Very disappointing...

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

When I saw a plot summary mentioning Santa killing zombie elves, my instant reaction was thanks, but no thanks. It was lucky I did decide to give it a try because it turned out very good. The build-up of atmosphere, horror and suspense was so skillful I thought they could never deliver on so much promise. They did though, with every story tied up neatly and ingeniously.

On one hand, as a horror movie, it was okay. Not spectacular, but I've seen worse. But I feel compelled to warn viewers about something that slowly dawned on me as I watched the movie unfold, which is that the creators of this film are clearly trying to hide a deeply conservative message in the subtext.This is the point at which the spoilers begin, so if you wish to avoid these, you should stop reading now.In the first story, three teenagers break into their high school, which is closed because of winter break, but also because murders have recently happened there. Early in, the group finds a giant plastic nativity scene in the basement, and the girl (Molly) complains about the "war on Christmas." Later in the story, they find out that a girl died in the building while it was a convent, because the nuns forced her to undergo an abortion at their hands. This is the ghost that is killing people. Further, the ghost possesses Molly and has her try to seduce the first male, who is killed when he refuses. So she gets impregnated by the second guy, and is the only person spared by the ghost, and only because she agrees to carry the baby to term.The second and third stories may have skipped the subtext (or it's better hidden), but the fourth story is dripping with it at the end. For most of the story, you have a straight forward story about Santa killing zombie elves, ending with a showdown with Krampus. Right when that showdown is about to go down, the scene switches to a mall, and we see that a normal schlubb went crazy and started killing innocent people, until he gets gunned down by police. And what caused this psychotic break? The normal schlubb was an atheist who hated Christmas, but his work forced him to dress up as Santa, which of course drove him crazy. The movie ends with Williams Shatner begging people to embrace Christmas, suggesting in a sideways manner that respect for other religions and belief systems is the root of violence.

I love horror anthologies. I love holiday horror anthologies, with the exception of the actual one named "Holidays." And I love the Christmas ones the most as they make the most prized memories of our childhood...all the more creepy.True, this did the trick. During partial breaks in my viewing of this, I actually did listen to innocent Christmas tunes only to be completely freaked out.It has to be hard to come up with new and inventive ways to use the stereotypical Christmas traditions and make genuine horror out of it. It's been done so many times, with so many horror anthologies over the decades. And yet…the Canadians have done it. Very well, I might add. Blame them…they did it.In this multistory scary film revolving around Christmas Eve, we get five unique fables happening simultaneously and all in the same universe. Every single one was well shot, original and genuinely scary. While one reminded me of my own childhood with another horror anthology I was scarred as a kid with: Trilogy of Terror, all were interesting and I wanted to know more and where they were headed.Each story just gave us enough to want to go back and learn more as it shifted between the stories. Sadly, however, the conclusions weren't always satisfying with the exception of one…HUGE…SURPRISE I did NOT see coming.That said, the lead up, the believable acting and the very well-shot cinematography and graphics negated any so-so conclusion. HIGHLY recommend this to all horror anthology buffs like myself, especially those who love the twisted Christmas legends.***Final thoughts: Already loved this movie, almost from frame one, but it helped I fell for one of the actors. "Dylan," one of the high school kids. Relax. He's nearing 30 – in just about two months from now. But, like most late-20s, early-30s actors playing high schoolers, he really doesn't look like he belongs in school. Less creepy for me…even when the movie really did creep my out. I guess I deserved that.

I am a huge slasher film fan....but this movie let me down. Mainly because it was so slow to start. The plot was kinda "off" and was off point now and then. I understand the concept....but the movie really just didn't make sense. It bounced around too much!!! At one point you are watching "santa" and the next point you are watching him kill his elves with a staff. maybe I missed it...but why does he start killing them..... ? Little confused. The beginning s very slow.....and confusing...why does the boy become a changling.......what brings it on. ....etc. I like the idea at the end where Santa kills everyone.....but it comes unexpectedly .....like the scene in the elevator.