North Texas Daily

While October may be over, the fall season certainly isn’t. Nothing is better than a film that perfectly captures the essence of autumn.

Sweater weather is in full effect. Before everyone dives headfirst into the holidays, it is important to emphasize how comforting fall is. These five films give audiences a sense of that perfect autumn feeling, and proves this time of year deserves some cinematic love as well.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993)

The endless argument of if this film is a Christmas or Halloween movie can finally be put to rest. There is no better time to watch “The Nightmare Before Christmas” than November because it is right in that sweet spot between the two holidays. The animation is obviously the strongest quality of this Henry Selick flick, along with Danny Elfman’s immortal work as the film’s composer. 

Sure, including a film like this one may be a bit cliché, but there’s a reason why “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is so cherished. It is only right to include some Halloween residue with a hint of holiday anticipation to kick off this list.

“Little Women” (2019)

Looking back, 2019 was one of the greatest years for movies ever. Greta Gerwig’s version of “Little Women” excels at so many things, but thrives in its fall and winter setting above all else. A cast including Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh is a must-watch at any time of the year.

It’s so much more than a simple slice-of-life movie, with each of the four main sisters doing what they can to live their lives to the fullest. Bundling up with a warm beverage in cold, overcast weather is the ideal way to enjoy this film — just don’t forget the tissues.

“Starman” (1984)

Director John Carpenter may be known for being the master of horror, but he can also throw together a perfect love story. Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen star in this science fiction romance. An alien turns into a widow’s husband, and the two embark on an unexpectedly heartfelt journey. No masked killers or possessed cars here. 

There are also enough flannels throughout this film to assume “Starman” takes place in November. It also takes place in Wisconsin, which always seems to be void of the summer and spring seasons. This is one of Carpenter’s most underappreciated films, and it deserves so much love and attention.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009)

This Wes Anderson animated comedy may be the best of his filmography. A lot of that has to do with how perfect this movie is at establishing that fall feeling.

All the animals in this film, especially Mr. Fox voiced by George Clooney, are beaming with fall colors. Anderson’s comedy always seems to hit its target, especially when he gets to play around with animation.

This may be another very generic entry to the list, but sometimes less is more. “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is to November as “Elf” is to Christmas.

This is also one of those movies everyone saw at a very young age solely because it was animated. It may have been a bit different from what parents had anticipated, but still managed to bury itself in the core memories of many.

“Knives Out” (2019)

This is the ultimate fall movie. Rian Johnson gave audiences one of the greatest whodunit movies of all time, and there is another one coming out later this month.

The cast, from top to bottom, is perfection. Ana de Armas and Daniel Craig are perfect for their respective roles. Other actors like Jamie Lee Curtis and Chris Evans also cement this film as one of the greatest ensembles in recent memory.

Aside from the infamous white sweater worn by Evans, there are so many fall indicators in the film. Everyone’s wardrobe matches this time of year flawlessly, and the house the movie takes place in screams November.

A movie like “Knives Out” is the reason a list like this exists in the first place. A word like perfection gets thrown around quite a bit these days, but if there was any film to truly compliment the word, it would be “Knives Out.”

Featured Illustration by Jazmine Garcia