By Amani Dobson || Campus Life Editor
Fall. The best season of the year. The wind gets crisper, and the holiday season sits around the corner waiting to sneak up on us. Pumpkin spiced everything fills store shelves and menus, and everything feels cozy. Nothing tops a nice fall day like a movie to end your night. Sadly, no one makes “fall movies” like they do for Halloween and Christmas. During those seasons we get specific themes for the movies. It’s not easy to find something to watch that gives you the fall feeling without being totally centered around Halloween. Well lucky for you I know the perfect movie: Donnie Darko.
Donnie Darko is a cult classic about time travel that came out in 2001. It centers around the life of a boy with schizophrenia and sleep walking problems. The movie’s opening scene is the jet engine of a plane falling into Donnie’s room completely destroying it while he was out sleep walking. The rest of the movie follows Donnie through his school life and dealing with his mental illness as Halloween approaches. What gives this movie the perfect fall essence, in my opinion, are the soundtrack and cinematography. The soundtrack features many great bands like Tears for Fears. Each song matches the scene perfectly. As Donnie walks to school, you can imagine yourself in that scene as well just by listening to the song playing. Not only that, but the camera spends time showing the trees looking thinner, leaves on the ground, and girls tying sweaters around their waists. All of those aspects subtly remind you that the movie takes place in fall as well as surround you with that crispy and cozy feeling.
The plot of the movie can be a bit confusing and has many parts that seem to be dead ends. However, as the movie progresses, bits and pieces start to line up. However, the first time watching it can leave the viewer still having many questions. Each time I introduced the movie to a new friend of mine, they spent hours looking up the movie’s ending and discussing it with me. Though the movie is centered around Halloween time, the plot itself focuses on a much more intriguing topic: time travel and multiple dimensions. Cuddling under a blanket during fall with this movie playing at night will fully immerse you in a whole different world.
If you’ve been struggling to find the perfect movie for your autumn nights, this is it. There will never be a dull moment, as your mind will constantly be trying to figure it all out. The music in the soundtrack will make you feel eerie and chilly just like the fall season itself. The movie is not on Netflix anymore, sadly, but if you can get a hold of it, I definitely recommend it because by the time you finish, you will not regret it.
Sophomore Amani Dobson is the Campus Life Editor. Her email is adobson@fandm.edu.