6 Movies to Watch This Fall For Classic Autumn and Halloween Vibes

Happy first day of autumn!

Autumn is my favourite time of year. Fairy lights and fireplaces and Halloween, oh my! I love the cooler days, the cozy feeling of wrapping up in a blanket or wearing a favourite sweater, pumpkin- and apple-flavoured everything, that crisp scent of fallen leaves and fresh air. Included in my love of all things fall are movies set in the season. I've compiled a list of my six favourites, some of which are Halloween-y and others that bring the cozy autumn vibes. The list is short, but there should be something here for everyone!

All the fall romcom feels:

 

Runaway Bride

Released in July 1999

 

For many people, when they think of classic romcom pairings, they think of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. For me, it’s Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Pretty Woman is a classic for many reasons, but my favourite movie of theirs - and one of my all-time favourite movies, period - is Runaway Bride. I watch it every autumn (and multiple times throughout the year too) because of the gorgeous shots of fall foliage in the adorable fictional small town of Hale, Maryland (which is actually Berlin, Maryland). I love the chemistry and banter between Roberts and Gere’s characters, plus there are some wonderfully quotable lines, great side characters (Hector Elizondo, Rita Wilson, Joan Cusack, Christopher Meloni, and Paul Dooley, just to name a few), and the soundtrack is one of my favourites.  It was directed by Garry Marshall, so you know it has a lot of heart and humour.

 

 

You’ve Got Mail

Released in December 1998

 

Going back to what I said about classic pairings a minute ago: the reason Tom and Meg don’t immediately come to mind for me is because I only finally saw You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle over the summer. I know, I know, I call myself a romcom lover and I hadn’t seen two of the most classic movies ever? Well, I finally fixed that and I absolutely loved You’ve Got Mail. I love that the movie opens on fall in New York, and this great line from Meg’s character, Kathleen: “Don't you love New York in the fall? Makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address”. There’s just something so cozy about this movie - the fairy lights, Kathleen’s bookshop, the shots on the streets of New York. I still can’t believe I waited 22 years to watch this movie, but I’ll definitely be watching it again very soon.

 

Witchy Goodness:

Practical Magic

Released in October 1998

 

Midnight margaritas, anyone? I’ll admit I’ve never read Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman, but I love the movie. It’s this sort of odd mixture of light and fluffy with darker elements that shouldn’t work and yet somehow it does. It’s funny because if you watch the trailer, you’d think it was your average lighthearted, sexy romcom with some magical elements, but there are some genuinely heartbreaking moments and some pretty disturbing ones too. I love movies (and books) that bring the emotion along with the giggles and swoons (swoons courtesy of Aidan Quinn in this case), and this movie definitely does that.

 

 

Hocus Pocus

Released in July 1993

 

Unlike many people who grew up in the late 80s/early 90s, I didn’t see this movie until just a few years ago (are you seeing the pattern here? I’m perpetually behind with movies). I immediately understood why it was a favourite for people of all ages - it’s hilarious, has a touch of romance, lots of action, and some great quotable lines. It’s basically the ultimate Halloween movie. 

 

 

Classic Nostalgia:

Okay, so to be fair, the other movies are nostalgic too, considering they’re all from the 90s, but these two were top favourites when I was younger, and remain favourites today.

 

Casper

Released in May 1995

I was obsessed with this movie. I remember seeing it in the theatre and being completely enchanted. There was something about Christina Ricci’s portrayal of Kat that really intrigued me. I think in a way, I could see myself in her; we were close in age, I’d lost a parent less than a year before this movie came out. I loved her and I loved everything else about the movie - that amazing house, Casper himself (I still can’t hear the words “Can I keep you?” without choking up), the dynamics between Kat and her dad, Casper’s completely obnoxious uncles - just everything. This movie is funny, has so much heart, and it’s wonderfully creepy in a kid-friendly/PG way. My niece and nephew (six and ten) love this one too, which makes me happy beyond words.

