These Meg Ryan Movies Are Guaranteed To Get You Ready For Fall
Chloe Williams serves as B+C’s Assistant Editor, entertainment lead, and resident Taylor Swift expert. Whether she’s writing a movie review or interviewing the stars of the latest hit show, Chloe loves exploring why stories inspire us. You can see her work published in BuzzFeed, Coastal Review, and North Beach Sun. When she’s not writing, Chloe’s probably watching a Marvel movie with a cherry coke or texting her sister about the latest celebrity news. Say hi at @thechloewilliams on Insta and @popculturechlo on Twitter!
There's nothing like fall movies and TV shows to get us in the mood for cozy season. The aesthetics of orange, red, and yellow leaves as well as the fact that the plot points often revolve around friends and family give us an instant mood boost. Plus, fall fashion is to die for. Meg Ryan is one of our favorite leading ladies this time of year, and while she's returning to the screen in 2023 for What Happens Later, we're ready to go back to the '80s and '90s for "Meg Ryan fall," complete with oversize sweaters, shoulder bags, and lunch in a cute diner.
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
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
You've Got Mail
"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 [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. Before it's time to carve pumpkins or gather around the table for Friendsgiving, pour a cup of tea (our favorite is the Bigelow Vanilla Chai), throw on your favorite sweater, and snuggle up. We can't wait to watch them all.
Other Meg Ryan Movies We Love
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Featured image via Castle Rock Entertainment/Nelson Entertainment/Columbia Pictures
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Chloe Williams serves as B+C’s Assistant Editor, entertainment lead, and resident Taylor Swift expert. Whether she’s writing a movie review or interviewing the stars of the latest hit show, Chloe loves exploring why stories inspire us. You can see her work published in BuzzFeed, Coastal Review, and North Beach Sun. When she’s not writing, Chloe’s probably watching a Marvel movie with a cherry coke or texting her sister about the latest celebrity news. Say hi at @thechloewilliams on Insta and @popculturechlo on Twitter!