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First Viewing Plot: It's Christmas Eve and Tori just wants to get drunk and party, but when a robotic Santa Claus at a nearby toy store goes haywire and begins a rampant killing spree through her small town, she's forced into a desperate battle for survival.

Santa slasher movies set at Christmastime are nothing new, as we've seen serial killers dressed as jolly old Saint Nicolas in cult flicks like Silent Night, Deadly Night (plus its sequels) and Christmas Evil, among many others. The latest feature from wunderkind director Joe Begos (VFW, Bliss), Christmas Bloody Christmas essentially amounts to another Santa slasher movie...but with an unstoppable killer robot as opposed to a disgruntled psychopath who hates the festive season. In this sense, it's more like The Terminator than Silent Night, Deadly Night. Those familiar with Begos's work will know what to expect here, as his cinematic aesthetic remains unchanged: grainy 16mm cinematography, gory practical effects, neon lighting, an 80s-inspired visual style, and a moody synth score. The movie definitely earns its R rating, too, and it's even verging on NC-17 territory - there are plenty of creatively gory and vicious kill scenes throughout. Whereas most slashers meander from one victim to the next, there's more momentum to Christmas Bloody Christmas, which primarily stays with the character of Tori throughout the entire movie as the events happen around her. Consequently, there's more momentum and tension, particularly since Begos is a legitimately good filmmaker who doesn't simply rely on the gory special effects to see him through. Indeed, there is far more editorial and directorial skill throughout Christmas Bloody Christmas than all the other Santa slashers combined. It's relentlessly thrilling and fast-paced, but Begos also knows when to call it quits; the 87-minute running time feels perfect, and the movie doesn't outstay its welcome. The performance by Riley Dandy as Tori also deserves a mention; she truly throws herself into the character with spectacular results, handling the different emotions and sides to the role with confidence. Christmas Bloody Christmas is a gritty and grimy low-budget Christmas horror ride, and it's an immediate cult classic in my books. It's a Shudder Original but I hope it's one of their originals which gets a physical release on Blu-ray so I can watch it in superior quality every festive season.

First Viewing Plot: Somebody with very little Christmas spirit is killing anyone in a Santa suit one London holiday season, and Scotland Yard has to stop him before he makes his exploits an annual tradition.

Another change of pace in my eclectic selection of Christmas movies for this year, here we have a British slasher movie set around Christmastime which involves a serial killer murdering people in Santa suits. This is an often sleazy and grimy horror movie with gory kills and nudity, and it won't do much to get you into the Christmas spirit. As far as slasher movies go, the movie does have its charms, but there are a few sequences which feel too downright mean-spirited. There isn't much in the way of suspense or tension during the kill scenes, and the acting is pretty disappointing across the board with a few exceptions. It also seems unlikely that people would still walk around London at night wearing Santa outfits when the string of murders is still happening and the killer hasn't been caught - surely the police would issue some kind of ban to stem the killings. Admittedly, the insight into the killer's backstory towards the end of the film is interesting, though the lack of a conclusion is deeply disappointing. This one is a mixed bag all up.

First Viewing Plot: Nell, Simon, and their son Art are ready to welcome friends and family for what promises to be a perfect Christmas gathering. Perfect except for one thing: everyone is going to die.

I had no idea what to expect from this one, but I'm glad I gave it a shot. This is an apocalyptic British Christmas film, with the characters enjoying one last Christmas together before they commit suicide using government-manufacture pills which were issued in response to a poison gas that's killing everyone in its path. So, yes, don't expect much in the way of Christmas cheer in Silent Night, and the second half of the movie, in particular, is full of a pervasive and almost intoxicating sense of dread as the horrors begin to unfold. The actors are exceptional across the board and there is ample dark comedy scattered throughout, plus the British flavour makes the movie more interesting. However, there are major problems with the pacing, and the script also has an agenda to push about climate change which is conveyed with the subtlety of a shotgun. Having an apocalyptic event is fine, but it becomes text rather than subtext when the characters openly criticise the government and bemoan not voting for the greens. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.

First Viewing Plot: Rey leaves her friends to prepare for Life Day as she sets off on an adventure to gain a deeper knowledge of the Force. At a mysterious temple, she is hurled into a cross-timeline adventure. Will she make it back in time for Life Day?

