Autumn in New York

It’s been a wild past couple of weeks, but in the best possible way. Again, once things settle down a bit, I’m excited to share with you what’s been going on lately! In the meantime, the autumn season is officially in full swing (or should I say fall swing… *cue groaning from the audience*). I put together this short list of autumn movie picks, with a small caveat: Not all of these actually take place in fall. But I'm including them because, although they're great year-round, they feel especially cozy during this season.

These movies have something else in common, too: I either associate them with New York City, or they take place there! So prepare your favorite hot drink (I'm a pumpkin spice gal, I won't deny it) and get ready for... autumn in New York.

You’ve Got Mail (1998) & When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

We’ll start with the quintessential fall romcoms, even though they're modern ones. The scarves! The turtlenecks! The characters strolling through bright orange colors! The happy endings (which are not always a given these days)! Need I say more?

Back to the Future (1985)

Let’s hop into our DeLorean and travel 88 miles per hour to my sophomore year of high school. I was an awkward, lonely teenager who had one thing going for me: I was obsessed with Back to the Future. It helped to have what felt like a constant companion of my own—I didn’t need to hang out with anyone when I could stay home and watch my favorite scenes over and over again. There was one particular class that always involved group projects, and since I didn’t have people to do them with, I’d pop in my headphones and listen to the soundtrack on repeat while I worked. I dressed up as Marty Mcfly for Halloween (only one person knew who I was) and spent the weekends watching Family Ties. Michael J. Fox is still one of my favorite actors, and I'll always be grateful to him—His movies and shows turned what could have been a very isolating time into some of my favorite high school memories.

Speeding forward to my second-to-last semester of college in 2021, I was in New York City through my school’s “study abroad” program. I showed my roommate Back to the Future because she’d never seen it, and I ended up falling even more in love with it. I also developed a post-homework routine where I’d watch Spin City while digging into a pint of ice cream I’d bought at the little mart across from my school. The restaurant where they filmed several of the episodes, The Landmark Tavern, is still there, and it became one of my favorite spots in the city. (My mom and I actually ate there last week—but more on that in another post.)

Back to the Future will always have a special place in my heart, but it feels extra special during fall. It seems as though the movie itself is wrapping me in a hug, and reminding me that I’ll never be alone in this world.

Harold and Maude (1971)

My dad brought this movie home from the library several times over the years, trying to get our family to watch it. It wasn’t until that semester in New York, though, that I finally decided to give it a chance. Along with lots of Michael J. Fox content, Harold and Maude greatly defined that season of life for me. It conjures up several memories for me: Of making coffee in my apartment on cold days, accompanied by Cat Stevens' music; of wandering through the biggest and most confusing grocery store I’ve ever been in, where I searched for ingredients for a ginger pie; of sipping oat straw tea on my bed by the window. It was a magical time, and coming off a life-threatening illness less than a year before, Cat Stevens’ “If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out” was the perfect anthem for a girl on her own in the great big city.

Boys’ Night Out (1962)

I know this movie has been on a lot of my lists lately, but I promise you I’m not just adding it to this one just for the sake of adding it. See, it actually gets quite cold here in Florida during autumn and winter, so I’m looking forward to what I’ve started calling Kim Novak Sweater Season. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to go to the thrift store, but when I get a chance, I’ll be looking for a green cable-knit sweater so I can live out all my “James Garner is coming to visit me in my New York penthouse” dreams.

What are some movies that you enjoy watching in autumn? Let me know in the comments!