REVIEW | Films You Should Watch This Fall
Still from The Blair Witch Project | Photo Credit: Lionsgate via Vanity Fair
With Halloween and the middle of fall fast-approaching, school workloads are rising — and so are our cravings for seasonal films. When you want to take a break from that project you’ve been putting off, browse our selection of fall films that are perfect to curl up to and watch beside the fireplace — and excellent for scratching that autumn itch. There are laughs and scares for everyone.
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project has amassed a cult following due to its ingenious marketing tactics and use of first person perspective. This horror movie is recognized as a classic in the genre and is the perfect film for the Halloween season. Viewers follow a group of three film students deep into the Maryland woods as they document the legend of the Blair Witch — an excursion that unexpectedly goes awry. Grab a friend, turn off the lights, and get ready for a hair-raising horror experience.
Little Women
Little Women, directed by one of Hollywood’s biggest directors, is a feel good period film that has the perfect cozy fall mood. Greta Gerwig’s genius in this film is present, spinning the original Little Women tale written by Louisa May Alcott into a relatable classic. It is on the longer side, with a run time of two hours and 15 minutes, but that gives you plenty of time to cuddle up with a warm blanket and procrastinate on those assignments.
Still from Little Women | Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures
Fantastic Mr. Fox
For orange sunbursts and turkey roasts, take a step into the world of Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox, the stunning stop-motion picture that looks and feels as though it's been put through a frame of amber. Set in the countryside of a fall dreamscape, a family of foxes finds themselves struggling to burrow out of the hole they’ve built their lives in. If you’re looking for a film that captures the essence of the harvest season, this one does so perfectly. But Anderson doesn’t just quench our seasonal appetite - he gives us a golden family drama. Charming and eclectic, Fantastic Mr. Fox teaches the importance of gratitude. It warns against the dangers of going in over your head to prove yourself as worthy instead of having faith in yourself. If you watch this movie, the Thanksgiving season won’t be the only thing making you emotional.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
If you’re looking for a comfy classic, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial might be the most heart-warming watch to drop your textbooks for. It’s got all the surefire elements: laughter, wonder, and tears. Set aside the creatures summoned when you hear ‘Halloween,’ and prepare to fall in love with E.T., the movie’s endearingly charming alien. When the homesick intruder finds himself in the Californian suburbs, he discovers an unlikely companion. With E.T., Steven Speilberg suggests that there isn’t anything supernatural about friendship: humans and spacelings can care for one another the same as they do for their own kind. A pumpkin spice latte and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial might be your most delicious treat this autumn.