For someone who claims to love movies, my “to be watched” list is miles long. It’s starting to become a problem. No matter how interested I might be in a new movie or show, I’m still far more likely to turn on something I’ve seen countless times before. This tendency of mine gets especially worse every fall. There’s something about the colder weather that makes me crave a cozy vibe, and my comfort films usually do the trick. As the leaves begin to change, you can find me curled up with a classic like It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, in tears over Dead Poets Society or having a Harry Potter marathon for the millionth time. But nobody rules my fall rewatch lineup quite like Nora Ephron.
What sets Nora Ephron’s work apart from other autumn-themed movies is its timeless quality, despite being so closely associated with the fall season. Sure, we can all picture the brightly colored leaves and the chunky knit sweaters that make movies like When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail so iconic. But the cultural impact that Nora Ephron has on the romantic comedy extends far beyond the last few months of the year. As an aspiring writer, I’ve always admired her ability to write a more sophisticated rom-com—a story that may have all the tropes we know and love, but still manages to feel like a real situation that real people might find themselves in.
Nora Ephron wrote a total of 14 movies over the course of her career, and to kick off this fall, I watched (or rewatched) every single one. You can imagine my surprise when I learned that she has more than just rom-coms in her catalog—she wrote a little bit of everything. But which of her movies is actually her best? Below are my reviews:
14. Perfect Gentlemen
This made-for-TV movie from the ‘70s is Nora Ephron’s first writing credit and features a few classic film stars like Lauren Bacall and Ruth Gordon. Unfortunately, that’s about all I can say about it. I’m sorry, guys, but Perfect Gentlemen was so dull. I liked the idea of this being a cozy heist movie, and I always enjoy unconventional female friendships in film and TV, but in this case, not even that could hold my attention for very long. However, I did appreciate getting to see how much Nora’s voice as a writer grew over the course of her career.
13. Michael
I vaguely remember my mom watching this on TV once when I was a kid, and I didn’t get the impression that she liked it very much. After watching it myself, I can see why. I think slapstick comedies just aren’t for me, but even if this road-trip movie had been a little more mellow, I doubt that would have saved it. It’s that bad. I had so many questions: why does everyone want to sleep with Michael? Why are we singing about pie? Why is there a bullfight happening in front of the world’s largest ball of twine? Yes, these are all real plot points. And yet despite all of that, I somehow loved the ending—I just don’t think we earned it!
12. My Blue Heaven
A young Steve Martin as an ex-mobster and an even younger Joan Cusack as the lawyer out to get him? I’d never seen anything like this movie, if you can believe it. My Blue Heaven was released after When Harry Met Sally, but before Nora Ephron’s other big rom-coms. I watched this one early on in my writing process, and I expected it to have more of a romantic element than it did, so it kind of let me down. I know that’s not fair, but at least it helped me manage my expectations for the rest of my fall watchlist. If I had just caught this one on TV without having to rank and review it, I might’ve had more fun with it.
11. Cookie
After watching this and My Blue Heaven, I’m so glad that Nora Ephron isn’t remembered for her mafia comedies. It’s wild to me that this came out in the same year as When Harry Met Sally. I couldn’t tell if Cookie was supposed to be an unlikable character or if she’s just a teenager (or both). Even though the movie is named after her, I found myself wondering whether it’s even supposed to be about her—we spend a lot more time following her dad. There are a few enjoyable father-daughter moments, but Cookie didn’t really exist as her own character. Next time, if I want to watch a movie about mobsters, I’ll stick with a classic like The Godfather or Goodfellas.
10. Mixed Nuts
I’ll admit, I was turned off from the beginning of this one because it’s set during Christmas. Fall has barely started! Despite that, Mixed Nuts still won me over. This comedy was co-written by Nora Ephron and her sister Delia, and features an ensemble cast with Steve Martin, Rita Wilson, Adam Sandler, and a lot of other familiar faces. It’s not the lightest of subject matters, as the main cast run a mental health hotline. Some parts definitely haven’t aged well, either. But most of the characters were still enjoyable, and lines like “as bleak as things might be, at least you don’t live with your mother” did make me chuckle. This might be one to revisit during the holidays.
9. Silkwood
It’s so hard to believe that this is a Nora Ephron movie. An extreme slow-burn psychological drama goes against everything I’ve come to expect from her. Even so, I have to give credit where credit is due, because it earned several Oscar nominations, including Best Original Screenplay. The “villain” in Silkwood, being a billion-dollar corporation that prioritizes productivity over proper safety protocols, unfortunately, still holds up, too. But the second half of this movie was much stronger than the first. Even though this wasn’t my favorite, it still sent me down a rabbit hole about the real Karen Silkwood, so maybe the movie did its job after all.
