My Fave Underrated Fall Films You’ll Actually Love

The Spooky, Cozy and Nostalgic Hidden Gems I Watch Every Year

It’s officially mid-October and time to get serious and lock in on the fall vibes. I’m all about romanticizing seasons and Autumn is my favourite of them all. I forgot just how magical this time of year is on the East Coast. Fall in the PNW tends to go straight to rain (see Twilight). It can be cozy but I missed the crisp sunny days and crunchy leaves I’ve returned to.

One of the ways I get into the spirit is through movies. I adore the classics like Scream and Hocus Pocus but I think there are a few of my faves that deserve more love.

Here are some underrated autumn gems add to your yearly watchlist. From spooky to romantic to cozy… I’ve got you covered.

The Lost Boys

An 80’s classic about a recently divorced mother who moves her two sons to a California town with a dark secret…

This movie has it all: homo-erotic vampires, goth teenagers and the largest man you’ve ever seen playing a killer sax solo. The cast is stacked with 80’s royalty and has a perfect soundtrack to match. I adore the costuming and set design. Everyone is styled with a mullet and slutty little earring and they live in beautiful caves lit with candelabras and chandeliers whilst terrorizing the town on motorcycles. From the moment this movie opens with The Doors’ People are Strange, you’ve been transported and immersed in this campy, weird town and I love it. If you are into vampire lore mixed in with spooky beach town carnival vibes, The Lost Boys is a must-see.

Mystic Pizza

A cozy coming of age movie about three best friends working at the local pizza restaurant in the gorgeous coastal town of Mystic

This is such an underrated autumn watch. Every single exterior shot is a beautiful snapshot of fall with so many leaves on the ground. You can practically feel the crisp breeze through the screen. It stars Annabelle Gish, Julia Roberts and Lili Taylor all giving strong performances that will have you wondering which one you relate to the most. Each dealing with an issue still so relatable even 37 years later:

Contemplating marriage and how to know if it’s the right time. Dealing with mistakes in love and feeling like your first heartbreak is actually going to kill you. Or when you accidentally unload a bunch of dead fish into your new boyfriend’s Porsche convertible because you thought he was cheating but it was just his sister… So me!

queen stays queen

It’s a classic “feel-good” movie and has to go on your list if you love heartwarming stories about female friendship. Bonus points if you watch it wearing a chunky knit and order a pizza.

Jennifer’s Body

An indie band looking to make a deal with the devil accidentally summon a demon in a popular high school cheerleader

I love everything about Jennifer’s Body. Considered a box office flop back in 2009, the film was idiotically marketed to teenage boys with the focus being Megan Fox’s sex appeal. Even the movie poster frustrates me with Fox perched on a desk wearing some corny outfit she never even wears in the movie! The silver lining is that years after it’s release, Jennifer’s Body has found it’s audience and solidified itself as a feminist cult classic.

Director Karyn Kusama seamlessly blends Diablo Cody’s razor sharp and hilarious dialogue with its horror elements. The claustrophobic bar scene that leads into Jennifer’s experience with the indie band of douchebags led by Adam Brody is chilling. This is why the trailer back in ‘09 was such a betrayal to the film and audience. This is a bad ass story of revenge and though it’s layered - the villain here isn’t Jennifer. The cinematography is bright and saturated and it has an emo soundtrack filled with early 2000s bands. Are you kidding? No notes!

You’ve Got Mail

A bookshop owner anonymously falls in love with a man online unaware that he’s trying to close down her store in real life

When Harry Met Sally gets a lot of love this season and rightfully so. It’s one of the all time greats and a personal fave of mine. If you’re looking for something to fill that void after your annual watch, look no further than You’ve Got Mail. It’s set in New York City and takes place in the coziest cutest book store you’ve ever seen. It also gave us this iconic photo:

Nora Ephron is a master at crafting rom-coms at the perfect level of sweet without crossing over into saccharine. My one piece of advice is to not overanalyze the plot too much… is Tom Hanks’ character an evil capitalist taking down small businesses? Has that issue gotten exponentially worse since 1998? Yes and yes. But it’s a sweet little love story so let’s move on.

Kathleen’s Book Store in “You’ve Got Mail”

The Cabin in the Woods

Five college students spend the weekend at a remote cabin only to find out there are other powers at play threatening their safety

I watched The Cabin in the Woods in theatre opening weekend and thought I was in the wrong movie until the title card appeared. I love when directors play little pranks on their audience!

This movie pokes fun at all the classic horror tropes while remaining brutal and true to its genre. It’s also hilarious. Like truly, for a film so scary, I have no idea how it got away with making me laugh out loud multiple times. The chemistry between Richard Jenkins and Bradly Whitford was perfect. I had no idea where the plot was going and could never have predicted the ending. It’s a movie made for horror lovers (aka me). Spoiler: I am still waiting for a sequel that dives into more of the monsters in the final act.

Death Becomes Her

Two “frenemies” fighting over the same man discover the potion to immortality

They just don’t make them like this anymore! Everything about Death Becomes Her is iconic and it’s become a cult classic for good reason.

The cast alone makes this a must-watch with Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis each giving a perfectly unhinged comedic performance. Everyone really commits to the silliness and it’s especially nice to see Willis excel outside of his classic action movies. The scream he does in this clip kills me every time.

The movie is also visually stunning. The costumes are gorgeous and the cinematography is so rich and lush. I am obsessed with the dark gothic fairy tale vibe especially along side a script so camp and outrageous. I recently re-watched this one and it’s officially going into my yearly autumn watchlist.

Poltergeist

A family’s new home is plagued by hauntings that transport their daughter to another dimension

Okay, so I don’t think I can classify Poltergeist as underrated… but I fear it’s been overshadowed by all the later movies it’s influenced. My boyfriend watched this for the first time and said: “Oh, so it’s basically The Conjuring?” It’s clear to see why so many directors have borrowed from Poltergeist. Hooper’s direction and Spielberg’s story (and maybe co-directing) make this an epic thriller that’s both scary and heartfelt.

Couple Goals

In classic Spielberg fashion, the family dynamic is at the core of this movie. I particularly love the husband and wife duo played by JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson. The scene of them laughing and smoking a joint in bed was sweet and displayed a closeness that made me immediately root for them. Also, Craig T. Nelson is super handsome in this movie and it would be a betrayal to myself to not include that here.

Sure, some of the effects may be dated but the movie holds up and defends it’s status as one of the classics. It’s just good ole 80’s American cinema, baby.

I’m always looking for new movies to add to my watchlist. What are some of your faves?

xoxo by fran