Audiobook lovers, this is your time to shine! It’s officially a new year, and THP’s book team is stoked for what’s in store. Not only do we have 12 months of new audiobooks to round up, but we also have plenty of 2026 book releases we’re keeping our eyes on.
In the mood for a thriller? How about a fake dating celebrity romance? Whatever you’re feeling, our Sweet Listens column has something for you. Here are three January audiobooks to start off your new year right!
Content warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful listening and checking the author’s website for any additional content warnings.
Beth Is Dead By Katie Bernet
Image Source: Simon & Schuster
Let’s start off strong with a January audiobook that we couldn’t hit pause on! Katie Bernet’s debut novel, Beth is Dead, reimagines the classic Little Women story into a thriller. In case you couldn’t tell, Beth March is dead, and it’s up to her sisters Meg, Jo, and Amy to find out who killed her. As the investigation unravels, the bond between the March sisters begins to crack. Secrets and suspicions paint each one with a potential motive for getting rid of Beth. The audiobook alternates between each sister’s point of view, including Beth’s in the form of flashbacks. And the ultimate twist ending is too good!
Love Goes Viral By Alexander Berman, Camille Stochitch, & Estelle Laure
Image Source: Simon & Schuster
The next January audiobook on our radar is Love Goes Viral by Alexander Berman, Camille Stochitch, and Estelle Laure. A swoonworthy romance with fake dating and all-too-real social media moments, we loved diving into this audiobook. Love Thompson is a beloved influencer with dreams of becoming a music artist. When she gets cancelled after taking the fall for her boyfriend’s mistake, Love needs some serious PR magic. By that, she needs to date someone more down to earth. Someone like Austin Grey, a boy trying his best to keep his family’s diner afloat.
Finally, we have Jessica L. Cozzi’s We’ve Hit Turbulence, a second chance romance with a scenic Hawaiian backdrop. 2026 seems to be a big year for second chances, so we’re sat for this January audiobook! Olive Austin wants to surprise her long-distance boyfriend Jack in Hawaii, but she can’t help but feel that their relationship is doomed. Her hope for a peaceful 13-hour flight gets crushed when her seatmate turns out to be her ex-boyfriend Tyler, the person she never truly got over. Their initial awkwardness turns into a trip down memory lane, leaving Olive’s heart as conflicted as ever.
What do you think about our first Sweet Listens of the year? Which of these January audiobooks are you most interested in listening to? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
This year, when Laura Dern started shooting Is This Thing On?, she noticed her dynamic with director Bradley Cooper echoing her work with David Lynch, who’d cast Dern in her breakout Blue Velvet role nearly 40 years earlier. “People might think, appropriately, that this would be the first time I’d have had the experience of the director being the camera operator,” Dern says, noting that Cooper took on that job just as Lynch had in the past. “But I’ve been lucky to have that experience firsthand [repeatedly], in a very raw way, where your director becomes your partner.”
Over the past several decades, Lynch remained one of Dern’s closest artistic collaborators, as she starred in everything from Wild at Heart to Inland Empire to Twin Peaks: The Return. He died just before filming began on Is This Thing On.“It was a very tender, heartbreaking time,” Dern admits. “I feel like I’m still just at the beginning of it.”
Dern has been touched closely by 12 months of profound loss and grief for Los Angeles, the city in which she was born, raised, and still works and lives. At this point, she’s all but embedded in its heartbeat, from her work with the Academy as a governor and museum board member to her singular filmography across iconic movies and TV series. January saw Lynch’s death and the devastating wildfires in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Last month, her mother, the Oscar-nominated actor Diane Ladd, died by Dern’s side at 89 years old. And on this December afternoon, we’re speaking just a few days out from the brutal killings of Rob and Michele Reiner, whose son Nick has been charged with their murders.
“Literally, my kids are in this house like it’s the countdown to Christmas, but it’s just for getting to the end of this year,” Dern says with a weary laugh. “That’s the most common discussion.”
As to how she’s holding up these days? “I just haven’t gotten there yet — I haven’t let myself be in it yet,” Dern says of processing her mother’s death. “It’s the same in a weird way with David and other losses that have happened this year — it’s so compounded. But I will say, while I’m in the deep thick of it, looking at photos and watching things and trying to figure out how to honor her and honor him and all of that to come, I feel really blessed by their legacies — by holding onto the things they’ve given us in art and in friendship and in memories, in stories and in activism, in all of it.”
Dern adds, “And I am particularly grateful — sincerely — that this is the movie that I’m talking about. I’m talking about intimacy and grace and longing and grief and being true to yourself. Honestly, I said to my publicist, if it were any other themes, I don’t think I could do this at all.”
“This was my first opportunity and blessing to be part of a movie that I knew Rob Reiner had gifted us,” the 58-year-old Dern tells me right out of the gate. What does she mean by that? “Knowing how to balance truth and complication and flawed characters and joy and hopefulness — it feels like an impossible task, but one that he seemed to always be able to give us.” Is This Thing On?was made intently in that tradition.
Dern met Cooper about a decade ago, and before long became a close friend and colleague as he made the shift to directing. “Anything he was acting in, he was like, ‘Will you look at this? What do you think?’” Dern says. “Then once he started directing, I was with him to watch screen tests and camera tests, or read early drafts.” On both A Star Is Born and Maestro, “We played around with scenes together watching cuts in the editing room.” She didn’t know Arnett as well, but he too was tight with Cooper. As they embarked on Is This Thing On?’s emotional two-hander together, the actors made each other a promise: “To be as vulnerable and honest and open as we’ve ever been.”
The magic of Dern’s moving, complex performance crystallizes in a scene where she doesn’t say a word. The film traces the lives of separated spouses Alex (Arnett) and Tess (Dern), with the former secretly processing the breakup through an amateur stand-up comedy act. While on a date, Tess inadvertently stumbles into one of Alex’s sets — which spikily interrogates why their romance fell apart. Tess listens on in shock. With Cooper right there up close with the camera, Dern reacts through it with spectacular nuance. You can feel the actor discovering, then exploring the emotions as they hit her — newly heartbroken, dryly amused, oddly turned on.
“It takes a filmmaker who wants to not only hold on an actor’s face, but let the actor in real time catch up with themselves,” Dern says. “What surprised me, but I’m so grateful for, is that I was able to find Will so funny even in the hurt and the pain.”
The sequence showcases what Is This Thing On? is all about: a warm, honest examination of flawed people reflecting on their mistakes while trying to figure out what they want. While the most modestly scaled film of Cooper’s directing career, it fits neatly into Dern’s oeuvre, which is loaded with movies by such great American humanists as Alexander Payne, Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig, Paul Thomas Anderson, Mike White and Kelly Reichardt. Its arrival at the end of a year marked by box-office gloom for films of its type — sophisticated, relatively quiet character studies made for adults — is top of mind for Dern. “We’ve all become desensitized by fireworks, maybe,” she says.
Does she worry about the future of movies without the fireworks, then? “The industry gets into a clickbait habit of like, ‘Oh yeah, that movie’s not doing well, that movie’s not doing well, people didn’t like that movie as much as the other movie,’” Dern says. “But it’s like, ‘Well, you’ve said that about 15 movies this season, so maybe it’s that people aren’t going to the movies.’
“What worries me is the noise of, ‘I guess people are just only watching it at home.’ When people talk about smaller, independent film — movies about people — as though those are movies you can stay home to watch because they’re intimate, they’re missing the point,” she continues. “To be next to your neighbor that you don’t know, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to, one, have a shared experience; and two, you’re then walking down to your car with the person you went with and you’re talking about it — and then you’re going to dinner and maybe getting into a relationship conversation you wouldn’t have had otherwise. That’s the church of movie going that I was raised on, and I just don’t ever want us to lose that.”
This has been Dern’s biggest onscreen year since before the pandemic, when she won the Oscar for 2019’s Marriage Storywhile appearing in Gerwig’s Little Womenand the second season of Big Little Liesthat same year. Her other major 2025 credit, Jay Kelly, is another Netflix-Baumbach joint in which she effortlessly steals all of her scenes — this time, as the worn-down publicist of a Hollywood mega-star, played by George Clooney, inching toward a personal reckoning.
Laura Dern with her mother, Diane Ladd, after being named the 2020 Oscar winner for best supporting actress at the attend the 92nd Annual Academy Awards
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
On the Oscars stage in 2020, Dern called Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarnados a friend; she also toplined the streamer’s romance film Lonely Planet last year. In all this talk about theatrical with films like Is This Thing On?, I wonder how Dern feels about Netflix’s possible impending acquisition of Warner Bros., which has the town on edge even as Sarandos is promising to maintain the legacy studio’s theatrical strategy. “I’m deeply hopeful that with the news at hand that what can come from it is a trust in cinema, that movies deserve to have a theatrical experience and audiences need that and filmmakers that need that,” Dern says. “If we lose that, we lose the filmmakers. They’ll always be there — David Lynch will go make a movie with the Sony camcorder and shoot it for $300,000 — but you don’t get to make the same movies you want to make if you’re not given the financial support to make them. Those movies should be seen in the theaters.”
And trust: Dern is going to theaters. “This is a great year for movies,” she raves. “I’ve been particularly moved by how intimate relationships are at the core of a lot of these films…. Filmmakers are leaning on empathy as a theme. I just saw such a great movie last night, which made me proud of this moment for movies.” I expect her to name a best-picture heavyweight in the conversation with her films, like Sinners or Sentimental Value. “It’s Zootopia 2!” she cheers. “Oh my God. I mean, incredible. Everybody’s finding their way to do it, and to be honest, you don’t want to miss seeing Zootopia 2.”
Dern brings a life spent on film sets to work every day. Moviemaking is her life and she speaks of the process with reverence, passion and expertise. She had a moment with Cooper on Is This Thing On? that says a lot about how she approaches the job these days. They were holding for some kind of noise pollution, maybe a helicopter, to pass while wandering around the set. He stood right in front of her, holding the camera.
“He’s staring at me through the lens, and I’m looking at him, and we’re waiting through this moment, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, it’s you and me and we’re doing this,’” Dern says. “There was no adjustment period of like, ‘Whoa, Bradley is in my face with a camera.’ No — it’s what we do.”
For her noted taste in Hollywood, her work in the trenches with filmmakers like Cooper, Dern only amassed a handful of significant credits behind the camera so far. The big shift came a little over a decade ago with Enlightened, HBO’s masterful but underseen series that Dern starred in (winning a Golden Globe and receiving an Emmy nomination), but also co-created and executive produced with Mike White. She’s more recently gone on to help develop series like Apple TV+’s Palm Royale and Hulu’s Tiny Beautiful Things. But in observing an actor-turned-director like Cooper, might Dern see that in her future too?
