It’s that time of the year again and the air is turning crisp and leaves are starting to change. Fall is my favorite season and I could not be more ready for it this year! It was an extra hot summer in the south. The cool crisp air feels so good!
I have been battling one of my worst flares yet and have been enjoying snuggling up with some fall movies. I’ve been having fun discovering some new Fall favorites as well as revisiting some old classics with my mom. And it’s been a way to feel like the distance is less with one of my best friends out in New Mexico. We used to spend holidays together and our tradition usually included crafts, dinner, and movies. Now with the distance, we continue to discuss our Fall favorites and it makes the distance seem smaller. Halloween doesn’t seem the same without her, but knowing we are handing out candy and watching our favorites makes it seem like we are together.
As my disorders have changed my way of life, they have also changed my hobbies. I have always enjoyed movies, and I even took some film classes in college. Now, it is something I can enjoy with the people I love and spend time together while relaxing. I have found it’s important to find new hobbies and adapt your old hobbies. It’s natural to avoid interests at first, but it's important to learn how to adapt and how to enjoy new ones. Especially during this terrible flare, I am so glad to have new and adapted hobbies to hold me through these flares and to allow me to enjoy these interests with the people I love. I’ve split my Fall list into four groups. The list is still growing and I hope to continue to update it throughout the years! I hope you enjoy and this helps you escape a little!
May you be well :)
~Brooke
"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." -F. Scott Fitzgerald
The first category is nostalgic fall movies. Most of these are good family films as well. Many are films I remember growing up with. I’m a 90s child for reference. Something about these movies really gets you in the mood for fall! No particular order. Too hard to choose. Lol. Have some that you love for fall or love from your childhood, then please comment down below!
· Hocus Pocus (1993)
Definitely a fall favorite! This was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I watched it so many times that I had to tape up the VHS box (showing my age). Lol. Witches, Halloween night, spells, magic, a black cat, and a zombie all make the perfect mixture for a wonderful Halloween film. Plenty of laughs as well.
· The Mummy (1999)
One of my favorite movies. Everything and everyone just works so seamlessly together to bring a fantastic story of ancient Egypt, myths, and treasure hunts. Perfect balance of comedy and suspense.
· Practical Magic (1998)
One of my favorite witch movies. Two sisters ban together against a sinister ex-boyfriend whose back from the dead. Lots of good magic and suspense moments, but filled with a lot of heart.
· The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)
A favorite spooky Halloween film! This is a must see if you haven’t already. The story is priceless and the comedic timing is perfect. The best mixture of spooky and quirky fun.
· Beetlejuice (1988)
Quirky and just the best! There’s nothing like Beetlejuice in the fall!
· Edward Scissorhands (1990)
My favorite Tim Burton movie. Love this updated take on Frankenstein and how he humanizes the “monster.” A wonderful tale that you’ll get swept up in and want to watch again and again.
· Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Another classic Tim Burton movie. Such a unique and magic world that only he could create.
· Ghostbusters (1984)
No introduction needed here. Just a great time to sit down and snuggle up with Ghostbusters.
· Star Wars (Episode IV A New Hope (1977), Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Episode VI Return of the Jedi (1983)
They're just the best. Nothing like the classics.
· Jurassic Park ( 1993)
· Pirates of the Caribbean (2003)
· Jumanji (1995)
· Princess Bride (1987)
· Goonies (1985)
· Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
· The Adams Family (1991) & The Adams Family Values (1993)
· Teen Witch (1989)
A lot of 80s magic. If you love 80s movies, then this is a must see.
· Wizard of Oz (1939)
One of the most magical movies of all time. It had to be on the list.
· Popeye (1980)
I always was a huge Popeye fan growing up. Popeye plus Robin Williams, well, it doesn’t get any better!
· Arachnophobia (1990)
I am terrified of spiders so this always used to freak me out growing up. It's more on the spoofy side now, but still lots of fun.
· Back to the Future (1985)
· Van Helsing (2004)
· Men in black (1997)
· King kong (2005)
· Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
A classic. I was obsessed with the plant as a child. I don’t know why. I wanted a venus fly trap because I was convinced I could get one to talk. Lol.
· Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
· Death Becomes Her (1992)
One of the funniest, goofiest, and quirkiest revenge movies featuring some of the finest leading ladies. Wouldn't want to mess with either of these ladies. lol. It's hard to even describe this movie. Just a lot of fun.
· The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
If only there had been an I dream of Jeanie Movie!
