Christmas Bloody Christmas
Christmas Bloody Christmas
Starring Riley Dandy, Sam Delich, Jonah Ray, Abraham Benrubi
Directed by Joe Begos
Starring Riley Dandy, Sam Delich, Jonah Ray, Abraham Benrubi
Directed by Joe Begos
Tis the season to gather the family around the television, watch some classic Christmas movies like "White Christmas" and "A Christmas Story" before you put the little kiddos to sleep after putting out milk and cookies for jolly ole Saint Nick, and once the wee ones are asleep it's time for you to watch your own brand of Christmas movies - "Black Christmas," "Silent Night Deadly Night," and now "Christmas Bloody Christmas," the antithesis to all things holly and jolly. Christmastime might be remembered for bringing families together and celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, but the horror industry has taken this holy holiday and crafted their own unique brand of holiday horror for decades now, and while "Christmas Bloody Christmas" won't really be remembered years from now, it's still a fun, blood-soaked good time for its short runtime.
The US Defense Department spent billions of dollars to craft robotic Santas, but they're getting recalled from toy stores because they have a little glitch - they go berserk and turn into unstoppable killing machines. Yet store owner Tori (Riley Dandy) doesn't know this yet. She just wants to get through the holiday and possibly go on a date with a guy she met on Tinder, but her employee Robbie (Sam Delich) has different ideas - he has a crush on her, and wants to take her out on the town getting totally plastered, which Tori agrees to. Meanwhile, one of the recalled Santas (Abraham Benrubi) comes to life in a toy shop down the street and starts his blood-soaked carnage, and unbeknownst to Tori and Robbie, their night of drunken debauchery could end in their untimely demise.
I have an appreciation for low budget horror films, because they're not done to generate billions of dollars of income, but rather it's the director's passion piece: something he (or she) wants to show the world from their own unique depraved mind. They don't have a big budget for CGI spectacle, so they settle for the tried and true art of practical effects, and as films like "Terrifier 2" has shown, people still love the classics. No cheesy computer effects, but grounded (albeit often unrealistic) effects like a person's skull getting crushed underfoot or someone's neckbone protruding from their neck offer a feel that doesn't come when it's done on a computer. "Christmas Bloody Christmas" is one such film, a gleeful blend of "Terminator" and "Silent Night Deadly Night" that doesn't take itself too seriously, and for an under 90-minute runtime, also doesn't overstay its welcome.
That's not to say this is a great film, but it's one that you can sense the heart behind it. Not only did Joe Begos direct it, but he also produced and wrote it, showcasing his desire to see it come to life. Still, it seems like the script itself was about half a page, with the actors ad-libbing through their performances and trying to upstage the other by how shrill and loud they can get to the point where I don't even know what they're talking about. That's especially true with Tori and Robbie, who's banter is supposed to come off as charming and flirty, but feels like nails on a chalkboard most of the time, and when the Santa hits the fan, it only escalates with Tori's continued screaming and shouting to the point where I think actress Riley Dandy lost her voice with how shrill she sounds. Still, you feel drawn to the characters because this is how they seemingly come across in their normal lives, and while you probably wouldn't wish to be friends with them, you can't deny their enigmatic energy.
Begos encapsulates the 70's grindhouse exploitative B-rated feel, as he shot the movie with classic 16mm film, giving it a gritty and dark feel that leaves you reminiscent of watching those classic horror movies late at night on USA's "Up All Night." This also allows the colors to vividly pop and give off a sense of continual dread as the red and greens that we associate with peace and love are now connected with fear and blood, bathing the film in an unnatural glow that also adds to the tension.
Horror films all too often try to explain away the Boogeyman to its own detriment, but not "Christmas Bloody Christmas." There's no philosophical debates about the dangers of artificial intelligence, or even why the Department of Defense would fund money to make toy store Santa displays - they do it just because. And that's all we need to know. Because we don't come into a horror film expecting high-brow story, but for the low-brow gory, and Begos doesn't disappoint. It's not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it'll do for a (dys)fun(tional) family time together.
The Score: C+
The US Defense Department spent billions of dollars to craft robotic Santas, but they're getting recalled from toy stores because they have a little glitch - they go berserk and turn into unstoppable killing machines. Yet store owner Tori (Riley Dandy) doesn't know this yet. She just wants to get through the holiday and possibly go on a date with a guy she met on Tinder, but her employee Robbie (Sam Delich) has different ideas - he has a crush on her, and wants to take her out on the town getting totally plastered, which Tori agrees to. Meanwhile, one of the recalled Santas (Abraham Benrubi) comes to life in a toy shop down the street and starts his blood-soaked carnage, and unbeknownst to Tori and Robbie, their night of drunken debauchery could end in their untimely demise.
I have an appreciation for low budget horror films, because they're not done to generate billions of dollars of income, but rather it's the director's passion piece: something he (or she) wants to show the world from their own unique depraved mind. They don't have a big budget for CGI spectacle, so they settle for the tried and true art of practical effects, and as films like "Terrifier 2" has shown, people still love the classics. No cheesy computer effects, but grounded (albeit often unrealistic) effects like a person's skull getting crushed underfoot or someone's neckbone protruding from their neck offer a feel that doesn't come when it's done on a computer. "Christmas Bloody Christmas" is one such film, a gleeful blend of "Terminator" and "Silent Night Deadly Night" that doesn't take itself too seriously, and for an under 90-minute runtime, also doesn't overstay its welcome.
That's not to say this is a great film, but it's one that you can sense the heart behind it. Not only did Joe Begos direct it, but he also produced and wrote it, showcasing his desire to see it come to life. Still, it seems like the script itself was about half a page, with the actors ad-libbing through their performances and trying to upstage the other by how shrill and loud they can get to the point where I don't even know what they're talking about. That's especially true with Tori and Robbie, who's banter is supposed to come off as charming and flirty, but feels like nails on a chalkboard most of the time, and when the Santa hits the fan, it only escalates with Tori's continued screaming and shouting to the point where I think actress Riley Dandy lost her voice with how shrill she sounds. Still, you feel drawn to the characters because this is how they seemingly come across in their normal lives, and while you probably wouldn't wish to be friends with them, you can't deny their enigmatic energy.
Begos encapsulates the 70's grindhouse exploitative B-rated feel, as he shot the movie with classic 16mm film, giving it a gritty and dark feel that leaves you reminiscent of watching those classic horror movies late at night on USA's "Up All Night." This also allows the colors to vividly pop and give off a sense of continual dread as the red and greens that we associate with peace and love are now connected with fear and blood, bathing the film in an unnatural glow that also adds to the tension.
Horror films all too often try to explain away the Boogeyman to its own detriment, but not "Christmas Bloody Christmas." There's no philosophical debates about the dangers of artificial intelligence, or even why the Department of Defense would fund money to make toy store Santa displays - they do it just because. And that's all we need to know. Because we don't come into a horror film expecting high-brow story, but for the low-brow gory, and Begos doesn't disappoint. It's not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination, but it'll do for a (dys)fun(tional) family time together.
The Score: C+
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