It would almost be pointless for me to criticize various aspects of The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special, as its inherent shortcomings are totally by design. It's incredibly silly and goofy, and the plot is nothing more than an excuse to re-enact iconic Star Wars moments with a bit of added humour, plus it lacks the gravitas we come to expect from Star Wars. Indeed, this Disney+ special looks overly childish and inadequate after the release of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special which genuinely feels like an extension of the movies, rather than a cheap made-for-TV distraction with cheaper actors doing their best impressions of more expensive actors. (Only Anthony Daniels and Billy Dee Williams reprise their roles from the movies in this special.) But I can't deny that I had some fun with this one; it still manages to stay afloat and it has its charms. The animation is impressive in every scene, and the mash-up of various characters from past and present is enjoyable. It's certainly a damn sight better than the infamous Holiday Special from the 1970s. This won't become an annual tradition, but I don't regret watching it.

First Viewing Plot: A Christmas-loving lawyer's obsession with bringing Christmas cheer to all sparks a conflict with the local Homeowners' Association who believe his planned holiday extravaganza violates their neighborhood rules.

It may be difficult for some to assess this documentary without bringing in their personal feelings on the matter. As a documentary film, 'Twas the Fight Before Christmas is extremely sound, as it's slickly presented, it doesn't appear to take sides, and it's well-edited, moving quickly through the interviews and keeping the pace agreeably brisk. The array of archival footage throughout the feature is also worthwhile, with the movie even delving back into the childhood of the man at the centre of all the controversy, and there are home videos of him decorating his family home at an early age. But the topic is going to be an extremely divisive one, and some people are going to have trouble watching the movie when the main character is essentially the villain. Personally, I found it difficult to take sides as I felt that both parties acted appallingly, and this behaviour is presented for us to see. (It makes me wonder if anything was excluded for being too extreme; surely there are more confrontations to see.) I wouldn't say that this movie is excellent festive viewing as it might not get you in the mood for Christmas, but it was a fun change of pace to watch a documentary like this as part of this year's Yuletide line-up. If the subject matter interests you, it's worth the watch.

First Viewing Plot: After falling out of his sleigh, Santa suffers a case of amnesia on the eve of his busiest season. His only hope is a jaded TV reporter.

A Disney TV movie from the year 2000, Santa Who? is a pleasant and enjoyable festive movie which is neither good enough to become an annual tradition, nor bad enough to be genuinely abhorrable. It occupies that middle ground, and I'm glad I was able to unearth this one for this year's line-up - I had no idea it existed until it was mentioned in a YouTube video, and the idea of Leslie Nielsen as Santa Claus was intriguing. (And, yes, I know he was Santa in All I Want For Christmas, which I watched last year and can barely remember.) Leslie is good fun in the role of Santa and there are ample laughs throughout the movie. It's also brisk and maintains an agreeable tone, making it a fun sit for the unfussy viewers. The special effects are decidedly hit-and-miss, which is to be expected for a TV movie of this vintage, and it is a clichéd affair with nothing much that we haven't seen before. Still, I don't regret watching this, even if I don't intend to seek it out again in the future.

First Viewing Plot: When a pair of bumbling crooks hijack the Harrington and Sons toy store, a pair of kids stumble into the heist and are forced to team up with a female security officer to save Christmas.

Holy fuck, this one is a turkey. The Australian streaming service Stan. has started producing one Australian Christmas movie per year since 2020, starting with the pretty good A Sunburnt Christmas. Christmas Ransom is their latest festive offering, and it's also their worst to date, making me question their current strategy. A broad, studiously unfunny and poorly scripted mess of a film, it plays out like a student movie which was made by 'quirky' friends who consider each other hilarious. When even the fart jokes don't land, you know something is seriously wrong. The problem is that the movie doesn't take the story seriously, and the humour feels incredibly forced. It doesn't help that every scene is written like a low-grade SNL sketch and it feels specifically tailored to children. There's nothing wrong with a children's movie, but the execution is disastrous, with people constantly mugging the camera, including the director herself playing a hostage negotiator, whose attempts at humour are the cringiest in the entire movie. (I originally assumed it was a friend of the director who had a role made for them... it made sense when I learned it was actually the director.) Attempts at poignancy and heart are extremely half-hearted, and the movie squanders the opportunity for amusing fights against the crooks holding everybody ransom. Indeed, the resulting set-piece is utterly boring and poorly staged. It never feels like the characters are in any danger because the crooks are so incompetent, and not in a funny way, which also comes down to the blocking and misé-en-scene. There are recycled jokes and gags which don't land, including smoldering looks between two characters who like each other, which again makes this film feel like the work of friends who think they're hilarious. When even the outtakes fail to raise the slightest laugh in me, something is seriously wrong. Skip this dogshit.

