Everytime October rolls around I have the urge to rewatch all of my favorite Disney channel original movies (DCOM). Girl vs. Monster, Hocus Pocus, all of the Halloweentown movies, and more. I know that they’re not exactly masterpieces of cinema, but these movies bring up fond memories of when I first watched them.

My dad likes to make fun of the amount I rewatch these sentimental movies, asking why I don’t branch out and try something new. The truth is, DCOMs and other nostalgic series make me feel safe. And it’s not just me—psychologists Pamela Rutledge and Neel Burton say rewatching movies and TV shows can reassure us that order and direction still exist in our world and creates a certain sense of comfort and safety.

We consistently come back to these nostalgic pieces of media because they offer this kind of familiarity and more importantly: predictability. Being able to predict what’s going to happen in a movie is calming because we don’t have to be prepared for some crazy plot twist; we already know what happens.This can provide audiences with a structure they don’t have in their real lives.

Victor Berg ‘24 says, “I rewatch the Grinch and the claymation Rudolph every year at Christmas—it’s kind of a tradition.”

Victor brings up another big aspect rewatching these nostalgia-packed films: tradition. We all have those movies that we watch religiously with our families every year. Here are some students favorite movies and series to rewatch:

• Matson Heeney ‘24 says he likes to rewatch the entire Indiana Jones series (minus Crystal Skull)
• Lauryn Martinez ‘24 loves rewatching Coraline in October
• Mamma Mia is one of Samantha Yoshimoto’s ‘24 favorites 
• Alexandra Horvath ‘24 claims Gilmore Girls is the best fall series 
• Ella Yoshimoto ‘26 rewatches the Nightmare Before Christmas at both Halloweeen and Christmas

It’s always good to broaden your horizons and consume new media; but there’s nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite nostalgic movies in the fall.