24 Days of LosMas- He Sees You When You’re Sleeping

 

24 Days of LosMas- Carnage for Christmas (2024)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the nineteenth night, I am posting the 2024 slasher Carnage for Christmas. 

Carnage for Christmas (2024)

A true crime podcaster named Lola returns to the small town where she grew up to spend the holiday with her sister. What she considers a boring, conservative town proves her wrong when a series of murders draw out her detective skills as she learns about her town's dark secrets. Carnage for Christmas is a 2024 Australian holiday slasher directed by Alice Maio Mackay. As a holiday horror movie, Carnage for Christmas features a Santa-clad killer, but unlike other slashers, this movie is a more detective story than a traditional slasher. Jeremy Moineau portrays Lola, a trans woman who uses her skills to delve into her hometown's urban legend concerning a killer named The Toy Maker. Lola is clearly in her element as she turns to new friends who are all seen as outsiders to the closed-minded residents. The cast is pretty good, including Dominique Booth, Olivia Deeble, and Joe Romeo. The movie has great gore effects and is well-paced for its 70-minute run time. While some in the horror community might not appreciate a cast of mostly LGBT characters, the storyline of Carnage for Christmas works as a vehicle to show the real-life violence that occurs in this community, and Lola proves to be an outstanding sleuth and final girl.  

24 Days of LosMas- Silent Bites (2024)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the eighteenth night, I am posting the 2024 vampire movie Silent Bite.

 

 Silent Bite (2024)

On a cold wintery Christmas Eve, a gang of bank robbers pull off a heist and flee to a predetermined location to hide from the police. As the winter snow worsens, they find their sanctuary isn't as safe when a woman and her pack of vampires decide to feast on them. Silent Bite is a 2024 vampire movie directed by Taylor Martin and written by Simon Phillips. Silent Bite is a Holiday horror movie with a unique premise, given its isolated setting and winter backdrop, It is the perfect vehicle for a vampire story. Simon Philips, who appears as the leader of the bank robbers, stands out with his rugged look and boss man demeanor. Sayla de Goede appears as the mother vampire and has appeared alongside Phillips in two Christmas horror films. While the movie starts out as a heist movie, it turns into a vampire free-for-all in the tradition of From Dusk Till Dawn but without Salma Hayek and the heavy violence. The rest of the cast works well, given their limited character development, as this film is more like a battle of survival, much like 30 Days of Night. Silent Night has a great premise and works reasonably well, given its limited budget and lack of significant star power.      

24 Days of LosMas- Sister Krampus (2021)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the seventeenth night, I am posting the 2021 horror movie Sister Krampus.

Sister Krampus (2021)

A nun is kicked out of her order for being defiled by soldiers; she turns to Krampus to seek revenge. Decades later, two sisters traveling in that village encounter the spirit of the Nun, who decides to pursue one of them for a sinister purpose. Sister Krampus is a 2021 indie horror movie directed by Mark Polonia, featuring his usual actor company. As with the majority of films produced in the past decade utilizing Krampus in its title, we have a movie that is nothing more than a gimmick film featuring the dark Christmas character with a terrible story and low-budget look. The other traits found in Mark Polonia's movies are present, including using the same group of actors, bargain basement sets, and pointless dialogue. Sister Krampus is set in Austria around Christmas, but it looks like it was filmed in the northeast USA in summer. The history is wrong, and soldiers' uniforms were a mix of army surplus and spirit store props. The only great notable feature is the poster art that Mark Polonia has for this film and the Krampus creature costume, which was well made and looks cosplay-worthy. Sister Krampus is a terrible movie, but it is an improvement when stacked up with other Krampus knockoffs and many of Polonia's other low-budget catalogs.  

24 Days of LosMas- Darkest Night

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the sixteenth night, I am posting the 2012 found footage film Darkest Night.

Darkest Hour (2012)

On Christmas Day, a newly engaged couple travels to her family home near Manila for a family dinner and to share the news of their engagement. As the large family enjoys a holiday dinner, a series of bizarre events bring tragedy to this seemingly happy family. Darkest Night is a 2012 horror movie made in the Philippines and directed by Noel Tan. Darkest Hour is a supernatural horror movie presented in found footage style. As with most films in this genre, the camera work is unsteady and made to look amateurish as an unseen family member is filming. Much of the movie occurs during a power outage, so many of the scenes are lit by lanterns and candles, making it difficult to see the actors who are yelling at one another. While the blackout is a suitable plot device, the film drags in many scenes, leaving the viewer wondering if there is more to this film than strange noises and people running around screaming at each other. While this movie starts with a great premise, the end result is derivative, as the yelling and screaming overshadow the supernatural storyline.            

