Love it or hate it, Autumn is one of Hollywoods favorite times of the year. With all of the bright colors and changing weather, its easy to use the characters surroundings for interesting and eye-catching scenes that just wouldnt happen on a snowy day or in the summer sun. Here are a few movies perfect for when you need to beat the nippiness and break out the afghan blankets.
1. Dead Poets Society: Nothing beats Autumn in woodsy New England and nothing says summers over like going back to school. In this inspiring coming-of-age tale however, self-expression and creative awakenings trump stifling traditionalism and new growth takes root even as the leaves begin falling from the trees.
2. October Sky: Its hard not to dream of more when youre stuck in a Tennessee mining town, but with a little help from your friends, you might just launch a career with NASA and win back your working-stiff fathers respect. Starring a very young Jake Gyllenhaal, this family film does a superb job of capturing the claustrophobia of living in a small town while also highlighting their pastoral beauty for the rest of us.
3. American Beauty: Will Hollywood ever make a movie celebrating life in the suburbs? Unless they can get Kevin Spacey to make accepting ones lot in life look just as interesting as having a midlife meltdown brought on by a May-December crush, probably not. But this smart and incisive film expertly contrasts its characters angst and moping with gorgeous cinematography and memorable trips around the proverbial block to show that, after all, theres beauty everywhere.
4. Rushmore: Its no secret that changing seasons often bring changing moods and this Wes Anderson romp deftly parallels ironic overachiever Max Fischers descent into depression with the coming of fall and winter. His creative resurrection by the film’s conclusion however, serves to remind us that summer and activity will come once more.
5. Garden State: Autumn doesnt have to be all falling leaves and pumpkin pie. The rainstorm where Zach Braff and Natalie Portman yell into lifes infinite abyss perfectly captures the messy appeal of both Autumn and living life to the fullest.