While the first months of a new school year mean busier schedules and increased responsibilities, they also entail cozy nights with roommates and opportunities to watch some proper fall flicks. With vibrant Blue Ridge foliage and charming traditions like trips to Carter Mountain, Charlottesville falls are something special, marked by a gradual transition filled with autumnal hues around the city and spices in the air. Here are three essential watches for any reader as they prepare to witness the leaves outside their windows change from green to orange.
“Sorry, Baby” (2025)
A movie that feels very autumnal in its comforting solitude, “Sorry, Baby” is Eva Victor’s debut feature film, which she wrote, directed and starred in. “Sorry, Baby” tells the story of Agnes Ward, a young graduate student turned professor at a small liberal arts college in rural Maine. After Agnes goes through a traumatic event on campus, her life begins to stall as she struggles to process what happened to her. The film jumps through time and seasons, but many of the most emotive moments are set against the sparse scenery of a Maine fall.
The film is tender and tear-jerking, and the stripped-back script and plot elevates the movie’s emotional core, rather than taking away from it. Victor delivers an incredibly empathetic and nuanced performance as Agnes, but the side performances are also excellent. In particular, Naomi Ackie stands out as Agnes’ supportive best friend Lydie, bringing warmth and depth to their relationship. Late in the film, John Carroll Lynch makes the most of his smaller role as Pete, a character whose brief appearance catalyzes one of the film’s most impactful conversations between Pete and Agnes. Overall, “Sorry, Baby” is sad and lonely, but also hopeful and sweet, a contradictory set of emotions that may pair well with the first shivers of an incoming fall breeze.
“Thanksgiving” (2023)
Switching from a character-driven indie darling to an all-out fever dream of a film, Eli Roth’s campy crowdpleaser, "Thanksgiving" truly embodies the spirit of the season. The first scene — a Black Friday shopping spree turned deadly — sets the tone for the rest of the film as fun and creative but also genuinely scary. While horror movies are a fall staple, the vast majority of them center around Halloween, so “Thanksgiving” subverts that by focusing on an underrated autumn holiday. The killer dresses as a pilgrim to enact his gory Turkey-Day themed kills, using baking ovens and corn-on-the-cob holders as his weapons.
The film gets away with its ridiculous plot not only because it leans into the campiness, but also because it is a well-crafted horror film. It is suspenseful, and the killer’s identity is difficult to predict, while their motivations are both understandable and relevant in America’s consumerist culture. While November approaches on the horizon, frightful fall-themed flicks featuring Addison Rae are a rarity, making “Thanksgiving” a good choice to get into that autumn spirit. However, squeamish stomachs should be warned because as creative as every kill is, it is equally gory.
“Over the Garden Wall” (2014)
A recommended watch for anyone transitioning into the fall spirit, “Over the Garden Wall” is a Cartoon Network miniseries about two brothers named Greg and Wirt traveling through a strange forest and the interesting cast of characters they encounter. From the orange and red leaves that fall around the brothers as they wander through the woods to a village whose residents are anthropomorphic pumpkins, every setting in this series feels quintessentially fall.
Each stylistic choice in “Over the Garden Wall” contributes to how charming and unique this miniseries is, from the muted autumnal color palette to the 19th century Americana aesthetic to the folksy, ragtime soundtrack. The show perfectly toes the line between silly whimsy and melancholic creepiness, with stakes that feel realistic but still appropriate for a younger audience. Although short, “Over the Garden Wall” is essential fall viewing that is meant to be watched in one sitting with a hot cup of tea.
While these three pieces of media cover different genres and mediums, they are all united by similar fall themes and settings. As autumn rolls around, these films may help usher in that fall feeling, best paired with a long-sleeved sweater and a pumpkin scented candle.
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