The second category is thriller and suspense movies. I love this category and I am always looking for new thrillers. I am not big into the supernatural horror genre so I lean more towards psychological and crime thrillers. I tried to squeeze as many psych and film classes as I could into my microbiology undergrad experience. So I absolutely love a good twist especially psychological ones! I am excluding shark movies because they just need their own list (hopefully coming this summer)! Also, I am separating out final girl movies (see category 3) and classic thriller films (see category 4). I am excluding Hitchcock from the classic thriller film list. Hoping to release that list later this month! Of course, he must have his own list!
· Silence of the Lambs (1991)
· Bone Collector (1999)
· Basic Instinct (1992)
· Fatal Attraction (1987)
· Dead Calm (1989)
· A Perfect Murder (1998)
Deceived (1991)
A very classy thriller. I just can’t get over how she uses her wits in the end. A dynamic and classic thriller scene.
The Rich Man’s Wife (1996)
This scored a lot lower on imbd than I expected. It has all the elements of a great thriller and Peter Greene portrays one really really creepy bad guy. Fun thriller ride with great twists, action, and an ending that is pretty epic. Love the ending. Very smart.
· Sea of Love (1989)
· Gone girl (2014)
· Get Out (2017)
· The shining (1980)
· The panic room (2002)
· The perfect Get away (2009)
· Anaconda (1997)
I omitted shark movies, but had to put at least one creepy crawly on here. Lol. Just a fun ride.
· Still of the night (1982)
· The River Wild
The perfect thriller for all the dog lovers out there! A different thriller set on a white water rafting family vacation. When the family meets some other travelers things begin to take a turn. Another great Meryl Streep thriller!
· Dressed to Kill (1980)
· Saw (2004)
By far the goriest on the list so if you tend to steer away from that, then this one is not for you. But such epic twists it had to make the list!
· The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
· Casino Royale (2006) & Skyfall (2012)
· Taken (2008)
· Die Hard (1988)
· Disturbia (2007)
· Identity (2003)
· Fear (1996)
· Cape Fear (1991)
· Scoop (2006)
Huge fan of Woody Allen’s work. If you love his movies this is one you may have missed and it’s a great one!
· The Skeleton Key (2005)
I usually stay away from movies with a lot of supernatural elements, but this one has voodoo. Creepy and lots of twists.
· Just Cause (1995)
· Secret window (2004)
· Black Swan (2010)
An artistic thriller. So well thought out, planned, and executed.
And I know it’s a TV show, but there’s no time like fall for Dexter!
The third category is final girl movies. It might seem weird to separate this out, but I love final girl movies! I look specifically for them and it’s hard to find lists about final girls. Maybe it’s catharsis for bad relationships, but I enjoy final girl movies so much. lol. The final girl is the last woman standing who determines to fight for herself. To me, the final girl has expanded past horror into other genres like thrillers and suspense. Whether she survives or not depends on herself. There’s no man to fight her fight and she can’t just run away. That’s one of my biggest pet peeves about this genre and maybe that’s why I love the final girl movies. Plus, it’s the age of female empowerment and this sure doesn’t hurt. It seems that with the increasing roles for strong females in film and tv, that this list is going to continue to grow. I know I have a large watchlist forming. Hoping to grow this list in the future! If you’ve had a really bad week, then sometimes you just need a final girl movie!
· Scream (1996)
· Halloween (1978)
· Halloween (2018)
This gives a whole new meaning to the term final girl. I didn’t think it was possible, but this Halloween movie 40 years later delivers all the chills and thrills like the first one. The eerie music, plot centered around Laurie and her family, and epic cinematography make this a Halloween you won’t want to miss. It will make you feel like you did when you watched the first one. And they’ve done it again. Halloween was the movie to start the trend and the beginning of the “final girl.” Well, 40 years later I think a new term has just been created for the horror genre with this film, the “final girls.” It’s epic and you’ll just have to see for yourself! I also highly suggest buying the DVD. The bonuses are really cool! Lots of great behind the scenes about this film and the 1978 Halloween movie as well.
· Alien (1979)
· Copycat (1995)
· What Lies Beneath (2000)
· Enough (2002)
· Peppermint (2018)
· Gone (2012)
· P2 (2007)
· Hush (2016)
· Kristy (2014)
· Black Christmas (1974)
· Friday the 13th Part I (1980) and II (1981)
· Kiss the Girls
· The Girl on the Train (2016)
Classic thriller book and movie. Bother are great with wonderful twists that you won't see coming!
