Zombies: Christmas Apocalypse (2024)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the twelth night, I am posting the 2024 zombie film Zombies: Christmas Apocalypse.

 

Zombies: Christmas Apocalypse (2024)

On Christmas Eve, a marriage proposal turns sour when the couple is attacked by a group of zombies, killing the young woman. The police arrest the man before realizing the global events about to occur. With the help of a police detective, the young man seeks out other survivors as they try to get to safety, as more and more zombies take over their town. Zombies: Christmas Apocalypse is a zombie movie directed by Hamid Torapour. Zombies: Christmas Apocalypse is quite an unusual film; it was initially released in 2016 under the title Zombies, starring much of the same cast, including Tony Todd in an extended cameo. This film has an extra 20 minutes added, introducing another character and the Christmas Eve setting for the title. What it does is to show the zombie attack that destroyed his life and then provide unnecessary closure. Zombies was already unfavorably seen for its derivative story that borrows from The Walking Dead, making it more boring. The added scenes do add character development, but are ruined by an ending that rips off a famous recent horror movie. If you have not watched either movie, you are not missing much, and honestly, the only great scenes are those with Tony Todd and Raina Hein, who could pass as Lauren Cohan's stunt double.  

24 Days of LosMas- American Exorcist (2018)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the eleventh night, I am posting the 2018 supernatural horror movie American Exorcist.

American Exorcist (2018)

A paranormal investigator is hired by the owner of a high-rise building, hoping to prove that ghosts are not haunting the premises after a bloody massacre and other deadly accidents have left several people dead. While she is steadfast in her belief that the paranormal is nonsense, she soon witnesses events that begin to challenge her beliefs and her safety. American Exorcist is a 2018 supernatural horror movie directed by Tony Trov and Johnny Zito. The film stars Falon Joslyn and Bill Moseley. Lead Actress Falon Joslyn plays her role well, but would have benefited from a few extra characters to help push the story. Instead, you get her repeatedly encountering various ghosts from the opening scenes. Horror legend Bill Moseley is the other central character, and while he may appear as stunt casting, he portrays the building owner quite effectively. American Exorcist has a great premise, especially with the opening party massacre and the failed exorcism. Still, the film can't decide where to take the story and ends up borrowing from Rosemary's Baby and House of the Devil instead. American Exorcist also suffers from too much poor CGI and not enough practical effects that could have made the opening scenes even better.     

24 Days of LosMas- A Creature Was Stirring (2024)

 I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the tenth night, I am posting the 2024 horror comedy A Creature Was Stirring.

A Creature Was Stirring (2024)

24 Days of LosMas- Christmas Bloodbath (2024)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the ninth night, I am posting the 2024 horror comedy Christmas Bloodbath.

Christmas Bloodbath (2024)

Some random strangers are drawn to a holiday-themed museum where dolls and animatronics attack them. The survivors turn to the daughter of the attraction's owner for help, but it may not be enough to survive the night. Christmas Bloodbath is a 2024 horror-comedy directed by Michael Leo Centi and starring pretty much no one notable. The best way to describe this movie is to call it Troma-ish or Troma-like. The whole film has a low-budget feel, with a deliberate, amateurish goofiness. The special effects are not so special; the animatronics are just stop-motion toys and are far from scary. In many ways, this movie is trying to be a low-budget Five Nights at Freddy's, but comes across as something directed by Mark Polonia. Christmas Bloodbath has a great-looking poster and a terrific title, but the rest of the movie is Troma-level goofiness without a cameo from Lloyd Kaufman. 

24 Days of LosMas- Massacre on Aisle 12

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the eighth night, I am posting the 2016 horror comedy Massacre on Aisle 12.

Massacre on Aisle 12

Holiday horror movies set in stores make for a fun time as they often descend into murder sprees that can be played out for terror or for laughs. New employee Dave begins working at a hardware store during the holiday season. Dave's night gets interesting after a dead body and a large stash of cash are found. As the employees argue over what to do with the money, a series of accidents and misfortunes befall the staff as they try to resolve the situation. Massacre on Aisle 12 is a horror comedy directed by William Mark McCullough and Jim Klock. The movie is a single setting comedy with an assortment of characters who all dislike each other and have every reason to claim the money. During the standoff, secrets are revealed, and friendships are tested as a few workers lose their grip on reality. Massacre on Aisle 12 has some fun scenes that play on crime-movie stereotypes and clichés. While the movie is light on holiday cheer, it makes up for it with an entertaining storyline and occasional gory moments. 

