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There's nothing like fall movies to get us in the mood for cozy season. The aesthetics of orange, red, and yellow leaves (as well as plots about friends and family) give us an instant mood boost. Meg Ryan is one of our favorite leading ladies, and while she just returned to the screen in 2023 for What Happens Later, we're getting ready to celebrate the anniversary of MY favorite Meg Ryan movie: When Harry Met Sally.
The iconic rom-com turns 35 on July 21, and in honor of the milestone, we rounded up our go-to Meg Ryan movies that will give you ALL the fall feels (as well as some of her other best hits). We also spoke with Kristin Marguerite Doidge, the author of Nora Ephron: A Biography, for a look into the director's vision when it came to bringing these stories to life. Grab your favorite fuzzy socks, an Apple Crisp Macchiato, and bookmark these titles for your next movie marathon.
When Harry Met Sally — Rent on Amazon Prime
Castle Rock Entertainment/MGM
We love common tropes like slow burns and friends-to-lovers, but we also love the fact that Ephron switched up the common rom-com expectations by using Harry's cynicism (instead of an outside obstacle) as the driving force behind keeping the couple apart.
According to Doidge, while the aesthetic of the film can be credited to director Rob Reiner, Ephron's screenplay is such a big part of the movie's DNA that it's connected to every aspect of the film: "From the stunning fall leaves in Central Park to Meg’s iconic chocolate brown bowler hat, [it’s] become known as a 'Nora' movie."
Sleepless In Seattle — Stream on Max
TriStar Pictures
You've Got Mail — Rent on Prime Video
Warner Bros. Pictures
"When you see You’ve Got Mail, you’re seeing Nora,” cinematographer John Lindley says in the biography. “What you’re seeing is her outlook on life, which is to be happy and embrace change.”
What Happens Later — Stream on Hulu with SHOWTIME
Bleecker Street
Willa and Bill aren't expecting to see each other at the airport — or to realize they're still attracted to each other. (They also still annoy each other, but that's less important). When a snowstorm rolls in and their flights are cancelled, Willa and Bill are left alone at the airport with nothing but their pasts, a witty airport announcer, and fate to keep them company.
MIRAMAX
"What [Ephron] may not have anticipated is just how [fragmented] and divisive sections of America would become," Doidge writes. "Is that part of what makes her particular brand of optimism so appealing in this current moment? Possibly." When we're anxious or feeling sad, films like these offer us some light. We know that even though the characters go through realistic and difficult times in their lives, things turn out all right in the end.
These Meg Ryan movies are a great way to get you in the mood for fall. While we're still months away from carving pumpkins or gathering around the table for Friendsgiving, it's never too early for a cup of tea and a candle to set the scene.
Other Meg Ryan Movies We Love
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Featured image via Castle Rock Entertainment/Nelson Entertainment/Columbia Pictures
This post has been updated.
