15 Best Movies Set in Fall

Fall brings out a specific mix of crisp air, back to school rhythms, and holiday traditions that show up all over the movies. From Halloween nights to Thanksgiving road trips, filmmakers use the season to anchor stories about family, friendship, and change. The settings feel grounded in real places, with sweaters, stadium lights, and leaves underfoot doing a lot of visual storytelling.

This list gathers films where autumn is not just a backdrop but part of the story’s shape. You will find campus tales that begin with the first bell, small town celebrations that circle the calendar, and journeys that hinge on long weekends. Each pick includes details on setting, cast, and production so you can spot what makes the season matter onscreen.

‘When Harry Met Sally…’ (1989)

The story follows two New Yorkers whose paths cross over many years, with several key chapters unfolding during fall in Manhattan. Scenes set in Central Park and the Upper West Side use foliage and city landmarks to mark the passage of time and the changing stage of their relationship. It stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan and was directed by Rob Reiner, with a screenplay by Nora Ephron.

Filming made use of real locations like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Washington Square Park, and Katz’s Delicatessen. The soundtrack features standards performed by Harry Connick Jr., which gives the film a warm big band feel that matches its seasonal imagery. The production worked closely with the city to capture everyday routines around bookstores, cafes, and sidewalks as the school year and holidays approach.

‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ (1987)

A marketing executive tries to get home from New York to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving, only to be paired with a traveling shower curtain ring salesman as bad luck closes airports and reroutes trains. The film stars Steve Martin and John Candy and was written and directed by John Hughes.

Shooting took place across several states, with many interiors built in the Chicago area to recreate airports and highways. The film is structured around the Thanksgiving deadline, which keeps the timeline tight and ties each mode of transport to crowded holiday travel. Costume and production design underline late fall weather with heavy coats, road slush, and overbooked terminals.

‘Hocus Pocus’ (1993)

Set in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night, the plot follows a teenager who accidentally awakens three witches and races to stop them before sunrise. The cast includes Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters alongside a group of local kids who know their town’s lore.

The production filmed in Salem and Marblehead to capture colonial houses, graveyards, and neighborhood streets decorated for trick or treating. Costumes mix period details with witchy flair, while the score and practical effects lean into candlelight and cobblestones. The story uses local history museums, school hallways, and town squares to keep the action tied to community traditions.

‘Scent of a Woman’ (1992)

A prep school student takes a temporary job looking after a retired Army officer and ends up on an unplanned trip to New York City over Thanksgiving weekend. Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell lead the cast, and Martin Brest directed.

New York locations include the Waldorf Astoria, the Pierre, and downtown eateries that feel busy with holiday diners. The school scenes were shot at real campuses to anchor the academic setting that frames the disciplinary plotline. The film’s schedule lines up with the long weekend, which allows for city excursions, a restaurant sequence with live music, and a hotel stay that all fit the holiday calendar.

‘October Sky’ (1999)

Inspired by Homer Hickam’s memoir ‘Rocket Boys’, the film follows a coal miner’s son who becomes obsessed with rocketry after the launch of Sputnik. Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, and Laura Dern star, with Joe Johnston directing.

Production recreated the town of Coalwood in rural locations that could show tree lined streets and mine structures as fall moves toward winter. The story ties science fair planning to the school year, while outdoor rocket tests use crisp afternoons and bare branches as visual markers. The adaptation keeps the focus on family, teachers, and a group of friends who meet after classes to build and test designs.

‘Practical Magic’ (1998)

Two witch sisters living in a coastal Massachusetts town face a family curse that complicates love and safety. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star alongside Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing as the aunts, and Griffin Dunne directed.

The Owens house was built as a temporary structure for filming, with interiors designed around Victorian details that play well with autumn decorations and a community Halloween gathering. The story uses small town settings like a bakery, a police station, and a backyard greenhouse to show daily life. Music, moonlit visuals, and a climactic scene on a broom filled night tie the plot to seasonal rituals.

‘Coco’ (2017)

Set during Day of the Dead in Mexico, the film follows a boy who longs to play music and crosses into the Land of the Dead to learn about his family. Lee Unkrich directed with Adrian Molina as co director, and the voice cast includes Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, and Benjamin Bratt.

Pixar artists researched altars, marigolds, papel picado, and cemetery visits to depict traditions that take place on the first days of November. The animation team built layered cityscapes with warm lighting that matches candlelit vigils and nighttime parades. Songs like “Remember Me” are woven into the narrative to honor family memory, while the timeline aligns with school break and community gatherings.