First Viewing Plot: A young boy named Nicholas is about to become the next Santa Claus, but must first avoid a crisis that's threatening the magic of Christmas before he can succeed in his new role.

This sequel to Santa's Apprentice picks up directly after the first movie, and I have to admit that I got a big kick out of seeing these characters again after growing to like them so much. The resulting narrative, however, is slightly hit-and-miss, and I didn't find it as involving or as interesting as the first movie - the split focus, in particular, is a bit of an issue. Nevertheless, there are ample charms to this festive animated flick, which still looks absolutely gorgeous and clocks in at under 70 minutes, not including credits. I wouldn't say that this is an essential Christmas movie, but I could see myself doing a double feature of Santa's Apprentice and The Magic Snowflake around Christmastime in the future.

First Viewing Plot: In a European farming village, an orphaned boy named Nicholas enjoys making toys for children to give as presents for Christmas. When a local carpenter lets Nicholas indulge in his hobby and build his skills, Nicholas hatches ambitious plans for Christmas.

I can already hear the internal groans at the prospect of another movie tackling the Santa Claus lore and providing an origin story for the jolly old fat man. Much to my surprise, with a welcome European flavour, 2007's Christmas Story is a superb take on the Santa Claus legend - warm, enjoyable, funny and touching, with a lived-in world and wonderful characters. At no point did I ever suspect a Santa origins movie would make me feel emotion, but I actually shed some tears during this one, which gives you an idea of how effective the execution truly is. Even more miraculous is that the movie is quite short at 80 minutes but doesn't feel rushed or underdone, nor does it drag or waste any screen-time. Admittedly, Santa's transformation into a magical being happens without the audience, but it's this mystique which makes the legend so intriguing, and the movie is more about the characters surrounding Nicholas and their experiences with him. Indeed, rather than a mere fantasy movie, this is a movie about real people, and that's where it soars. I wholly recommend this movie and I intend to revisit it - and not just at Christmastime. This one comes highly recommended, but don't watch the dubbed version...track down the original Finnish version. It's worth it.

First Viewing Plot: An old bitter miser is given a chance for redemption when he is haunted by three ghosts on Christmas Eve.

I've seen so many incarnations of this same story on-screen before that I've honestly lost count, and this 2004 made-for-TV adaptation can't escape that pervasive feeling of familiarity which is inevitable when it comes to Charles Dickens' festive tale. Nevertheless, with the reliably brilliant Kelsey Grammer taking on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, and with this adaptation being created as a musical full of original songs, it is executed just well enough to justify its existence and ensure it's worth watching. Naturally, this Christmas Carol lacks cinematic gravitas and looks like a cheap TV movie which is a shame, but the songs are memorable and well-performed, and the actors all commit to the material. I can't say I was bored and I don't regret watching it.

First Viewing Plot: A Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park in west Chicago face what may be their last Christmas together.

I hadn't even heard of this movie until it appeared while I was perusing movies randomly, and it seemed like a good option based on the IMDb rating and the cast even though I'd never heard of it before. However, put simply, this is one of the most perfunctory family Christmas dramas I've ever seen. Although it runs a relatively short 98 minutes, it feels almost double that length, and I kept mentally checking out while the movie was still playing but never felt like I missed anything significant. It's lacking in proper substance, and I had trouble identifying members of the family during given scenes because their personalities meld together. There are some fine actors here, including Alfred Molina, but the material fails to serve them and each new plot complication feels as perfunctory as the last. It wants to be a hard-hitting drama dealing with serious issues, but it's just not done in an interesting or involving way. It was a nice change to see Christmas from the perspective of a Puerto Rican family, however. Alas, hours after watching this one, it's already fading from my memory and I never intend to rewatch it.