Masterpiece.

I spotted this the other day on Shudder, specifically as part of Joe Bob Briggs' 2020 Holiday special "Joe Bob Saves Christmas". JB is particularly fond of it. He called it "not just one of the best holiday horror films, one of the greatest holiday movies, period." I let it run while doing housework, and as so often happens, it got away from me, but it's intriguing, both sophisticated and sleazy at once, boasting,a lurid christmas color palette. I'm taking another stab at it right now.

It may be a little too cerebral for my taste. To me, holiday horror should be like a Hallmark special: something mildly engaging, fun to watch with friends, dumb enough to talk through, and also dumb enough that if you find yourself watching it alone, you know that you're a sad lonely person who badly needs a visit from Scrooge's Christmas spirits. Luckily foe me, its not that dumb, but, just in case, I have cats.

This is the year when the streaming services have been digging up all the holiday horror from the past 40 years, and Shudder has released some original Christmas content. There's more than I ever knew, and Im starting to appreciate Holiday horror as a valid sub genre. In the past couple of weeks, I ve seen something like 5 or 6 killer Santas, including Die Hard Santa (Violent Night, now in theaters, and it's great.), a killer Santa robot (Christmas Bloody Christmas on Shudder) and Santa as a malevolent supernatural being who hunts down and murders werewolves and other shape-shifters (Creepshow Holiday Special, also on Shudder)

FOUR STARS. JHM SAYS 'CHECK IT OUT'!

Wow! Complex and tragic. According to Joe Bob, the ending had the original audiences throwing things at the screen, but it's a great ending, thwarting your slasher expectations, yet right on the money.

I love the character of the brother, who comes off like an asshole at first, but eventually you see how tormented he is by this family relationship.

I saw it on Shudder, but it's also running for free on Tubi. It's good enough to watch all year.

also, shudder is the best streaming service by a mile, it's almost a shame that it's restricted to horror, because the curation team is top-notch.

My favorite Christmas movie for a decade now. I watch it every year. The speech he makes about being good, and listening to your parents, and doing your schoolwork, is really all that Santa should be.