I Slay on Christmas (2023) Poster

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9/10
A solid and generally enjoyable holiday-themed indie anthology
kannibalcorpsegrinder30 November 2023
Trying to escape his lot in life, a troubled man runs away to a forest where he finds several pine cones that soon reveal dark fates for several individuals.

The Good Stor(ies): All Chopped Up and Nowhere to Go-Upset about the holiday season, a sleazy stepfather trying not to spend time with his kid soon turns deadly after the incidents cause him to snap violently. Overall, this was a rather fun way to start this off. The sleazy atmosphere present involving his treatment of his wife and stepson sets him up to be one of the most despicable people in the world who gets everything that's directed at him, the cheesiness of the kids' point-of-view interacting with the stepfather sets up the impending twist in the second half where the series of stalking and chasing take place. Some of this escalates quickly without proper warning or build-up but it's not a huge problem with this segment.

The Best Company-Trying to find some company for the holidays, a man pressured to be with someone during Christmas thinks he's found it with a woman with an ulterior motive for the situation. This was an intriguing enough segment. The setup here involving the custom and tradition of everyone finding some company to be with during the holiday so they're not alone during Christmas is a great idea that's given a nice setup to the meeting he has with the woman and the subsequent dinner date they have. That sets up a fantastic twist as the concurrent serial killer story in the background has a fine reveal twist at the end that might not be logical but is based more on the shock of that happening to work quite nicely.

Christmas Revenge-Taking Santa Claus hostage, a delusional grief-stricken man begins to torture him for the misperceived destruction of his family as a kid that requires a special helper to save him. This was an immensely fun and enjoyable segment to close this out. The use of the popular saying as a means of spurning a long-simmering hatred for Santa and being the basis for a series of brutal and somewhat more extreme-than-expected series of brutal tortures makes this quite enjoyable by diving into Torture Porn for a holiday-themed segment. Armed with some fun reveals in the finale where the nice twist is utilized effectively, this one is an immensely enjoyable entry to close this out on.

The Bad Stor(ies): Re-Gifting-Excited about her new relationship, a woman trying to find the perfect gift for her boyfriend is soon confronted with the deadly truth about her psychotic charge. This was a fine if slightly disappointing entry. The build-up is perfectly fine and sets this up really well with the exploits of the relationship they've set up giving the proper context for the twist that occurs once they meet up which has some fun back-and-forth efforts trying to play everything out. It just feels slightly underwhelming as you have to wait for something to happen here since the main part is waiting for the date to occur so it's a little sluggish waiting for the good parts to start that leaves it being the main drawback to this one.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Nudity, and a Rape Scene.
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9/10
Instant Indie Horror Classic!
skinnerramone10 November 2023
"I Slay on Christmas" is a festive frightfest that proves big scares can come in small budgets. The spine-chilling anthology takes you on a yuletide journey through the unexpected, with standout segments by indie horror maestros Derek Braasch, James Panetta, Marcelo Fabani, Phil Herman, and Joel D. Wynkoop.

The movie kicks off with a bang, thanks to a stellar soundtrack setting the tone for the holiday horror to unfold. Despite the limited budget, the practical effects are top-notch, bringing the Christmas terrors to life in gruesome detail.

The talent on display is impressive, with well-acted segments featuring familiar faces from the indie horror scene. Phil Herman shines in the wraparound segment, adding a touch of sinister charm. "All Chopped Up and Nowhere to Go" delivers laughs with Joel and M. Catherine Wynkoop, along with Sean Donohue's comedic prowess.

"The Best Company" surprises with its twist, "Re Gifting" brings humor with witty dialogue and a funny storyline featuring the delightful Debbie D. The grand finale, "Christmas Revenge," showcases A. J. Laird and Nina Trader as an excellent Santa and Mrs. Claus, while Heather Harlow steals the spotlight as the sexiest elf of all time.

This Christmas horror anthology is not for the faint of heart but promises a thrilling experience. With its replay value and instant classic status, "I Slay on Christmas" is a must-watch tradition after the little ones have nestled into bed on Christmas Eve. Get ready for a chilling holiday ride that will keep you coming back for more every Christmas.
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10/10
Merry Mayhem At It's Finest
dcshark12 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I SLAY ON CHRISTMAS is a fun-filled gorefest and merry romp of a Christmas slay ride! We are treated to a unique set of Christmas shorts neatly wrapped around an ominous array of magical pine cones in the forest where visions of a beautiful and sexy goddess lure Herman to an unspeakable misfortune.

Then, the Christmas crazy really kicks in with Wynkoop's manic portrayal of a Christmas creep, who could easily win the award for world's worst father, abuses his wife and son. SOV fans with a sharp eye and keen ear will likely appreciate shout outs to other classic works from B-Movie legends Herman and Wynkoop. An ax-wielding Wynkoop musters up some other shout-outs to classic horror in his performance. Sean Donohue shows up as an adorable Christmas elf who attempts to change Wynkoop's wicked ways, and then...Sorry no spoilers here but clever use of POV from Wynkoop's deaf son's innocent eyes further seal his fate as the ultimate holiday villain.

Next, more dark forces in the woods compel a reluctant Phil to pick another pine cone to endure yet another yuletide terror. This one from Marcelo Fabani is a refreshing yet terrifying tale of a serial killer as told through a series of newscasts interlaced with visions through the eyes of the killer. It leads to an unsettling twist.

Then, Santa's naughty list continues to reveal more Christmas creepys as an unsuspecting and always charming Debbie D searches for the perfect Christmas gift for her new beau. But, he has other things in mind. Then, old Saint Nick himself falls prey to more merry mayhem. Even Santa can't help but utter that famous B-Movie trope, "Why are you doing this?" Perhaps the answer lies within the pine cone's reaper Will Devokes who bestows the diabolical deeds that Herman must bear witness to.

We go from Santa's bloodbath to the delightful Alba O'Neill and her angelic Christmas caroling in the shower. But things aren't very merry with Mary as Herman's demons have now come full circle and his wife, Mary must pay ultimate price! Herman portrays genuine pain and regret, and even though his deeds are unforgivable, you almost feel sorry for him. But, he now must face his misgivings after he gets a mysterious phone call from beyond the grave! A very diabolical Devokees wraps the woven Christmas collection up nicely.

Any fan of holiday horror will want to experience this carefully constructed array of shorts. I SLAY ON CHRISTMAS also features fantastic performances and portrayals of such nastiness that make Ebenezer Scrooge look like a Saint!
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8/10
Fun B movie classic
straightrazor8026 December 2023
This movie has a lot going on for such a small budget and really deserves the attention and love that they put into it. Phil Herman is a legend in the community and is always working on improving every aspect of his filmmaking ability.

All the segments have a fun catchy theme and will never leave you bored or checking how much time is left in the movie.

First segment really gives you a great feel of what you're getting yourself into with an amazing over the top performance by Joel D. Wynkoop

Second segment is phenomenal and really makes the production value skyrocket for such a low budget flick.

Third segment is great with the always lovely Debbie D.

And the final segment really seals the deal with an over the top story that involves poor old Saint Nick getting tortured for kissing his captors mother on one fateful Christmas Eve.
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