8. Bewitched
I really do admire Nora Ephron for having a stacked cast in just about every movie she made. I assumed that this one would be a remake of the Bewitched TV show, but I think it’s fun that they went meta and centered the plot around actors filming a Bewitched remake. However, it had the potential to be so much more fun, and it just… wasn’t. Normally, I’m a fan of Will Ferrell, but his performance here felt like a knockoff Buddy the Elf at times, and I found it hard to root for the romance between his and Nicole Kidman’s characters. That being said, it’s still a decent movie to throw on for some background noise this fall.
7. Heartburn
Heartburn is based on Nora Ephron’s novel of the same name and is believed to be a fictionalized account of her own marriage and divorce. Can we take a moment to acknowledge how iconic it is to not only turn your own book into a movie, but to get Meryl Streep to play yourself? My biggest gripes with the film were that Jack Nicholson is too intense an actor to play a believable love interest and that this movie is too long for its own good. Maybe that’s just what happens when you’re adapting your own source material! I haven’t read the book, but I would be interested in giving it a try.
6. This Is My Life
I know I’ve been marveling at all these Nora Ephron movies for featuring huge cast members, but this movie’s casting of relatively unknown actors was like a breath of fresh air. Julie Kavner’s character and her daughters felt like real people, which helped to set this story apart. The whole “person who wants to make it big finally gets their break but loses themselves in the process” arc has been done many times before, but this film still felt special. As much as This Is My Life follows that familiar storyline, its magic comes from pairing that journey with the coming of age of the people left behind. That may make this movie sound depressing, but I promise it’s a really sweet watch!
5. Hanging Up
From the minute I started Hanging Up, I knew it would hurt me—and boy, did it. Nora Ephron also co-wrote this movie with her sister, based on Delia’s novel of the same name. As the oldest of three sisters (and one brother, couldn’t leave him out), I thought this movie perfectly captured what it’s like to have siblings. Going from pointless arguments to giggling with each other in a matter of minutes is true sisterhood. I really appreciated how each of the girls felt like their own character. Their flaws were on full display, and I’m always a sucker for a complicated female protagonist. By the end, I was ugly crying in front of my screen, but my sister calling me minutes later was an immediate pick-me-up.
4. Sleepless in Seattle
The first time I watched this one, it didn’t stick out to me, but thankfully, Sleepless in Seattle hit just like I wanted it to on a rewatch. It’s one of the strongest in Nora Ephron’s entire catalog. I love the different ways that Sam and Annie approach love: he’s experienced the idea of “when you know, you know” firsthand, while she’s hesitant to believe in fate or signs (at least at first). The romance does lose me a bit, though—I just cannot imagine falling in love with someone you’ve never spoken to. But even if that aspect isn’t very realistic, the father-son dynamic helps to offset it. Plus, Tom Hanks is just amazing.
3. Julie & Julia
This movie had been on my watchlist for years, and now that I’ve finally seen it, I’m asking myself what took me so long! Julie & Julia was the last film Nora Ephron wrote before she died in 2012 and is based on not one book, but two: Julie Powell’s memoir of the same name and Julia Child’s My Life in France. I loved going back and forth between Julia’s life in the 1950s and Julie’s life in post-9/11 New York. Seeing how they both found solace in food in their own ways was so sweet to watch. I already know that this is gonna be in my fall movie rotation from here on out!
2. You’ve Got Mail…
As much as I enjoy Sleepless in Seattle, this is absolutely the better of the Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks rom-coms. I think I’ve subconsciously tried to model my life after Kathleen Kelly, even though all I have to show for it is that I used to work in a bookstore. But because of that, I can confirm that the “independent shop versus big chain” feud is 100 percent real. It’s also great material for an enemies-to-lovers storyline, and Nora Ephron clearly knows how to write one. I love and hate how some people find it easier to be vulnerable when hidden behind a screen—an idea that’s only become more relevant—but it’s also what makes You’ve Got Mail so timeless. Now if only I could afford an apartment like Meg Ryan’s in this movie…
1. When Harry Met Sally
I couldn’t possibly put this anywhere except the number one spot. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of rewatching When Harry Met Sally, because every time I do, I find something new to laugh at. As someone whose favorite trope is friends-to-lovers, Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal’s chemistry is unmatched. Harry and Sally’s journey is nowhere near perfect, but that makes their characters feel so real. Plus, we all know they get there eventually—the New Year’s confession scene damn near makes me cry every time without fail. This movie is both Nora Ephron’s best and one of my all-time favorites year-round.
Hannah Carapellotti, Contributing Writer
Hannah is an Ann Arbor-based writer with a bachelor’s in English and writing from the University of Michigan. Outside of The Everygirl, Hannah has written for The Michigan Daily, where she also served as an editor. She currently works at an independent bookstore and is interning for a literary agency.
