Cozy in with these fall favorites
By Sakura Amano and Rachel Levin, Staff Writers
Santa Monica might not have the chilliest weather, but the world is still well into fall. This year, safety guidelines have put a damper on apple picking and riding the haunted hayride, but there are still ways to bring autumn vibes back home. TV shows, movies and music allow us to experience the foggy fall adventure vicariously, so sit back with a cider and don’t endanger the health of others. Consume this media instead!
By Rachel Levin, Staff Writer
"Over The Garden Wall"
“Over the Garden Wall” is a cartoon miniseries that was released on Cartoon Network in 2014. Set in a magical and mysterious forest on Halloween night, the series is as fall as it gets. From villages of walking pumpkins to Victorian clothed frogs, the whimsical nature and muted orange-brown color palette of “Over the Garden Wall” would make anyone want to go out on an adventure on a foggy night.
"Harry Potter"
The “Harry Potter” series is often the first choice for a binge under a blanket with a cup of cocoa. Hogwarts, with its gothic architecture, and Scotland with its ever present gray skies make for a film series that perfectly encapsulates the fall vibes, even in the summer. Not to mention the nostalgia—with every Gen Z kid’s memory of watching Harry’s Halloween in the great hall, the films fit right in as the image of a perfect fall.
"Dead Poets’ Society"
“Dead Poets’ Society” is a cult classic film set at an all boys boarding school, which revolves around individuality and youth. Its dark academia aesthetic, which encompasses gloomy weather and the idealism of elite education, requires perpetual cloudiness and the New England countryside, and a school year that never makes it past winter. As the boys sit in a cave in the forest, the viewer can’t help but be warmed by the knowledge that there is adventure somewhere in the world, and they are comfortably watching from a distance. This is yet another film that encourages a cozy atmosphere while whisking one away to a sheltered autumn world.
"Woodland" -- The Paper Kites
The “Woodland” EP was released in 2011 by The Paper Kites, an indie folk band based in Australia. This EP contains five songs, each one sounding like a sunny morning in the forest. Indie folk in itself already has a very down to earth sound, often consisting of acoustic guitar plucking and muffled vocals, but Woodland mixes this with imagery of adventure and pictures of perfect summers. What makes the EP fall is the fact that it is a memory of summer and the entrance to something new. “Featherstone” says goodbye to an idealistic moment as “Halcyon” tells us it's ok to breathe now. Overall, the calm silence of a foggy day and looking up to a sky full of clouds and feeling relief rings through the Woodland EP.
"Eurus" -- The Oh Hello's
“Eurus” is the Oh Hellos’ fourth album, released in 2018. The album is part of the Oh Hellos’ anemoi series, named after the greek wind deities, of which there is one for each season. “Eurus” is themed after fall. The Oh Hellos are traditional folk artists, which means guitar, banjo, fiddle and lyrics that sound archaic enough to have been sung when anemoi were worshipped. From “O Sleeper” to “Passerine,” Eurus dances through themes of death and rebirth, fate and fortune, and sounds like it should be performed at a fall festival held in a magical forest.
"Fleet Foxes" -- Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes released their first album, self titled, in 2008. The band itself is known for a pleasant mix of folk lyrics and acoustic rhythms, and this album samples all of the band’s strong suits. Along with the muted earthy color palette of the cover art, each song feels rooted in the feeling of fall, from the transportative a capella ballad that is “White Winter Hymnal” to the story-like lyrics of “Oliver James,” Fleet Foxes invokes an image of sitting around a bonfire sharing stories. It fits right into a fall storybook.
By Sakura Amano, Staff Writer
"Home" - Phillip Phillips
“Home” is one of many songs from American singer-songwriter Phillip LaDon Phillips’ album titled “The World From The Side Of The Moon”. After winning the eleventh season of American Idol in 2012, “Home” went on to be the best-selling song in the show's history. While much of the song is purely instrumental, the few lyrics successfully create a beautiful contrast between nostalgia and hope for the future. With the heavenly combination of acoustic guitar and choral harmonies, “Home” perfectly captures the true essence of autumn, a time of comfort, community and coziness.
"Apache Town" - Urban Tropic
With just over 100 monthly listeners on Spotify, Urban Tropic can certainly be classified as an “underground” band. Although not their most popular song, “Apache Town” captures the feeling of crisp wind on a fall adventure. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Urban Tropic combines folk style sound with indie/alternative through instruments such as banjo and guitar. The song follows a more upbeat, cheerful tune compared to other music with a traditionally “autumnal” feel, making it the perfect song to listen to when looking to lift your spirits.
"Oh Klahoma" - Jack Stauber
“Oh Klahoma” is a track from American Avant-Pop musician Jack Stauber’s third album titled “Pop Food”, released in 2017. Popularly used as Tik Tok sounds, Stauber’s most streamed song, “Buttercup” was a Summer 2019 favorite on the app. Now, we are seeing a similar situation in Fall 2020 as “Oh Klahoma” is used in the widely participated “ghost trend”, where people will hold photoshoots wearing white sheets over their heads, recreating the traditional ghost costume seen in many cartoons. “Oh Klahoma” was chosen to be paired with the spooky trend for good reason, managing to clash a Halloween music feel with pop culture and straying away from the holiday’s “cheesy” aspects, making it a modern, trendy Halloween favorite.
"Hocus Pocus"
Disney’s “Hocus Pocus”, released in 1993 is undeniably a Halloween classic, but is still loved by countless children and adults to this day. The film follows the story of three witches brought back from the dead after a teenage boy accidentally sets off a curse they had created almost 300 years back. Never a dull moment, the witches go after children who are cluelessly enjoying their Halloween night. Now, the fate of all the children in Salem are in the hands of the teenage boy, his girlfriend, his younger sister and a 300-year-old cat. The scenery of the film is bursting with colors of Autumn, as it takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, which in addition to being infamous for their 17th century witch trials, is historically known to be a beautiful place during the fall. Although there will be no trick-or-treating this year, watching “Hocus Pocus" is guaranteed to draw you into the dream state of a fun-filled Halloween night.
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
Another Disney film, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009) directed by Wes Anderson is the true embodiment of fall. This is simply due to the color palette of the movie, with swirling visuals of baked yellow, worn red and burnt orange making viewers feel a comforting sense of warmth. Originally a novel by Roald Dahl, the film features lively, charismatic characters, appealing to all ages. The plot follows Mr. Fox as he steals food from farmers for his hungry family, resulting in him having to save his community from the farmers’ revenge. The film embodies a sense of melancholy and tiredness behind its cheery front, reflecting the way beautiful leaves begin falling from trees in autumn. In short, “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is the perfect blend of all the aspects of fall which make it so wonderful.
