10 Must-Watch Shows and Movies to get Into the Fall Spirit

This is the first show that many people think of when they think of fall. Each season of this show gives off the charming and cozy essence of fall, following Lorelai and Rory, a mother and daughter, who live in the small town of Stars Hollow. As the two leads face different hardships in their love, school, and home lives, you become invested in these characters, the cozy vibe of the town, and wish you were able to sit in Luke’s diner with a plate of pumpkin pancakes and a warm coffee.

This is the perfect show for the back-to-school season! It is set in an underfunded public elementary school with a handful of witty teachers who are determined to navigate the challenges of being a teacher. It is filmed in a mockumentary style, similar to The Office, giving characters segments of talking directly to the camera, and moments of eye contact in the middle of a scene. With the heartfelt and humorous moments in this show, it is an easy and feel-good show to settle down to at the end of the day.

In the past years since the second season of Stranger Things came out, it has become a tradition for me to rewatch it every time October rolls around. It is set around Halloween and follows the group as they face the disturbances in their small town, while still being able to be kids dressing up for Halloween, and going to the arcade to play video games. This season captures the spooky and nostalgic feelings that fall and Halloween bring and is a go-to-binge-watch for the season.

This movie captures the beauty of fall through the scenery and the warm sweaters the boys wear in their prestigious private school. As they start off the school year, they meet their new teacher, Mr. Keating, who throws them off their normal routine and pushes them away from their comfort zones. He encourages the class to think for themselves and emphasizes the phrase “Carpe Diem” meaning to “seize the day”. He uses unconventional methods like making them rip out pages in their textbook and standing on desks to convince the boys to revive the Dead Poets Society, a group that meets in secret to talk about poetry and their aspirations. This story is filled with heartbreak and love and is perfect for a rainy fall night when you are okay with crying yourself to sleep.

This movie follows the story of Will Hunting, paying jail time as a janitor at MIT who is also a genius mathematician who struggles with a rough past. When Will’s talent for math is discovered, he is given the opportunity to go to therapy with Robin Williams character, Sean Maguire. Sean helps him see his potential through confronting his past and sharing his own stories of life and wisdom. This movie is set in Boston and provides a warm and welcoming view of the city making this movie perfect for the fall season.

This is a classic movie to throw on when doing various fall activities, filled with cozy and familiar vibes that make it so nostalgic. Pumpkin carving, decorating, baking, handing out candy, or just cuddling up to a nostalgic movie are all occasions where this movie does a great service in getting you in the fall mood.

This is an animated stop-motion film set in a Victorian-era village that gives a spooky and creepy vibe to the whole movie. The lead, Victor, is worried about his arranged marriage and while nervously practicing his vows in the woods, he places the wedding ring on what he believes to be a tree branch, but is really the finger of Emily, a deceased bride left to die in the woods. She falls in love with Victor and believes the vows she heard him practicing were for her. This movie is visually captivating and eerie without being too intense and is great for when you want the creepy vibes of Halloween.

This is an adorable, animated movie that doesn’t fail to tug at the heartstrings. It follows a young boy, Miguel, who dreams of being a musician but is discouraged by his family’s ban on music due to past generations. He makes attempts at getting closer to his family members who were musicians on Dia De los Muertos, a Mexican tradition and holiday, and finds himself in the land of the dead where he meets his past relatives and uncovers the truth. This movie is filled with vibrant visuals that exemplify the importance of this holiday and is perfect for a day of babysitting, or a fall visit with family.

This is a cheesy, but nostalgic show that follows three sisters who discover they are all witches. Each sister has her own ability that helps them to protect their community from evil. This show is perfect for mindlessly putting on in the background when doing homework or dozing off to sleep.

The first movie of this trilogy is definitely a fan favorite, but the other two are also great. This movie follows a teenage girl who in her youth, wrote letters to all the boys she had crushes on and keeps them hidden away in a box. Her younger sister finds these letters and sends them out to all the boys. Lara Jean finds herself in a situation that brings confusion, embarrassment, and love. This is the perfect lighthearted romance movie for a peaceful fall night in alone or with friends.