Athens' Halloween Block Party begins Saturday, which means thousands of people will crowd Court Street to yell, drink and dance — in costume.
For some people, that sounds like a nightmare. If you plan on staying in this weekend but still want to feel the spook, check out these five movies, all streaming on Netflix:
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
A classic film and a great place to start.
Tim Burton directed that bad boy, and Johnny Depp is the lead. Collaborations between the two tend to be well made, if a little strange. This one shouldn't scare the pants off of you, as it's a pretty mild tale based on a short story written in the early 1800s.
A plot summary: the little town is spooky. There exists in that town, among other things, a ghost of a headless horseman. Johnny Depp plays a superstitious doctor who interacts with said spookiness.
But don't let me undersell the film. Even Roger Ebert said the thing is wicked good.
Children of the Corn (1984)
Netflix itself calls Children of the Corn a "Halloween favorite," and I'd be shocked if you haven't heard of it.
Based on a short story by Stephen King, the movie details a married couple's accidental foray into a rural community dominated by murderous children. This flick spawned a whole movie franchise you can probably find streaming elsewhere if you really want.
The interesting thing about Children of the Corn is its ability to remain an un-ironic Halloween classic and perennial meme despite receiving widely negative reviews.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Full transparency here: I haven't seen this movie. It looks interesting, is relatively fresh and seems to take a different tone than other spooky films.
Set in Iran, the story is about a lonely female vampire who prowls around a sinful city looking for victims. It got great positive reviews, so check it out.
The Amityville Horror (2005)
This remake of the 1979 classic might actually scare you.
Newlyweds move into a house despite the gnarly murder that occurred there a year prior, and they end up regretting the decision.
The best part: it's kind of a true story. Also, you'll see a lot of Ryan Reynolds, as he's the lead actor.
The Babadook (2014)
Okay, this one will actually scare you. But you have to watch it by yourself. With the lights off. No cheating.
The Babadook (the "dook" is pronounced like "book") centers on a widow and her 6-year-old son, who has become obsessed with a monster from a storybook that terrorizes those who learn of its existence.
The spook here is grounded more in psychology than visuals. The Babadook is No. 3 on the A.V. Club's list of the 25 best horror movies since 2000.
