Review: Two Short Steve Rudzinski Films: Amityville Christmas Vacation; Red Christmas

Two Short Steve Rudzinski Films: Amityville Christmas Vacation; Red Christmas
Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet, unless indicated
Both these films are available for free at www.tubitv.com

Amityville Christmas Vacation
Directed by Steve Rudzinski
Silver Spotlight Films
47 minutes, 2022
www.silverspotlightfilms.com
www.stevebuster.com

I have enjoyed so many of Steve Rudzinski’s films. I know that the man, who is the King of Cosplay and not a Christian, is a fanatic for Christmas all year around, so the fact that this is a day late, should not matter. He also has a habit of putting his films up for free on Tubi, and for that I am grateful. I have reviewed most of them (just search my blog for his name).

When glancing at the title of this under-and-hour ditty, which combines two different previous film titles, you have to know it is a horror comedy, as that is Rudzinski’s wheelhouse on most occasions.

Bringing back his not-overly-smart role of police officer and man-child Wally Griswold from his successful Meowy franchise (also on Tubi), Rudzinski’s character has seemly “won” a trip to “sunny Amityville”. Anyone with a brain would know it was some kind of scam, but Wally is a joyful optimist, the perfect attribute for a police officer. But he excitedly tells Whiskers (Gizmo Cat, Rudzinski’s real pet) of his plans, thus giving the viewer some exposition.

The exterior of the Amityville house is a cool 3D printer construction, and the inside is most likely Rudzinski’s real home (or a friend’s, perhaps). This also leads to a really funny joke that I will not give away. Actually, there are many “under the breath” jokes that are worth paying attention.

Wally is told by the prize agent, Samantha (Marci Leigh), that he is not the only “guest” in the house and, of course, it is a murderous ghost, amusingly named Jessica D’Angelo (Aleen Isley). But they seem to hit it off, which reminded me of another film with a man in love with a female ghost that is worth checking out, A Ghost Waits (2020). 

This was obviously filmed during COVID, as only four of the characters intertwine: Wall, Jessica, Samantha and a ghost hunter, conveniently named Creighton Spook (Scott Lewis). All the others are either on Zoom, such as ghost caseworker Zelda (Autumn Ivy), and by phone, such as Wally’s friend and fellow cop, Rick (Ben Dietels, who was so fun in a 2017 film he also directed, Slaughter Drive), a regularly appearing character in the Meowy series. Others are obviously shot separate and then edited together (i.e., single shots, going back and forth).

This is definitely a hyper, over-acted (purposefully) film with a heart, as are all the Meowy releases, and it is a nice way to share the holidays with someone you love. No real violence (though threats of it), with a solid PG rating level. My only complaint is that Rudzinski does not release enough films, in my opinion.

IMBD listing HERE https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22168286/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 

Red Christmas (aka Dead Christmas)
Directed by Steve Rudzinski
Silver Spotlight Films
55 minutes, 2014
www.silverspotlightfilms.com
www.stevebuster.com

While this has been out for nearly a decade, its Holiday theme makes it a good companion to review with Amityville Christmas Vacation, above.

Tara (Amie Wrenn, who is the voice of Whiskers the Cat in the Meowy franchise), as she states right off, is a premeditative torturer and serial killer of men: she gives the reason, but it is not what you may infer. She selects the guys, and then does her “thing.”

Done found footage style (some hand-held, most mounted), Tara video records her history of mass murder (which actually sounds plausible), her plan to – er – execute the tricking of a man to come to her house, as her next victim, and then the capture. Oh, and the subsequent actions once Bill (Seth Murphy, who was a hoot as MC Pink in 2012’s Everyone Must Die!) is under her control.

Technically, one can see increments of this as being considered a horror comedy, and there are certain parts that truly made me laugh (one is in the trailer, below), but mostly there is a level of torture/body horror that is inescapable, especially for once it begins.

And yeah, it is quite gross, bloody, and painful. The SFX, however, look great. I definitely winched a few times. And what happens when a third party comes by with an axe named Axe (Shawn Shelpman)? Betcha didn’t see that comin’, did ya?

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Christmas Cruelty!

