There is something about the first day of fall that makes everything feel just a little bit cozier. The air gets cooler, the sun goes down earlier, and suddenly staying inside under a blanket feels less like giving up on the day and more like the perfect way to spend an evening. Maybe there is a candle burning, maybe there is something warm to drink, and maybe — if you are lucky — the leaves outside are actually changing color instead of just falling off the trees all at once.

And, of course, few things pair better with fall than watching a good movie cuddled up on the couch underneath a warm blanket. Whether you are looking for something cozy, nostalgic, romantic, spooky, football-filled, or just vaguely autumnal, we have put together a collection of movies to carry you through the season. From Nora Ephron and New England leaves to Halloween scares, back-to-school stories, and Thanksgiving chaos, there should be something here for just about every kind of fall mood.

Fall movies for whatever mood you are in:

Movies that make it feel like fall

The calendar officially says it is fall, so it is time for changing leaves, sweaters, crisp air, hot drinks, and movies that somehow capture all of those things. Some of these films are explicitly set during autumn, while others simply have the colors, locations, and cozy atmosphere that make them feel right as soon as the season begins.

A Nora Ephron fall

Few filmmakers are more closely associated with cozy movie watching than Nora Ephron. Her romantic comedies are filled with bookstores, coffee shops, walks through New York, dinner parties, chunky sweaters, and the sort of witty conversations that pair particularly well with the first chilly evening of the season.

Fall comfort movies

Sometimes there does not need to be a stronger connection to the season than wanting to stay inside, get comfortable, and watch something familiar. These are the movies to save for a rainy fall afternoon, a chilly night on the couch, or the first weekend when going outside suddenly seems considerably less appealing.

Back-to-school movies

Fall also means the beginning of a new school year, whether you are actually heading back to school or just remembering when September meant new notebooks, new teachers, and figuring out where you fit in. These movies take us back to classrooms and campuses for stories about teachers, students, friendships, rivalries, and growing up.

Football season

For millions of people, fall does not officially begin with the equinox; it starts when football returns. Whether you prefer high school, college, or the NFL, these movies bring Friday nights, Saturday afternoons, Sunday showdowns, marching bands, locker-room speeches, and plenty of underdog stories to your fall movie marathon.

New England fall

There is fall, and then there is New England fall. These movies offer leafy college campuses, small towns, old houses, coastal communities, chilly weather, and enough autumn scenery to make you want to start planning a leaf-peeping trip before the credits roll.

For when you’re ready for spooky season

The first day of fall does not have to mean jumping immediately into chainsaws, demonic possessions, and masked killers. These movies let you ease into spooky season with ghosts, witches, monsters, haunted houses, and plenty of Halloween atmosphere without necessarily requiring you to sleep with the lights on afterward.

When you’re ready to actually be scared

Eventually, cozy spooky season gives way to the real thing. When pumpkins have appeared on every porch, and Halloween is getting close. These horror classics offer slashers, ghosts, demons, haunted hotels, and plenty of reasons to reconsider watching one more movie before bed.

Thanksgiving movies

Fall does not end with Halloween. Once the costumes and candy have been put away, it is time for dysfunctional families, uncomfortable dinners, chaotic travel, and the annual reminder that getting everyone together for Thanksgiving can be considerably harder than it sounds.