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There’s a chill in the air, the nights are drawing in, and pumpkin spice is everywhere – autumn is upon us.
The leaves are turning orange, red, and gold, as we prepare for cosy nights in front of the fire – and to enjoy countless amounts of nights indoors watching films as we pinch the pennies in time for Christmas.
The weather turning decidedly grim means we’re grabbing our buckets of popcorn and scrolling Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV or whatever your preferred streaming service may be, for the perfect film to give us that warm feeling inside.
And now autumn is here; there’s a selection of classic films available to stream that capture the beauty and warmth of the season.
If you’re seeking a cosy watch to get in the autumn spirit, here are nine essential films and where to watch them.
When Harry Met Sally
With one of its most famous scenes taking place in New York’s iconic Central Park on a picturesque autumn day, When Harry Met Sally is quintessential cosy viewing.
Starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as the titular characters, the 1989 film begins with college graduates Harry and Sally bickering during a car ride to New York over whether men and women can ever really be platonic friends.
Ten years later, the pair reunite at a bookstore and decide to test the theory.
Where to stream: Available to rent via Apple TV, Prime Video, or the Sky Store
You’ve Got Mail
Also set during a beautiful autumn in New York City, You’ve Got Mail will have you yearning to step through the falling leaves to visit a quaint, indie bookstore.
Ryan returns in this 1989 film as Kathleen Kelly, a struggling boutique bookseller who strikes up a rivalry with Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), the owner of a corporate chain bookstore after he moves into a unit across the street.
But when they anonymously begin chatting online, they strike up a romance completely oblivious to the other’s true identity.
Where to stream: Available to stream on HBO Max and NOW TV, and rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and the Sky Store
Practical Magic
Autumn signals spooky season, and what better way to maintain the Halloween spirit than 1998 cult classic Practical Magic?
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, who descend from a long line of witches and are raised by their aunts Frances (Stockard Channing) and Jet (Dianne Wiest) after a family curse kills their parents.
Now adults, Sally and Gillian are forced to use their magic to destroy the spirit of Gillian’s abusive boyfriend Jimmy Angelov (Goran Visnjic) before it kills them both.
Where to stream: Available to stream on Netflix, HBO Max, and NOW TV, and to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and the Sky Store
Spirited Away
Studio Ghibli is well known for its cosy stories and mouth-watering animated food, with Spirited Away being the perfect ghostly offering for the cold months ahead.
Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 film follows 10-year-old Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi) and her parents (Takashi Naitô, Yasuko Sawaguchi) as they discover an eerie abandoned amusement park.
After her mother and father are turned into giant pigs, Chihiro meets Haku (Miyu Irino), who explains that the park is a resort for supernatural beings and that she must work there for the witch Yubaba (Mari Natsuki) to free herself and her parents.
Where to stream: Netflix
Hocus Pocus
Packed full of pumpkins, orange leaves, and more autumn spirit than you can shake a stick at – Hocus Pocus and its 2022 sequel will get you in a cosy mood.
The original 1993 classic follows Max Dennison (Omri Katz) and his sister Dani (Thora Birch) after they move to Salem, Massachusetts.
They explore an abandoned house with their new friend Allison (Vanessa Shaw), and accidentally free a coven of witches – Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler) – and must steal their book of spells to prevent them from becoming immortal.
Where to stream: Available to stream on Disney Plus, and to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and the Sky Store
Dead Poets Society
As autumn rolls around each year, kids prepare their uniforms and brand-new book bags to go back to school.
Dead Poets Society, starring the late and great Robin Williams, sees the Hollywood icon in the role of English teacher John Keating, who begins a new job at all-boys preparatory Welton Academy.
The school is known for its ancient traditions and high standards, but with his unorthodox teaching methods, Keating endeavours to inspire his students to pursue their dreams.
Where to stream: Available to stream via Disney Plus, and to rent via Apple TV, Prime Video, Takuten TV, or the Sky Store
Fantastic Mr Fox
Wes Anderson’s glorious autumnal colour palette as well as the focus on family, friends, and food in Fantastic Mr Fox makes it an essential autumn watch.
Based on the novel by Roald Dahl, the film sees the crafty Mr Fox (George Clooney) break a promise to his wife (Meryl Streep) after 12 years to raid the farm of their human neighbours Walter Boggis (Robin Hurlstone), Nathan Bunce (Hugo Guinness), and Mrs Bean (Helen McCrory).
The heist goes awry and forces the Fox family and their friends to hide deep underground, but he has a plan to rise up against their opposition.