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Christmas Cruelty! (aka O’Hellige Jul!)
Directed by Per-Ingvar Tomren, with Magne Steinsvoll
Stonewall Productions; Unearthed Films; MVD Visual
96 minutes, 2013 / 2022
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063498340661&ref=bookmarks
www.unearthedfilms.com
www.MVDvisual.com

Norway is known for the fjords, nice people, social equity (though debatable Sami/Indigenous relations), and snow. So much like Canada. Anyway, I have reviewed a few Norwegian films lately, and they were mostly stylish and arty. But there is a dark side, represented by the likes of Krampus Day (December 5), days filled with no or little sunlight, and the Vikings, who were known for their barbarism (among many other things). Note that this film is in Norwegian with English subtitles.

Right from the start, this film lives up to its name with an ultraviolent and transgressive prologue, fading into the backstory. Also, one of the first things the viewer will notice is that the film has a brownish-yellow tint to it.

Krampus masks: Magne Steinsvoll, Per-Ingvar Tomren, Eilne Aasheim

We meet three friends who are making Krampus masks, giving exposition to just who or what the Krampus is and the story behind it, as well as other Christmas fable baddies. There is Eilne (Eilne Aasheim), Magne (Magne Steinsvoll), and Per-Ingvar (director Per-Ingvar Tomren). Per-Ingvar is wheelchair bound and thanks to an accident, not of full mind, but he is kind; Magne is a toxic masculinist asshole who treats Per-Ingvar badly and has nothing positive to say about women. Eilne is the strongest of the three, and personally, I cannot see why she has not dumped Magne as a friend.

Tormond Lein (left0

In another scene, we meet our Santa serial killer (Tormod Lein), a middle-aged and balding office worker and family man. The film shows his fractured personality by very fast (and for me, nauseating) edits. The viewer is also introduced a bit to his mindset, which is full of violence and carnality. His grooming of his young daughter to carry on after him is chilling. Ironically, Lein is a devout Christian, and would not watch the film once it was released, even though he performed all the acts of wanton killing.

In a brief shot of his desk, we see a snow globe that has a frozen Jack Nicholson from The Shining (1980). There are actually a lot of references to many other films throughout, sometimes in images and others in actions, such as Jaws (1975), The Big Lebowski (1998) and Goodfellas (1990), which could be a drinking game.

After the shocking opening, the film, well, it lulls for way too long. Too much talking and lingering on scenes of dialogue that can be considered exposition, but actually do nothing to really advance the story much, and was a chore for this particular viewer. But it did not build tension and I really fought the desire to skip ahead, though since there were subtitles, I did occasionally go to double speed, especially during an extended drunken scene between the three friends. Honestly, this film could have been a good 20 minutes shorter and have been just as effective.

Tomren, Aasheim

Both our trio of – whatever they are – and the nameless killer are seen preparing for Christmas, but in wholeheartedly different ways, though all will end up at the same party, for better or mostly worse.

Once the unnamed madman starts on his rampage, though, which comes quite unexpectedly even though it is predictable that it will happen at some point, the sheer velocity of it makes the third act ramp up to 12, never mind 11. It is actually hard to look away, though perhaps for others, they might have the opposite reaction. The SFX sometimes looks cartoonish, but the actions themselves are so brutal that it actually overrides that. I would say if you watch the film, and want to view it a second time as I did, I watched the first 10 minutes and then skipped to the 1-hour mark.

Steinsvoll

Now, as for the bonus material. Unearthed Films tends to overload the Blu-rays with features, which is kinda cool in my opinion. It starts with a full-length commentary with Per-Ingvar Tomren and producer/cinematographer Raymond Volle. For some reason, the volume was quite low and even turning it way up, I had trouble hearing it; could be my age, seeing bands like the Ramones too many times, or they were just too far from the damn microphone. Again, I watched the first 10 and final 30 minutes with the commentary on, which was interesting. Next is yet another full-length commentary titled “Watch-a-long with Flesh Wound Horror,” where Tomren talks with, well, the person behind FWH. He was mic’d fine, but Tomren, again, was too far from the recorder, so I did the same 10/30 spiel.

