Fall brings County fairs, football, and color changes in the leaves. Fall movies can have those items but don't always have obvious signs that the movie you're watching is a Fall movie, like when watching Christmas or Summer movies. They don't have Santa Claus in them or people swimming in pools. No. Instead, when Fall shows up in a movie, it's more of a feeling. This feeling of Autumn comes with back-to-school, football, or Halloween movies (all covered in separate lists). It also comes with relaxed, Autumn-hued Fall movies that are often family-friendly, outdoorsy, or just plain fun. So, as the heat of Summer heads out, and the cooler breezes of the Fall float in, relax, sit back, and enjoy these fun Fall movies that will help you transition from Summer to Winter.
Harry and the Hendersons
A quintessential family movie from the 80's. John Lithgow takes his family on a camping trip to Mt. Rainier only to come home with a Bigfoot! Well, Harry, as they name him, becomes part of the family. That, however, is only part of the story because hunters are after the new Henderson family member.
*All Ages
Pocahontas
Pocahontas tells the fictionalized story of the famous Native American, Pocahontas, as she has her adventures and love story with John Smith when he arrives from Europe to the New World. Plenty of Autumn imagery, like fall leaves and campfires, fills the screen as you watch the tale unfold.
*All Ages
Fly Away Home
Fly Away Home tells the story of a girl connecting with her estranged and odd father while the two come together to raise baby geese she found. It is a very powerful story of a parent doing anything they can for their kids, whether that parent is the estranged dad looking after his daughter or the daughter looking after her flock of geese.
*All Ages
October Sky
This true story tells a tale of hope, optimism, and dreams. The son of a coal miner is expected to follow in his father's footsteps, whether he likes it or not. The young man falls in love with the idea of rockets and space travel instead, and pursues his dream to his fullest capabilities. The moral is that dreams are not always easy, sometimes you have to work hard to achieve them.
*Older kids and teens
The Goonies
Goonies is a top 5 family movie of all time. It tells of adventure, danger, and excitement all as a group of young kids go hunting for lost pirate treasure with a family of criminals hot on their trail. Produced by Stephen Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner, the story that could have been cheesy if made by the wrong people ends up amazing and fun. Watch it to find out why Goonies never say die!
*All Ages
Iron Giant
In the peak of the Cold War in 1957, a boy finds and befriends a giant robot that has crash-landed in his hometown. A CIA agent shows up in town to find the robot, so it's up to the boy to keep the giant robot safe. A great moral for this movie is that you don't have to be what everyone expects you to be. You can be anyone or anything you choose to be!
*All Ages
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is an iconic movie series. Marty McFly goes back in time in a DeLorean time machine, accidentally ruins the past of his own family, and has to struggle to set everything back the way it was meant to be. Watch the series back to back to back. The movies are so well written, that there are similarities and recurring jokes throughout all 3 that are more easily noticed when watching them together.
*Older kids and teens
The Great Outdoors
John Candy takes his family on a family fishing trip to a cabin in Wisconsin. Unfortunately for him, his brother-in-law, Dan Aykroyd, crashes the party unannounced with his own family. It's an immediate "Odd Couple" scenario because these two have nothing in common, and Dan's character takes over every activity that had been planned. Candy and Aykroyd are at their best in this hilarious John Hughes movie.
*Older kids and teens
Charlotte's Web
The classic tale by E.B. White comes to life like it never has before in this mostly live action movie. Computer animation brings all the animals to life on the screen. Wilbur is a pig that is scared, at the end of the season, he'll become someone's dinner. Charlotte, a writing spider, comes up with an ingenious plan to keep the little pig safe.
*All Ages
Over the Hedge
It's almost hibernation time, and all of the animals are gathering supplies. A scheming raccoon convinces everyone they can get more food in less time by going over the hedge into human territory! That raccoon is full of tricks, and he isn't giving advice from the goodness of his heart. An extremely funny, star-studded, and weirdly underrated Dreamworks Film.
*All Ages
Diary of a Wimpy Kid 4: The Long Haul
The Long Haul is a summer road trip movie at its essence. However, a big portion of the movie takes place at a rural county fair with livestock prizes and rides (in one of the awesomely grossest movie scenes you have ever seen). Since county fairs are synonymous with Fall, Greg Heffley's fair adventure fits right in with the Fall movie list.
*All Ages
Open Season
It's hunting season and the animals of the forest must work together to escape the hunters. The main two animals, a domesticated bear released back out into the wild and a goofball, nervous deer, have to get past their disagreements to lead the rest of the animals in a no holds barred battle against all hunters.
*All Ages
Rushmore
A love triangle forms when an overzealous student at Rushmore prep academy falls for the same teacher that his friend, another student's father, played by Bill Murray, is also in love with. The student, Max, feels betrayed, and then all gloves are off for a fun-filled battle of wits. This surreal comedy by Wes Anderson is rated R.
*Teens
Red Dawn
During the Cold War of the 80's, what would have happened if the Russians would have invaded the US? Red Dawn answers that question. A star-studded cast including Patrick Swayze, Charlie Sheen, Jennifer Grey, C. Thomas Howell, and Lea Thompson, band together to form a small rebel team intent on fighting back from inside their American beachhead.
*Teens
ET: The Extra-Terrestrial
ET is another all time, top 5 family movie. This time Spielberg introduces an adorable, waddling, glowing-fingered, extra-terrestrial, just trying to find its way home. Along the way it befriends a group of kids that help it gets where it's heading while avoiding the military hunting for it. Like other Fall movies, this has some great cast debuts.
*All Ages
Super 8
JJ Abrams directs Super 8, which is like ET meets the Goonies, and Spielberg is involved once again as a producer. This time, set in 1979, a group of kids making their own horror movie are in the right place at the right time to film a train crash. However, there's more going on with the train crash than meets the eye. Creepy goings on!
*Older kids and teens
These Fall movies can help you transition from hot weather to cold as you enjoy all that Autumn brings with it. Let us know if any Fall movies fell out of our list. If your favorite Fall movie, say "Autumn in New York" or some other movie, didn't make the list, tell us in the comments. Also, check out our other movie lists.