Where to stream: Available to stream via Prime Video and Sky, and to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, and Rakuten TV
Good Will Hunting
Many films that make us feel cosy pull at the heartstrings, and Good Will Hunting is sure to create a few misty eyes.
The 1998 film tells the story of Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a genius who chooses to work as a janitor at MIT.
When he solves a near-impossible math problem, he catches the attention of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) who enlists the help of therapist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) to help him after Will is arrested for attacking a police officer.
Where to stream: Available to stream via Paramount+, Netflix, and YouTube, and to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and the Sky Store
St Elmo’s Fire
The unbelievable beauty of a New England autumn places St Elmo’s Fire firmly on our list of cosy films.
The film centres on a group of recent graduates of Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown University as they adjust to life after their studies and the responsibilities of adult life.
The gang includes wannabe lawyer Kirby (Emilio Estevez), writer Kevin (Andrew McCarthy) who harbours a crush on Jules (Demi Moore), budding politician Alex (Judd Nelson) and his girlfriend Leslie (Ally Sheedy), and Wendy (Mare Winningham) who is in love with Billy (Rob Lowe).
Where to stream: Available to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store
Stepmom
Get your tissues at the ready – Chris Columbus’ Stepmom is not only the perfect autumnal watch, but essential if you need a big old cry.
Starring Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon, Stepmom follows Isabel (Roberts), who gets engaged to Luke (Ed Harris), a divorcee, and tries her best to integrate with his family and keep his children happy.
Luke’s ex-wife, Jackie (Sarandon), is initially at loggerheads with Isabel, but their lives are turned upside down when Jackie is diagnosed with cancer.
Stepmom is packed to the brim with sweeping backdrops of New York City and Hudson Valley filled with crunchy leaves and autumnal fashion.
But more than this, its narrative follows the changing of the seasons both literally and metaphorically as the family embarks on a heart-breaking and transformative journey through Jackie’s diagnosis.
Where to stream: Available to stream via Sony Pictures Core on Prime Video, and to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and the Sky Store
Little Women
You’ve got plenty of adaptations of Little Women to choose from this fall, but we recommend the 1994 movie directed by Gillian Armstrong to really get in the mood.
The Oscar-winning film, based on the 1800s novel of the same name, follows the four March sisters, Meg (Trini Alvarado), Jo (Winona Ryder), Beth (Claire Danes), and Amy (Kirsten Dunst), as well as their mother, Marmee (Sarandon), as they struggle to survive when their father leaves to fight in the Union Army.
The story spans several years and seasons, but there’s plenty of scenes that reflect the earthy tones and pure cosiness of autumn.
The emotional core of the movie deals with childhood memories giving way to adulthood, a bittersweet transition that reflects the moods of the season.
Where to stream: Available to stream via Channel 4, and to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and the Sky Store
The Addams Family
Autumn is here and that only means one thing – Halloween is fast approaching.
So what better way to get into the swing of spooky season than with our favourite freaky family?
Released in 1991 based on the comic strip of the same name, The Addams Family stars Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christina Ricci, Jimmy Workman, Judith Malina, Carel Struycken, Christopher Hart, and John Franklin as the kooky and spooky aristocratic family.
In it, they believe to be a long-lost relative, Gomez’s (Julia) brother Fester Addams (Christopher Lloyd).
The comfort and nostalgia of The Addams Family is perfect for the colder months, without even starting on the incredible manor home they live in and sumptuous costuming that screams Gothic autumnal flair.
Where to stream: Available to stream via Paramount+, and to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and the Sky Store
Twilight
Autumn is affectionately known as hoa hoa hoa hoa hoa season to many, and that’s all down to the Twilight saga.
You can watch all five of the films, based on Stephanie Meyers’ award-winning and record-breaking novel series, on Netflix right now, including the movie where it all began.
Twilight follows seventeen-year-old Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) as she moves from sunny Arizona to rainy Forks, Washington, to live with her police chief father, Charlie Swan (Billy Burke).
There, she meets the mysterious Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) whom she is immediately enamoured by, though he avoids her at all costs.
As they gradually become closer and strike up a tentative friendship, he reveals to her his secret – he and his family are vampires.
The rainy, misty, and grey setting of Forks is the perfect autumn backdrop, and so is its signature desaturated, icy-blue, earthy-brown colour grading for something a little different from the reds, oranges, and yellows we normally see.
The characters are mostly in heavy, warm clothing to match the season, and the majority of the Twilight films were released in November, cementing a strong cultural tie to autumn.
Where to stream: Available to stream via Netflix and ITVX, and to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, Rakuten TV, and the Sky Store
A version of this article was published on November 16, 2024.
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