One of the major additions is the “How Cruelty Changed Our Lives” featurette, which is broken up into three parts. Sorry, I just did not have the patience to watch all of them. Over the opening credits of the film proper, there is a scene at a bar and the band the Last Rebels are playing on stage. Here we get the music video for their song, “Endless Highway” (not a C&W song). “Interview with Morten Haagensen” (7 min), who runs the Rama Skrik film fest in Norway, follows as he discusses this film playing there in 2013, including the reaction of the audience. It makes sense what comes next is a “Press Conference” (23 min), also in 2013. It consists of most of the major cast, the directors, cinematographer, SFX, etc. Again, the sound is a bit low, but that is okay here as it is held in Norwegian with English subtitles.

“The Blooper Reel” (7 min) is amusing in parts, and then there are the Teaser Trailer and Photo Gallery. The final is a short film, “Tradisjon” (Tradition) (2013; 6 min), directed by Severin Eskeland. It is also holiday themed, and my mouth watered a bit when during the credits they show some krumkake, but I digress… I was not quite sure where this was going, and it certainly didn’t go where I thought it would, but I just loved it.

If you are a gorehound, you really do need to see Christmas Cruelty! at least once, because the violence is both gruesome and beautiful at the same time. If your idea of extreme is the Marvel Universe, however, yeah, step back and take a breather on this one.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: The Leech

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

The Leech
Directed by Eric Pennycoff
Doomcroak Pictures; Arrow Video
82 minutes, 2022
www.arrow-player.com.

This is a Holiday film (in this case Christmas) that will not make it to the Hallmark Channel. Supposedly, the holiday represents love and profits, but the New Testament is built on the Old Testament, which is filled with fire, brimstone, and a whole lot of violence. This release dips into the themes of both books.

The film also delves into other motifs, such as the power of charity for both good and evil, and (in my opinion), the absence of reality in faith-belief. If you are still reading, let us start this rolling.

Graham Skipper

The church run by Father David (Graham Skipper, who was also in 2019’s Aliens, Clowns and Geeks), is struggling to find parishioners, which in the real world is actually becoming a problem for local houses of worship outside of the mega churches and their fear mongering diatribes (yes, and profits). The “lack” is shown brilliantly in the opening shot of the church steps, with its snow unbroken by feet entering the building, while the good father is sermonizing.

This sermon actually is important because it sets up the whole concept of charity, and what it means to the priest. I will also note that it is interesting that the few parishioners are faceless in the dim light, and we see only their backs as they silently glide, ghost-like, out of the church without even acknowledging David. Holiday cheer is certainly not present. Less than four minutes in, and I am already impressed.

Jeremy Gardner

When he meets ramshackle Terry (Jeremy Gardner), David is put into a situation where he needs to live up to what he literally preaches, and tries to help Terry out, but they find out that Terry’s girlfriend, Lexi (dimpley Taylor Zaudtke) has thrown him out, leaving his clothes out on the lawn. David offers him to stay the night with him at his deceased mom’s home. Terry, with a bit of a Southern drawl, has absolutely no filters on what he says, and starts to take advantage of David right from the start (“Mind if I smoke?” Terry states as he lights up in the car, not waiting for a response, as an example). The visit is intended for one night, for him to reconnect with Lexi the next day. But the film’s title says otherwise.

Ironically, Terry’s long hair and beard are reminiscent of the classic Jesus image, but he is more inclined to cause some ruckus overturning tables in the temple than healing the sick. He is definitely a house pest more than a house guest, chain smoking (after being asked not to do so) and blasting his boom box in the middle of the night. You know the type. And when his equally repulsive ex-, Lexi, who has been evicted (surprise surprise) shows up, David is in quite the quandary, allowing these two losers and abusers to stay with him for the Holidays, out of charity. In this case, he probably should have called for back-up (Bishop? social services? police?) in some form.

Watching this unfolding is the church pianist, Rigo (Rigo Garay), who seems a bit overwhelmed by the two, which is understandable, especially after some racist comments by our good ole boy. If this couple even thought about voting, you know which side of the aisle they would choose.

