Fall is the best season! Song and movie recommendations to get you into the autumn mood
On Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, the Autumn season finally commenced! After a brutally hot and seemingly never-ending summer, college students are cheering for the fact that classrooms won't feel like 100-degree torture chambers anymore. Although October is just beginning, I know you’ve been thinking about fall media for some time now; If you’re anything like me, you’ve been dreaming of pumpkin spice lattes, apple cider, cinnamon candles, fresh donuts, pumpkins, crunchy leaves, Halloween festivities, Thanksgiving pie, and so much more. The good news is that the wait is now over! As the weather continues to cool off, and thoughts of the holiday season start to linger, it’s time to get into the right mood.
For you, I’ve formulated a pretty solid list of music and entertainment that will surely elevate your autumn experience; so, light a pumpkin pie scented candle, turn on the fireplace, cuddle a cat, and absorb the glory that is the current season.
First and foremost, here’s a list of some tunes for your fall playlist. These songs could be perfect for your chilly walk to class, a relaxing night in with the roomies, or if you’re just in the mood for some lowkey fall vibes:
“we fell in love in october” by girl in red. I had to start this list off with a bang. What better way to welcome in the greatest fall month than by listening to a song with “October” in the title. Lyrics such as “We fell in love in October / That’s why, I love fall,” are bound to relate with the listener and the smooth instrumental is bound to conjure up that main-character-autumn spirit in you.
“Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac. All hail queen Stevie Nicks! This song has recently received more hype due to TikTok popularity. The band’s live performance at the Warner Bros. Studio, California, in 1997 is the definition of iconic. This song might not have any true relation to the fall season, but it’s amazing and jam worthy, so can you really blame me for including it?
“the lakes - bonus track” by Taylor Swift. A cry-worthy but stunning song from Swift’s eighth studio album, folklore, which includes my overall favorite tracks for any fall playlist. Written during the pandemic, the lyrics accurately encapsulate the feelings of loneliness and wanderlust, as well as the deeply romantic-era lyricism of the song.
“Penny Lane” by The Beatles. This wouldn’t be a great playlist without the inclusion of at least one Beatles song. Although their music can (and should be) listened to all year round, this song in particular reminds me of a nice stroll in the crisp autumn air or, “in the pouring rain,” as they say.
Honorable mentions go out to, “Love Lost” by Mac Miller, “Cleopatra” by The Lumineers, “Lacy” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood, and finally, “We’re Going to Be Friends” by The White Stripes. All of which are classics that have no issue pulling the listener right into the pumpkin-carving mood. For the full Spotify playlist, curated by yours truly, use this link: https://spotify.link/2H0WTmWgBDb.
Well, now you have a few songs to include in your fall 2023 playlist! The only other thing you’ll need are some fall and Halloween shows and movies! Look no further, here are some of my recommendations for your viewing pleasure:
Gilmore Girls features Alexis Bledel and Lauren Graham as the Gilmores, and includes supporting actors such as Chad Michael Murray and Melissa McCarthy. This might be the best fall show of all time. The tiny town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, perfectly displays the excitement and thrill of the holiday season. It’s impossible to watch a few episodes without becoming enthusiastic about the fall season with all its warm beverages and the Northeast aesthetics of the early 2000’s!
Harry Potter has been popular since the first movie was released in Nov. of 2001. Now there are eight movies total and the series is often associated with the excitement of the autumn season. The travel to Hogwarts warms my heart with nostalgia, and the massive holiday meals also contribute largely to the fall aesthetic. During the colder weather, we tend to spend much more time indoors; what better way to spend this time than by binge watching all eight films?
The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, and Wednesday were all masterminded by Tim Burton, a director best known for his unsettling Halloween tales. His filmmaking style is so distinct that people have even come to regard his works and those that emulate them as “Burtonesque.” Burton utilizes exaggerated and stylized visuals along with distorted and surreal designs/characters to give his works such a distinct spin. Without a doubt, any of his films are bound to get you into a spooky mood.
Twilight features the trio Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner. Released in 2008, based on the novels by Stephenie Meyer, Twilight quickly gained popularity amongst the books’ fans. Whether you watch ironically, or unironically, the films (especially the first) help you get into the autumn mood with its gloomy cool-toned cinematography and all that Washington angst. Perfect for the upcoming Halloween season, with its inclusion of both vampires and werewolves!
With that, I bid you adieu and wish you the very happiest of fall seasons! Enjoy yourself and this exciting, nostalgic time with friends and family.
Thumbnail photo via Geneseo.edu