Five Netflix movies to satisfy your need to get cosy
Fall is here, and honestly? It’s the best excuse to stay in and let Netflix pick up the seasonal slack. Forget FOMO because autumn is all about leaning into that “do nothing but feel cosy” energy. And what better way than movies that feel like crunchy leaves and that crisp “back-to-school” smell in the air?
The thing about fall movies is they don’t need to be set in October to give you the vibe. Some have that academic energy, while others just feel like they belong with a hot drink in their hand. Either way, they are the kind of stories you can sink into when the air gets cooler.
Netflix has a handful that really hit the sweet spot. Some are about love letters and first crushes, and some are about new beginnings that don’t always go to plan. The themes might not be the same, but they all carry that unmistakable fall comfort.
So if you’re looking to feel the fall vibe while staying indoors, here are five films worth adding to your autumn watchlist.
Five Netflix movies to satisfy your need to get cosy
Someone Great (Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, 2019)
Breakups hit harder when the air is cooling down, and Someone Great will help you experience that feeling inside out. Gina Rodriguez plays Jenny, a music journalist who lands her dream job across the country just when her nine-year relationship ends. Instead of spiralling, she grabs her two best friends for one last wild night in New York City.
The fall vibe isn’t just in the jackets and city streets here. It’s in the mood of transition. Jenny’s story is about endings and beginnings colliding. It’s about realising that moving forward sometimes means letting go. The film swings between laugh-out-loud and emotional moments. Call it beautiful energy of autumn crammed into one night out.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (Susan Johnson, 2018)
If there is one movie on Netflix that feels like it was practically made for fall, it’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. This movie became a sensation when it first came out in 2018. Who doesn’t remember when Lara Jean’s secret love letters get mailed out, and suddenly she is fake-dating Peter Kavinsky, the popular boy who’s way more charming than she expected? It’s teen rom-com gold, and somehow it never gets old.
The fall-ness of it is everywhere. You watch school hallways buzzing with gossip, late-night talks that feel bigger than they are, and those heartwarming family dinners. Watching Lara Jean juggle embarrassment and the terrifying possibility of real feelings is like being dropped right back into that back-to-school rush, only with better outfits and more heart.
The Half of It (Alice Wu, 2020)
Yet another high school movie to start the fall. You know that weird triangle you get in high school when everyone’s crushing on the same person? The Half of It lives right there. It starts with Ellie, a quiet kid who is super smart but definitely not the type who signs up for football games. Somehow, she ends up writing love letters for a classmate. The twist is that the letters are going to the girl Ellie actually likes. It is messy, kind of hilarious, and exactly the sort of situation that feels pulled from the most awkward teenage diary.
But the film doesn’t play it like a rom-com with big speeches and cheesy music cues. It feels softer, like a grey autumn afternoon where things move slowly and you notice every glance a little more. That is why it works so well for fall and makes growing up feel equal parts painful and unforgettable.
Love, Guaranteed (Mark Steven Johnson, 2020)
On the surface, Love, Guaranteed sounds like the kind of story you would only hear over drinks. You have a guy who sues a dating app because it didn’t find him true love after hundreds of dates. Ridiculous, right? But when Rachael Leigh Cook’s struggling lawyer takes his case, the two end up in each other’s orbit long enough to realise maybe the lawsuit isn’t the point anymore.
What makes it click for fall is the setting. Who can say no to rainy Seattle streets? It’s a rom-com, sure, but one that leans into the comfort of watching two people figure out they are more alike than they expected.
Senior Year (Alex Hardcastle, 2022)
Now for a totally different kind of school story. Rebel Wilson plays a woman who wakes up from a 20-year coma and insists on finishing her senior year of high school. Imagine walking into a classroom where everyone is half your age and TikTok has replaced literally everything you thought was cool. That’s the comedy gold of Senior Year. But we won’t give you much, as you need to watch this yourself.
What ties it to fall is the high school backdrop with lockers, pep rallies, and that faint smell of pencils and cafeteria pizza you can almost sense through the screen. It’s silly and over the top, but it also plays like a reminder that it’s never too late to start over.