Taylor Zaudtke

At some point, I was a bit pissed at David. He concedes too often and too easily. For example, he lets himself get involved in a drinking game, when he is not interested. Screw that. I have been to plenty of parties where they wanted me to drink (academics and wine are nearly synonymous), and as I do not drink (uninterested), I did not. David should have had that will of character.

There are so many (purposefully, I am assuming) cringy moments throughout the whole film, but especially by the things done and said by the couple from hell (pun intended). And yet, I have definitely met people who were like this, I just did not invite them into my life, or on the rare occasion, had to get them out of my spectrum.

There is a lot of sermonizing at the beginning as David struggles with the lack of funds due to lack of attendance at the church (the Catholic church is the richest religious organization in the world, but treats its poorer churches as dead weight and closes them; this is not a screed against the Catholic church, just a statement of fact; I am opposed to all religious financial organizations), and a good-hearted leaning toward helping his fellow humans especially during Yuletide, but that just makes what happens all the more intense. The sermonizing is less a proselytizing point, but a device to show David’s state of mind, and how far he will travel in his own path.

Of course, there comes a tipping point (after all, it is the third act of a psychological horror film), and David has been wrestling with the Angel (Jesus and Rigo) on one shoulder, and the Devil (Terry and Lexi) on the other. The escalation is obvious, and wonderous, making this a magical time of year, especially during a psychotic break from reality

My one complaint is that – and it is not very often – the image is really dark and hard to make out, such as after the “Never Have I Ever” game. I realize it symbolizes the darkness and toxicity that is brought on by Terry and Lexi on David’s spirit and belief system, but it nulls out because it is visually unclear.

The cast is small at four speaking parts, which is not surprising considering it was shot during the height of the Covid pandemic (you heard me), in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We do not get to see much of the town, as nearly everything takes place either in the church or David’s home, but the film is a spirited experience of psychological Holiday horror and breakdowns.

IMDB listing HERE

Horror Shorts Reviews for December 2021

Horror Shorts Reviews for December 2021

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Filmmakers, please note: usually, I do not review films (unless requested) that appear on sites like Alter and Screamfest, because they have a known platform, which is great, while I would rather focus on films with no sponsored online affiliations.

The Bellringer
Directed by Cindy Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers; Uncanny Pictures
7:47 minutes, 2021
One of a film challenge taken up by Stenberg to direct three shorts in two days. Ends up it has won multiple awards. It’s easy to understand why. To get over a writer’s block to finish a novel about a haunting, Jessica (Jessie Lewis Skoglund) rents a bungalow that is in the center of many others that are similar (I so want to visit the real place, with camera in hand, because it is incredibly atmospheric). The inside of the cabin looks up to date, but the outside is full of faded wood, fog, and darkness. After a bit of a slow start that is help by some incredibly detailed camerawork and editing, Jessica starts seeing a woman in a cloak (Annika Forslund Rimbléus) ringing a bell as she walks among the buildings. There is no question the ringer is up to no good. It's the cat and mouse action that will definitely keep the tension strong. Also, the make-up on the bellringer is stunning, among other well done SFX by Sana Öhlund. The darkness and the fog keep the mood tense and nerve-wracking. Beautifully done.
Full film HERE 

Blunda
Directed by Fredrik Hellqvist
Hellfilm; DBoy Productions
9:02 minutes, 2021
What produces recurring nightmares that cause night terrors? That is the question Vanja (Inés Cherif) brings to Professor von Ranck (Henry Lodin) at a clinic in this spooky short from Sweden (with English subtitles; the title means to shut one’s eyes). With slow, wispy dissonant music behind the images, Vanja is hypnotized as we follow her on her dream path into the presence of something that seems evil, Marasiten (Olle Åkesson). The film is just the right length to keep the audience compelled without overreaching, which is just what the (sleep) doctor ordered. Bathed in blue light, you can feel for Vanja and her dilemma, and the almost condescending confidence of the professor in the reasoning. A really enjoyable watch that will creep you out.
Trailer HERE 

 

