24 Movies & TV Shows to Get Into the Fall Spirit

Gossip Girl is one of the most iconic 2000s teen drama series for a reason, but the first season is specifically a fall classic. The series follows the lives of several teen socialites living on the Upper East Side and begins with Serena van der Woodsen's return to the social scene after a mysterious stint at a boarding school upstate. Once home, the It girl, played by Blake Lively, struggles with her dramatic best friend, Blair Waldorf, a new relationship with Brooklyn writer, Dan Humphrey—played by Penn Badgley—and her recently divorced mother. This classic series is full of peak preppy fashion, romance, scandal, and snippets of private school life. 

Nothing screams fall quite like Gilmore Girls. This cult classic follows Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a single mother and her daughter living in a small New England town. Lorelai, the owner of a small inn, and Rory, an intelligent high school student, are forced to reconnect with Lorelai's estranged— and extremely wealthy—parents when Rory is suddenly accepted into an expensive prestigious—that Lorelai and Rory have to go to dinner at their house every Friday. This iconic series is a fall favorite every year due to its cozy setting in a sleepy Connecticut town, calming soundtrack, and nostalgic fashion. Whether it's your first watch or time for your annual screening, settle in this season with Rory and Lorelai Gilmore to enjoy a healthy dose of mother-daughter relationships, teenage romance, and peak Y2K fashion. 

This classic 2000s series follows Texas high school football coach, Eric Taylor (played by Kyle Chandler), as he attempts to lead his team to victory in the all-important state championship. The close-knit community deals with many contemporary pervasive societal issues through the lens of a rural town and is perfect for fans of sports and young adult dramas alike. 

The Chair follows Ji-yoon Kim, played by Sandra Oh, as she navigates the pitfalls of being the first woman of color to become the chair of the English department at a major university. This Netflix original series is a comedy/drama and captures that nostalgic fall feeling of being on a campus all while shining a light on contemporary issues in academia.

Dead Poets Society is a classic for a reason. This heart-warming coming-of-age film features Robin Williams who plays an inspiring teacher at an austere all-boys prep school. At its core, Dead Poets Society is a film about identity, authority, and courage, and the moving story, starring Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard, is set against the aesthetically pleasing backdrop of a New England fall. With preppy school uniforms, '90s haircuts, and brilliant Vermont autumn foliage, this film is the fall must-watch film. 

Knives Out is a modern Agatha Christie-esque murder mystery, complete with an all-star cast, including Ana de Armas and Chris Evans, excellent sweater choices, and family drama set against the backdrop of a beautiful Victorian-style mansion. Detective Benoit Blanc —played by Daniel Craig— is a charming, if not slightly quirky, detective with a Southern accent, who is intent on unraveling the mystery of the murder of eccentric—and extremely wealthy—author Harlan Thrombey, the aging patriarch of the family. This film is captivating, start to finish, in both its fascinating mystery elements, as well as the aesthetically pleasing visual elements, and should be high on your watch list this fall. 

When Harry Met Sally is arguably one of the most iconic rom-coms of the last few decades. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal play Sally and Harry, respectively. As their friendship develops over a period of 10 years, the compelling, will-they-won't-they dynamic is undeniable. Funny, dramatic, romantic, and thought-provoking—this film has it all. 

St. Elmo's Fire is another classic coming-of-age story, but rather than addressing the tumultuous adolescent years, this film follows a group of friends, just out of college, as they struggle with adulthood, love, and finding their place in the real world post-schooling. Featuring stars like Rob Lowe, Andie MacDowell, and Demi Moore, this film is a certifiable '80s classic and is the perfect addition to your watchlist. 

The Craft follows four troubled teenage girls as they study and practice witchcraft in hopes of casting spells to solve their problems, exact revenge, and become powerful witches. The film starts out along the lines of a typical '90s teen movie, but turns supernatural horror film as the girls become power-hungry and obsessive. All in all, The Craft is the perfect film to add to your list if you're in search of a nostalgic '90s—only slightly trope-driven—feminist horror film to watch this fall. 

This hugely popular Hulu series explores a murder within an apartment building as it's unraveled by three fellow residents, played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, bound together only by a shared love of true crime podcasts. The three work together to uncover the murderer and quickly discover they're in for much more than they had bargained for. Only Murders in the Building is set in a beautiful Upper West Side apartment building with a quirky cast of celebrity characters, making it a perfect comedy to add to your fall watchlist. 

Nothing says fall like Hocus Pocus, and what better time to watch this cult classic than the weeks leading up to Halloween? This film follows the Sanderson sisters, three witches executed during the Salem witch trials, as they are awakened, and wreak havoc on the modern community. Rewatch this movie in all of its cheesy '90s glory this fall and relive fun Halloween memories from your childhood. 

This film, aptly titled Autumn in New York, is centered around the relationship between an older man, Will (Richard Gere), and a much younger woman, Charlotte, (Winona Ryder). This sentimental drama follows the couple as the relationship takes its course—Charlotte's terminal illness and Will's playboy habits coming to light in their own way. This movie is full of heartwarming moments and is perfect for a quiet fall night at home under a cozy blanket. 

