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37 Best Fall Movies
1. Knives Out (2019)
Rian Johnson‘s exhilarating modern twist on the all-star whodunit is spiced with savage social commentary and humor. This was a major snub in the SAG Awards’ Best Ensemble category, and Johnson’s airtight, giddy, provocative script fully deserved its Best Original Screenplay Oscar nod. One of 2019’s most noteworthy a-star-is-born stories was that of Ana de Armas. After admiring her nimble, screen-commanding work here, we were thrilled to see her kicking butt in No Time to Die opposite Daniel Craig. Knives Out was a leggy box-office smash over holiday season 2019. A sequel is in production.
2. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
This is unequivocally the most beloved rom-com of the last half-century–perhaps ever. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star in this modern classic about friends who test their theory that friends can’t have sex with each other, over several years. Written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner, When Harry Met Sally was named the 23rd best American comedy ever by the American Film Institute; it’s the most loved romantic movie of its era. It all ends with an oft-quoted declaration of love moments before the clock strikes twelve.
3. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
It’s a rather blustery day in an all-time family classic based on the work of A.A. Milne. The 22nd animated Disney feature holds a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, widely considered a gentle, clever classic for all ages.
4. October Sky (1999)
Jake Gyllenhaal, Laura Dern and Chris Cooper star in Joe Johnston’s drama about NASA engineer Homer Hickham’s young life in West Virginia. This is an inspiring, uplifting movie for the whole family.
5. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Distributed under Disney’s Buena Vista banner (that’s for fare aimed at older kids, and even adults), this horror/comedy/musical hybrid initially tanked with critics and audiences, losing Disney as much as $20 million at the box office. Now, Hocus Pocus is a perennial essential on TV and home video, with a Halloween presence comparable to A Christmas Storyover the holidays. It’s safe to say the film has turned a hefty profit by now. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and pre-Sex & the City Sarah Jessica Parkerstar as the Sanderson sisters, 17th-century Salem witches who survive by sucking the life out of small children. Yeah, it’s kind of surprising this ever got greenlit. Thank goodness it did, though. Minor quibbles with anachronistic references and other details aside, this enterprise is a lot of fun, plain and simple. A Disney+ exclusive sequel is in development. Fingers crossed for lightning to strike twice.
6. Good Will Hunting (1997)
A virtually perfect drama that’s equal parts hilarious, romantic and moving, Good Will Hunting launched the A-list careers of Matt Damonand Ben Affleck. The duo’s Oscar-winning screenplay centers on a mathematics genius grappling with mental health issues, a lady love and small-town trappings. Good Will Hunting struck a chord with audiences worldwide, grossing about 20 times its budget. Robin Williamswon a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for an indelible turn as a grieving psychotherapist.
7. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
We think it’s impossible not to be wholly enchanted by Tim Burton‘s fairy tale about a gentle-natured outsider. The perennial favorite benefits greatly from gorgeous German Expressionism-inspired production design and a haunting Danny Elfman score, one of his best.
8. The Big Chill (1983)
This well-liked ensemble dramedy about a group of close-knit baby boomers features an intense Thanksgiving dinner scene and stars Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, William Hurt, Kevin Kline and JoBeth Williams. Close was nominated for an Oscar, and The Big Chill also received noms for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. Director and co-writer Lawrence Kasdan currently has considerable creative control over the Star Wars franchise. Columbia Pictures
9. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
David O. Russell‘s Philly-set masterpiece, about two hot messes who fall for each other as they heal from significant trauma, is an astounding blend of huge laughs, painful authenticity and a moving love story. Silver Linings Playbook walks a risky tightrope thematically and never sets a foot wrong—much to the delight and pleasure of anyone who watches it. This was the first movie since Warren Beatty‘s Reds 31 years earlier to be nominated for Oscars in all four acting categories (for stars Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver). Lawrence won Best Actress of course, and the rest is history. In addition to being arguably the most powerful screen romance we’ve seen in the 21st century, Silver Linings Playbook is a profoundly American movie—has any other film dissected our love of football with as much insight as this one?
10. The Ice Storm (1997)
Is there a more adventurous director out there than Ang Lee? From superhero epics (Hulk) to martial arts adventures (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) to period romantic comedies (Sense &Sensibility), Lee never does the same thing twice and always gives it everything he’s got. This chilly, brilliantly acted Thanksgiving-set period drama is quite dark, unsettling even, and it’s a near-perfect film you’ll have a hard time getting out of your head. Sigourney Weaver won a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA for her performance, and the film also stars Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire and Elijah Wood. Fox Searchlight (Universal Pictures)
11. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
No list of the greatest family films ever made is complete without this science fiction heartstring-tugger. E.T. captured the hearts and imaginations of millions, dethroning 1977’s Star Warsto become the highest-grossing film at the time. Like so many of Spielberg’s finest films, much of E.T.‘s greatness comes from the sweeping orchestral score by John Williams. Here is a blockbuster for the ages that always hits us directly in the feels.
12. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
One of the best scenes from Nora Ephron’s follow-up to rom-com juggernaut Sleepless in Seattle is this uncomfortable supermarket check-out bit in which Tom Hanks bails Meg Ryan out of relatable public embarrassment on Thanksgiving. Maybe one day we’ll get to see Hanks and Ryan on the big screen together again. Warner Bros. (Getty Images)
13. Rocky (1976)
Few “overnight sensations” in Hollywood history—if any—have ever risen to the top as quickly as Sylvester Stallone, whose script about an aspiring boxer falling in love with a painfully shy girl shot the down-on-his-luck actor to international fame and Oscar gold. He also starred in the drama directed by John G. Avildsen, an inspiring sports picture full of raw, schmaltz-free emotion that always knocks us out.
14. A Ghost Story (2017)
Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck star in David Lowery’s acclaimed supernatural indie about a ghost haunting the home of his grieving wife. It isn’t scary, but it’s romantic and ethereal. Lowery has firmly established himself as one of the most exciting voices in the modern arthouse, most recently with this year’s lauded Arthurian fantasy The Green Knight. A white-sheeted ghost (Casey Affleck) returns to his home in an attempt to reconnect with his mourning wife (Rooney Mara). Friday, July 7
15. Pieces of April (2003)
Katie Holmes gives one of her best performances to date as quirky and rebellious April Burns, who invites her family to her low-rent Manhattan apartment for Thanksgiving dinner upon hearing her mother (Patricia Clarkson) is dying of breast cancer. Will & Grace’s Sean Hayes also stars, and Clarkson received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. This offbeat indie derives its name from the 1972 hit song by Three Dog Night,
16. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
One of John Hughes’s funniest and most satisfying works gave John Candy the best role of his tragically brief career as clumsy and long-winded shower curtain ring salesman Del Griffith, who’s more than he appears. The secret to the perfection that is Planes, Trains and Automobiles is the fact that Candy and Steve Martin, two virtuoso comedic actors, were playing screen versions of themselves, offering endless opportunities for emotional truth. In 2000, film critic Roger Ebert included Planes, Trains and Automobiles among his expansive “Great Films” list, saying it’s the only movie his family watched as an annual custom. It’s one of Ebert’s great reviews (read here), offering insight into the real-life Candy, who wanted nothing more than to make everyone laugh. Check out Ebert’s retrospective review, and you’ll appreciate this holiday favorite even more.
17. Trick r’ Treat (2007)
An anthology film that takes a humorous, non-linear Pulp Fiction-y approach to small-town Halloween, Trick r’ Treat is a triumph of simple horror pleasures, with a deft balance of laughs, surprise and scares. Director Michael Dougherty most recently helmed underrated, wonder-filled Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
18. Coco (2017)
Much has been said about the brilliance with which Pixar handles the topic of death and grieving. Case in point: Oscar-winning musical dramedy Coco, centered on an aspiring musician who finds himself in the colorful Land of the Dead. Set during fall holiday Dia De Los Muertos.
19. Soul Food (1997)
George TillmanJr.’s dramedy stars Vanessa Williams, Nia Long and Vivica A. Fox. It’s all about the trials and triumphs of an extended African-American family. Soul Food was widely praised upon release for presenting a positive depiction of African-American family life. A sequel has been announced. Krisha (A24)
20. Krisha (2015)
Trey Edward Shults made his debut feature Krisha for $30,000 (for reference, that’s 1/10,000th of the production budget of Justice League) in his parents’ home using his family as actors. Krisha tells the story of a troubled alcoholic who seeks to make amends with her family over Thanksgiving.
21. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone(2001)
Warner Bros. bought the rights to Rowling’s enormously popular book series for £1 million (approximately $1.2 million) in the late ’90s, and the search was on for the right filmmaker to bring the Wizarding World to the screen. At one point, Steven Spielberg was in the running to direct, only he wanted this to be an animated film starring the voice of Haley Joel Osment. Eventually, the reins were handed to Columbus, and our introduction to Harry (DanielRadcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) still cast a spell of classically influenced, patient movie enchantment nearly two decades later. Some of the CGI effects looked fairly choppy even in 2001, and many of them have not held up. The Quidditch match is still a marvel though.
22. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Like fellow holiday classic Gremlins, director Tim Burton’s Halloween-Christmas mashup is one of the scariest movies ever aimed—ostensibly—at kids. The stop-motion musical has grown so iconic and popular that it’s become its own brand, but it’s important to remember just how special the film is on its own merits. Film critic Roger Ebert even compared the picture to Star Wars. Touchstone Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
23. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
The first half of this early, RKO-released Disney novelty is winsome and poetic; the back half becomes fairly chilling. An adaptation of The Wind and the Willowsleads into Disney’s take on Washington Irving‘s story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Bing Crosby voices Ichabod Crane, an 18th-century dandy who courts the affections of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel. Ichabod is antagonized by the Headless Horseman, and it all leads to a conclusion that’s surprisingly grim for Disney fare. The projectile flaming pumpkin is a giddy 3D-without-3D scary treat, so striking and memorable it was referenced in Tim Burton‘s 1999 R-rated Oscar-winner. Disney
24. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Burton’s head spin on the 1820 story is a successful blend of gore, humor, exceptionally strong production values, and a twisted plot. Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a squeamish constable investigating horrific murders within the sleepy titular town. A substantial box-office hit, Sleepy Hollow won an Oscar for its sublimely atmospheric art direction.
25. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
The all-time Peanuts classic first aired in Oct. 1966 on CBS. It’s aired near Halloween of every year since. This is the first Peanuts special with a title whose phrase ends with, “Charlie Brown.” This remained the formula for nearly every subsequent special. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (CBS)
26. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
Though it’s not as iconic and quotable as 1965’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, the Peanuts’ Thanksgiving special is still a delight, full of good humor, charming animation and a characteristically wonderful Vince Guaraldi score. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving has aired annually on network TV every year since 1973, first on CBS before moving to ABC in 2001 along with all of the other Peanuts specials.
27. Scent of a Woman (1992)
Although you might assume he has a whole stack of them by now, Al Pacino won his only Academy Award for his portrayal of retired Army Ranger Lt. Col. Frank Slade, a blind and cantankerous alcoholic in the care of a prep student (Chris O’Donnell) over Thanksgiving. Scent of a Woman was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars. Universal Pictures
28. Halloween (1978)
Made with elegance and artistry, haunting music, a high level of taste and—crucially—unrelenting suspense and scares, John Carpenter‘s classic about a masked madman terrorizing babysitters remains an untouchable genre staple. It doesn’t feel like hyperbole to call Halloween one of the best movies of all time—and perhaps the single most ripped-off film in history. The most successful independent film for decades, Halloween spawned countless slasher imitators. It’s never been bettered.
29. Halloween (2018)
Confusingly titled but astoundingly successful, David Gordon Green’s Blumhouse-produced soft reboot was one of the red-letter box-office stories of 2018. Halloween retcons in the extreme, eliminating all canon after the first film. The back-to-basics approach received warm reviews and simply insane box-office returns. The best part of the movie, unequivocally, is Curtis, who scorches through every scene as a woman scorned. This is an actress you should never underestimate.
30. The New World (2005)
Terrence Malick’s haunting and lyrical epic starring Colin Farrell may not feature a Thanksgiving feast, but it’s all about the birth of our nation, which makes it a perfect watch for the holiday in its own right. This is photographed by three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki. New Line Cinema
31. Sweet November (2001)
Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron star in a weepie centered on a (let’s face it, stunningly photogenic) couple who meet in a DMV. Based on the 1968 rom-com of the same name, only this picture alters the ending.
32. Autumn in New York (2000)
Richard Gere and Winona Ryder star in a melodrama about an aging playboy who falls for a terminally ill free spirit. Autumn in New York didn’t receive much critical love, but it star power made it a box-office hit.
33. Halloweentown (1998)
Debbie Reynolds, Kimberly J. Brown and Judith Hoag star in this Disney Channel original movie about generations of good witches. Halloweentown first aired Oct. 17, 1998, on Disney. The full film series (four entries total) is streaming on Disney Plus. The Disney Channel
34. Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
Melissa McCarthy is so masterfully, unforgettably great as biographer-turned-literary-forger Lee Israel, it’s possible Can You Ever Forgive Me? will catch even some of the beloved star’s most dedicated fans off guard. Can You Ever Forgive Me? is a dramedy; a really funny one that will make you laugh ’til it hurts at times. It’s also everything a biopic should aspire to be: when it’s over, we feel like we’ve spent a couple of hours in the presence of its subject. For that, the picture is unexpectedly, deeply moving. Review: Can You Ever Forgive Me?
35. Addams Family Values (1993)
This sequel to 1991’s smash hit The Addams Family is perhaps best-known today for an extended sequence in which Wednesday Addams (Christina Ricci) goes off-book and turns a children’s Thanksgiving play into an anarchic, fiery bloodbath. This scene probably wouldn’t get a green light today for a variety of reasons. It’s gleeful absurdity, also featuring Christine Baranski.
36. Little Women (2019)
Thrillingly entertaining thanks to the vibrant personalities of its characters, Greta Gerwig‘s all-star take on Louisa May Alcott‘s beloved book is one for the ages. Little Womenfurther establishes Florence Pugh as one of the hottest talents around right now. Nominated for six Oscars.
37. The Humans (2021) - opens Nov. 24 in theaters and on Showtime
Autumn in New York is the backdrop of Stephen Karam’s drama about a Thanksgiving gathering of three generations affected the kind of stuff that affects a lot of families (money, addiction, religion, resentment)—and they’re also personally haunted by memories of 9/11. This is one of the best films of 2021, a startlingly cinematic adaptation with immersive direction and ingenious sound design. Richard Jenkins is an early frontrunner for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Steven Yeun, Beanie Feldstein and Amy Schumer co-star. Next, check out the 100 Best Movies on Netflix right now.