“No one’s asked me recently because, for years, I’d say it is something that fascinates me, but I’ll never do it until my baby goes to college,” Dern says. “And now, my baby is at NYU — so I better get my act together.” She has been thinking about directing, she reveals, but as with every choice in her career, she’s approaching it carefully — and heart-first. “God knows I know how much there is to learn as a filmmaker, so I would never do it unless I believe that I was the person to tell the story,” she says. “So: Maybe. I hope so. I know that the story will reveal itself.”
Jennifer Lawrence is reflecting on a time she did Robert Pattinson SO dirty.
The Oscar winner appeared on The Graham Norton Show on Friday and told an INSANE story about her Die My Love co-star:
“I had my girlfriends over. We were in our pajamas. We were watching Little Women. It was December … And he was like, ‘Hey, I just wrapped something like a block away from you.’ I was like, ‘Oh my god!’ because Rob is one of the girls. Like, he wants to gossip, he is just one of the gals. And so I was like, ‘Come over!’”
Hilariously, J.Law noted the Twilight star manifests a certain “maternal” instinct in her because of his tendency to neglect self-care:
“He’s also like my daughter — he’s a great father, he’s a professional, he shows up on time, but I wouldn’t trust that he would put a coat on … He’s not going to eat on time. He brings out a very maternal [side].”
She continued:
“So he comes in and I give him a hug, and he’s like, ‘Do you have any food? I’m so hungry.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, come in, come in.’ And then he goes to the bathroom, and I do have food, but it’s in the trash.”
Too bad, right? No… Jennifer went dumpster diving to fish it out! She continued:
“And so while he was in the bathroom, I was just, like, pulling food out of my garbage can.”
The No Hard Feelings star said her friends were shocked by her questionable actions, but that she continued nonetheless… We hope they had JUST tossed their leftovers out! Hopefully still contained in takeout boxes or something!
The Silver Linings Playbook actress recalled The Batman star coming out of the bathroom and chowing down no questions asked:
“And then, so, he eats it and we’re all just, like, watching him eat this trash. And then when he was finished, he was like, ‘I’m still hungry, is there more?’ And I’m like, ‘Well there is, but it’s in the garbage.’”
Any thoughts on what happened next? Rob scoffed in disgust?? Questioned if the food he had already been eating was from the garbage? NOPE. Jennifer continued:
“He’s like, ‘Oh, I don’t mind.’ And he just pulled it out of the trash and just kept eating it.”
OMFG!
Norton joked he “sounds like the ideal house guest.” Ha! Watch her tell the story (below):
Well, be warned if you’re ever at J.Law’s house and she serves you food, it might be from the trash!
Reactions, Perezcious readers?? Would YOU eat Jennifer Lawrence’s garbage?! Let us know in the comments down below!
The instant the weather starts to turn even a little bit crisp, I hear it: the intro to “Eyes On Fire” by Blue Foundation from the Twilight soundtrack. The entire soundtrack is a masterpiece: it catapulted Paramore to mainstream success thanks to their smash hit “Decode.” And don’t forget tracks like Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole” and Robert Pattinson’s unintelligible lyrics in his own original songs for the album.
The subsequent films had iconic soundtracks too. Bon Iver’s “Roslyn” is one of my comfort songs as much as New Moon is one of my comfort films. But nothing sounds more autumnal than Blue Foundation singing “hoa hoa hoa hoa hoa” in that song. It’s akin to sleigh bells at Christmas. “Hoa hoa hoa” is the undisputed call of the beginning of fall.
I yearn to make my apartment super hygge, light a bunch of pumpkin-scented candles, and curl up under a blanket to watch Twilight and my other favorite cozy fall films. There’s no better time to hunker down with a fine movie. But once I’ve gotten that first Twilight watch out of my system, choosing what to watch can be more challenging than deciding between a PSL and a hot apple cider.
Don’t worry, this is not another eye-roll-inducing list of basic Halloween flicks (that list will be coming in October but it will be anything but basic) and rom-coms set in New England (okay, there might be a few of these). Let us assure you that we’ve dug deeper than your average “fall vibes” playlist. As someone who lived in New England — and actual England — I’m aware that fall is a specific feeling. It’s a mindset. And rather than slogging through fallen leaves wet with rain and despairing over the cold and damp, you must curate the precise vibe.
The best fall movies feel like candlelight. The bonfires. A cross between the last bonfire of summer and the first chestnut-roasting of winter. It’s the cozy in-between time when my seasonal depression hasn’t kicked in yet and I’m thankful for a cool breeze after summer’s unrelenting heatwaves. The essence of autumn is both obvious and subtle – from the cozy sweaters and golden-hued cinematography to the themes of reflection, change, and new beginnings that mirror the season itself. If a movie doesn’t capture that, it’s not on this list.
Fall films are one of the best macro-genres. Autumn is nature’s Instagram filter, turning everything into a warm, nostalgia-tinged reverie. I’ve also been seeing videos about how — long after we’ve left the hallowed halls of academia — fall’s back-to-school energy remains. Fall feels like a time to get serious, buckle down, and start anew – or at least pretend until we hit Thanksgiving. But in between all that girlbossing, there’s nothing like curling up to watch a fall movie and realizing that things aren’t as intense as they seem.
