First in a three part series of autumn movie recommendations, these are my favorites of all time and ones I love to watch every year!
Let me know your must watches?
Stay tuned for upcoming top Halloween / spooky movies and top underrated movies!
Watch on YouTube. Video by @fkvlogs7388:My Top 10 MUST WATCH Autumn Movies 2026
Hello everybody, and welcome back. It's time to get into one of my favorite times of the year: autumn. Even though it is only the beginning of September, I have already been getting into the autumn mood for about a week. I like to start a little early, usually toward the end of August, and then really settle into autumn during September and October. Once November and December arrive, my attention starts turning toward Christmas.
Autumn has always been one of my favorite times of year, and one of the best parts of it is watching movies with autumn vibes. This list was originally going to be much longer. I considered doing 30 movies, and even thought about 50 at one point, but trying to narrow everything down became a bit much. So instead, I decided to split the idea into several lists.
For this first list, I am focusing on my Top 10 MUST WATCH Autumn Movies. These are the movies that I watch pretty much every year. There might be the occasional year when I miss one, but most of these are yearly traditions for me. If you already love autumn movies, there is a very good chance that you have seen most of these. They are some of the best-known cozy autumn favorites, but they are also movies that I genuinely love coming back to every year.
1. Practical Magic
My absolute number one autumn movie is Practical Magic, which also happens to be my favorite movie of all time.
I grew up loving this movie. I remember watching it when I was young and finding parts of it a little scary, but I also thought it was fantastic. As I have gotten older, I have watched it more and more, and I appreciate it even more now.
Everything about Practical Magic works for me. The story is great, the characters are great, and Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are fantastic. The house, the costumes, the colors, the atmosphere, and the soundtrack all come together perfectly.
It's one of those movies where I love the aesthetic just as much as the story. I watch it every year without fail, and with a sequel arriving in September, I am especially excited to return to this world again. At the same time, I am a little nervous because the original is so good. Hopefully, the new movie keeps the same attention to atmosphere and music that made the first one so special.
2. You've Got Mail
This is one of the ultimate cozy autumn movies, You've Got Mail.
The movie moves through several seasons, and there is even a Christmas section, but the autumn part is absolutely perfect. There is a line that Tom Hanks says something about "Don't you just love New York in the fall" that makes this movie feel incredibly warm and comforting.
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are wonderful together, and the whole romantic movie has that lovely late-'90s feeling.
If I really want to settle down and get into an autumn mood, this is one of the movies I reach for. Get a blanket, make a warm drink, and put on You've Got Mail.
3. Dead Poets Society
Dead Poets Society is an interesting one for me because I did not always love it.
I first watched it many years ago, and I remember not really enjoying it at the time. I even made a video about it and compared it with Mona Lisa Smile. But years have passed, I have watched it several more times, and the older I get, the more I appreciate it.
Now I absolutely love this movie.
It has a beautiful dark-academia vibe, which perfectly goes with autumn. The school and the changing leaf colors and so forth, is just perfect to use in a fall movie. Robin Williams is fantastic, and the movie is one that really deserves your full attention.
It's not really a movie I would put on casually in the background. You have to sit down and watch it. Even after seeing it many times, there is still something about it that makes me want to pay attention.
4. Good Will Hunting
I think Good Will Hunting makes a perfect companion to Dead Poets Society. Sometimes I even like watching the two on the same day.
Like Dead Poets Society, it has an academic feel, great characters, and plenty of cozy autumn atmosphere.
Robin Williams is again fantastic, and the story is one I really enjoy returning to. I missed watching it last year, so it is definitely near the top of my autumn movie list for 2026. After skipping it for a year, I feel like I need to make sure I watch it this time around.
5. When Harry Met Sally...
When Harry Met Sally... is another movie that seems to appear on almost every autumn movie list, and I completely understand why.
It has some incredibly picturesque scenes, especially the New York autumn scenes. You can almost pause the movie at random and get a perfect autumn picture.
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal are both great, and although the story moves through several years and seasons, the autumn sections really stand out.
Out of my top ten, this would probably sit toward the lower end for me, but I still love it and watch it almost every year. It delivers the autumnal feel I'm going for, although you really have to crank it to get the You've Got Mail level of coziness.
6. Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is another movie I grew up watching and loving.
As a kid, I especially loved Lydia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder. I thought she was fantastic, and I remember wanting to be Lydia when I was younger.
The original Beetlejuice is a classic. I also enjoyed Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. It's not as good as the original, but it's still a fun sequel. Having Winona Ryder return as Lydia was great, and Jenna Ortega was fantastic as well.
This year, I want to watch both movies back to back.
7. The Addams Family / Addams Family Values
The '90s Addams Family movies are another autumn tradition for me. I actually think Addams Family Values might be my favorite of the two, but both are great.
I grew up watching these movies, so they have that strong feeling of nostalgia. Wednesday Addams has always been my favorite character, and Christina Ricci is fantastic in the role.
I do not always watch both movies every year. Usually, I pick one.
8. Little Women (2019)
For something a little more cozy, there is Little Women. I am talking about the newer version, which I believe is from 2019.
This movie is incredibly comforting. It moves through several seasons, so you get winter and Christmas as well as autumn, but that only adds to its cozy feeling.
I have seen the '90s version with Winona Ryder and liked it, but I never connected with it in quite the same way. When this newer version came out, I immediately loved it.
It's another perfect movie for a blanket and a warm drink.
9. The Lord of the Rings
I will always argue that The Lord of the Rings belongs on an autumn movie list.
The color tones, vistas, forests, even the vibes… it all seems fitting for the time of year. The movies are long, but that is part of the fun. They are the kind of films you can settle into for an entire evening.
I sometimes alternate between The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. This year, I am pretty sure it is going to be a Lord of the Rings year.
The first Hobbit movie is especially cozy, with its little Hobbit hole and comfortable home, but I still prefer The Lord of the Rings.
10. Stepmom
Finally, there is Stepmom.
This is probably the movie on this list that I hear people talk about the least, which is a shame because I really love it. It stars Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon.
It's a family story, and it can be quite sad, so this is not necessarily the movie I would choose when I want something completely light and cheerful. You have to be ready for an emotional watch.
But it is also a very sweet and character-driven movie. I have seen it so many times that I think the emotional parts do not hit me quite as hard anymore, but I still love the story and the characters.
A Couple of Extras
Two movies that were narrowly edged out of the official Top 10 list, but that I just couldn't pass up mentioning:
Ghostbusters
I always feel like Ghostbusters belongs somewhere on an autumn list. The original is my favorite, but I also really enjoy the newer movies with Paul Rudd and McKenna Grace.
The Shining
Then there is The Shining. I tend to go back and forth between watching it in autumn or winter, especially when the season starts getting colder and darker. It’s so creepy and the giant, abandoned hotel just really lends the movie this iconic aura.
After seeing it so many times, I still find myself questioning parts of the ending. That is one reason I love it. There is always something more to think about.
These are my ten MUST WATCH autumn movies for 2026. Some are obvious choices, while others are simply movies that have become personal traditions for me.
I am planning more autumn movie lists, including some underrated choices and some more Halloween-focused movies.
If you have your own absolute must-watch autumn movies, I would love to know what they are.
Watch on YouTube. Video by @fkvlogs7388: