Fall is one of the most aesthetically pleasing parts of the year, bringing along a colorful Poly campus, colder weather, every pumpkin spice treat you could imagine, and a new genre of films appropriate for the season. Here’s your watchlist for autumn.

HOCUS POCUS 2

If you’re on the hunt for Halloween-focused movies to watch this spooky season, look no further than the brand-new sequel to the Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus. Directed by Anne Fletcher and starring the iconic trio Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, this is one of the best Halloween movies to watch with your family or friends this October.

THE MENU

Any fan of thrillers should check out The Menu, in theaters November 18th. The film stars Anya Taylor-Joy, who you may know from The Queen’s Gambit, and Ralph Fiennes, who plays Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series. With Mark Mylod directing (known for Game of Thrones, Shameless, Succession), this film is sure to be a must-see. 

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

Marvel fans will be thrilled to hear that the sequel to the 2018 hit Black Panther is coming to theaters this Fall. In light of the first film’s star Chadwick Boseman’s death in 2020, Marvel has chosen not to recast his character T’Challa, but instead invite many of the original cast members back for the sequel. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is opening in theaters in just a few weeks, closing out Phase Four of the MCU.

WRITER’S PICK: THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

While this fall may have an exciting lineup of new films, I find myself always going back to rewatch my tried-and-true favorites. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, without a doubt, is the perfect Fall movie. Starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows 15 year-old Charlie as he navigates friendship, high school, recovering from trauma, relationships, and everything in between. This beautiful coming-of-age story can best be described by one of Charlie’s famous lines: “I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be”.