· Red Eye (2005)
Love Wes Craven movies! Scream is definitely at the top of the list. This is one you may have missed by him, but it's a great one. Rachel McAdams is fierce!
· Double Jeopardy (1999)
· The resident (2011)
· Sleeping with the enemy (1991)
I love Julia Roberts' movies! And it's rare to find her in thrillers. This is one of her earlier movies and I love her portrayal of this character and the strength she finds in herself.
· The boy next door (2015)
The final category is classic movies. To make it easier, I’m counting anything before 1980 as classic in this post. Again, I’m excluding Alfred Hitchcock, because I’m hoping to make a list later completely dedicated to the master of suspense. I am a huge classic movie fan and Turner Classic Movies has reconnected me to my love of classic films. I was lucky enough to take a Film Noir class in college and immediately fell in love! Hope you find some new favorite classic thrillers and crime dramas! Wow, this list was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be without including Hitchcock. Lol.
· Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
One of my favorite movies. I love this creature feature. The strong female lead always seemed so smart and fearless, which is unusual for a creature feature.
· Dracula (1931)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a classic. Must see for fall. Bela Lugosi is wonderful. Nothing like a black and white movie to add to the fall atmosphere.
· The Mummy (1932)
My other favorite creature feature. Boris Karloff is always wonderful in these films. I lov The Mummy franchise movies as mentioned in the nostalgic section. There’s something so special about these films and the original is no exception.
· Charade (1963)
Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Paris… need I say more? I always thought this was a Hitchcock film, but it’s not. I found a loop hole. Lol. Absolutely a fun movie of suspense, mystery, comedy, and love all rolled into one.
· Gambit (1966)
A great classic crime thriller except that Michael Caine’s character didn’t take into account the idiosyncrasies of Shirley MacLaine’s character. Makes for one fun ride.
· Wait until dark (1967)
I am a huge Audrey Hepburn fan. I had no idea that Audrey Hepburn had made any thriller movies. This one is even classified under horror. A great film with a good depiction of disability in film. Hepburn plays a blind woman who is terrorized by men who believe what they want is in her apartment. If you’re a Hepburn fan, this is a must see!
· Double Indemnity (1944)
One of my favorite film noirs with one of my favorite actresses, Barbara Stanwyck, and one of my favorite directors, Billy Wilder. A classic noir crime drama that will leave you guessing until the end. And Stanwyck’s anklet inspired a whole anklet line in my handmade jewelry. I absolutely love that scene.
· Out of the past (1947)
Another classic film noir crime thriller. One of my favorite Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas movies. Get swept up in the world of film noir, private eyes, and mobsters. Full of twists and turns.
· Dark passage (1947)
One of the great Bogie and Bacall thrillers. Filmed from a very unique perspective and the audience doesn’t get to see Bogart for the first half of the film. A great thriller!
· The big sleep (1946)
Another great Bogie and Bacall thriller. Classic private detective film noir.
· Julie (1956)
I had no idea that Doris Day made thrillers. My mom was a huge fan when she was growing up and I stumbled upon her thrillers. She made three that I can find. All great and one was a Hitchcock. This is a fantastic thriller about never really knowing to whom one is married. Great premise and wonderful acting.
· Midnight Lace (1960)
Another Doris Day thriller. This one is more theatrical with some wonderful cinematic scenes. A great cat and mouse classic thriller.
· Laura (1944)
This film noir has been on my list for years and it did not disappoint. Full of mystery and suspense. A detective falls in love with a woman after seeing her portrait and the woman just happens to be the victim of the murder he is investigating. Don’t want to give any more away.
· The Maltese Falcon (1941)
An iconic and classic film noir. Wonderful mystery full of intrigue, crime, and a mission for the gilded Maltese Falcon.
· Cry Wolf (1947)
A creepy and ominous thriller. Lots of twists with great cinematography. Barabara Stanwyck stars as the widow, who will not give up. Her boldness and tenacity are the perfect traits of a leading lady for a crime mystery.
· Freaks (1932)
One of the first representations of disability in films. I love to see the progression of disability portrayed in films. Hoping to cover that topic in another post. This thriller surrounds a circus and what happens when someone tries to swindle one of their own. A pretty creepy ending.
Have movies to add or share? Please comment down below! Please share any fall favorites and favorite Halloween costumes that go along with them as well! Hope you find some new favorites and you re-connect with some old favorites as well. Happy fall! :)
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