 

 

Labyrinth

Released in June 1986

 

This one isn’t fall or Halloween themed, but the magical elements, various creatures, Goblin City, and other things make it perfect for this time of year in my opinion. I was only two when this movie came out, so I haven’t been watching it my whole life, but pretty close. It was one of my first favourites, and I made my parents rent the VHS endless times (anyone else remember the days of renting movies because it was basically unheard of to buy them yourself?). 

 

There’s just so much to love about this movie: the music (I’m actually listening to “Magic Dance” as I type this, and “As The World Falls Down” is one of my all-time favourite songs), the costumes, the characters. Jim Henson’s creations mixed perfectly with the real people - David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly were so perfectly cast as the Goblin King and Sarah.

 

Bonus: On my must-watch list this year:

Remember how I said I’m perpetually behind on movies? Two of the movies on my must-watch list this year are classic fan-favourites that I have no good reason for not watching before now. Thanks to Disney+ I’ll have no excuses this year, and I’m determined to finally watch The Nightmare Before Christmas (released October 1993) and Halloweentown (released October 1998).

See any favourites on this list? What movies do you associate with fall or love to watch in the autumn or around Halloween?

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*Please note I'm an Amazon affiliate, and some of the links in this post are affiliate links. All income made through affiliate sales goes directly back into maintaining Ramblings of a Daydreamer. Thank you for your support!

Self-Isolation Chronicles: Entertainment Edition

It’s week 7 of self-isolation here in the Landry household, and I’ve never been more grateful for the fact I’m not easily bored. From the time I was a child, I was able to entertain myself, and I spent a lot of time on my own, reading, playing with my dolls, making up elaborate make-believe games, playing outside. I’ll admit there have been times lately when I’ve felt restless, especially as the weather gets nicer, but I’m trying to find as many things as possible to keep me entertained and keep my mind busy. I’m particularly drawn to light, funny things these days, as you’ll soon see.

I’ve read 12 books since isolation began. Like many people, I had a lot of trouble concentrating at first; I was in a constant state of near-panic for the first week or so, and I pretty much lived on Twitter. Thankfully that compulsion passed fairly quickly, and I was able to use reading as the escape it’s always been for me. Out of the dozen books I’ve read in the last month and a half, seven of them stand out and have been added to my Recommend These Often and Loudly list:

♥Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
♥The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jiminez
♥Don’t Go Stealing My Heart by Kelly Siskind
♥The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton
♥Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn
♥The Little Bookshop of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans

Other than reading, I’ve also been watching a variety of TV shows and movies. I’ve never been good at marathon-watching shows; some people can watch an entire series in a weekend, but it usually takes me a few weeks. I’ve been watching a bit more TV than usual, but not that much more. My favourites have been:

♥Schitt’s Creek. I started this hilarious, ridiculous, very Canadian show around the time isolation began, and it was a lifesaver those first two weeks. I keep saying I must have been living under a rock because I don’t remember really even hearing about this show before late last year. At least this way I was able to watch all the seasons at once. I still have a few episodes of the final season left; I’m hoarding them because I’m not ready to say goodbye to the Roses! 

♥Elementary. I started this Sherlock-inspired show a couple of years ago when I first got Amazon Prime, and I watched all the seasons that were available at the time. The rest of the seasons are finally up now, so I figured this was a good time to finish the series. I know several people who won’t give this show a chance because they’re die-hard fans of BBC’s Sherlock (which I love too), but the two are completely different interpretations of the classic Arthur Conan Doyle tales, and both are incredible in their own rights. It took some convincing, but I got my best friend to give the show a chance and she loves it now too.

♥Charmed (the new version). I was baffled when this show was first announced because all the other reboots have starred some or all of the original cast, but this remake was a whole new show with the same concept as the original Charmed (which I loved back in the day but never finished because I stopped getting the channel it was on). I was curious about the remake, especially because of the diverse cast, and it didn’t take me long to become hooked. I let almost an entire season pile up on my DVR, so I’ve been watching them here and there and I really do love this show and think it’s so well done. 

♥Movies: My obsession with Oscar Isaac has put me on a mission to watch all of his movies, and in the last few weeks I’ve watched Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, W.E., Won’t Back Down, and The Two Faces of January. I’ve also satisfied my romcom-loving heart with My Best Friend’s Wedding (I don’t know how I hadn’t seen this before, especially since Julia Roberts is my favourite actress) and Love Wedding Repeat (which was kind of terrible but made me LOL and kept me distracted, so we’ll call it a weird sort of win).

Besides books and TV, my other favourite source of entertainment is bookstagram. I haven't been writing (that's a whole other guilt-ridden blog post on its own *sigh*), so bookstagram has been my creative outlet. Not only do I get to style and take pictures, but I also get to spend hours talking with fellow book lovers, and not just about books. It's been my favourite place online for a few years now, and it continues to be a refuge during these difficult times.

How have you been keeping busy during isolation? Have you read anything amazing? Watched anything worth sharing? Picked up a new hobby or become more passionate about a favourite creative endeavor?

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*Please note I'm an Amazon affiliate, and some of the links in this review are affiliate links. All income made through affiliate sales goes directly back into maintaining Ramblings of a Daydreamer. Thank you for your support!  

Friday Favourites: 2019 Edition

Happy New Year! I know it’s now 2020, but I have one more 2019 recap of sorts to do, showcasing some of the things I loved last year. I did a separate post for my favourite books of 2019, but I thought I’d share my favourite TV shows, movies, and music too.

The Year of Elton John

If I could sum up 2019, especially the last half of the year, I’d call it The Year of Elton John. Early in the year, I became obsessed with Richard Madden. When I found out he was going to be in the movie Rocketman, I knew I had to see it. I didn’t know much about Elton and really only knew his hit songs, especially those from The Lion King, plus of course “Candle in the Wind” since I loved Princess Diana and her death really shook me. A few days after I went to spend part of the summer with my best friend Krista (you can read more about that here), we went to see Rocketman in the theatre. I went into it basically just wanting to see Richard Madden and Taron Egerton on the big screen, and I left with a newfound love and respect for Elton John. I was completely captivated from beginning to end, and it was easily one of the best movies I’d seen in a very long time.

After that, I had Elton’s music on repeat pretty much non-stop. I did the Spotify Wrapped thing for 2019, and it said I’d listened to 173 hours of Elton’s music, and that was mostly since July when I saw Rocketman. That doesn’t include the hours I listened to his music on Krista’s Alexa when we were hanging out or doing work around the house. What can I say, my obsessions are intense!

So, favourite movie of the year: Rocketman, obviously, hands down. Most listened to song, according to Spotify: “I Guess That’s What They Call it the Blues” by Elton John.

Other favourite music of 2019: Taylor Swift’s new album “Lover”. When I didn’t have Elton on repeat, I had “Lover” on repeat.

Favourite TV shows:

Bodyguard. Did I mention my obsession with Richard Madden? I watched Bodyguard early in the year based on a friend's recommendation, and then I made Krista watch it when I was living with her. Psychological thrillers aren’t usually my thing (I get scared too easily!), so this was 100% another one of those things I watched specifically because of Richard Madden. BUT...I loved it. It was intense and raw and emotional, and the whole cast was phenomenal. I’ve got my fingers crossed for another season.

Anne With an E. I’ll admit, I was hesitant to watch this show. I’m a diehard fan of the 1980s Anne mini-series starring Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie, and I was afraid I’d have trouble separating it from Anne With an E. I kept hearing amazing things about it, though, and finally one day this summer Krista announced we were watching it, put it on, and that was that. I went in with an open mind and decided to enjoy it for what it was, and I ended up loving it. The actors are fantastic, the stories are great (although there’s still a part of me that’s a tiny bit twitchy over some of the creative liberties they’ve taken with the story and characters), and I love how inclusive and diverse it is.