Something about fall necessitates the overwhelming sense of nostalgia that comes with coming-of-age stories, and with Lady Bird, there's no shortage of this feeling. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, and Lucas Hedges, this movie deals with Ronan's character, Lady Bird, as she navigates a catholic high school, best friend drama, the pitfalls of adolescent romance, and the tricky territory that comes with mother-daughter relationships. Lady Bird is a must-watch during any season, but the sense of yearning and sentimentality that is so heavily imbued by writer/director Greta Gerwig into this film makes it the perfect fall watch to quench that seasonal need for a nostalgic-feeling, emotionally impactful story. 

If you didn't get your fill of Greta Gerwig, Saoirse Ronan, and Timothée Chalamet's brilliant minds at work with Lady Bird, Little Women is your next best bet. Gerwig's take on this story of sisterhood, family, and loss is powerful and compelling. The Oscar-nominated film follows four wildly different sisters and their relationships with each other, their parents, and their separate identities, wholly enhanced by the cinematography and intricately designed period costumes of the film, making this film adaptation of the beloved novel a must-watch this season. 

Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Minnie Driver, and Ben Affleck star in Good Will Hunting, an iconic film about a young man named Will—played by Damon—who works as a janitor at MIT. One day while cleaning a classroom, Will solves an exceptionally difficult math problem left on the blackboard, and eventually, his intellect is discovered by a professor, who later introduces him to a therapist friend of his, Williams' character, and the two take Will under their wing. Good Will Hunting is a deeply emotional, moving story about found family and identity, and is ideal for a movie night on a chilly fall evening. 

Nothing perfectly embodies that sense of fall sentimentality like a classic childhood series. If you're in the mood for a movie marathon this fall, Harry Potter is the perfect series full of magic, aesthetically pleasing fall vibes, and nostalgia. 

While horror films or emotional dramas can be fun in their own right, there is truly nothing like a good rom-com. To All The Boys I've Loved Before is based on a novel by the same title, and tells the story of Lara Jean Covey, played by Lana Condor, a high school girl who, as the title implies, writes—and for some reason, addresses—letters to all of her former crushes. After her letters are mysteriously sent out, Lara Jean is confronted at school by one of the aforementioned crushes, Peter Kavinsky, played by Noah Centineo. For several reasons, the two enter into a fake relationship, until it develops into something more as the two get to know each other better. This movie is a fun, feel-good rom-com and is perfect for a casual movie night. 

Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock play sisters who have hereditary magic abilities, which sounds great until the two discover that part of their abilities includes a curse. The curse causes the men they love to die prematurely. Practical Magic follows the sisters as they attempt to rid their family of the curse and save the men that they love. This movie is the perfect blend of spooky and fun for a cozy pre-Halloween movie night. 

The Oscar-winning film, Silver Linings Playbook, features Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence. It follows Cooper's character, Pat, as he is released from a psychiatric hospital and attempts to put his life back together after losing his job and his wife. Through a mutual friend, Pat meets Tiffany, played by Lawrence, a widow with an unnamed disorder, and the two reach an agreement in which Tiffany will help reconnect Pat with his ex-wife as long as he helps her win a dance competition. 

The Vampire Diaries is yet another classically nostalgic teen drama series. At the start of the series, Elena (Nina Dobrev) meets Stefan, a mysterious new addition to Mystic Falls High School, and his older brother, Damon—played by Ian Somerhalder— both of whom she eventually discovers are vampires. Between the strange supernatural occurrences in town, caring for her delinquent younger brother, and keeping up with school, Elena certainly has her hands full. With vampires, love triangles, and compelling sibling relationships, what else could you ask for in a 2000s supernatural TV show?

Love Story is widely regarded as one of the most romantic movies of all time—does the line "Love means never having to say you're sorry" sound familiar? This classic film tells the heartbreaking love story of Oliver and Jenny and delves into the growth of their relationship, their eventual marriage, and Jenny's terminal cancer diagnosis.

School Ties is yet another '90s coming-of-age story that takes place in a New England prep school. Set in 1959, the film follows David Greene, a Jewish football player, as he moves to an elite private school and struggles to fit in with the extremely affluent, Evangelical student body population. Brendan Fraser and Matt Damon star in this compelling film about identity, prejudice, and adolescence that is sure to capture your attention and emotions.

The Social Network is a film retelling of the Facebook origin story. It begins with Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg, in his time as a student at Harvard, and follows the early days of Facebook, including his partnership with Eduardo Saverin, played by Andrew Garfield. This movie is another example of a campus story, as the film is largely set on the Harvard campus, and is extremely gripping plot-wise, all while taking place with a beautiful New England backdrop. If you're looking for a dramatic adaptation of the intriguing—and mostly accurate—origin story of Facebook with strong undercurrents of humor and dry sarcasm, this is the perfect movie to settle down with. 

As the title suggests, this classic '90s series follows a high school girl named Buffy, who is destined to fight vampires, demons, and all manner of evil monsters. The series, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan, is iconic for its '90s girl-power quality, excellent outfits, and compelling relationships—both platonic and romantic. If you're looking for an extra powerful wave of nostalgia this fall, this series is for you.