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Joshua Braslow, MD | October 29, 2021
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5 Things: Fall Flicks to Cozy Up With This Season
Joshua Braslow, MD | October 29, 2021 | Contributor Information
In Medscape's "Five Things" series, enthusiasm is contagious. Here, physicians share the handful of fascinations that they can't get enough of. From classic novels to overseas adventures to the cutthroat world of family board games, get ready to find your next obsession. Have a "Five Things" of your own? Email us to share.
Prior to becoming a family medicine physician, I indulged my childhood love of movies by majoring in film as an undergraduate and later by working as a reality television/documentary video editor in New York City. Though life's path bent me — or totally flipped me, really —toward medicine, I have always maintained a love of movie magic.
When it comes to an autumnal movie night, Paula, Astra (our Husky), and I opt for tried-and-true classics that induce warm and fuzzy feelings, like putting on your favorite pair of wool socks. Here are five films that remind me of fall.
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5 Things: Fall Flicks to Cozy Up With This Season
Joshua Braslow, MD | October 29, 2021 | Contributor Information
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
As an upstate New York native, my idea of fall is composed of crisp, chilly winds; magnificently orange leaves; cozy tartan blankets; apple picking; and pumpkin carving. The end of summer and the start of a new season inevitably make me consider the passage of time. This film rewrote the formula for romantic comedies, and 30 years later, traces of its style and sense of humor can be found in nearly every romantic comedy that has been made since. The iconic scenes of Harry and Sally strolling through Central Park in autumn still excite me, while the 12-year-long storyline evokes that sense of time passing that is so familiar around this time of year.
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5 Things: Fall Flicks to Cozy Up With This Season
Joshua Braslow, MD | October 29, 2021 | Contributor Information
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
You can't have fall without Halloween. Naturally, some spooky movies have made this list. Shaun of the Dead transcends the generic kooky zombie genre; the writing and editing are fantastic, the actors have great comedic chemistry, and it's a zombie movie you can feel good at the end of, thoroughly avoiding the possibility of nightmares.
5 Things: Fall Flicks to Cozy Up With This Season
Joshua Braslow, MD | October 29, 2021 | Contributor Information
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Continuing on with the Halloween theme, I'd be remiss not to mention The Nightmare Before Christmas. This movie is a breathtaking feat of stop-motion animation artistry. Director Tim Burton was able to craft a world that is vivid and lush and where the characters are both horrifying and relatable. While the image of an unraveling, bug-filled boogeyman did give me a nightmare or two as a child, mostly what I think about when watching this film is riding in a haunted hayride with my brother and sister, eagerly awaiting a parent-approved fright.
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5 Things: Fall Flicks to Cozy Up With This Season
Joshua Braslow, MD | October 29, 2021 | Contributor Information
The Matrix (1999)
This film reminds me of fall in a tangential way. The start of freshman year of college is as indelible as it is fleeting, and for me it occurred in the fall on a small, rural liberal arts campus. This is the context in which I first watched The Matrix. To say that my naive mind was blown would be an understatement. After our first viewing, friends and I would spend countless hours debating the nature of reality. We went on to regularly quote and cite The Matrix to our freshman-year philosophy professors in both our discussions and assignments (much to their chagrin). While The Matrix reminds me of starting college in the fall, my actual recommendation is to consider re-watching the first film you devoured with friends during your first stint of independence.
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5 Things: Fall Flicks to Cozy Up With This Season
Joshua Braslow, MD | October 29, 2021 | Contributor Information
Ghostbusters (1984)
Yes, Ghostbusters is an easy choice, but nothing screams fall like New York City overrun with hamburger-gorging, ectoplasm-spewing ghosts. You've probably already seen it, but it holds up a second (or third or fourth) time around. The first time I re-watched this as an adult, I was shocked at how much of the humor I had missed as a child. It was like an entirely new movie — an experience I highly recommend.
From classic mysteries to daring explorations in medicine, hematologist/oncologist Mark A. Lewis shares the literature that has defined his downtime.Medcape Features Slideshow, Oct 2021
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Joshua Braslow, MD
Disclosure: Joshua Braslow, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
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