‘Prisoners’ (2013)

Two young girls disappear on Thanksgiving Day in a Pennsylvania suburb, leading a father and a detective down parallel paths as the search intensifies. Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal star, and Denis Villeneuve directed.

Though the story is set in the Northeast, much of the filming took place around Atlanta to capture gray skies, wet streets, and late fall trees. Production design keeps decorations for the holiday visible in homes and storefronts, while police work unfolds in rain soaked lots and dim interiors. The calendar placement explains why families are together and why the town feels both busy and quiet.

‘You’ve Got Mail’ (1998)

Two bookstore owners meet online while competing in real life, with the first third of the film taking place in New York during the back to school season. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan star, and Nora Ephron directed and co wrote the script.

Upper West Side locations include Zabar’s, Riverside Park, and charming storefronts that show pumpkins, window displays, and neighborhood events. The production used real apartments and cafes to keep the commute and strolls feeling local. The seasonal shift from school supply shopping to winter holidays tracks the relationship timeline and the fate of an independent shop.

‘Dead Poets Society’ (1989)

A new English teacher arrives at an elite preparatory school as the academic year begins and encourages students to look at literature in fresh ways. Robin Williams leads the cast, with Robert Sean Leonard and Ethan Hawke among the students. Peter Weir directed.

The film shot at St. Andrew’s School in Delaware to stand in for a Vermont campus, giving the classrooms and dorms an authentic look. Rowing scenes, chapel gatherings, and study halls are all tied to a calendar that begins in autumn. Costumes include blazers and wool coats that match the weather and help differentiate faculty, seniors, and first year students.

‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ (2009)

A clever fox returns to raiding farms and sets off a chain of events that pulls his community into a conflict with three wealthy farmers. Wes Anderson directed this stop motion adaptation of the Roald Dahl book, with voices by George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, and Bill Murray.

The animation uses miniature sets with orchards, root cellars, and fields that look ready for harvest. The color palette leans into browns and golds, while the soundtrack features banjos, whistling, and schoolyard choruses that echo fall festivals. The script frames family life around shared meals and burrow hideouts, which helps the seasonal feel carry through the heists.

‘Pieces of April’ (2003)

A young woman living in a tiny New York apartment cooks her first Thanksgiving dinner and tries to reconnect with her visiting family. Katie Holmes stars with Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke, Oliver Platt, and Alison Pill. Peter Hedges wrote and directed.

Shot on digital video with a small budget, the film used real apartments and building hallways to capture the scramble for an oven and the hunt for ingredients. The narrative happens in a single day, which keeps the focus on kitchen prep, city errands, and a road trip from the suburbs. The holiday setting explains the full cast of neighbors, family dynamics, and last minute table fixes.

‘The Ice Storm’ (1997)

Set in suburban Connecticut during Thanksgiving week, two neighboring families navigate shifting relationships and a dangerous weather event. The ensemble includes Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Christina Ricci, and Tobey Maguire. Ang Lee directed the adaptation of Rick Moody’s novel.

Costumes and production design map the period with knitwear, wood paneling, and living rooms arranged for holiday gatherings. Filming around New Canaan and similar towns provided quiet streets and wooded backyards. The story’s timeline places a commuter train schedule, a dinner invitation, and a winter front all in the same week, which keeps tension close to home.

‘Rushmore’ (1998)

An ambitious student at a private school juggles clubs, plays, and a complex friendship with an industrialist as the school year gets underway. Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray star, and Wes Anderson directed.

The film shot at St. John’s School in Houston and at Lamar High School to create classrooms, chapels, and athletic fields that feel lived in. Fall activities like fencing practice, chapel attendance, and after school societies organize the plot into assemblies and announcements. Music cues from British Invasion bands support the calendar feel of tryouts, meetings, and rehearsals.

‘Remember the Titans’ (2000)

A newly integrated high school football team in Alexandria, Virginia works through a volatile season under a demanding new head coach. Denzel Washington headlines the cast, with Will Patton, Wood Harris, and Ryan Hurst in key roles. Boaz Yakin directed.

Games, practices, and a preseason camp structure the story around fall Fridays and bus rides to rival stadiums. Although set in Virginia, filming took place largely in Georgia using real fields and neighborhoods. Marching bands, pep rallies, and classroom scenes tie the team’s progress to the school calendar and community rituals around the sport.

Share your favorite fall set films in the comments so everyone can build a cozy season watchlist.