As the temperature drops and our nesting instincts kick in, curl up with these romantic comedies that are set in quaint villages and mysterious thrillers that take place in fog-shrouded cities. Whether you’re looking for something to watch while sipping your third fall beverage of the day (I’m addicted to Blank Street’s Gingerbread Matcha), need a backdrop for your annual “friendsgiving” gathering, or just want to feel seasonally appropriate while avoiding actual outdoor activities, we have got you covered.
These 20 films run the gamut from cult classics to hidden gems, from heartwarming to hair-raising, all guaranteed to put you in an autumnal state of mind. Just remember, if you start craving apple cider or suddenly feel the urge to go antiquing in Vermont after watching these, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
1. Twilight
Twilight isn’t just a movie; it’s a vibe. The Twilight renaissance (that RPatz himself has said he’s on board with) means I’m not ashamed to say it: Twilight, you will always be famous. None of this era’s imitation supernatural movies can compete. That’s why this is the movie I inaugurate my fall with year after year. Set in perennially gloomy Forks, Washington, there’s something undeniably autumnal about Bella Swan’s journey from Arizona sunshine to a Pacific Northwest brood-fest. The muted color palette, the endless rain, and the constipated look on Edward Cullen’s face all scream “fall mood.” And let’s not forget the iconic baseball scene — because nothing says “fall classic” like vampires playing America’s favorite pastime during a thunderstorm. Whether you’re Team Edward, Team Jacob, or Team “I’m Just Here for the Memes,” Twilight will always be a classic.
2. Pride and Prejudice
The hand scene — you know the one — has gone triple-platinum on my Netflix account. Talk about yearning! And nothing says autumn like watching the leaves change and feeling wistful. Jane Austen’s canonical tale of love, societal expectations, and really-really long strolls is one of the few instances where the movie is better than the book (don’t come for me Austen lovers). Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice walked so that Bridgerton could run. Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Bennet traipsing through misty fields in empire-waist gowns was the original Christian-Girl harvest season. The film’s autumnal aesthetic is on point, with golden-hued landscapes that’ll drive you to book a one-way ticket to Yorkshire. Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy emerging from the mist is enough to make me say: Tom Wambsgams, who?
3. Mystic Pizza
If Mystic Pizza isn’t on your fall movie radar, and your fall moodboard, you’re missing out on a big bowl of cinematic comfort food. This late 80s gem is like the perfect autumn day — a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and full of unexpected warmth. Set in the quaint coastal town of Mystic, Connecticut, this is a feast of small-town fall vibes and sentimentality. As young as she is in this early triumph, Julia Roberts is completely charming. She leads a cast of feisty young women navigating love, ambition, and the perfect pizza recipe. I describe it as Love, Actually for the girls. Or if The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was set in small-town Connecticut in the fall. Mystic Pizza is a coming-of-age classic that paved the way for Gilmore Girls.
4. Practical Magic
Wanna add a hint of the occult to your fall movie marathon without going full Halloween just yet? Look no further than Practical Magic — the witchy 90s rom-com starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the Owens sisters who live with their witchy aunts and practice small acts of magic in their everyday lives. Whether you’re in it for the magical realism, the fin de siè·cle fashion (those witch-chic outfits are totally due for a comeback), or just to watch Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman be absolutely iconic for two hours, Practical Magic is an exceptional addition to your fall watchlist. It’s like a warm, witchy hug for your soul. For bonus points, watch it on the Harvest Moon on October 2nd and really hone that magical feeling.
5. Twitches
Talk about nostalgia. It’s been almost 20 years since Twitches came out. Feel old yet? This Disney Channel Original Movie is a guilty pleasure that simply screams “fall.” Starring Tia and Tamera Mowry as long-lost twin witches (get it? Twitches?), this film is what happens when you throw The Parent Trap and Charmed into a bag of candy corn and shake vigorously. Set during Halloween, Twitches is packed with campy costume parties and spooky prophecies. Twitches is like that beloved Halloween sweater you break out every year — it might look tacky, but it’s cozy, familiar, and brings back all those warm, fuzzy feelings of falls past.
Calling all mystery lovers! The Perfect Couple is a wild ride set in Nantucket at the end of the summer season. No spoilers, but it ends with its characters contemplating what’s next for them. Well, what’s after summer but fall? This new Netflix mystery feels like the last show of summer preparing me for all the new stuff coming this fall. This Elin Hilderbrand relies on familiar enough tropes to make it comforting but with enough kick to keep you on your toes.
The show’s aesthetic is peak New England fodder — Nicole Kidman giving coastal grandmother is always a win. But don’t let the pretty scenery fool you, The Perfect Couple is dark and complex, unraveling like an intricately knit sweater, revealing layers of secrets, lies, and family drama that’ll keep you guessing until the very last moment. Think Big Little Lies mixed with Knives Out — also sensational fall watches. The ensemble cast is led by the always-fabulous Nicole Kidman with Dakota Fanning, Liev Schreiber, and Eve Hewson (latest favorite nepo baby unlocked, she’s Bono’s daughter). Whether you’re in it for the whodunit aspect, the gorgeous fall scenery, or just to watch rich people make spectacularly bad decisions, The Perfect Couple is an ideal addition to your autumn watchlist.
