As someone who hates the heat and cannot go to the beach without burning, I have been waiting for a cool breeze and the ability to wear jeans without feeling like I’m in a sauna since June.
Luckily, Westport is one of the best places to get cool weather and forested areas filled with colored leaves. Unfortunately, the falling temperatures also means the start of a long school year that I’m still adjusting to.
I think everyone needs an escape from the homework and never-ending stress. Besides Connecticut being romanticized in the infamous autumn favorite, “Gilmore Girls,” that I rewatch every time September rolls around, there are still other cold-weather films and shows that are worth the watch this year.
I always have to rave about one of my favorite romance movies, “When Harry Met Sally,” available on Prime Video and Netflix. Set in New York City, the 1989 classic follows the love story of Harry Burns, played by Billy Crystal, and Sally Albright, played by Meg Ryan, over the course of 12 years. Not only is it a quirky, cozy film that made me love romance films, but it also features lots of good autumn wardrobe inspiration to help me find more outfits instead of just a college hoodie and sweatpants (which I will still be wearing for most of the fall anyways.)
Since Halloween is fast approaching, “Over the Garden Wall” on HBO Max and Prime Video is my favorite non-horror show for when I just want the stereotypical autumnal experience that doesn’t involve blood. It’s short and sweet for when I’m stressed and busy, with 10 animated episodes about brothers Wirt and Greg trying to find their way out of a magical forest after getting lost on a Halloween night. Beyond the spectacular storytelling and adorable art style, “Over the Garden Wall” features a beautiful, orchestral soundtrack that perfectly captures the warm, relaxing feeling I desire every autumn.
My favorite tv show of all time, “Twin Peaks” in Prime Video, is my go-to for a spooky, bingible show that isn’t a scary slasher. The murder mystery made by the legendary director David Lynch revolves around the death of the teen Homocoming Queen Laura Palmer, played by Sheryl Lee, as FBI agent Dale Cooper, portrayed by Kyle McLachlan, investigates her odd, uncanny hometown of Twin Peaks. With similarities to the dark, Pacific Northwest environment of the early 2000s cult classic, “Twilight,” that I sometimes can’t stand the secondhand embarrassment of (even though I still love the franchise and Edward Cullen), “Twin Peaks,” with all of its weird charms, is a great watch to get me out of the back-to-school slump.
