The Perfect Fall Movie Night (From a Mom Who's Seen It All)

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There’s something magical about fall that makes you want to gather your loved ones close, wrap everyone in cozy blankets, and just… be together. As a mom of kids ranging from kindergarten to college-bound, finding activities that appeal to everyone can be tricky. But I’ve cracked the code: our legendary fall family movie nights!

The perfect fall movie night - plus our must see list of epic fall movies

Table of Contents

Setting the Scene for Fall Movie Night

First things first – I drag a mattress into our living room. Yes, you heard that right! Add approximately 47 pillows and every soft blanket in the house, and you’ve got yourself the coziest viewing spot ever. My twins declare it “the best fort ever,” while my teenager tries (and fails) to hide his smile at our family’s slightly ridiculous tradition.

Setting the scene for the most epic movie night - watching movies in ultra comfort

Snacks: The Great Equalizer

Let’s be honest – the key to any successful family activity is food. I create what I like to call my “crowd-pleasing snack board.” We’re talking:

Sweet treats: caramel popcorn, apple slices with caramel dip or pumpkin fluff, pumpkin cookies, etc.
Savory goodies: cheese and crackers, mixed nuts, pretzel sticks, etc.
The wildcards: those weird seasonal Oreos that the kids insist on trying every year

For drinks, I brew a pot of spiced apple cider that makes the whole house smell like autumn. The little ones get it in special “grown-up” mugs, and the teens/pre-teens doctor it up with extra cinnamon, caramel drizzle or whipped cream.😉

Epic snack board for an awesome fall movie night

The Great Fall Movie Night Debate

Now comes the tricky part – choosing what to watch. Over the years, I’ve curated lists of fall-themed movies for different age groups. Here are our family favorites:

Shows For the Little Pumpkins (Ages 5-8)

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
Hotel Transylvania
Scared Shrekless
Spookley the Square Pumpkin
Halloweentown

Flicks For the Middle Monsters (Ages 9-13)

Hocus Pocus
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Goosebumps
Coraline
ParaNorman
Caspar

Movies For the Teen Screamers (Ages 14-18)

Ghostbusters (original)
The Addams Family
Beetlejuice
Edward Scissorhands
Practical Magic

Films For After the Kids Are in Bed

Sleepy Hollow
The Sixth Sense
The Village
The Craft
Signs
The Others
Practical Magic
Good Will Hunting (for those crisp Boston fall vibes)
When Harry Met Sally (perfect autumn in New York feeling)
Dead Poets Society (set in a New England prep school during fall)
Knives Out (cozy sweaters and murder mystery perfect for fall)
October Sky
Remember the Titans (fall football classic)
You’ve Got Mail (features the lovely transition to fall in NYC)
Autumn in New York
Far From Heaven (beautiful fall colors throughout)

Slightly Spookier Options:

Crimson Peak
The Skeleton Key
Trick ‘r Treat
The Haunting (1963 version)
Something Wicked This Way Comes
A Quiet Place (I definitely didn’t eat crunchy snacks during this one)
The Ring
The Conjuring (based on the warning level from other moms, this one’s intense)
Get Out
It Follows
28 Days Later
Rosemary’s Baby (a classic that still gives me chills)
The Blair Witch Project

shop All our movie faves here

Making amazing fall memories with your kids

Mom Tip: For these spookier options, you might want to:

Double-check that the kids are really asleep
Have a backup comedy ready just in case
Remind yourself that the creaking noise is just the house settling
Maybe invite some other grown-ups over – safety in numbers, right? 😉

Remember, there’s no shame in watching these with all the lights on. And if anyone asks why you’re sleeping with a nightlight afterward, just blame it on checking on the kids!

Movie nights at home are a great budget and weather friendly option for fall

Making Memories

Sometimes we make it through a whole movie; sometimes the little ones fall asleep halfway through, creating a pile of peaceful, blanket-covered lumps. My teenager might start the evening at the far end of the mattress (because heaven forbid they sit too close to their embarrassing family), but they usually end up right in the middle of our cuddle puddle by the end.

As they get older, I know these moments will become rarer. My oldest is already out of the house currently at bootcamp, and sometimes our movie nights have to work around sports practices and school events. But for now, I’ll treasure these cozy fall evenings – the whispered commentary, the reaching across each other for snacks, the debates over what to watch next.

Make movie nights your new family tradition

Because ultimately, it’s not really about the movies at all. It’s about being together, creating traditions, and making memories that smell like apple cider and feel like warm blankets.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go buy more snacks. Somehow, we always run out of popcorn!

What are your favorite fall movie night traditions? Share in the comments below!