Fall Films That Aren’t Horror
For when you want to feel the fall vibes without getting freaked out
By Sam Downey, Arts Staff Writer
Sweater weather is here, seasonal coffee drinks are back and little gold leaves are piling up underfoot as the honeylocust trees transform Madison: it’s officially fall! For those of us who want to avoid thinking about the plummeting temperatures (and maybe also our midterms), T.V. and movies offer the perfect escape into an idealized autumn world that keeps the fall foliage but cuts the sun-setting-at-six part. There are plenty of new thrillers and spine-chilling classics that work to put the “spooky” in spooky season. But what do you do if horror isn’t your thing?
If you’re like me, you’ve had countless people explain how horror is more than just jumpscares and gore, how it's a rich genre that explores cultural fears, the human psyche and the extremes of love and grief. To which I say: sure! I’m more than down to read and learn about that in an academic, literary-analysis sort of context. But I’ve never come out of a horror movie thinking, wow, what a beautiful statement on grief. In fact, I usually come out thinking, I was tense for that entire thing and now I feel sick, and I will need to sleep with the lights on.
So, no hate for horror-lovers, but here are some alternate options that still evoke the cozy, spooky, magical, and even thrilling parts of fall!
MOVIES—
Scooby Doo & the Witch’s Ghost (1999)
Did someone mention the Hex Girls? Obviously, any Scooby-Doo movie could make this list, but this one is my personal favorite. Catch it on Prime Video, Google Play, Boomerang, or Apple TV!
Knives Out (2019)
This plot-twist-packed mystery includes James Bond as a swaggering Southern detective and Captain America in a cable-knit sweater—what’s not to love? Stream it on Prime Video, or rent it on Apple TV for $0.99!
Matilda (1996)
This adorable tale of love, magic, and found family can be streamed on Hulu Premium or rented on Prime Video, YouTube, or Apple TV!
Hocus Pocus (1993)
This movie is full of childhood nostalgia, but it still hits today! Stream it on Disney+, or rent it on Prime Video or Apple TV.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
This iconic, tragic, Academy-Award-winning film is currently free to watch on YouTube! It is also available through Prime Video and Apple TV.
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
This stop-motion classic is perfect from now until December—or even year-round, because why not? It’s available on Disney+, and can be rented on Prime Video and Apple TV!
Little Women (2019)
Whether you’re in it for the feminist take on a classic tale, the questionably historical costumes, or the abundance of extremely attractive people, this movie has something for everyone! You can watch it through Hulu Premium or Prime Video.
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)
No fall list would be complete without this classic. Only 25 minutes long, the fall special is available on Apple TV+ and will be airing on PBS (or the PBS app) at 7:30 p.m. ET on 10/24!
TV SHOWS—
All the Halloween episodes of ________
Just fill in the blank with your favorite sitcom! A lot of the time, people have taken the time to share the exact season and episode numbers for fellow fans (this also works great for the winter holidays, by the way). Availability obviously depends on the show!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003), 7 seasons
There are dedicated Halloween episodes, but every moment of this iconic 90’s series is a love letter to the season. Watch it on Hulu, Prime Video, or Apple TV!
His Dark Materials (2019- ), 2 seasons
For anyone who loved this classic fantasy series as a kid and was disappointed by The Golden Compass (2007), I promise this series finally got it right. The casting is perfect (James McAvoy as Lord Asriel! Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby! Andrew Scott as Jopari!), and the final season comes out next year: catch up on HBO Max in the meantime!
Scooby-Doo (all of it, ever)
Apparently, Boomerang currently offers almost every piece of the “Scooby-Doo” franchise, from the tv shows to the movies to the live-action films! They also offer a weeklong free trial, just saying.
Supernatural (2005-2020), 16 seasons
To anyone who actually watched all 16 seasons, I salute you. Couldn’t be me. (Also, wow, that ending sounded like it sucked. My sympathies.) To anyone who slowly fell out of love after a middle-school infatuation with this show, but still has flashbacks when they hear “Carry On, Wayward Son” and enjoys the nostalgic value of the early seasons: same. Anyways, it’s on Netflix.
Over the Garden Wall (2014), 1 season
This animated miniseries captures all the best parts of fall and concentrates them into 10 short episodes. It’s available through HBO Max or Hulu Premium!
Stranger Things (2016- ), 3 seasons
This show is closer to horror than most things on this list, but in my opinion, it’s diluted by the mystery, comedy, and romance that are also mixed in. It’s hard to stay scared with an 80’s synth soundtrack grooving in the background! Season four won’t be out until next year, but the first three are on Netflix.
Spooky streaming, everyone!
Note—some of these are very obviously fall or Halloween-themed, and others have made the cut based on the extremely technical qualifications of “has the right vibes to me.”
Another note— DoesTheDogDie.com is a great resource! It’s a website that compiles crowd-sourced lists of potential triggers (such as animal death, drug use, sexual violence, racial slurs, and more) in movies and other media! You can look at what’s flagged for a particular movie before you watch it, and even read reviewers’ descriptions of why they think it does or doesn't count.