Top 5 Fall Movies to Enjoy Before Winter

Written by Olivia Ruiz

Since we are currently in the peak of the fall season, I know that my favorite activity is cozying up in my bed with my heated blanket, some hot chocolate, and watching movies all day. This year, everybody is wondering what movies would be the best for this kind of weather. Personally, I love scary movies in the fall but I understand that those aren't everyone's cup of tea. For this fall season, this list contains diverse movie genres and I think it has a movie for everyone. Below are my personal top 5 fall movies! 

1. Harry Potter (2001)

Harry Potter is definitely a top contender for the best fall movies. This movie does contain scenes in all seasons but it mainly focuses on fall or winter. For anyone that has not seen any of the Harry Potter movies, it follows the main character, Harry Potter, through his journey at wizardry school with his friends. The Movie Buff claims that  Harry Potter was, “The Beginning of a Fantasy Sensation”. I would rate this movie at a 9/10 because since this movie is a few years older, the quality isn’t the best which is why I would personally not give it a 10. I would overall recommend this movie to anyone who wants a cozy and interesting movie to watch with friends. 

2. The Conjuring (2013)

The Conjuring is my favorite horror movie of all time. This movie is set in 1971 and follows Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigators, through the case of the haunting of the Perron family in Rhode Island. This is the first movie of this series of 4 movies in total. This movie is pretty tame compared to other horror movies like the movie Us (2019), directed by Jordan Peele, or It (2017), directed by Andy Muschietti. This movie is more of a supernatural horror movie and also deals a lot with the church and demons. “The Conjuring is incredibly effective and scary without the use of blood, gore, and death.” Toby Emmerich, the president and COO of New Line Cinema during the production of The Conjuring franchise. I would give this movie an 8/10 just because it does get a little bit boring in the middle of the movie but I would recommend it to someone who is just getting introduced to horror. 

3. Twilight (2008)

Twilight is a movie where if you don’t get the hype about the movie, you will hate it. “This is teen girl angst unleashed upon an expansive fantasy landscape. And that’s totally okay!”, Cinapse. This movie is filled with scenes that will make you physically cringe but this movie is amazing. If you have never seen Twilight, which is almost impossible, it is about Bella Swan, the main character, moving to Forks, Washington, and following her experience in a new school and also her love life. The main question I would want to ask someone after they watch this movie would be; Team Edward or Team Jacob? I would rate this movie a 7/10 mainly just for nostalgia since my sisters were obsessed with this movie while I was growing up. I would recommend this movie to almost anyone to watch at least once in their lives.

4. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

500 days of summer might be the best, most infuriating movie of all time. This movie follows Summer and Tom for 500 days through their relationship. It covers the highs and lows of a relationship between two people who want very different things in life. Roger Ebert does a great job of explaining this move in one sentence. “She is her own person, and Tom can't have her.” This movie goes through a lot of seasons, since it is over the span of 500 days, but my favorite parts of the movie happen when it’s raining, or in fall weather. 500 Days of Summer became pretty popular on various social media sites about a year ago, which is when I decided to finally watch it. I would give this movie a 10/10 but since it's so frustrating, I will give it a 9. I would recommend it if you would like to be confused about the characters' decisions for a straight 1 hour and 30 minutes.

5. Wicked Part 1 (2024) 

Saving best for last, Wicked is my number one pick to watch in the fall. Even though Wicked does not take place in fall, it is a movie for all seasons. This movie, soundtrack, and the camera work is truly unbeatable and, in my personal opinion, the best overall movie to come out in the last five years. “Within the first five minutes, it’s very easy to see that this is a gorgeous movie.” Flixest. This movie captures the relationship mainly between Elphaba and Glinda. It also shows the struggles that Elphaba faces since her skin is naturally green. I do recommend this movie to every single person who listens to me blabber about it. This movie is a 10/10 through and through. 

Even though opinions are subjective, I do believe that these are the best choices for a cozy day in the fall. This list contained a bunch of different genres like fantasy, romance, and horror. My preference is definitely fantasy movies but everyone has their own favorite genre. I hope that this list helped some people come to the conclusion on which movie to watch for movie night!