24 Days of LosMas- Elves (2018)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the seventh night, I am posting the 2018 killer doll movie Elves.

Elves (2018)

A sort of sequel to the 2016 movie The Elf, only this time you have multiple elves that curse a group of friends who somehow end up dead once they notice the creepy ass dolls. The movie rips off the movie Truth or Dare, featuring a creepy smile that looks like cheap CGI or a Snapchat filter. The same weird smile motif would be better utilized in the superior 2022 film Smile. With its cliched plot, poor pacing, and underutilized acting, it is no wonder so many critics consider this one of the worst movies ever made. The killer dolls don't do much onscreen, and the silly smile effects make this film less scary and more of a bore. Even the movie poster will disappoint, as there are no cute killer elves; instead, just ugly rag dolls. Not much to recommend about this movie, and easily one of the worst films I have included in this holiday horror marathon 

24 Days of LosMas- Advent (2024)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the sixth night, I am posting the 2024 found footage movie Advent.

Advent (2024)

A young woman who investigates urban legends purchases a Krampus Advent Calendar online and decides to stream the daily challenges presented by each of the 24 doors. Ignoring the warnings of her cohost, she soon finds each task getting more complicated and taking darker steps that put her at risk from supernatural forces. Advent is an indie holiday horror movie directed by Airell Anthony Hayles and starring Rasina Alexander as Hayley Bell and Nicholas Vince as Professor Richard Hill. The movie is set up as a pseudo-documentary, with Professor Hill chronicling the events that lead to Hayley's tragic fate, as her cohost films her daily tasks. With much of the film presented in found footage, Advent plays out as a cautionary tale with the professor delivering the facts of the case and offering commentary on Haley's unfortunate journey. As with many horror films about cursed objects, the protagonist's poor choices and slow descent into ruin drive the plot of this surprisingly spooky tale. The use of a narrator and hand-drawn challenges adds to the movie's eerie feel and sets it apart from most other found-footage films that follow cliched shaky-cam narratives. 

24 Days of LosMas- Curtains for Christmas

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the fifth night, I am posting the 2024 horror comedy Curtains for Christmas.

Curtains for Christmas

We can thank Hallmark movies for completely perpetuating the myth of the perfect Christmas, usually involving a lonely lady who goes home to find her rustic yet ideal guy. It is no wonder we don't see too many parody movies made that mock these holiday abominations. Curtains for Christmas focuses on a Christmas-loving lady named Holly who wants to meet her perfect mate. With the help of an imaginary rat named Dominick, she has her heart set on a goofy guy named Jay who loves Christmas as much as she does. The problem is he's married, and that won't stop her from getting her man. Curtains for Christmas is a 2024 Horror comedy directed by Steve Rudzinski and starring Aleen Isley as Holly. As with his previous film, Amityville Christmas Vacation, Mr. Rudzinki plays a loveably goofy guy who is the object of Holly's affections. The real highlight is Dominick, the imaginary rat, whose voice channels Paul Lynd and provides a sickly-humorous inspiration for Holly's actions. Curtains for Christmas is a fun, goofy holiday horror movie that is a welcome addition to the genre and a great parody of Hallmark Christmas movies.   

24 Days of LosMas- Slay Ride (2024)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the fourth night, I am posting the 2024 home invasion slasher Slay Ride.

Slay Ride (2024)

One of the most controversial Christmas horror movies, Silent Night, Deadly Night, featured a man dressed as Santa murdering people, and it caused a national panic. Decades later, the idea of someone dressing as Santa and killing people is not much of a big deal these days. Slay Ride is a 2024 holiday home invasion movie directed and written by Olivia Dunkley, who also stars as Holly Woods. During the holiday season, a community is in fear as the Kris Kringle Killer is looking for another victim, and he has his target set on a woman named Holly Woods. After interrupting her family's Christmas Eve, Ms. Woods tries to protect her son and husband from the lunatic dressed as Santa, hell-bent on punishing her for being naughty. Slay Ride features a lunatic dressed as Santa punishing victims he deems naughty, and his last target is a woman who will be his 12th kill. Mitchel Gene Shira portrays the killer Santa, but his role seems underwhelming compared to other killer Santa's, as he lacks the gravitas of the actors in the first two Silent Night movies. The isolated, snowy setting adds to the story's tension, and the fight between the killer Santa and Holly makes for a better story than you might expect. The film does have a rather unexpected ending, and it's up to the audience to make their own mind. Slay Ride is neither the worst nor the best killer Santa movie, and it's likely to join the numerous other holiday horror movies on Tubi and other streaming services. 