Good Omens. This is another one Krista and I watched together in the summer. We weren’t sure about it at first, but we ended up getting hooked. It was strange and hilarious, and it reminded me why I adore David Tennant.

Fleabag. When season two of Fleabag aired, my whole Twitter feed seemed to be full of mentions of the Hot Priest and Andrew Scott. My curiosity was piqued, especially since I love Andrew in Sherlock. Krista and I talked about watching it together, but things got a bit chaotic toward the end of my stay, so while she was away for a few days, I decided to watch it on my own. It was another show I wasn’t sure about at first but got hooked on; I ended up watching both seasons in the span of two days. It was twisted and irreverent and so, so funny. I especially loved season two, and yes, it was largely because of the Hot Priest!

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. This was another show I a) resisted watching for a long time, and b) wasn’t sure about when I finally started. I loved Sabrina the Teenage Witch (still do, actually; my nine-year-old nephew and I watch it together all the time) and I kept hearing about how dark and twisted this version was. I caved in October, figuring it was the perfect show to watch around Halloween. It definitely was dark, twisted, and sometimes downright disturbing, but there’s something compulsively watchable about it, and I'm looking forward to the next season.

So, those are some of my top favourite things of 2019. It was a good year for entertainment, and this year is shaping up to be just as good and we’re only a few days in! Stay tuned for more about what I’m currently watching because I feel like I’ll have a lot to say about it. In the meantime, if you’re curious, be sure to follow me on bookstagram.

What were some of your favourite things in 2019? Do we have any faves in common?

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*Please note I'm an Amazon affiliate, and some of the links in this review are affiliate links. All income made through affiliate sales goes directly back into maintaining Ramblings of a Daydreamer. Thank you for your support!  

RomCom Friday: The Wedding Singer

RomCom Friday is a brand new feature here at Ramblings of a Daydreamer. I’ve always been a romantic comedy addict, and since I’m currently writing a romcom, I thought it would be fun to feature a favourite romantic comedy every week and talk about why I love it. Please note, there will be spoilers for each movie.

Most people I know either love or hate Adam Sandler. Are his movies ridiculous and sometimes downright stupid? Sure. Does his humour often verge on crude? Absolutely. Are all of his movies gold? Heh. No. But he does have some gems, and The Wedding Singer, in my opinion, is one of them. I also love Blended, Just Go With It, and 50 First Dates, but today I want to focus on my first and ultimate favourite movie of his, and that’s The Wedding Singer.

While there are elements of the ridiculous in this movie, I find it completely charming, hilarious, sweet, and swoony. In my last RomCom Friday, I talked about how I love Julia Roberts and Richard Gere together in Runaway Bride and Pretty Woman, and would love to see them in more movies together. The same goes for Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore - there’s just something about these two together. Plus, just like with Garry Marshall’s movies, you know that with Sandler’s movies you’re going to see a lot of familiar faces, and there’s something oddly comforting about that.

Going back to what I was saying about Adam Sandler earlier, he often plays characters who are almost caricatures, but Robbie Hart is a normal guy. He wants to be loved, be in a stable relationship, and write and sing music. He’s content with his life until his fiancee leaves him at the altar because he’s ‘just a wedding singer’ and doesn’t have bigger ambitions. Drew’s character, Julia Sullivan, likes Robbie just as he is, and doesn’t think he needs to change if he’s happy doing what he’s doing. I love their interactions and how they play off each other, plus the rest of the cast is great, too. Robbie and Julia are easy to connect with and feel for, which is one of the reasons I love this movie so much and have seen it more times than I can count in the last 19 years.

Romantic comedies are pretty formulaic and predictable, but movies like this make me fall in love with romcoms all over again. The Wedding Singer has so much heart, and since Robbie and Julia both have this innocence about them, it makes for a sweet, feel-good story. For being a funny, kind of silly movie, it also has a surprising amount of depth, particularly in its messages about love and romance. And can we talk about the amazing 80s soundtrack, and countless nods to 80s culture, including a fantastic cameo from Billy Idol? Yeah, I seriously love this movie.

