Movie recommendations for autumntime

We’ve come a full circle! I’ve done a winter, a spring, and a summer recommendation post, and now it’s finally time for autumn! I loved coming up with these, as I am someone who loves pairing movies or TV shows with seasons. As per usual, instead of writing long sentences about each movie, you’ll get a few keywords. Let’s get into the world of films, shall we?

Dead Poets Society (1989)

A new English teacher, John Keating, is introduced to an all-boys preparatory school that is known for its ancient traditions and high standards. He uses unorthodox methods to reach out to his students, who face enormous pressures from their parents and the school. With Keating’s help, students Neil Perry, Todd Anderson and others learn to break out of their shells, pursue their dreams and seize the day.

Why? ➽ dark academia, carpe diem, tragic, camaraderie

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

Explores Austen’s adage that general incivility is at love’s essence. Sylvia’s husband dumps her for another woman, so Bernadette and Jocelyn organize a book club to distract her. They recruit Sylvia’s daughter Allegra; Prudie, a young teacher whose marriage may be on the rocks; and Grigg, a sci-fi fan who joins out of attraction to Jocelyn. The six read and discuss one Austen novel per month. Jocelyn tries to interest Grigg in Sylvia; Allegra falls in love with a woman she meets skydiving; Prudie contemplates an affair with a student; Sylvia’s ex keeps popping up. In the discussions, characters reveal themselves in their comments. By the end, are truths universally acknowledged?

Why? ➽ book club, discussions, charming

Coco (2017)

Despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. After meeting a charming trickster named Héctor, the two new friends embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.

Why? ➽ family, beautiful, bittersweet

Spirited Away (2001)

10-year-old Chihiro moves with her parents to a new home in the Japanese countryside. After taking a wrong turn down a wooded path, Chihiro and her parents discover an amusement park with a stall containing an assortment of food. To her surprise, Chihiro’s parents begin eating and then transform into pigs. In this supernatural realm, Chihiro encounters a host of characters and endures labor in a bathhouse for spirits, awaiting a reunion with her parents.

Why? ➽ whimsical, immersive, adventurous

Les Miserables (1998)

After serving a lengthy prison sentence, Jean Valjean turns his life around after an act of kindness opens his eyes, becoming a beloved mayor of a French town. A policeman, Javert, who was a prison guard when Valjean was locked up, has a vendetta against him and tries to denounce him as a criminal despite a lack of evidence. Spanning several decades, the story of Javert and Valjean’s rivalry is set against the backdrop of post-Revolution French society.

Why? ➽ philosophical, beautiful love story, justice

Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

Katherine Watson is a recent UCLA graduate hired to teach art history at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College, in 1953. Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students including Betty and Joan to challenge the lives they are expected to lead.

Why? ➽ art appreciation, academics, feminism

(Note: all summaries are from rottentomatoes.com, and all pictures are from imdb.com.)

Have you seen any of these? What are your favourite movies to watch during autumn? And what is your favourite season?

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