7. Only Murders in the Building
Selena just became a billionaire. And, honestly, I deserve a personal message of thanks from her for how many times I’ve streamed Only Murders in the Building while eagerly waiting for the next season. Set in a grand old New York apartment building (hello, fall-in-the-city vibes), the show follows an unlikely trio of true crime podcast enthusiasts turned amateur sleuths. Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez have an electric and undeniable chemistry — not to mention Selena’s delish fall wardrobe. But what truly makes Only Murders a fall essential is how it captures autumnal New York. The Upper West Side is awash in golden light and crunchy leaves that make you want to book a one-way ticket to the Big Apple, Come for the clever writing, stay for the star-studded cast — the cameos are as crazy as the plot.
8. Agatha All Along
Agatha All Along aims to save the latest iteration of the Marvel Universe. After the success of WandaVision, Agatha All Along is a spinoff that follows the show’s surprising antagonist: Agatha. It’s a wild ride through small-town intrigue and witchcraft. Kathryn Hahn reprises her role as Agatha Harkness, bringing her signature blend of surprising depth and campy villainy. Agatha’s backstory unveils layers of her character that’ll make you question everything you thought you knew about this wicked witch. It also stars Heartstopper’s Joe Locke, Patti LuPone, Aubrey Plaza, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, and more.
9. Hocus Pocus
Hocus Pocus isn’t just for 90s kids thanks to the recent sequel. This cult classic hits the spot every single autumn. The Sanderson sisters are the OG camp girlies with quotable lines galore. Set on Halloween night in Salem — because where else? — Hocus Pocus is both creepy and sentimental. Hocus Pocus is a perennial fall favorite with its cany blend of humor and heart. Whether you’re watching it for the umpteenth time or introducing it to a new generation (you lucky soul), Hocus Pocus is best enjoyed with a side of candy corn and a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief. Let the Sanderson sisters cast their spell on you once again.
10. Remember the Titans
Maybe it’s because I was half-raised by my older brother, but something within me drives me to watch Remember the Titans come autumn. Set in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1971, the movie captures that incandescent moment when summer heat gives way to crisp fall air, mirroring the changes and tension in the recently integrated T.C. Williams High School. Remember the Titans isn’t merely about pretty fall scenery and football (though there’s plenty of both). It’s a powerful story of overcoming racial prejudice and finding unity in the face of adversity — themes that are as relevant today as they were in 1971 — and when the film was released in 2000. Denzel Washington leads the cast with his signature charm and gravitas, delivering inspirational speeches to a cast that includes a young Ryan Gosling.
11. Halloweentown
Welcome to Halloweentown, where every day is October 31st. If you’re a Halloween hardo and already out there celebrating spooky season, by all means, play this on repeat until November. And the PSL flows like water. This Disney Channel classic is guaranteed to give you a sugar rush of warm fuzzy feelings. Set in a magical realm where witches, warlocks, and monsters live in harmony (sort of). Halloweentown is like if your local Spirit Halloween store came to life and lectured you on family values. So this fall, when you’re craving something that’s equal parts spooky and sweet, this is it.
12. Immaculate
Horror fans — and fans of Sydney Sweeney — unite: Immaculate is about to take you on a twisted ride. This psychological thriller premiered at SXSW 2024 and has been giving viewers the creeps since. It’s Sweeney’s turn at Midsommar. Set in an isolated Italian convent, Immaculate is pure gothic autumnal fantasy. Think misty mountains, shadowy cloisters, and enough flickering candles to make a fire marshal nervous. Sydney Sweeney stars as a young American nun who finds herself in out of her depth, bringing her A-game to a role that’s both innocent and increasingly terrified. The movie’s exploration of religious dogma, bodily autonomy, and the darker side of blind faith is as complex and layered.
13. Little Women
Grab your coziest blanket and a mug of something warm, because Little Women is about to wrap you in a big, comforting hug. From Lady Bird to Barbie, anything by Greta Gerwig is an affirming celebration of girlhood. But nothing will hit harder this fall than Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of this classic tale. Set in Civil War-era Massachusetts, the film is like a New England tourism board commercial.
Maybe it’s because I went to school where this was filmed (thinking of Timothee Chalamet driving past my high school truly makes me cringe), but nothing is more nostalgic than Little Women. During their childhood scenes, the cinematography is intentionally orangey and warm, but even their more stark adulthood scenes are tinged with joy. The March sisters — Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy — navigate love, loss, and sisterhood as 19th-century women. Saoirse Ronan’s Jo March is the ultimate fall mood — passionate, creative, and not afraid to get a little messy (emotionally and literally — girl’s got ink stains for days). It’s giving dark academia in the best way. And I love seeing Timothée Chalamet’s hair flop about in the autumn wind while I head up to the attic to work on my first novel.
14. When Harry Met Sally
You probably wondered when this would hit the list. The godmother of all fall-friendly love stories is undoubtedly When Harry Met Sally. This Nora Ephron classic is like a piercing autumn day. Set in New York City through the changing seasons, this film’s most luminous scenes take place in fall. From long strolls through Central Park to cozy, sweater-clad conversations in dimly lit cafes, each scene is a visual love letter to autumn in the Big Apple.
Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan’s Harry and Sally are the original “will they, won’t they” couple, and the ultimate outfit inspo for fall. The film’s exploration of friendship, love, and the blurry line between the two is as layered and complicated as the fashion combos — think high-waisted jeans and really good jackets. Harry and Sally’s decades-long dance will warm your cynical heart. Just remember — I’ll have what she’s having.