24 Days of LosMas- Inside (2016)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the third night, I am posting the 2016 home invasion thriller Inside.

Inside (2016)

Pregnancy is one of the most beloved experiences a woman may look forward to; however, the risks involved are not the only fear a woman may face. A remake of the 2007 French Extreme film, Inside, has a pregnant widow on Christmas Eve being harassed and stalked by a mysterious woman who has dark intentions. After being drugged, she learns that the woman intends to steal her baby and make her pay for the loss she encountered. Inside is a 2016 home-invasion film directed by Miguel Ángel Vivas and starring Rachel Nichols and Laura Harring. One of many remakes of a foreign film, the 2007 French film Inside is a brutal, bloody home-invasion thriller that fans and critics consider one of the best, thanks to its intense plot. The American remake makes a few changes, and while it is less bloody, it ramps up the tension and proves just as harrowing as its French inspiration. Ms. Nichols delivers an excellent performance as the pregnant victim and shows as much depth as the French counterpart. Ms. Harring is terrifying in her role, and she proves to be one of the scariest villains seen in recent years. While the movie is not as well-regarded as the French original, it is pretty frightening and features notable changes that set it apart from the superior original. 

24 Days of LosMas- The Blackout (2009)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the second night, I am posting the 2009 creature feature The Blackout.

The Blackout (2009)

There are a number of horror films set in high-rise buildings, and most involve people trapped inside after a disaster or other dangerous event. How the survivors react and fight back often makes for a great story, but not every high-rise horror stands out. The Blackout is a 2009 film directed by Robert David Sanders and starring Barbara Streifel Sanders, Joseph Dunn, and Ian Malcolm. The events of the movie take place on Christmas Eve as the guests of a holiday party find themselves stalked by mysterious creatures that emerge from the basement of their building after a power outage traps them inside. The Blackout has a great premise and a cool monster with the potential for B-movie greatness, but the script isn't that good, and outside the monster scenes, it's dull, with characters you can't get into. The creature design does stand out and is clearly inspired by HR Giger, with its reptilian look and scorpion tail. The lack of a budget limits the creature scenes until the end, when CGI is used rather poorly. The rest of the movie does not match the creature design as it devolves into a boring creature feature that makes this movie rather forgettable—finding a copy of this movie made for a better story, as the movie I purchased was delayed by a Canadian postal strike that prevented me from including this movie in the 2024 LosMas watch. 

Goodfellas

 

Violent Shit 4.0

 

The Tenant

 

Herod's Law

 

Monster

 

Pawn Sacrifice

 

The Veil

 

We Need To Talk About Kevin

 

Molly's Game

 

Dune

 

Violent Shit III

 

Smokin’ Aces

 

Georgetown

 

Tales of the Black Freighter

 

24 Days of LosMas- Prime Evil (1988)

I will be posting Christmas-themed horror films over the next 24 days of LosMas; for the first night, I am posting the 1988 demonic horror film Prime Evil .

Prime Evil

In New York City, a coven of monks who worship the devil begins to kidnap women for sacrifice as they prepare a sacrifice to call for the arrival of the anti-Christ during the Christmas holiday season. One of the women becomes the center of their attention as the leader of the coven sees her as the perfect vessel to carry the demonic spawn. Prime Evil is a 1988 film directed by Roberta Findlay and starring William Beckwith, Tim Gail, Christine Moore, and Mavis Harris. Prime Evil has a plot that sounds more like a 1970s horror knockoff of The Exorcist or Rosemary's Baby, but with the look of an 1980s movie with the fashion and hairstyles of the day. The film has a sleazy exploitation feel that borrows from the era's Satanic panic fears, but not enough to carry it through its slow pacing and tedious dialogue scenes. Prime Evil was not well known at the time of its release and is now mostly found on box sets of obscure horror films. Despite this, the movie does feature an ending that makes up for the slow pacing with an orgy and a crazy birth scene.

The End of Man

 

Warning Shot

 

American Made

 

High Crimes

 

One Missed Call 2

 

Hugo

 

Embodiment of Evil

 

Incident at Loch Ness

 

Sister Street Fighter

 

Blood and Black Lace

 

La Femme Nikita

 

Return of the Street Fighter

 

The Street Fighter

 

Phone

 

Why We Fight

 

In Cold Blood

 

Burn, Witch Burn

 

Possum

 

Inside

 

Night of the Living Dead: Re-Animation

 

A Quiet Place Day One

 

X-Ray

 

The Omen

 

The Number 23