The action plays out on a beautiful hilltop scene covered in crisp, autumn leaves… there just so happens to be a dead body in the middle of it. 

Where The Wild Things Are

Released: 2009

Director: Spike Jonze

Starring: Max Records, Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, Chris Cooper, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker

Many of you will be familiar with the story of Where The Wild Things Are if you were a fan of the book, written by Maurice Sendak, when you were young. If you haven’t seen it already, you won’t be disappointed by the film. The film centres around Max, an energetic but lonely nine year old with an extremely active imagination, who is especially fond of wearing a rather awesome wolf costume. He is becoming increasingly frustrated with his family life. His older sister is disinterested in him, and his mother has begun to divert her attentions towards her new boyfriend. After a heated argument with his mother, he runs away to a local pond. At the edge of the pond he finds a small boat. Deciding to board the boat, he sail into the pond… which magically becomes a vast ocean (totally plausible). After sailing for some time, he comes across an island where he stumbles across seven large and loveable monsters who he befriends, and eventually becomes their king. 

I promise you this charming film will wrap you up like a warm blanket, give you a much needed dose of nostalgia, and remind you that sometimes all you need to escape the stresses of everyday life is just a little bit of imagination. The perfect film for a chilly autumn evening. 

If you know of a movie that is perfect for autumn-time, we'd love to hear it!

(IMAGE SOURCES: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Alice is a freelance writer and editor of Wonder Magazine. You can find her over on twitter. Find more posts by Alice here...