15. You’ve Got Mail
Okay, now we’re deep in the rom-com world. Another classic: You’ve Got Mail is one more Meg Ryan fall classic. Nora Ephron doesn’t miss. This comedy is set in the Upper West Side of New York — where else to set a rom-com about books? — and follows Kathleen Kelly and Joe Fox, two rival booksellers who unknowingly fall in love over email. Soooo 90s coded. From Meg Ryan’s enviable autumn wardrobe to the leaf-strewn streets of Manhattan, Nora Ephron is at her apex. And let’s not forget the charm offensive that is Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
So this fall, when you’re in the mood for something that’ll make you believe in the power of love, books, and a really good email subject line, give You’ve Got Mail a watch.
16. One Fine Day
This is a criminally underrated knock-em-out-of-the-park 90s rom-coms. It has everything: Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney, 90s haircuts, and the cutest kids ever. One Fine Day is a 1996 gem about two frazzled single parents whose paths cross on the most chaotic day of their lives. It’s like if Mr. Mom and Working Girl had a baby, and that baby was really into missed connections and fall fashion. Set in Manhattan over the course of a single day, the film starts on a crisp morning when both parents miss the ferry for their kids’ school trip and have to swap childcare all day. A magical premise for a romantic comedy. Pfeiffer and Clooney dash about the city, juggling lost children, missed deadlines, and falling in love. One Fine Day will instantly become your new fall favorite.
17. Brown Sugar
The 90s was the heyday of Black romantic films and Brown Sugar deserves all the flowers. Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs star as Sidney and Dre — childhood friends whose shared love of hip-hop (and each other) takes them on a journey that explores love and work — simmering with years of unresolved tension and shared history. But what really makes “Brown Sugar” a quintessential fall watch is its terrific blend of music, romance, and cultural commentary. Sanaa’s brown-tinged work outfits are also giving major corporate hottie aesthetic.
This 2002 gem is like the R&B slow jam of movies: familiar, comforting, but with enough soul to make you actually feel things. Set in the world of hip-hop journalism and music production, Brown Sugar makes me miss growing up in Harlem. It also features a cameo from one of my favorite rap actors, Mos Def.
18. The Devil Wears Prada
Girlbosses, this one’s for you! This list would be void if I were to omit The Devil Wears Prada. This 2006 classic never gets old. Anne Hathaway? Meryl Streep? The dream of working in a fashion magazine and being able to afford a life? Set in the high-stakes world of New York fashion magazines, this film is half plot and half Pinterest board dedicated to sweater weather. Anne Hathaway‘s Andy Sachs is the epitome of the fall transformation story — going from frumpy grad to chic fashion insider faster than you can say “cerulean.” But the real star of this show is Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly and all those icy glares and cutting remarks. It might be as predictable as florals for spring but it works. I can’t wait for the sequel.
19. The Notebook
Like I said, fall is about yearning. So of course, I must mention The Notebook. This adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ eponymous novel is synonymous with romance movies. And for a good reason: young Ryan Gosling. But don’t count out young James Marsden, either. Set in 1940s South Carolina, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams star as Noah and Allie, the star-crossed lovers whose chemistry is so electric it makes someone as skeptical as me believe in the kind of love that spans decades and defies all odds.
20. Knives Out
One more New England movie, this film satirizes the rich New England families and cultures that some of the others romanticize. Yet it still causes me to savor the fall. Set in a Massachusetts mansion full of mahogany interiors and book-lined rooms, this leafy, murderous paradise is home to the Thrombey family. This dysfunctional brood has gathered to celebrate — or mourn, depending on who you ask — the passing of their patriarch, mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey. Enter Benoit Blanc, a private detective with a Southern drawl played by Daniel Craig. Knives Out’s clever blend of classic mystery tropes and modern sensibility is an exploration of wealth, privilege, and immigration. Talk about timely. And the subtle politics are ripe for this fall since we’re in an election year. Godspeed to all of us.
Whenever the subject of Timothée Chalamet comes up with my friends, I try really hard to pretend that I don’t find him just as attractive as everyone else in my friend group does, because it just feels like it’s too easy. Like, yeah, he’s adorable. He’s got sharp features that could easily cut the nice French cheese he probably eats on a daily basis. Got it, nice, moving on—what else?
Well, thankfully, there’s a lot else. While it’s fair to point out that he, like many young actors, is a product of nepotism, however mild, I truly acknowledge him as one of the most talented actors in our age group. He’s got a very distinct style and range, and he picks really interesting projects to work on. These are the projects highlighted in this list of Chalamet’s best roles.
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
In the years since Call Me By Your Name was released, there’s been a lot of negative dialogue surrounding it, and for valid reasons. It does romanticize a relationship with an unhealthy age gap, and, consequently, an uncomfortable power dynamic. The days of gawking at “the peach scene” have passed and given way to a more critical analysis, and I understand where it’s coming from. Not even gonna get into all the Armie Hammer stuff, blech.
However, there still remains something to be said about just how authentically and beautifully Timmy sold this performance. It was his first major role in a film as an adult, and he took to it like a fish to water (or, rather, like a young Italian boy to disco). When I was younger, I was mainly excited for this movie because of Sufjan Stevens’ work on its soundtrack, but Timmy was the reason it stayed with me for so many years. He was able to come into his role so tenderly, it made you feel like you were the one in a riverside field, trying to articulate your feelings to someone for the first time. (Madeline Carpou)
Lady Bird (2017)
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I have a lot of love for Lady Bird, because it was my own Boyhood—i.e. it was my younger life to a T, almost unsettlingly so. And while I wasn’t brazen enough to pursue the pretty boy that made my inner thoughts a persistent nightmare to endure, I could definitely recognize who Timmy’s character in this movie was trying to be.
