It’s November, which means we’ve shifted fears from all things spooky to all things jolly as the Christmas countdown begins.
At just one minute past midnight after Halloween ended, Mariah Carey – aka the queen of Christmas – posted her annual festival video announcing ‘it’s time’ to get into the Yuletide spirit.
But with the veil still thin after the ghostly gatherings of Halloween, many of us just aren’t quite ready to get our Christmas trees from the attic and begin practising our carolling.
If you can’t choose between a gory slasher or a snowy box office smasher, we have some of the perfect picks to ease you into your advent calendar this year.
With Terrifier 3 still in cinemas blending our love for horror with Xmas extravagance, we have 7 festive flicks that aren’t TOO Santa-centric to bridge the gap between Halloween and Christmas.
If you’re not quite ready to bust out Elf or The Muppets Christmas Carol – or can’t bare sinking your teeth into some terrifying festive movies just yet – these offerings are the perfect in-between.
Anna and the Apocalypse
If you imagine High School Musical meets Dawn Of The Dead – you’ve basically got Anna and the Apocalypse.
The 2017 Christmas comedy horror musical (what a mouthful), follows the titular Anna Shepherd (Ella Hunt) who is about to finish school and take a gap year travelling – much to the displeasure of her father Tony (Mark Benton)
But as a zombie infection begins to ravage her sleepy hometown – at Christmas, no less – Anna and her friends must fight their way through the undead and put a stop to the chaos.
Where to watch: Shudder via Prime Video.
Silent Night
From one apocalypse to another, Keira Knightley’s devastating Silent Night adds a whole new layer of trauma to Christmas family gatherings.
The 2021 film, directed by Camille Griffin, begins with Nell (Knightley), Simon (Matthew Goode), and their son Art (Roman Griffin Davis) hosting a Christmas dinner for their school friends and their respective families.
However, it soon becomes apparent that this is their own last supper as a cloud of poisonous gas is heading their way and they plan to ingest their government-issued suicide pills at the end of the evening before the world as they know it ends.
Where to watch: Prime Video.
The Lodge
Speaking of devastating, The Lodge is a psychological horror film that might have you thinking twice about booking that cosy log cabin break this Christmas.
Starring Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, Alicia Silverstone, and Richard Armitage, it tells the story of Grace Marshall (Keough), the sole survivor of a cult’s mass suicide.
She embarks on a Christmas family vacation to a remote cabin with partner Richard (Armitage) and his children Aiden (Martell) and Mia (McHugh). When Richard must leave abruptly to work, Grace and the children begin experiencing unusual and terrifying phenomena in the lodge which leads them to believe they are all dead.
Where to watch: Channel 4.
Calvaire
If you’re planning on driving home for Christmas this year, maybe don’t watch the 2004 psychological horror film Calvaire first.
Fabrice Du Welz’s first full-length film follows Marc Stevens (Laurent Lucas), a travelling musician making his way to his next gig, a Christmas special.
But while travelling, his van breaks down in a forest in a deserted mountain region. He is taken in by innkeeper Mr Bartel (Jackie Berroyer), but he soon learns the reasons for his hospitality are far from innocent.
Where to watch: Prime Video and Shudder via Prime Video.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
The Paranormal Activity films are a staple watch for many at Halloween, and this instalment in the found footage franchise brings in the holiday season.
Set mostly after the events of Paranormal Activity 4, The Ghost Dimension follows Ryan (Chris J Murray) and Emily Fleege (Brit Shaw) with their daughter Leila (Ivy George) as they prepare for Christmas in their new home.
While getting settled in they find a mysterious camcorder which Ryan discovers can capture strange apparitions and spirits that are invisible to the naked eye.
Where to watch: Paramount Plus.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Okay, The Nightmare Before Christmas can very much be considered an out-and-out Christmas film rather than just dancing with the festivities.
But it sparks the debate of whether it is indeed a Christmas film or a Halloween watch every single year as Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman/Chris Sarandon) discovers the wonder of Christmas after stumbling through a magical door.
The Pumpkin King returns to Halloweentown intent on bringing Christmas cheer to one and all, teaching his fellow spooky residents all about Yuletide and plots to take control of Christmas by kidnapping Santa Claus.
Where to watch: Disney Plus.
Inside
Nothing will shock you – both into the Christmas period and out of your mind – quite like Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo’s New French Extremity classic Inside.
The film is set on Christmas Eve, where four months after surviving a car crash which killed her husband, expectant mother Sarah Scarangella (Alysson Paradis) prepares for her child’s birth the following day.
However, she soon finds herself in a fight for survival after she is tormented by a mysterious knife-wielding woman (Béatrice Dalle) who turns up unannounced at her door.
Where to watch: Available to rent via Prime Video and Apple TV.
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