Previous RomCom Friday features:

  ☆Bridget Jones’s Diary

  ☆Notting Hill

  ☆Runaway Bride

Do you like The Wedding Singer? Which camp do you fall into regarding Adam Sandler: love, hate, or indifferent? Do you agree that he and Drew Barrymore make great movies together? 

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RomCom Friday: Notting Hill

RomCom Friday is a new weekly feature here at Ramblings of a Daydreamer. I’ve always been a romantic comedy addict, and since I’m currently writing a romcom, I thought it would be fun to feature a favourite romantic comedy every week and talk about why I love it. Please note, there will be spoilers for each movie.

I started my RomCom Friday feature last week with what is probably my all-time favourite romantic comedy movie: Bridget Jones’s Diary. This week I’m featuring another top favourite: Notting Hill. In the next few weeks, you’ll likely notice I have a particular fondness for British movies and certain actors (whether British or not, but in this case, since I'm featuring two movies in a row with Hugh Grant, you can see there's going to be a pattern here!).

Notting Hill, starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant encompasses so many aspects of what makes a romcom great: a fantastic cast (like with Bridget Jones’s Diary, you get a wonderfully eccentric and eclectic group of friends who you come to love and root for as much as the main characters), hilarious scenes and dialogue, a romance to root for, and countless quotable lines.

One of the things I love about Notting Hill is how it’s completely different from everything else Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant (two of my favourite actors, by the way) have done in their careers. The role of Anna Scott is an interesting choice Julia Roberts because the character is quite subdued and understated. I’m used to seeing Roberts in roles where she’s a lot more expressive and quirky. Anna is a bit jaded by Hollywood and wary of who she lets into her life. She’s used to dealing with fans, the paparazzi spreading rumours and taking unflattering pictures, and she’s been forced to try to remain to look young in order to keep her job. Her romances have been with fellow celebrities who know what the Hollywood lifestyle encompasses, so meeting and developing feelings for William really threw her for a loop.  

“And don't forget...I'm also just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” ~ Anna  

Hugh Grant as William Thacker, the bumbling, floppy-haired travel bookshop owner is just about the cutest thing ever. Grant tends to be cast as the insufferable jackass who says and does the wrong thing, offends at every turn, and yet still manages to somehow be charming. In Notting Hill, he’s purely charming.

“You are lovelier this morning than you have ever been.” ~ William

Not only are the roles different for Roberts and Grant, the movie itself is refreshingly different; the majority of celebrity-falls-for-normal-person movies and books I’ve encountered feature a famous guy and a ‘regular’ girl, so Notting Hill is a fun spin on that. I also like how they portray the passage of time (the scene where Grant walks down Portobello Road in Notting Hill with the seasons and people changing all around him while ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ plays is a clever way to show time passing, unlike a lot of other movies that just skip ahead and expect you to keep up) and that things weren’t easy or immediate for Anna and William.

Anna: “Can I stay for awhile?”William: “You can stay forever.”

For me, Notting Hill is a quintessential feel-good movie. It’s always made me run the gamut of emotions - even 18 years later (god, that makes me feel old!) I still giggle and get teary at all the same parts. I’d love to have a group of friends like William’s (I’d pass on a roommate like Spike, although you'd never be bored having him as a friend). This is one of those movies that seems to have an almost cult-like following, with people who will hear something like ‘whoopsidaisies’ or ‘love isn’t love without a violin-playing goat’ and know immediately not only what movie it’s from, but also the exact scene and what was happening.

Side note: there aren't many songs on it, but I love the Notting Hill soundtrack. To this day, I can't hear She by Elvis Costello, Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers, or When You Say Nothing At All by Ronan Keating without thinking of Notting Hill (and knowing exactly what scenes they're from).

Do you like Notting Hill? Who's your favourite character? Do you have a favourite quote? Have you been to Notting Hill? I've wanted to go since the first time I saw this movie and was so excited to finally venture there two years ago when I went to London, but we just didn't have time. Next time!

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