As soon as Lady Bird went into his bedroom, I found myself shaking my head, saying, “No, no, bad idea, he’s gonna wreck your shit.” And then he did. But as horrible a plot point as that whole situation was, it’s a testament to Timmy’s acting skills that he was able to play into the art-hoe-douche stereotype so bloody well.
(Especially since he high-key looks the part, but hey, don’t we all dress for some sort of role?) (M.C.)
Beautiful Boy (2018)
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My god, this movie made me weep. It’s arguably the campiest movie on this entire list, and at times it feels a little heavy-handed in its emotional beats, but as someone who has experienced personal tragedies similar to the ones at the center of this film, I have to say that Beautiful Boy is as beautiful as its name implies.
And Timothee is at the heart of it all. While credit must absolutely go to Steve Carrell for his role as Timmy’s father, Timmy himself is able to play his role in an almost invasively accurate way. I had to pause the movie a couple times, just to collect myself, and even though I had a personal connection to the subject matter, I don’t believe it would have felt so devastating if it weren’t for how well Timothee embodied his role as Nic. (M.C.)
The King (2019)
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Yes, yes, Robert Pattinson was a meme in this movie, and the movie itself was kind of a meme (albeit a damn good movie, don’t get me wrong). But where Timothee really shone was in how seamlessly he transitioned from his more typical roles (a somewhat feminine and sensitive character) into King Fucking Henry.
I say this as someone who hated reading Shakespeare in high school, and still finds conversations about Shakespeare annoying: Timmy nailed this shit and made this movie infinitely more interesting than it would have been otherwise. He was a subtle badass all the way through, and even from the very beginning, you could see his character’s potential to grow into the king he was meant to be. He just made this movie so cool, my family watched it three separate times in one week. (M.C.)
Little Women (2019)
Gotta admit, as much as I love Greta Gerwig, I wasn’t totally sold on Little Women like everyone else seemed to be. It felt a little choppy and fast-paced for as ambitious as it was trying to be, but all the actors did a phenomenal job, every single one of them. And of course, Timmy killed it as Laurie.
Dude, I fell in love with Laurie. That scene where he and Jo slipped off? Good god, it was almost too fan-fictiony for me, but I loved it. Sometimes you just gotta let the pretty boy lean into his natural role, and Greta really lets him loose in that regard. (M.C.)
The French Dispatch (2021)
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And sometimes, you gotta tickle a young leftie’s heartstrings a little and make the pretty boy a collegiate revolutionary. Thanks a lot, Wes Anderson, I didn’t need anyone fueling my already woeful attraction towards these types of dudes. And thanks a lot, Timmy, for once again playing the part so damn well.
But in all seriousness, thank you Wes Anderson for giving the boy a chance to speak in his native tongue. There’s a lot to love about The French Dispatch and it feels unfair to call out just one good role amongst many, but Timmy did phone home with this one, and was only elevated further by Anderson’s superbly sophisticated writing. (M.C.)
Dune (2021)
Trust me on this. I have great intuition for things I know I’ll be impressed by. And part of why I haven’t watched Dune yet is because I know it’ll occupy all the space in my brain that I’m currently reserving for work, love, and Disco Elysium.
But I already know it’s damn good, and that Timothee is damn good in it. Tell me more in the comments, why don’t ya? (M.C.)
Don’t Look Up (2021)
Don’t Look Up fictionalizes the apathy people have about world-ending events. Scientists tell everyone a planet-ending asteroid is hurtling towards Earth. They can literally just look up to see it, but many don’t want to. As a chaotic towny teen named Yule, Chalamet provides a strange comic relief to the frustrating events unfolding.
He’s the kind of guy everyone has in their hometowns who thought they were cooler than they actually were. This guy may act tough, but he’s just a baby underneath his faux leather jacket. One of the funniest scenes is when he delivers an out of nowhere heartfelt prayer to his new friends as they share a final meal before Earth is obliterated. (D.R. Medlen)
Bones and All (2022)
Timothée Chalamet reunited with Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino on Bones and All. Once again Guadagnino pulled a brilliant performance out of Chalamet, even though he played a supporting role to Taylor Russell’s main character, Maren. As Lee, Chalamet is a drifter who serves as a guide and love interest for Maren. Both Maren and Lee suffer from the same affliction that compels them to eat other humans.
Chalamet leans into the oddity of Lee. There’s something strangely sexual about the way he phrases eating another person. I became instantly obsessed with his crop tops and rope belt. He brought the character from the book to life while making Lee completely his own. (D.R.M.)
Wonka (2023)
Wonka tells the story of a young Willy Wonka trying to make his name in the chocolate business. Don’t trust the trailer, the movie is so much fun and enjoyable for audiences of all ages. Chalamet outdoes himself as Willy Wonka. He’s sweet, naive, charming, and maybe a little dumb. You can’t help but love him. He just wants people to share in his happiness while eating chocolate. It’s an admirable dream.