Crayons
Directed by Cindy Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers
5:02 minutes, 2021
Another part of the three shorts in two days project, this incredibly fun film shows a woman (Jessie Lewis Skoglund) on a walk. Partway through a railroad underpass, she finds some crayon scrawled and a box of large pieces of chalk. She draws something, which comes into existence. From there it escalates to bigger and better, until greed gets the upper hand for which there is a price. This is a fun story from beginning to end, even though it was quickly shot, and it shows some really fine filmmaking skills. My only question, and I say this with a smile, who handles chalk that size while wearing black cloth gloves? Anyway, so worth the view.
Full film HERE 

 

Face Mask
Directed by Dan Allen and Adam Huber
Midnight Video
6:05 minutes, 2020
This is a film for our times, that’s for certain. It’s night and a guy goes to his garage to do his laundry. He’s approached by a spooky guy in sunglasses (again, it’s dark out) and a surgical mask, who suggests the launderer do the same about wearing a mask. His tone is dissonant and threateningly almost monotonal as he asks to use a phone. The tension between the two is palpable as they stand near the garage and chat. But the end has a really nice O. Henry-esque twist that is unexpected and though a bit illogical, quite fun. The madness of suburbia.
Full film HERE 

The Ho Ho Howling
Directed by Andrew Neill
Two Jackets Productions
10:27 minutes, 2019
Christmas Eve. A young couple has just put their tween daughter, Charlie, to bed to wait for the morning presents. But there’s a noise on the roof and the parents investigate to find the most angelic looking Santa I have ever seen. The story nicely takes its time, not rushing towards its direction which is generally obvious from the title, but still manages to throw in a few surprises to keep both the audience off kilter and give a bit of a WTF quotient to make it humorously ludicrous. Not in a way that’s annoying, but rather with a nice touch of originality. There could have been a bit cut out of a pre-transformation scene whose color palate is right out of Creepshow (1982), but all-in-all, this film’s imaginative twists make it worth the watch.
Full film HERE 

 

Jolly
Directed by Todd Spence
Midnight Video
4:06 minutes, 2020
In a Talking Tina-esque Christmas Eve, with but one minute to the holiday, a man is napping on the couch when his animatronic Santa head seemingly comes to sentient life, and gives a dire warning. This leads to some well-presented tense moments as we, as well as both the man and Santa, count down the final seconds of the Eve. The reward is worth the wait, and in the short time as we follow this situation, the director does well to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat, and for that we are well rewarded. I felt jolly after the viewing.
Full film HERE 

 

Santa
Directed by Alexander Henderson
The Installments
6:58 minutes, 2019
A young teen (or near teen) asks his mom, “How does Santa know when you are sleeping?” That is the general theme of the creepy titular character in this episodic story, as the young man veers between waking and sleeping, or to be more precise, having nightmares about the jolly old man. While a bit over the top at times, the story does its best at delivering some nice tense moments and the viewer stays as baffled as the kid. A real sley ride (a cliché pun, but why not if it fits, right?).
Full film HERE 

 

Synonymous With
Directed by Thom Hilton
Cataract Pictures
12:16 minutes, 2021
Taking place in 2009, the once host of local horror program “Synister Synema,” who used the professional name of Synonymous (Remy Gerinario), aka Syn, is asked to be interviewed by a college student, Jackson (director Thom Hilton, who is unseen). The questions start off semi-innocent, but quickly delve into the strongly personal side of Syn’s life, probing deeper into his psyche. This is mixed with clips from the television show where lots of Grade B and C films are mentioned, and anyone who is a horror fan should definitely feel an affinity with them (unless you’re one of those sad, “I don’t watch black and white films” kinda person). There is also a nicely edited montage of Syn’s life mixed in that works under the dialogue. This felt really personal, sometimes a bit uncomfortable in a good way, and my only complaint is that I wanted it to continue, even though Syn is the only person on camera other than Thing (Mark McGann), a hand character on the now-terminated television program. This is a good watch on many levels with a strong LGBTQ undertone. Hard to believe this is Hilton’s directorial debut as it is quite well written and constructed, including his editing.
Full film HERE 

Review: Master Pieces

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2020

Images from the Internet

Master Pieces

Directed by Christian Twiste and Geoffrey Ciani

Bayview Entertainment; TMA Releasing

86 minutes, 2020

https://www.masterpiecesthemovie.com/

“Is this the real life / Is this just fantasy” – Bohemian Rhapsody/Queen

As the sun comes around and hangs in the sky longer and later, with flowers blossoming and the birds singing, what could be a better time to review a film based around… Yuletide!

