As of September 23rd, fall has officially begun. The leaves are starting to fall and we are already grabbing our pumpkin spice lattes. As your arts and culture columnists, we wanted to share our top movies and TV shows perfect to get you in the autumn mood!
Movies:
1) When Harry Met Sally
When Harry Met Sally, directed by Rob Reiner, is a classic fall romance based in New York City. At the start of the film, two recent college graduates, Harry and Sally, share a car ride to New York City, where they argue whether men and women can have a platonic relationship. Ten years later, the two meet again in a bookstore and try not to fall in love. When Harry Met Sally is one of the best early 90s romances of all time, setting the scene for many New-York-City-based rom-coms to come in the following decade. It’s got romance, it’s got iconic NYC locations, and it’s perfect to watch on a rainy day at the start of autumn.
2) You’ve Got Mail
“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”
Filmed on the Upper West Side and directed by Nora Ephron, You’ve Got Mail is a classic early 2000s rom-com starring Tom Hanks as Joe and Meg Ryan as Kathleen. Over the internet, the two become close pen pals, but struggle with their relationship- romantic or not- when they discover they are business rivals.
3) Enola Holmes
Enola Holmes is one of our favorite comfort movies of all time. Written by Jack Thorne and directed by Harry Bradbeer, it’s the perfect movie for when school starts to get a little too overwhelming and all you need is a British murder mystery. The film follows the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes, Enola, as she embarks on a journey to find her missing mother. Enola adds a new youthful and feminine spin on the classic Sherlock Holmes stories- one that will certainly keep you on your toes.
4) Clueless
We know, the school year is starting and that means endless homework and tests. AS IF! Clueless, a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Emma,” follows a young teen as she navigates high school life and all that comes with it. Both Cher, played by Alicia Silverstone, and Josh, played by Paul Rudd, bring this iconic movie to life in every phrase, outfit and season. When everything starts to be too much, watch Clueless and you will be transported to the world of Cher Horowitz in the 90s. You’ll forget about that Chem test in seconds.
5) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
We are only a few weeks into the school year, but we already want to pull a Bueller and take a day off. Ferris Bueller, played by Matthew Broderick (a Fieldston parent no less), has an odd yet impressive skill – cutting classes without getting penalized. Before graduation, Bueller sets out to pull off his best skip yet in the streets of Chicago while his school principal attempts to catch him once and for all. This back-to-school favorite, written and directed by John Hughes, set the tone for many teen movies for the coming decade, encapsulating the idea that teens are brilliant and adults are, well, not.
*Disclaimer: This is not an encouragement to skip class and go to Riverdeli.*
TV Shows:
1) Gilmore Girls
When the weather starts changing, the leaves start to fall and all you can hear is “la la la la la,” you know that it’s time to (re)watch Gilmore Girls. Without a doubt, this is the quintessential fall comfort TV show. It covers everything back to school- from first days to boy drama to cozy fall outfits. It’s perfect to watch with a hot cup of coffee and is guaranteed to make you love the season even more. Created by Amy Sherman Palladino, part of the reason the show is so compelling is how relatable it is for teenagers and their parents. Approximately eleven million people have watched (and loved) Gilmore Girls, and by the end of this fall season, we hope it will get to twelve.
2) One Tree Hill
Another classic early 2000s TV show, One Tree Hill written by Mark Schwahn, follows two brothers living in a small town in North Carolina as they navigate the ups and downs of high school, the basketball team and their joint family drama. Contrary to Gilmore Girls, it’s not exactly the heartwarming family story we might hope for, but it certainly makes for good entertainment. Curl up with a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate and get ready for the drama to begin!
3) Only Murders in the Building
Only Murders in the Building, directed by John Hoffman and Steve Martin, follows three strangers with a joint love for true crime podcasts as they investigate mysterious deaths in their apartment building while producing their own podcast. The show has a star-studded cast, featuring Martin Short, Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, Merryl Streep, Amy Shumer, Cara Delevingne, Tina Fey, and Paul Rudd. But what makes it so good (good enough to have just been renewed for a fourth season) is the brilliance of the plot and writing. Each season follows a different murder that just so happens to occur in the Arconia, an Upper West Side apartment building we know you’ve walked by before. And no matter how long the episodes are or how much time you have to spend watching Charles (Martin Short) talking to a fish, you just can’t get sick of it. Only Murders In The Building is by far one of our favorite TV shows of all time, and if nothing else anyone who watches it will love Mabel’s (Selena Gomez) plethora of fall outfits.
4) A Series of Unfortunate Events
This dark comedy adaptation of the book series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, written by Daniel Handler (AKA Lemony Snicket), follows the story of three orphans whose parents are killed in a fire, destroying their home. The tragedy directed by Brad Silberling, sets the tone for the rest of the series as the children are sent to live with their distant relative, Count Olaf, and their lives take many unsettling turns for the worse.
5) Gossip Girl
“Hey Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here… and I have the biggest news ever.”
Developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, Gossip Girl is a classic teenage drama set in New York City. And while we can’t deny it has some quirks, it’s got a great fall back-to-school vibe following a group of teens at their prestigious high school on the Upper East Side (we know, the Upper East Side) as their lives are being constantly watched and ruined by an unknown blogger. Gossip Girl was loosely based on the Nightingale Bamford School, located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Although it won’t leave you feeling warm and cozy inside, it has a great soundtrack that’s perfect for a short walk in the brisk autumn air of Central Park on a cool October day.
You know you love us, xoxo, Rachel and Uma.
