5 Witchy Movies To Watch On The First Day Of Autumn

There are a lot of ways to celebrate the Autumn Equinox.

In England, Druids don white habit-like robes and convene for a ceremony on Primrose Hill in London. In El Salvador, modern Maya priests lead rituals to herald the god of renewal, Kukulkan, and to mark the return of the harvest. In northern Spain, revelers step into flashy armor and parade torches throughout the city in an homage to their Celtic roots. In almost every other city, people do absolutely nothing. But why be like everyone else? This year, when September 22 rolls around, you can celebrate by getting into an autumnal mood and watching the five following movies about witches. Halloween is just around the corner, so you might as well get a head start on everyone. Plus, if you step out of your house every morning in a black, pointy hat, then your neighbors will stop borrowing all of your butter.

1. Practical Magic (1998)

It’s best to start with something familiar. Plus, with Practical Magic, you get romance, drama, and witchcraft all in one. And if you haven’t seen Practical Magic, then it will be a joy to meet the loveable Owens sisters. They’re played by a youthful Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, both still capable of moving their eyebrows. Sadly, though, their witch characters are plagued by a curse that causes every man they love to die. Ugh, men are so useless! Anyway, you see the problem here. How can they ever get a Man, thus fulfilling their ‘90s Woman needs, if every Man must die? Once you add the ripened New England setting and margarita scene, you’ll have yourself a perfectly captivating movie experience.

2. The Witch (2015) 

After an undemanding palate cleanser like Practical Magic, you’ll need something disturbing and near-incomprehensible to put you in an appropriately pensive and grumpy mood for when you wear that black hat in the morning. (Protect your butter.) Thankfully, The Witch is disturbing, near-incomprehensible, and replete with Anya Taylor-Joy. Set in 1630s New England like all the best rom-coms about marrying Satan, The Witch follows a Puritan family who is banished to the wilderness, where they then descend into paranoia. The wispy cinematography, thoughtful horror, and theme of liberation are all very effective. If there were ever a movie to radicalize America’s young women into becoming witches and creating an all-female separatist nation in Maine, it’s this one.  

3. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

It’s time for something light again. The Witch isn’t exactly a bedtime story. Happily, Kiki’s Delivery Service fits the bill. The story centers on Kiki, a young and entrepreneurial witch who runs an air-delivery service with her talking cat, since this a Hayao Miyazaki film. Kiki has all the breathtaking visuals that you’d expect, but it also explores questions of identity and independence. It will remind you that you can bloom even during transitional times like autumn, even when everyone is scowling into their pumpkin spice lattes.

4. The Craft (1996)

This one is a no-brainer for any serious pretend-witch who’s looking for movies to watch. The Craft can’t even be considered a cult classic anymore. That’s how many people know and love it today. Its iconic ‘90s lewks, indelible quotes, and powerful depictions of magic are all addictive and rewatchable. Plus, its themes of temptation and betrayal are perfect companions for the autumnal equinox, when balance is the universe’s safeword. That’s according to a Chat GPT-written blog curated by an astrology influencer, so it’s 100% true.

5. Suspiria (2018 if you hate yourself or 1977 if you hate yourself less)

Lest you get too comfortable after the softcore Craft, let’s throw in Suspiria to unsettle you and restore your faith in Dakota Johnson. Whether you watch the original Suspiria (a somewhat straightforward horror) or the Luca Guadagnino remake (a truly dark and disturbing psychological headsplitter), you’ll find yourself captivated by these naughty witches and their baffling circumstances. As we mentioned, though, the remake stars Dakota Johnson in a performance that redeems her work in Madame Web, almost. On the other hand, the original Suspiria is only 90 minutes, whereas the remake is an arthouse dozen (2 ½ hours). Choose wisely. Either way, you’ll have something astonishing and ritualistic to watch on the Equinox.