Christian Twiste

This film takes an interesting premise, in that the main character is actually the director (Christian Twiste) playing a somewhat warped version (one would hope) of himself, with Twiste’s real wife (Lisa Gouilan) as his recently-wed reel-spouse.

In the story, Twiste is quite – er – twisted. And exceptionally delusional. He’s seeing and hearing things, indicated quite early on, and is certainly mentally imbalanced with what appears to be a touch of schizophrenia. Being recently married and out of work certainly do not help the situation.

As the film proper (post-prologue) begins, we find Twiste watching his favorite psycho-babble cable radio show, featuring Dr. Brenda Dobbs (Tesia Nicoli). He’s fixated on her, and is both desperate to get to talk to her (shades of 1982’s The King of Comedy), and is somewhat convinced she’s talking directly to him.

The world seems to be trying to vex him at every turn, such as faucets that turn on by themselves, or a mysterious collection agency that sends a video on CD of Twiste in the bath. It’s not hard to figure out pretty early on that, like in American Psycho (2000; Twiste does have a bit of a Christian Bale look to him… or maybe that’s everyone named Christian?) – although here, Twiste is on the opposite end of the social strata from Patrick Bateman – much of this is in his noggin rather than the real world. Twenty minutes in, however, I realized it could also be a gaslighting situation, as well. Don’t worry, I won’t give it away. I would like to note that the bathtub video mimicking his real life is a nice touch.

Lisa Gouilan

As an aside, whoever’s townhouse this was filmed in, man, there are a lot of stairs. I’m just sayin’. And though (the real) Twiste is livin’ in Jersey, he certainly has not lost his Staten Island accent; that really made me smile and happy, missing hearing the area inflection of my youth (though for me it was more Bensonhurst, but I digress…).

As with the original The Terminator (1984), many of the victims are in similar situations as Sarah Connor in that they are doomed because of similar names or looks of a that person on whom Twiste is actually lashing out. This was also an interesting idea.

There are some smart choices that are made, such as the shift between the running taps at night and the transition shot in the kitchen the following day. That is simply fine, and it seems these guys work well putting these almost humorous finger-to-side-of-nose slices together. Having Gouilan seen mostly in shadow, out-of-focus, or partially face-blocked (like the neighbor, Wilson, in the TV show “Home Improvement”) is another subtle and interesting artistic touch that works.

Tesia Nicoli

The film has a (purposeful) very 1980s indie feel to it, with miniscule budget (explained in the next paragraph) with only practical SFX rather than digital; while it is not super bloody, it’s still highly effective. There is a lot more to the story than the murders, and there is a relatively decent body count, but focuses more on twisted Twiste as we follow his actions and thoughts, i.e., he’s in just about every scene, except for those with the police detective (Ryan MacNamara), whose “sidekick,” as it were, is the disembodied voice over the scanner of co-director/co-writer Geoffrey Ciani.

As I said, the acting is quite… over-the-top a lot of the time, especially with Twiste and some of the minor “service people” (aka, the additional body count), but I really liked Twiste’s caricature of himself (at least I hope it is). And despite some plot questions, the story is engaging. There are a few plot turns that I would love to discuss, but won’t because it would be too far into spoiler alert territory. That being said, I do believe some editing to whittle it down a bit could be done, such as the initial tap dripping scene which goes on a little too long and ends up being more distracting than its purpose intends.

Ryan MacNamara

As for the whole Christmas theme, it’s mostly in the off-beat versions of common Christmas Carols on the soundtrack that connect it to the holiday, not directly to the story itself… other than possibly because that time of year can have a negative affect on those with mental health issues. I am grateful that is the full extent, honestly, because, as a non-believer, Xmas-themed films tend not to do much for me. If you took out the carols, it could be any time in the winter without changing any of the story itself.