24 Days of LosMas- A Creature Was Stirring (2023)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the fifteenth night, I am posting the 2023 isolation horror film A Creature Was Stirring.

A Creature Was Stirring (2023)

A nurse caring for her sick daughter during an intense blizzard discovers two strangers have broken into her home looking for help. While she seems hospitable, the secret she harbors about her daughter comes out, and their fate rests in the mysterious intentions the strange woman has for them. A Creature Was Stirring is a 2023 isolation horror movie directed by Damien LeVeck and starring Annalise Basso, Chrissy Metz, and Scout Taylor Compton. While the film appears to be a home invasion story, there is so much more to the story as the events play out. The isolated setting and Christmas storm set the mood for this film, and you will wonder what is happening. The small cast does an excellent job in their roles, with Annalise and Chrissy effectively portraying the mother and daughter. The film features excellent special effects and some cool creature design to add to the spooky storyline. The only issue some audiences may face is an ending that may confuse some, but the whole movie is left to some interpretation, and repeat viewing may reveal more clues.      

24 Days of LosMas- Ice Quake

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the fourteenth night, I am posting the 2010 climate thriller Ice Quake.

Ice Quake

A government scientist and his family find their Christmas holiday ruined when a series of earthquakes in Alaska threatens their community and safety. As if the quakes were not bad enough, the scientist learns that huge methane pockets are being released that could create a national disaster. Ice Quake is a 2010 SyFy disaster movie directed by Paul Ziller and starring Brendan Fehr, Holly Dignard, Victor Garber, and Jodelle Ferland. Like most SyFy movies, Ice Quake features a few notable actors, rampant CGI, and plots that start absurd and go to eleven. Ice Quake's cast is likable and features a post-Silent Hill Jodelle Ferland. While the film is less ludicrous than Sharknado, there are a number of absurd events that are best left unquestioned, as the film is pretty entertaining and can be enjoyed as a popcorn flick. There is no gore, and most deaths are due to freezing, so this is a family-friendly film for audiences that enjoy watching silly SyFy TV movies.    

24 Days of LosMas- Metamorphosis (1990)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the thirteenth night, I am posting the 190 sci-fi horror movie Metamorphosis. 

Metamorphosis (1990)

A young scientist is conducting experiments to help stop aging. While his initial experiments look promising, he faces opposition from university research committees, who find his work troubling. After injecting himself with the serum, he finds it working great, but then he experiences lapses in memory and violent episodes that will not end well for him. Metamorphosis was directed by George Eastman, better known for his work in 1980s Italian vomit horror. The movie's sci-fi plot is heavily influenced by Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as The Fly. In some countries, the movie was even released as Re-Animator 2, but the film has no connection to the 1985 HP Lovecraft cult classic. Despite the derivative plot, Metamorphosis is a step above most of the Italian-made ripoff movies of the era. It features decent makeup effects and a plot that pays homage to the creature features of the 1950s. Coincidentally, another sci-fi movie with the same name was released in 1990, but that film was a sequel to 1983's The Deadly Spawn. 

24 Days of LosMas- The Yule Log (2023)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the eleventh night, I am posting the 2023 horror comedy The Yule Log.

The Yule Log (2023)

Two friends travel to a cabin in the woods during the Christmas holiday to help another friend after the death of his wife. They chop some wood from the nearby forest and unknowingly release the spirit of Druinda, a witch condemned to death a few centuries prior. The men unwittingly contend with Duinda as the Night of the Mothers approaches and the Yule Log protection fades. The Yule Log is a 2023 horror comedy written and directed by Mark Polonia that features a cast of his usual suspects. The cabin looks nice, but the rest of the movie is the usual microbudget silliness found in Polonia's other movies. These often include poorly done CGI, Dollar Store creature effects, and terrible dialogue that makes Ed Wood movies look like cinema masterpieces. Polonia's movies are not meant to be award winners, and this movie is one of his few Christmas-themed films besides Sister Krampus, which is mentioned. Undoubtedly, the best part of any Mark Polonia movie is the poster art that often stands out with the promise of a fun movie but often disappoints. 

24 Days of LosMas- Nightmare on 34th Street (2023)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the eleventh night, I am posting the 2023 horror anthology Nightmare on 34th Street.