The most surprising part of Wonka for me was that Chalamet sings! His voice isn’t perfect, yet it fits the character so well. It’s earnest and clear while conveying all the deep emotions Willy feels on his journey. I kind of hope Chalamet decides to do more musicals in the future. Or maybe he could play a sleazy rockstar, I would enjoy that too. (D.R.M.)
Honorable Mentions: “Tiny Horse”
I’d watch a “Tiny Horse” movie. In any case, Timmy, if you see this: you were excellent on SNL and your eagerness to be good at this style of comedy only made you a more endearing actor to follow. Please consider hosting again, s’il vous plait. (M.C.)
“Giant Horse”
“Tiny Horse” was too good not to get a sequel. The year: 2057. Our heroes hide underground against the raging and world-ending force known only as Giant Horse. The only hope left is for one man to talk to his old horse friend, who used to be tiny. The power of friendship can save the world from a sci-fi dystopian future. There he is, my tiny horse. (D.R.M.)
Our beloved childhood friend and icon – Barbie – is coming to life. The first teaser trailer of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was released today…and I already feel a surge of tremendous excitement
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Expect a star-studded cast featuring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, and Will Ferrell. From there, it’s all up to Greta – the groundbreaking director who gave us stellar films like Ladybird and Little Women.
This romantic comedy has been years in the making. It was originally reported that a Barbie movie was in the works way back in 2009. Then a decade later, we heard that the lovely Margot Robbie would play Barbie…and it wasn’t revealed until 2022 that Ryan Gosling was playing Ken and who the rest of the cast would be. Thankfully, the movie will finally premiere on July 21, 2023 to Barbie lovers and cinema fans the world over.
The teaser reveals a cluster of little girls – wearing old-fashioned pinafores and drab frocks. They’re having a tea party with their baby dolls in the hills and valleys of a vast orange desert. Richard Strauss’ Thus Sprach Zarathustra provides an ominous soundscape. It is one truly creepy mise-en-scène and a clear reference to 2001: Space Odyssey.
Then the monolithic Barbie is revealed. She stands 20-feet tall, towering above the kids and winking cheekily. And the girls go insane – they smash their babydolls’ skulls in, slam themagainst an outcropping of rocks, destroying their once-cherished dollies. And then we flip to the magical, mesmerizing world of Barbie. Thus demonstrating that Gerwig will take this film far beyond our expectations.
Rumors of Dua Lipa’s involvement in the film have started to swirl…after reports that the singer would be in the film months ago, it appears the official Barbie movie Instagram account has followed her in the recent hours. A new beau in Jack Harlow and a film debut? It really is Dua’s world.
This movie’s already inspired the hot pink Barbie-core trend and it’s not even out yet…the cultural impact is about to shift our cosmos. Brace yourselves, it’s about to become Barbie’s world.
Park Ji-hu was drawn to her role in the Korean drama Little Women because she was fascinated by her character’s efforts to change her life for the better. That character, the artistically gifted student In-hye, is the youngest of three sisters. Her older sisters, played by Nam Ji-hyun and Kim Go-eun, struggle to make her life comfortable, often at their own expense, but such sacrifices make In-hye feel guilty. To change her life she makes some ill-advised choices.
“I felt sorry for her as she tries not to be a burden to her sisters,” said Park. “I hoped to grow alongside her.”
Because In-hye desperately wants a better life, she spends much of her time at the home of her wealthy friend Hyo-rin. Her friend’s family is seductively glamorous and powerful, everything her own family is not. However, In-hye doesn’t realize how dangerous Hyo-rin’s family is and how they might threaten her sisters.
“In-hye has always sought a luxurious life and thought that she could live that life if she went to live with Hyo-rin,” said Park. “I think this immature and foolish thought was shaped by her deprived childhood and her desire to escape poverty.”
The 12-episode drama is inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s story of sisterhood, but also by the kind of stories Alcott preferred to write: tales of intrigue, murder and mystery. With a rapid succession of surprising plot twists, the drama provided a fun set to work on.
“The mood at the set was wonderful,” said Park. “And I was able to trust my director and fellow actors wholeheartedly. I truly learned a lot.”
As well as playing the youngest sister, Park was treated like the youngest sister on set. Kim Go-eun and Nam Ji-hyun took good care of her.
“They called me a nickname referring to the youngest child and cared for me as if I was small and precious,” she said. “Thanks to them, I enjoyed being on the site very much.”
Although each on-screen sister demonstrated their own charms, she was equally fond of both.
“I cannot say I like one over the other,” said Park. “Both are family and on my side more than anyone else. I would love them no matter what.”
Park made her acting debut in a short film at the age of 12. She had minor drama and film roles before starring in the award-winning indie film House of Hummingbird and her performance in that film won her a Best Actress Award at the Tribeca Film Festival. Her international popularity grew after her role as a high school student in the zombie hit All of Us Are Dead.
“My original dream was to become an announcer,” said Park. “I started acting by chance when an acting academy suggested that I should try it. Out of curiosity, I started it out as a hobby. But as I was filming the movie House of Hummingbird, I realized that I wanted to pursue acting. I loved meeting and talking to various people in the field and learning about myself in the process. These are the reasons that I love acting.”
Park plans to study theater and film at university, but will also appear in the disaster film Concrete Utopia, starring Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young. Being a high school student and acting at the same time has not always been easy, but Park was determined. Little Women was her first TV drama after graduating high school.
“I worked harder because both were things I had to do and I did not want to neglect either one,” she said. “I am proud to say that I safely graduated high school.”
