WARNING: This Article May Contain Spoilers
So, here we are again – it’s Christmastime (well it was 2 days ago but we all know Christmas lasts until New Year’s Day) and what better than to bring together one of my favourite times of year and my favourite genre of films…again…
Sick For Toys
This film definitely has a disturbing start! It seems to set you up for more than you actually get. Truthfully, I was suspicious that Roy was going to be the disembodied voice that we hear in the beginning, calling out to make sure Amelia had taken her pills. Now whether that is her medication or the morning after pill I don’t know but either would work because what she did to her prisoner would definitely require both! However, when it turned out the guy Amelia had captive was Roy’s friend and he was looking for him – it took away that suspicion. I’ll be honest, this didn’t need to be set at Christmas – it doesn’t really impact the plot in any other way than it being Amelia and Edward’s tradition to abduct men for her to ‘play with’. Then again, this would also work if it was her birthday. Very little actually happens in this film between the opening scene and Roy’s murder towards the end.
The Killing Tree
I don’t know if I’m the only one, but I do find it a little weird that of all things for her to summon her husband’s spirit into, she chooses an artificial Christmas tree! Yes, you heard me – and in case you hadn’t figured from the title – this film is about a killer Christmas tree…that speaks! The worst part is, Clay – the man in the tree – wants revenge on the girl of whom he killed the parents of! Just seems like a really odd plot all round. Outside of the whole killer tree thing, you can tell it’s cheesy when said tree is standing there trying to read a map because he’s lost. In a weird way, this film is a warning against the materialistic side of Christmas, as Clay and his wife are shown to be killing people who no longer treasure what they see as the true meaning of Christmas…family. Unfortunately this is another one of those films where nothing really happens and the flash back scenes to the original murders feel really out of place. Even the scenes between each death feel like they are just trying to push the plot along.
Christmas Bloody Christmas
This film wouldn’t have been out of place in my Violent Delights Have Violent Ends article as the whole premise is based around a robotic Santa going off the reservation! Unfortunately it was a little predictable who was going to die first. Actually speaking of that, this would work for my Death by Sex article as well as they are pretty much already going at it when Santa splits the guy in half! The first person angle is a little disorientating but I think it does add something a little different, almost like you are the robot Santa. The one thing I will say is that the actor playing Santa needed to have a little more commitment to being a robot instead of walking like a regular human being. Now, this is a massive spoiler (but remember I have already warned you of that) the film actually has the balls to kill a child! Honestly, this is not as cheesy as I was expecting – the acting is pretty good and even the death scenes look half decent.
It’s a Wonderful Knife
You can’t get any more Christmassy than a horror film paying homage to a festive classic – It’s a Wonderful Life (in case that wasn’t obvious from the title!). However, it’s much more sinister as Winnie finds out. Just like its predecessor – Winnie wishes she had never been born following surviving the murders on Christmas Eve only to realise, that without her things would have turned out a lot worse! I was expecting this to be so cheesy given the premise but it really wasn’t. They seemed to follow the same idea as Totally Killer (if you haven’t seen it, totally recommend!) – just a parallel universe instead of time travel. Much like George in the original film, Winnie realises lives would be worse off if she never existed – especially as they went on to kill more people! There’s only one direct reference to It’s a Wonderful Life, unless I missed others, and that’s when Bernie refers to Winnie as George Bailey.
Silent Night
I’ll be completely honest – this film doesn’t come across as a horror film but gradually little things start to come to light. For example, it seems to be revealed during dinner that the characters may be living in a post-apocalyptic world. I actually think this is what people would consider as ‘elevated horror’ or horror with a moral. Like Get Out with its underlying theme of racism – this is like a commentary on global warming. I love this films balance between comedy and seriousness, in places it does set you up to think it may end happier than it does. We are also just watching them gradually agree to succumbing to the inevitable choice. Now, I do have a confession but I think this a sign of how good the film is! I actually cried when Nell’s mother takes her exit pill and we had only met her for the briefest of moments.
The Advent Calendar
You can’t exactly go wrong with a film that opens with the words – “follow the rules or you’ll die!”. We’ve all had an advent calendar at some point in our lives I’m sure but none quite like this one – definitely never one that threatens you with death. It’s almost as if with each door Eva is awakening something – something that oddly reminds me of the creature from Pan’s Labyrinth. It even knows when the doors can and can’t be opened as well as seeming to be made specifically for Eva. I’ll be honest, at first I thought the advent calendar was going to be a danger to her but it seems to be the opposite – if you follow the rules. This is definitely a story of balance – the advent calendar gives but also takes away!
