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