Nightmare on 34th Street (2023)

A young boy catches Santa Claus in his room and is told four dark Christmas tales. In the first, a young girl encounters a trio of escaped lunatics on Christmas Eve, with one taking her on as a protégé. The second tale involves a ventriloquist and his vulgar snowman doll, Dr. White, facing competition from a rival and the demons in his past. The third story features Krampus and a woman dealing with custody issues. The final segment involves a priest and his daughter having to deal with the sins of his past. Nightmare on 34th Street is a holiday horror anthology written and directed by James Crow. As with most anthologies, the segments all tell unique stories loosely tied together in the wraparound segment. The main flaw with this movie is that it needs to be shorter at over 2 hours. The film could have used proper editing or elimination of one of the segments. The cast of English actors is not well known as it is a lower-budget film, so the viewers are presented with mainly average to low-skilled acting. The last segment was clearly the best, along with the third, but that one featured one of the silliest-looking Krampus characters. Nightmare on 34th Street may be listed as a horror comedy, but the film lacks humor, even with the ventriloquist segment. 

24 Days of LosMas- The Utah Cabin Murders

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the tenth night, I am posting the 2019 horror comedy The Utah Cabin Murders.

The Utah Cabin Murders (2019)

A family enjoining a lovely holiday in their cabin encounters a pair of escaped convicts who play a deadly game of life and death as they try to avoid recapture. The horrific nature of these crimes shocks the local authorities as they search for the assailants with the help of locals. The Utah Cabin Murders is a crime story based on actual events; while not a horror movie in the traditional sense, this movie does have enough tension to make it a holiday horror film. Written and directed by Andrew Jones, the film stars Tiffany Ceri, Jennifer Sim, and Lee McQueen. The movie is based on the real-life home invasion of a family in Oakley, Utah. While the names of the victims were changed, the perpetrator's names were used in the film. Despite the setting in Utah, the movie was filmed in Wales as eagle-eyed viewers may notice some UK standard plugs in some scenes. 

24 Days of LosMas- Santa Isn't Real (2023)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the ninth night, I am posting the 2023 slasher Santa Isn't Real.

 

Santa Isn't Real (2023)

A young woman named Nikki is attacked by someone who looks like Saint Nick on Christmas Eve. A year later, she wakes from a coma and is surrounded by her friends, who suggest a holiday get-together at a remote cabin. What seems like an excellent opportunity to bond as friends turns into a fight for survival when they see Nikki attacked and kidnapped by a figure dressed as Santa. Santa Isn't Real is a holiday slasher directed by Zac Locke and starring Kaya Coleman, Scarlett Sperduto, Trey Anderson, and Cissy Ly. Unlike many holiday horror movies, Santa Isn't Real appears to have been filmed during winter months, with the snowy setting and remote cabin giving the viewer a feeling of winter chills. The rest of the film does not offer much as the small cast is shown looking for their friend and encountering the Santa-clad killer. The cast is easily the best part of this movie, as the Christmas setup seems irrelevant given the predictable slasher plot of this low-budget holiday horror movie. 

24 Days of LosMas- Granny Krampus (2024)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the eighth night, I am posting the 2024 slasher Granny Krampus. 

Granny Krampus (2024)

Two sisters reunite with their estranged grandmother after the death of their mother and find that the old family manor they are staying in has some dark secrets. While the sisters face their own problems, a mysterious entity causes problems and endangers their lives. Granny Krampus is a 2024 sequel to the 2017 film Mother Krampus, but Jack E Bell directs it. As with the numerous Krampus movies, Granny Krampus is not related to the big-budget 2015 movie but follows the exact legend of Frau Perchta on which Mother Krampus is based. The movie does move quite slowly and focuses more on family dysfunction, with Frau Perchta feeding off the negative energy. Filmed in England, Granny Krampus has a better story than most Krampus knockoff movies but suffers from a low budget, relegating it to streaming clients for those into holiday horror movies.  

24 Days of LosMas- The Christmas Spirit

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the seventh night, I am posting the 2023 black comedy The Christmas Spirit. 

The Christmas Spirit

After ignoring his little sister's request for help hanging lights, a teen boy watches her die in a tragic accident after she slips off the roof. Years later, her death haunts him in the form of the Spirit of Christmas dressed as a masked wrestler. While he tries to live an everyday life, the spirit pushes him to seek closure by kidnapping a young girl who he claims is his sister's reborn. The Christmas Spirit is a dark holiday story directed by Bennet De Brabandere. The dark tone of this story is evident in the tragic death in the opening act. Yet, the movie shifts into black comedy territory with the perils of mental illness, social media, and toxic parenting ever-present. Stuntman Zion Forrest Lee does a great job portraying the adult Cole in a role where his delusions and longtime guilt steer his actions. Matia Jackett appears in dual roles as Cole's sister and Maggie, the girl he kidnaps. The best part goes to professional wrestler Nicolas Grimes, whose role as The Christmas Spirit helps the movie skirt some problematic subject matter while offering much-needed comic dialogue and action in this movie. While The Christmas Spirit is not the usual holiday horror movie, it entertains with comedy moments and awkward situations.   