Apparently, both Twiste and Ciani were recently married (not to each other) and unemployed, and so decided to do this film as a joint project to creatively spend the time. The end result is a film that is bit amateurish, with some continuity and editing issues, and somewhat choppy acting here and there, but I have to admit that, in this case, is part of what I like about the film. It’s not trying to be a superstar mega-monster picture, but a small, heartfelt work to stretch some artistic muscle rather than stagnating. I respect that a lot.

There is at least a couple of subtle shots at Trump and that mindset that made me giggle. A dark humor runs throughout the feature, giving it an umph. Now that we are between “waves” of Covid 19 and many of us are also shuttered and unemployed, maybe that could be an impetus for either a sequel or another totally different film. That would be nice.

And not fer nuthin’, the chef hat cracked me up, every time.

Xmas Horror Shorts: Reviews for 2019

      Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2019

Images from the Internet

Christmas Presence

Directed by Henrique Couto

New Dynamic

5:15 minutes, 2015

You’ll see Couto’s name crop up a couple of times in these reviews. Taking the trope of a babysitting job gone bad, Couto moves it in an interesting Holiday direction. The babysitter (perky Julia Gomez) gets a last minute gig thanks to a friend being sick (Alia Gabrielle Eckhardt). The house is owned by some holiday fanatics (including Erin R. Ryan) and everything is a-glitter, but as Julia’s character states, “One of these things is not like the other.” Creepiness ensues until the last gotcha second. Both Gomez and Eckhardt were in Couto’s feature Amityville: No Escape (in both cases, it’s a never the train shall meet situation for these two actors; the review can be found on this blog), but the film plays out well. And it’s always good to see Ryan, even if it’s for a brief cameo role. This is a fun story with a couple of good jump scares.

Full film HERE: 

Humbug

Directed by Justin Lee and Matt Thiesen

Glorious Internet / SiniSisters Productions

6:58 minutes, 2016

This is a dark comedy that I can, on some level, relate. A horror film loving Seasonal skeptic (Jessee Foudray) is a goth who has no problem self-cutting for her art. Her neighbor (Milly Sanders, who also wrote the screenplay), on the other hand is as wholesome as, well, the Christmas season… to a point. When Ms. Goth goes over to complain about the loud and cheerful Carols coming through the wall, things turn humorously dark in a way that made me laugh. The part I identify with is the “humbug” mentality (I have nothing against Christmas, but I detest the greedy Xmas Season). And yet, this non-rosy cheer made me smile. Parts of this came as a surprise, though the very end – albeit perfect for the story – is not hard to figure out, and yet still enjoy.

Full film HERE: 

I’ll Be Alone for Christmas

Directed by Ryan Shovey

Carpenter Hill Productions

6:57 minutes, 2015

There is almost no spoken dialogue in the film, though we get to see the messages a woman (Victoria Reynoso) types into the social media sphere via her cell phone, and the responses. She’s all alone on Christmas, except for said phone and a bottle of wine (man, there is a lot of drinking in Xmas films). She’s “lonely AF” as she tells her friend, and she even tries to make a hook up on “Tinder.” But something mysterious is willing to share her Holiday with her, and you know it’s not going to end well. It’s beautifully shot in widescreen, making the character’s loneliness and feeling of isolation seem even more palpable. The last shot is a bit of an overused trope, but the entirety of the story is dark and creepy, for which the Xmas Spirit is intended (in my world).

Full film HERE: 

Stirring

Directed by Henrique Couto

New Dynamic

3:41 minutes, 2018

This film is short and sweet. Joni Durian is a woman on her own who buys a tree from a lot. But there is more – err – stirring than even a mouse. This is a mostly non-verbal, one human show, but Durian carries it all the way. The film lends itself a bit to the first Creepshow (1982) in both lighting and certain shots (I’m thinking of one of the more infamous segments in particular). As I said, this is the second short of Couto’s to show up here, and yes, I am a fan, but I did not seek it out, I just searched “Christmas Horror Shorts” and two of his came up. In the words of Ed Grimley, I feel like I’ve gone down on Christmas morning and found an entire fort, you know.” There are no really big surprises here, but it’s fun. And Durian is always enjoyable to watch as she has such an expressive face. Who needs dialogue?

Full film HERE: