For a 70 minute film, it drags on a lot and it's honestly not entertaining enough to keep your attention. The ending was far from post apocalyptic and made little to no sense when compared to the rest of the film. Overall it's just barely watchable and definitely not the next holiday horror classic.
38 Reviews
WTF
natcalgary27 February 2020
With a larger budget and a few more impactful horror scenes, it had the potential to be a gem
kevin_robbins12 December 2023
I recently viewed I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday (2017) on Tubi. The storyline revolves around a mother and son surviving in a holiday bunker during an apocalyptic outbreak. The father, out searching for supplies, raises doubts about his return, forcing the mother to decide whether to venture out herself, leaving her son behind.
This picture is written and directed by Mike Lombardo, in his directorial debut, and stars Damian Maffei (The Strangers: Prey at Night), Reeve Blazi, Hope Bikle and Holly Andrew.
This film leans into the psychological aspects rather than action scenes, delivering an authentic feel through acting, settings, and circumstances. The last ten minutes are excellent, and adding a scene depicting the father's fate or the initial outbreak could have elevated the movie. The final Santa scene is both worthwhile and entertaining.
In conclusion, "I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday" is a low-budget slow burn with a satisfying conclusion. With a larger budget and a few more impactful horror scenes, it had the potential to be a gem. I would score it a 4/10 and recommend watching it once.
This picture is written and directed by Mike Lombardo, in his directorial debut, and stars Damian Maffei (The Strangers: Prey at Night), Reeve Blazi, Hope Bikle and Holly Andrew.
This film leans into the psychological aspects rather than action scenes, delivering an authentic feel through acting, settings, and circumstances. The last ten minutes are excellent, and adding a scene depicting the father's fate or the initial outbreak could have elevated the movie. The final Santa scene is both worthwhile and entertaining.
In conclusion, "I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday" is a low-budget slow burn with a satisfying conclusion. With a larger budget and a few more impactful horror scenes, it had the potential to be a gem. I would score it a 4/10 and recommend watching it once.
I should have known from the title
jeccles120 April 2020
The title seemed something out of the Troma catalog, but I'm a fan of end of the world movies and liked the barren setting so I gave it a chance. Didn't even mind the complete lack of an explanation about what happened. Just a hint would have been nice. Instead I got - well I don't know what I got. It is very short though but it's still an hour and eleven minutes I would want back on my death bed.
And the bunch of rave reviews that propped the star rating over 2* have to have been from a very loyal crew and family members.
And the bunch of rave reviews that propped the star rating over 2* have to have been from a very loyal crew and family members.
I feel like Im Taking Crazy Pills: Absolutely Abhorrent
LuminousIntel13 October 2018
Yeah, I saw this in a horror film fest and myself and several other people were legitimately laughing through several scenes that were not meant to be funny. This is sincerely one of the worst films I've ever seen. Not just horror, of any genre. Notice how nearly every one of these reviews is 10/10. Do not believe these. It was all absolutely terrible, sincerely, the acting, the pace, the audio, the writing, and worst of all the damn direction. I'm not a critic, I'm just a horror fan and saw this at an independent horror film fest. I literally fell asleep an 45 min in and I've never done that in a horror movie in my life. HORRID direction, honestly. I want to write a letter to the hour and ten minutes I spent watching this horrible waste of time and let it know how much I miss it. I'll never get that time back. The director should be ashamed for calling this horror and making people sit through such a terribly slow piece of crap. I'm in awe how you can be a director in the film industry today and be in the editing room working on this movie without questioning the pacing and direction here. I am beyond disbelief as to how anyone could submit such drek without being humiliated. Dispicable
Trash
FuckyPooPoo7 March 2019
Acting/writing was really insanely bad. Only good thing was the mom being pretty hott. Otherwise, this flick puts you through your own doomsday. How can any filmmaker lack this much self awareness and not see how slow and transparently amateurish this production was man. I mean, come on. Total dumpster fire.
Do NOT Believe The Good Reviews Here From Crew, and Their Friends & Family!
DoodieandTheBrofish3 March 2019
Some of the worst acting and directing I've ever seen. I saw this with a group of a few friends of mine and we were looking at each other wondering how this was ever released. As a terrible filmmaker though, it's great having people you know that are able to write positive reviews no matter how vomit inducing and boring your movie is. AVOID at all costs, this is a joke. There's literally a scene almost 5 minutes long of the mom slowlyyyyy taking small everyday items out of a back pack and examining them and putting them down. And the dad, SO CORNY. All for such an in creative ending. It was painful. So bad. No need to dream of a Doomsday, this crap will turn your day into one.
Completely boring and poorly made trash, but had some potential.
0megahaxors2 November 2020
O.K., I like cheesy movies. I like old school Troma and B-movie shlock, but this movie isn't even that. I understand the budget was very low and was made with minimal crew, but this seems like something that could have easily been a YouTube short film that somehow ballooned into a boring feature length film. Parts of it reminded me of those 2000's era "Masters of Horror" miniseries movies, but it was even lamer. Those movies were usually made by established horror directors but had their plots crammed into smaller runtimes, but White Doomsday was even less impressive. About 3/4th of the movie was just some lady in a gas mask walking around at night with a flashlight with a few scares here and there, but no real action.
The acting was subpar for sure. I can understand the difficulty of using a kid, but the main actress struck me as someone who was still doing high school drama club. And the dad was only in it for a few minutes, so I can't really judge him. It seems as if the budget was spent on the special effects and props, because the acting and production values were just awful. For example, there was a tame dialogue scene in the introduction and for whatever reason the cameraman was shaking like an action shot. The video kept shaking and going out of focus, even at mundane scenes. It seems like there was a lot of wasted potential to show more destroyed hellscape in the post-apocalyptic wasteland, but most of the runtime was just that gas mask lady creeping around for food. No real action or anything violent, so it just came off as dull. I won't give away any spoilers, but the ending made no sense whatsoever and just seemed so pointless and tacked-on.
I watched this on Amazon Prime during quarantine and tried to stay focused, but from what I gathered, the film originally debuted with a limited theatrical audience in 2017, so the first wave of reviews on IMDb are from the small group of people who were dedicated followers of the production crew. Then once this movie got released for streaming, the general audience caught up and gave more accurate reviews instead of just the director's friends and family. It's for this reason why you can definitely see a radical tonal shift in reviews from 2017 compared to 2019.
The acting was subpar for sure. I can understand the difficulty of using a kid, but the main actress struck me as someone who was still doing high school drama club. And the dad was only in it for a few minutes, so I can't really judge him. It seems as if the budget was spent on the special effects and props, because the acting and production values were just awful. For example, there was a tame dialogue scene in the introduction and for whatever reason the cameraman was shaking like an action shot. The video kept shaking and going out of focus, even at mundane scenes. It seems like there was a lot of wasted potential to show more destroyed hellscape in the post-apocalyptic wasteland, but most of the runtime was just that gas mask lady creeping around for food. No real action or anything violent, so it just came off as dull. I won't give away any spoilers, but the ending made no sense whatsoever and just seemed so pointless and tacked-on.
I watched this on Amazon Prime during quarantine and tried to stay focused, but from what I gathered, the film originally debuted with a limited theatrical audience in 2017, so the first wave of reviews on IMDb are from the small group of people who were dedicated followers of the production crew. Then once this movie got released for streaming, the general audience caught up and gave more accurate reviews instead of just the director's friends and family. It's for this reason why you can definitely see a radical tonal shift in reviews from 2017 compared to 2019.
Bleak end times movie
killercharm14 March 2020
Bleak end times movie about a mother trying to hold it together for her son in a world of nothing. No friends, no neighbors, no safety, no family to speak of, no fresh food, no clean and no peace of mind. She has to don a gas mask to go out into the world to lay in supplies for their bunker but it becomes clearer every day that there is nothing to look forward to. People out there have some sort of disease that involves murder? Or cannibalism? We follow her train of thought, which has a kind of logic, but how it hurts to be in on it.
Possibly the worst film ever by a good distance
rmmil30 March 2020
The only thing that makes sense is this film benefitted from lots of review padding by family and friends of the film itself, because why anyone would give this better than the lowest possible rating is beyond me.
Absolutely atrocious acting, nonsensical plot, absurd, pointless ending. I'm fine with low budget, but the acting was so bad it was very distracting, and the plot was actually worse than the acting, if possible. Avoid at all costs. The writers and director should be utterly ashamed of the 4 cans of beans and the $16 they spent wasted to make this film.
The Movie 10 Cloverfield Lane Wishes It Could Be
darkwingmantis-769-22627425 October 2017
I was lucky enough to see an advance copy of a little film that could called I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday directed by a man named Mike Lombardo, a sadistic, soulless filmmaker who wants to ruin everything you find cheery.
On a slim budget of around 10 grand, Lombardo and his crew have managed to pull of a once in a lifetime feat by taking a tired trope, that of an apocalyptic Christmas, spinning it around, placing it firmly on its head and then proceeds to kick it in the balls.
I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday is basically a one set piece, set just before Christmas in the fallout shelter of a young family. After the father leaves to forage for supplies the mother is left alone to care for her young child while dealing with the realities of the end of the world.
If that sounds like a thin as you can be plot, that's because it is and that is all that the movie needs. However, with the powerhouse performance of Hope Bikle as our mother with no rope to hang onto, you get dragged into this deceptively dark and depressing movie kicking and screaming and you will not be able to look away.
If the word Indie scares you at all, or has a certain perceived notion in your head, just forget it. This movie looks and feels like it was shot by a group of Hollywood hotshots out for a good time. There was never a minute that I had the thought of "Oh, well, I see what the filmmakers were going for, but they had very little to work with, bravo to them." No, This is the movie that 10 Cloverfield Lane wished it could be.
And to top it all off, when you finally think that you know where this movie is going, it just turns around, gives you the middle finger and politely asks you for your guts!
The gang over at Reel Splatter Productions have put together a movie that cruises in at around an hour and 10 minutes but will never let you forget the time you spend with them. They are hitting the festival circuit now and if you have the chance, make sure you go check them out! These guys will be going far, and I for one welcome their fresh eye to the genre! Well played, boys Well played .
On a slim budget of around 10 grand, Lombardo and his crew have managed to pull of a once in a lifetime feat by taking a tired trope, that of an apocalyptic Christmas, spinning it around, placing it firmly on its head and then proceeds to kick it in the balls.
I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday is basically a one set piece, set just before Christmas in the fallout shelter of a young family. After the father leaves to forage for supplies the mother is left alone to care for her young child while dealing with the realities of the end of the world.
If that sounds like a thin as you can be plot, that's because it is and that is all that the movie needs. However, with the powerhouse performance of Hope Bikle as our mother with no rope to hang onto, you get dragged into this deceptively dark and depressing movie kicking and screaming and you will not be able to look away.
If the word Indie scares you at all, or has a certain perceived notion in your head, just forget it. This movie looks and feels like it was shot by a group of Hollywood hotshots out for a good time. There was never a minute that I had the thought of "Oh, well, I see what the filmmakers were going for, but they had very little to work with, bravo to them." No, This is the movie that 10 Cloverfield Lane wished it could be.
And to top it all off, when you finally think that you know where this movie is going, it just turns around, gives you the middle finger and politely asks you for your guts!
The gang over at Reel Splatter Productions have put together a movie that cruises in at around an hour and 10 minutes but will never let you forget the time you spend with them. They are hitting the festival circuit now and if you have the chance, make sure you go check them out! These guys will be going far, and I for one welcome their fresh eye to the genre! Well played, boys Well played .
Christmas is ruined and it's only November
aalbrson17 November 2019
I've been waiting on this one for a while. I fell in love with the trailer and finally watched it tonight. I wasn't disappointed.
I want to say it was a fun movie but it wasn't, and in a good way if that makes sense. It's dark, and it stays dark. There's not a lot of Christmas cheer in this post apocalyptic holiday horror. It's dark. Very dark
Positives
For a low budget film it looked very good. A small cast and limited set pieces help. Decent acting from a cast I had mostly never heard of before. The story was original and, did I mention dark? I did not see the ending coming till it hit, and then it made sense. I won't spoil it. It's dark.
Negatives The film is a bit slow in the middle. It doesn't kill the film, it's meant to be slow but I feel a couple minutes could have been cut out without destroying the film. There were a couple scenes with there was some color issues, minor but it jumped out at me. Ah I feel picky just for mentioning it.
Overall if you want a dark, original Christmas horror check out White Doomsday.
Negatives The film is a bit slow in the middle. It doesn't kill the film, it's meant to be slow but I feel a couple minutes could have been cut out without destroying the film. There were a couple scenes with there was some color issues, minor but it jumped out at me. Ah I feel picky just for mentioning it.
Overall if you want a dark, original Christmas horror check out White Doomsday.
nope
zombie84-120 April 2020
Somebodys you have to watch trailers even if it means it might spoil the movie. with this i wish i did. didnt even get far into it. it was really poor and boring. I love indie films and end of the world disturbing stuff this just put me to sleep.
Despicable Filth
Wturnerbill16 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
There's two kinds of people in this world, people that enjoy watching eight-year-old boys strangled to death on Christmas eve, by a cretin in a Santa suit and people that don't.
If perhaps you're the kind of person that does enjoy that kind of thing, then you'll also have to contend other things like no plot, zero suspense, and people spending an hour doing mundane things, while wallowing around in their own misery. That's a whole hour-plus of boredom, just to get to that nihilistic snuff scene.
This film is kind of like The Road, except without the road, without hope, and it makes you want to puke!
If perhaps you're the kind of person that does enjoy that kind of thing, then you'll also have to contend other things like no plot, zero suspense, and people spending an hour doing mundane things, while wallowing around in their own misery. That's a whole hour-plus of boredom, just to get to that nihilistic snuff scene.
This film is kind of like The Road, except without the road, without hope, and it makes you want to puke!
Extremely disappointed in this!
pdxgmr26 December 2021
I can't believe this was Executive Produced by Brian Keene, one of my favorite authors!
Absolutely terrible in every single aspect.
There are slow burns and then there is this, a painfully dull exercise in patience. Watch it if your idea of good time is close ups of a woman moving in slow motion for an hour, crying the whole time.
Absolutely terrible in every single aspect.
There are slow burns and then there is this, a painfully dull exercise in patience. Watch it if your idea of good time is close ups of a woman moving in slow motion for an hour, crying the whole time.
Dark, depressing, Merry Christmas
allenalberson26 February 2020
I've been waiting on this film for a while, ever since I first spotted the trailer at a horror convention. Yes, I fully admit I know the director and consider him a friend.
That being said it is far from a. Perfect movie but it is dark, dreary and depressing. In a good way. Most of the shortcomings are failures of the budget, aka the effects could have been better, limited scene settings etc. it is a hit long and there are times the pacing is a little slow. However it does make you feel for the characters, and there is no hope. Noel.
The ending totally surprised me, I seriously had no clue where it was going and kudos to the writer and director for that.
The acting is good enough. For a small indie film it's much better than most.
That being said it is far from a. Perfect movie but it is dark, dreary and depressing. In a good way. Most of the shortcomings are failures of the budget, aka the effects could have been better, limited scene settings etc. it is a hit long and there are times the pacing is a little slow. However it does make you feel for the characters, and there is no hope. Noel.
The ending totally surprised me, I seriously had no clue where it was going and kudos to the writer and director for that.
The acting is good enough. For a small indie film it's much better than most.
Santa's wish list just got more interesting
sorrylessletters15 November 2017
Good writing is what gets you through a coffee break. Great writing is what gets you through everything else. Mike Lombardo's talented pen proves quite adept at achieving both. His latest work is proof positive that when talent meets passion . . it's a fire starter, because he is bringing some serious heat with this tale.
I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday marries the traditional plate of merry with an unconventional serving of horrific splendor. Told from a seat at the table inside the end of times, Doomsday leads us on a journey where hope exists in earnest sips.
At the onset, we're introduced to a young family struggling to survive an apocalyptic event inside the din of a bomb shelter. Inside this world of black and white conclusions, the three attempt to color up their future in more hopeful palettes; buoyed by a yesterday whose promise seems a fleeting, wicked tease.
Inside the misery of horrible consequences, Lombardo sprinkles seeds of hope: A father's promise to his young son reads like a sonnet. A mother's vow to return from the wreckage feeds us with the warmth of stolen days. And then there's Santa, trudging through the wasteland in his gas mask, fending off the inevitable tides whilst lugging a sack of mysterious yuletide.
Doomsday reminds us why cinema will never go away. Because there is a magic to the gathering swell of strangers who lose themselves inside the whispers and hush of magical stories.
Stories like this.
I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday marries the traditional plate of merry with an unconventional serving of horrific splendor. Told from a seat at the table inside the end of times, Doomsday leads us on a journey where hope exists in earnest sips.
At the onset, we're introduced to a young family struggling to survive an apocalyptic event inside the din of a bomb shelter. Inside this world of black and white conclusions, the three attempt to color up their future in more hopeful palettes; buoyed by a yesterday whose promise seems a fleeting, wicked tease.
Inside the misery of horrible consequences, Lombardo sprinkles seeds of hope: A father's promise to his young son reads like a sonnet. A mother's vow to return from the wreckage feeds us with the warmth of stolen days. And then there's Santa, trudging through the wasteland in his gas mask, fending off the inevitable tides whilst lugging a sack of mysterious yuletide.
Doomsday reminds us why cinema will never go away. Because there is a magic to the gathering swell of strangers who lose themselves inside the whispers and hush of magical stories.
Stories like this.
Big punch for low budget
johnhsmith-0005627 March 2020
The reviews here have to take into account the budget for this movie, which was apparently $10,000. If you don't like post-apocalyptic horror then you won't like this. But it has decent acting and decent storyline. The only thing that bothers me is that they didn't explain clearly what this disaster was. Nuclear? Virus? or what?
This is what horror should be.
fdiddly22 November 2017
White Doomsday has been called bleak and pessimistic by other reviewers, and that's what it's supposed to be.
All too often we're presented with apocalyptic depictions where movie stars defy all odds and rise above the situation. Well that doesn't happen in this film! Mike Lombardo shows us an apocalypse that is an absolutely wretched situation and a situation best avoided. A bomb shelter and a stockpile of guns mean nothing when the food runs out. Throughout the movie, I truly sympathize with all the characters, even the monster! This is a rare thing in horror films.
I'm Dreaming Of A White Doomsday is the story of ordinary people dealing with a really bad situation. It doesn't end well. That's what makes good horror.
This is my first time ever movie review. Sorry for any inarticulateness.
All too often we're presented with apocalyptic depictions where movie stars defy all odds and rise above the situation. Well that doesn't happen in this film! Mike Lombardo shows us an apocalypse that is an absolutely wretched situation and a situation best avoided. A bomb shelter and a stockpile of guns mean nothing when the food runs out. Throughout the movie, I truly sympathize with all the characters, even the monster! This is a rare thing in horror films.
I'm Dreaming Of A White Doomsday is the story of ordinary people dealing with a really bad situation. It doesn't end well. That's what makes good horror.
This is my first time ever movie review. Sorry for any inarticulateness.
Better than Expected
cdnkelly15 February 2020
Wasn't expecting a well done film. Good camera work, acting was good, sets were well done. Just a tad slow for me. Good surprise about 3/4 way through. All and all, well done. I can say its a low A or top of the B's for some. I rated it high just to bring up the average and get a few more folks to watch it and see for themselves.
Slow-Burn Horror At Its Best
hamzabear1 June 2018
A real kick in the ornaments
Kozeniewski17 November 2017
Last week I had the opportunity to see "I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday," the first feature-length film from friend, roustabout, and director Mike Lombardo. I'm pleased to report that the film is an unqualified success in every way.
Clocking in at a lean 71 minutes, the movie is tight and almost every minute of the running time is devoted to ratcheting up the tension. As such, the plot is bare bones. An unexplained apocalypse has left the planet a nightmarish deathscape, and the air breathable only through a gas mask. Three survivors: a mother, father, and their eight-year- old son have taken shelter in some sort of fallout bunker. When the father never returns from a supply run, the mother tries to get by and finally, after a series of impossible decisions, plans to give her boy the merriest Christmas circumstances will allow.
And aside from the ending (which will leave even the most jaded viewer saying "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus") that's about it for the story. The rest of the movie is comprised of flashbacks, dreams, and visions (or are they?) There are only five actors in the movie and they all do yeoman's work, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the contributions of Hope Bikle, in the role of the mother. All of the actors are outstanding, but the mother has the most screen time and the biggest emotional gamut to traverse. Many of the scenes are just an examination of her face, sometimes behind a gas mask (!), trying to work out what to do in an impossible situation, putting on a brave face for her son, and almost always screaming soundlessly inside. Not once did I find her wanting. Not once was I bored or anything less than riveted. A stunning achievement for a film made for $10,000.
Perhaps most interesting to me is I don't think baby Jesus, Bethlehem, "the reason for the season," or a single religious icon was ever mentioned or shown. This is as purely secular as a Christmas movie can be, which is certainly a deliberate decision. This film is a Hiroshima bombing which ends "The War on Christmas" with an unquestionable victory for commercialism; a feature-length answer of "Never" to the question "When are we going to put Christ back in Christmas?"
"I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday" is a bleak, suffocating throat- punch of a movie, destined to become a new holiday staple. (How about playing this on repeat for 24 hours instead of Ralphie, TNT?)
Clocking in at a lean 71 minutes, the movie is tight and almost every minute of the running time is devoted to ratcheting up the tension. As such, the plot is bare bones. An unexplained apocalypse has left the planet a nightmarish deathscape, and the air breathable only through a gas mask. Three survivors: a mother, father, and their eight-year- old son have taken shelter in some sort of fallout bunker. When the father never returns from a supply run, the mother tries to get by and finally, after a series of impossible decisions, plans to give her boy the merriest Christmas circumstances will allow.
And aside from the ending (which will leave even the most jaded viewer saying "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus") that's about it for the story. The rest of the movie is comprised of flashbacks, dreams, and visions (or are they?) There are only five actors in the movie and they all do yeoman's work, but I'd be remiss if I didn't point out the contributions of Hope Bikle, in the role of the mother. All of the actors are outstanding, but the mother has the most screen time and the biggest emotional gamut to traverse. Many of the scenes are just an examination of her face, sometimes behind a gas mask (!), trying to work out what to do in an impossible situation, putting on a brave face for her son, and almost always screaming soundlessly inside. Not once did I find her wanting. Not once was I bored or anything less than riveted. A stunning achievement for a film made for $10,000.
Perhaps most interesting to me is I don't think baby Jesus, Bethlehem, "the reason for the season," or a single religious icon was ever mentioned or shown. This is as purely secular as a Christmas movie can be, which is certainly a deliberate decision. This film is a Hiroshima bombing which ends "The War on Christmas" with an unquestionable victory for commercialism; a feature-length answer of "Never" to the question "When are we going to put Christ back in Christmas?"
"I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday" is a bleak, suffocating throat- punch of a movie, destined to become a new holiday staple. (How about playing this on repeat for 24 hours instead of Ralphie, TNT?)
Definitely NOT a happy family Christmas movie!
tekanologie13 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I'm Dreaming of a White Doomsday is NOT for the faint of heart. It's bleak, it's depressing, it's heartbreaking, and it's utterly perfect as a film. The story is strong, the acting is top notch (even with a child actor, which is no small feat!) the set design is detailed and fits so well with the story. It's rare to find a movie where everything is done well. I'm one of those picky jerks that likes to point out continuity errors and nitpick over minutia.... not here. The amount of effort that went into ensuring that everything was just right is staggering. I reaaaallllly hope it comes out on DVD so I can make viewing it part of my annual Christmas festivities. It was that good!
This movie proves that sometimes it's OK to kill the kid!
This movie proves that sometimes it's OK to kill the kid!
Christmas with a Twist
terror-622 November 2018
Holiday cheer won't protect you from fallout
bellmojo24 November 2017
A demented little flick. The story of one family trying to survive in a bomb shelter after "The Big One". Brutal in both it's realism and absurdity. Great performances by the cast, particularly the young star, Reeve Blazi. Well worth checking out. Hopefully this is not the last we see from director Mike Lombardo.
See also
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