24 Days of LosMas- The Fright Before Christmas

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the sixth night, I am posting the 2020 horror anthology The Fright Before Christmas. 

The Fright Before Christmas (2020) 

A man dressed as Santa Claus crashes a Christmas party and begins to threaten each person while sharing some scary tales. Despite the deadly intent, his comical demeanor does suggest that he is not only off his rocker but a complete sociopath. Many of the stories he shares are based on urban legends and folklore, including a lover's lane tale, a babysitter, some haunted houses, and a segment done in sepia tones to suggest an old-timey story. The stores are short, and his comical holiday threats leave the family in fear as they wonder who may be next. The Fright Before Christmas is a holiday horror anthology directed by John Johnson and featuring stories by Johnson and Royce Hobson. Despite the wraparound story's Christmas setup, most segments don't tie into the holiday and appear to be random tales of horror. That is not an issue, as the actual movie fun is watching the maniac Santa antics and his almost cartoon villain behavior.  

24 Days of LosMas- Twas the Night (2023)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the fifth night, I am posting the 2023 horror anthology Twas the Night. 

Twas the Night (2023)

Three shady folk gather on Christmas Eve with a plot involving something sinister, but they are surprised when a mysterious woman knocks each one out. When they awaken, she confronts them for their crimes and tells each one a Christmas-related story that involves Jack Frost, a gingerbread man, and Krampus. Twas the Night is a 2023 horror anthology directed by Joe Lujan and starring Anthony Avery, Chris Ivan & Taylor Kilgore. Twas the Night is set up as an anthology with the main story of the three cons serving as the bridge for all tales. Each story unfolds as the mysterious young woman slowly reveals more about herself and what she intends to do to them. The movie is low-budget; however, the creature costumes were great and added to the look of the segments. The Krampus design is easily the best, and the segment featuring him is truly the best part of the movie. Twas the Night starts slow, but the end segment makes the film worth watching, even if the other segments are not on the same level.   

24 Days of LosMas- Werewolf Santa (2023)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the forth night, I am posting the 2023 horror comedy Werewolf Santa.

Werewolf Santa (2023)

A small-time ghost hunter looking for an excellent cryptid story discovers an even bigger lead when they discover that Santa Claus has been turned into a werewolf. While she seeks out her family and friends to help with her video, the risks begin to get too much as the werewolf begins to threaten her community and her circle. Werewolf Santa is a found footage-style horror comedy written and directed by Airell Anthony Hayles and starring Katherine Rodden, Mark Arnold, and Emily Booth. As with many found footage movies, Werewolf Santa features an ambitious host looking for that one big moment that will catapult her to fame, even if it risks everyone around her. Katherine Rodden portrays Lucy quite effectively, bringing out toxic traits while showing her emerging concern for others. The werewolf Santa costume is simple, but the found footage style helps to overcome budget issues. One of many horror movies featuring a classic horror monster, Werewolf Santa, stands out by including an opening scene with Joe Bob Briggs reading portions of The Night Before Christmas.  

24 Days of LosMas- Santastein (2023)

I will post Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the third night, I am posting the 2023 creature feature Santastein.

Santastein (2023)

When he was a little boy, Max Causey (Jared Korotkin) accidentally killed Santa Claus, and years later, the world is a sadder place with no Christmas spirit. He tries to fix this by resurrecting Santa's brain into a fresh corpse, only to learn that he has created a monster. Santastein is a 2023 horror comedy directed by Manuel Camilion and Benjamin Edelman, who made a short film of the same name in 2018. While Max is brilliant, he is also arrogant and makes the same mistake Dr. Frankenstein makes in thinking he can control his abomination. As a member of the bullied school community, Max tries to overcome his outcast status with his creation, but Santastein's instinct to punish will make it challenging to stop him. Santastein has some great special effects gore, and the story is entertaining, making this movie a potential cult classic. In recent years, we have seen a trend of taking well-established horror characters and making a low-budget movie that capitalize on the fame of the classic monsters. Santastein stands out with its fun storyline and decent cast that pays respect to the Frankenstein story as well as Saint Nick. 

24 Days of LosMas- Creatures

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the second night, I am posting the 2021 Sci Fi Horror Comedy Creatures.

