With signs of fall weather fully underway, some people turn to snuggle up, mug of tea in hand and a cozy book ready, to spend the limited hours of sunlight and the wee hours of night reading or watching movie marathons. For those that don’t automatically turn to “Gossip Girl” at the first sign of an autumn chill, here’s a Gamut-curated list of autumnal entertainment that will satiate every wistful fall romantic.
“Clue” (1985)
Based on the popular board game and book series of the same name, “Clue”’s mystery theme is featured by the three separate endings available for viewing, all presented sequentially on home media. A classic comedy murder mystery set during a dark, stormy night in New England, six strangers are invited to investigate the sudden murder of their host, Mr. Boddy. With crackling thunder, pouring rain, and gloom and doom all around, this iconic mystery film is best enjoyed at night under blankets, and preferably with rain sounds played in the background, if real rain is not an option at time of viewing.
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004)
Arguably the most autumnal installment of the beloved book and movie series, J.K. Rowling’s third episode of “Harry Potter” is the perfect comfort movie to turn on as the temperatures lower and the leaves start changing. Set during the start of the fall school year at Hogwarts, the movie is full of music, cozy sweaters (jumpers, as the British say) and everything that will whisk you away from the perpetually sunny Southern California to the Scottish highlands. From the orange, red, and yellow hues of Scotland’s scenery to the lavish depictions of fall foods during the Halloween and Thanksgiving feasts, “The Prisoner of Azkaban” is a nostalgic classic to play while you warm up with a glass of pumpkin juice or butterbeer!
“The Secret History” by Donna Tartt (1992)
Notorious for its slightly unnerving yet engrossing storyline, “The Secret History” is the perfect read during the fall-winter transitional period. The gothic-infused tale of suspense follows a curious classics transfer student from California to the rainy east coast Hampden College. Tartt takes a spin on the usual whodunnit stories to weave a “why-dunnit” that the unreliable narrator, Richard Papen, describes throughout the book. Now a staple in every dark academia book list, the story provides the perfect fall imagery as characters hole up in the library, don blazers and vests during the 1980s age of neon, and murder each other when the stakes get too high.
“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde (1890)
Oscar Wilde’s only full novel, “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” revolves around the tale of an attractive young man who sells his soul to keep his eternal beauty and youth forever. Set in Victorian London, Wilde paints a mesmerizing story of Dorian Gray’s descent into hedonism, reveling in dark, smoky opium dens, sweeping courtships of actresses, and eventually homicide. The gritty cobblestones of London’s decrepit East End and the lavish West End set a distinctly baroque, dramatic feel to this English literature classic that all but screams autumn.
“Dead Poets Society” (1989)
Taking place in an elite New England boarding school, “Dead Poets Society” and its academic atmosphere is the perfect fall movie for when you need to bawl your eyes out to something that isn’t “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” The movie stars Robin Williams as John Keating, an English teacher at Welton Academy who inspires his students with the beauty of poetry, love, and language. His eclectic teaching style that immerses both his disciples and the audience is shrouded in his “carpe diem” philosophy (translating to “seize the day”). The romanticized version of boarding schools with Doc Martens and secret rebellion comes head to head with the harsh reality of academic pressure and familial expectation through supporting characters, Neil Perry and Todd Anderson. The film perfectly caters to the autumnal nostalgia as it combines an introspective mood with breathtaking fall scenery of billowing wool coats and crisp auburn leaves falling off trees.
We hope you enjoy our picks for this (frankly superior) season!
