It’s the time of year that makes you want to buy school supplies and send a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils to your online crush — in other words, it’s Meg Ryan Fall. True devotees to the season will know the trend is inspired by Ryan’s trifecta of romantic comedies she made with Nora Ephron: When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail. Think swoony moments with chunky sweaters, cozy coffee shops, and crunchy leaves that make even the Upper West Side seem cheerful. No wonder everyone wants to be Meg Ryan during Meg Ryan Fall.
But before you watch You’ve Got Mail for the hundredth time (and trust me, I’m guilty of wearing out my DVD copy of the 1998 flick), it’s worth noting that while Ryan’s work with Ephron might be her most well-known, the actress has a slew of other entertaining films that helped solidify her as both one of the biggest box office draws and America’s Sweetheart in the 1990s and early 2000s.
If you’re unsure where to start when it comes to Meg Ryan movies, let the stars be your guide. Below are the top Megan Ryan movie recommendations according to your zodiac sign. Grab a blanket, pop some popcorn, and enjoy the rest of Meg Ryan Fall (by the way, she’s a Scorpio!).
Aries
Top Gun
Aries are passionate, impulsive, and, let’s face it, you have the need for speed. While Ryan might not be the star of the original Top Gun (that’s, of course, Tom Cruise), her memorable turn as Anthony Edward’s wife (the Goose to Cruise’s Maverick) paved the way for her future stardom. Plus, her memorable line “Take me to bed or lose me forever” is pretty much the perfect example of Aries doing foreplay.
Taurus
Courage Under Fire
Taurus is known as the most grounded of the zodiac. But you’re also stubborn and strong-willed and will ultimately do the right thing for those who mean the most to you — much like Army Captain Karen Walden, Ryan’s character in this 1996 war drama is about a U.S. Army officer (Denzel Washington) who investigates her death to decide whether or not she’s worthy of receiving the Medal of Honor.
Gemini
Joe Versus the Volcano
Gemini are curious, intelligent, funny, and multifaceted. Symbolized by the twins, you’re known for your ability to almost appear as two different people depending on the time of day or circumstance. Not only is the movie’s premise as zany as you can be — a hypochondriac played by Tom Hanks, who’s been told he has only a few months to live, agrees to be thrown into a volcano after he lives out a few days as a king — but in true Gemini fashion, Ryan appears as three distinct women: repressed DeDe, flighty Angelica, and the grounded Patricia.
Cancer
Hanging Up
Cancers are all about family, domestic life, and nostalgia, so a movie about three sisters bonding over their curmudgeonly father’s illness is right up your shell, or alley. Meg Ryan stars alongside Diane Keaton and Lisa Kudrow in this 2000 comedy that Nora and Delia Ephron also wrote. Ryan plays the middle sister, Eve, a party planner who has shouldered most of the burden of caring for their father (Walter Matthau) while also watching over her own family and navigating her career. FWIW, doing everything for everyone is another very Cancerian trait.
Leo
Anastasia
Leos are all about that main character energy, and nothing says “look at me” than being royalty. This 1997 animated film stars Ryan as the last remaining daughter of the last tsar of Russia. Her entire family was killed during the Russian Revolution, and now “Anya” is an amnesiac raised in an orphanage who sets out to discover her rightful heritage as Duchess Anastasia.
Virgo
When Harry Met Sally…
Chances are Sally Albright (Ryan) is a Virgo. Someone who takes an hour and a half to order a sandwich and prefers a lot of things “on the side” because *she likes things how she likes them* is most likely a Virgo. She’s a perfectionist, intelligent, and reserved, but when a Virgo knows what she wants, she will eventually listen to her heart, which is why Sally befriends Harry and eventually falls in love with him.
Libra
Sleepless in Seattle
Libras are the true romantics of the zodiac, and what could be more romantic than falling for a widower (Tom Hanks) after you hear him wax poetic about his dead wife on a radio show? But in true Libra fashion, Ryan’s Annie Reed is a pragmatist in love. She weighs the pros and cons of her crush. She hires a private investigator. She flies to Seattle so she can spy on Hanks and his son in person. She also considers the feelings of her “nice guy” fiance, Walter (Bill Pullman). But in the end, Annie does what a Libra loves to do — she follows her heart and says yes to the type of love that only exists in the movies.
Scorpio
Addicted to Love
Ryan plays her most Scorpion character — with the matching dark eye makeup, leather jacket, and sultry clothing to go along with it — in this rom-com alongside Matthew Broderick. The two of them team up when they discover their partners have fallen in love with each other. The plan? They want to break them up! She’s out for revenge (again, very Scorpion), and he wants his love back. Of course, the question remains: Will they actually end up falling in love with each other?
Sagittarius
French Kiss
Sagittarius are adventurers at heart — spontaneous dreamers who often find their destinies far from where they started. This is the essence of Ryan’s character Kate, a timid school teacher (another Sag trait as they’re known for their love for education), who flies to Paris to confront her cheating fiance, only to meet up with the scheming French thief Luc (Kevin Kline). Mischief and adventure ensue, and Kate ends up in a love story she never expected.
Capricorn
You’ve Got Mail
A Capricorn love story if there ever was one! Two feuding bookstore owners who almost let their ambitions and stubbornness get in the way of their inevitable romance. Ryan’s Kathleen Kelly is arguably a Capricorn with her practical and grounded nature (her swift, tear-free breakup with Greg Kinnear’s Frank Navasky is pretty on-brand for this sign), and she handles Tom Hanks’ Joe Fox with sharpness and wit (again, very Capricorn). It’s a whimsical, slow-burn love story featuring two people who value work and legacy, which is exactly how Capricorns like it.
Aquarius
Innerspace
Aquarians are lovable weirdos who are obsessed with sci-fi and technology. This 1987 sci-fi comedy pretty much fits the bill. Dennis Quaid stars as a marine miniaturized in a scientific experiment and implanted into Martin Short’s body by a rival organization (see, weird!). Ryan plays Quaid’s former girlfriend, a reporter, who embarks on an adventure with Short to bring down the bad guys before Quaid dies. Aquarians will go for the sci-fi/conspiracy storyline and stay for the weird romance that develops between Ryan and Quaid.
Pisces
City of Angels
Dreamy, romantic Pisceans will eat up this 1998 romantic drama starring Ryan as a doctor and Nicolas Cage as an angel (yes, a real angel) who must decide between immortality or becoming human to be with the woman he loves. It’s the type of fantastical, hand-me-the-tissues romance that Pisces live and dream for.