 Creatures (2021)

A college professor takes a group of his students on a field trip, but they encounter a crashed UFO that harbors some scary aliens who attack the group and turn the dead members of the party into zombies they control. Creatures is a 2021 SciFi Holiday Horror movie directed by Tony Jopia and starring Romain Barbey, Rina Saito, and Chris Kyriacou. Sci-fi horror comedies are rare and challenging to pull off without borrowing from more established films. This is evident in Creatures as it borrows heavily from Gremlins and Night of the Creeps, even featuring a cute Gizmo-like alien that appears just as innocent and adorable. The evil aliens are silly-looking puppets, but the violence is comical, with most of the kills done with a mix of CGI and practical gore effects. The movie is derivative but reasonably entertaining, even with the silly CGI kills. Overall, Creatures is a fun holiday horror movie for folks looking for a goofy movie to put on this winter season. 

24 Days of LosMas- Down the Chimney with a Shotgun (2022)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the first night, I am posting the 2022 anthology Down the Chimney with a Shotgun.

Down the Chimney with a Shotgun (2022)

This loose Christmas anthology centers on an escaped lunatic who kidnaps a woman and holds her hostage as he tells her twisted Christmas tales while dressed as Santa. Down with the Chimney has an odd assortment of hand-drawn scenes and live-action segments presented randomly as the hostage listens to her captor's tales. The tales feature live-action shorts with animated stills serving as the story breaks that often seem more interesting than the segments. One story has an abused wife taking out her spouse but facing a scarier threat. Another feature is a man receiving a creepy doll that seems to speak to him and encourage him to do terrible things. The live-action stories could be more inspired and Christmas-centered, especially the seemingly out-of-season Christmas Scarecrow. The other more Christmas-centric stories are told as cartoons and feature Krampus and Frau Perchta, but they would have been better in live-action segments. Down the Chimney with a Shotgun offers little to recommend and will fall into the abyss of holiday horror releases that seem to get dumped onto streaming platforms. 

Gladiator II

 

The Eagle Has Landed

Class Rank

Crackcoon

Code Name: Wild Geese

Deer Camp’86

Winterbeast

Cursed

The Hanging Woman

Robert the Doll

 

Borderline

All Quiet on the Western Front

 

Cinderella

 

The Cassandra Crossing

 

Choke

 

Cello

 

Carved

 

The Brink

Boulevard Nights

 

Border Town

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

The Boy

The Hound of the Baskervilles

The Mummy

Episode 50

The Boy (2015)

Wolf of Wallstreet

Werewolf in a Girls Dormitory

 

Cauldron of Blood

Bronson

A Haunted House 2

Headless Horseman

 

Monster House

 

Rocktober Blood

 

Project Eerie

 

Tales From the Other Side

 

Hayride to Hell

 

Stan Helsing

 

Return of the Scarecrow (2017)

Return of the Scarecrow (2017)

Killer scarecrows have become popular horror villains as the costume is relatively easy to make, and like a clown, scarecrows can be personalized for each movie. A small town lives with a dark secret involving a scarecrow that can be brought to life if disturbed due to an ancient curse. The only way to control it is to send victims its way so it can sleep a few years more. Around Halloween, a group of visiting friends come to town and are lured to this menace after hearing tales in a bar. While some look to scare them with goofy costumes, a few citizens fear that the scarecrow will seek more victims in the community. Return of the Scarecrow has the look of a bloody horror movie, but it is instead more of an 80s-style horror comedy with its bungling characters and goofy moments involving the scarecrow. While it is a low-budget project, the movie has entertaining moments and some decent characters to help carry the film.   

Tales From All Hallows’ Eve

 

Halloween Pussy Trap Kill! Kill!

 

On Halloween

 

Harvest of the Dead

 

Boo! (2018)

 

Hayride

 

The Coven (2015)

The Coven (2015)

After sitting through a lecture on witchcraft, a group of English school girls decide to sneak into Queenswood on Halloween to camp out for the night. Yet, as their celebration winds down, they unwittingly find themselves exploited by a witch controlling their fate. The Coven is an English horror movie directed by John Mackie, featuring Dexter Fletcher. The poster for the movie looks similar to The Craft and suggests a film about a group of girls getting involved with witchcraft. While the plot involves witchcraft, the story takes a different direction than the poster suggests and is more about girls being lost in the woods. While most of the cast are young, they all seem believable as classmates, but the story is disjointed and relies too much on nepotism. The Coven is a spooky Halloween-centric story that misleads its audience into thinking it is ripping off The Craft while it is instead borrowing much of its story from the Blair Witch Project. 

Spine Chiller

 

Cemetery Stories

 

Final Girl: Halloween

 

Creeping Death

 

Truth or Die