13 Slays Till X-Mas (2020) User Reviews

A Decent Black Horror Comedy

[genowhirl · 5/10 · 16 December 2022]

Before we begin:

This movie lacked any reviews, and so I had absolutely no idea what to expect going in. I won't lie, I'd never heard of this movie before until I started watching/reviewing some other, more obscure horror anthologies. I can honestly say that this anthology is worth a watch, but is maybe best suited for a fun night with friends. We get 13 of these tales! Collectively, I'd say this is some high-end amateur black horror comedy.

Begin:

This movie is definitely more on the low-budget side of things. But a very important thing it has going on for itself is that each vignette exists as it's own self-contained story that receives a proper ending. Each story has a clear direction that fleshes itself out enough to justify the ending. This is largely possible due to the fact that the stories are all quite short, lasting roughly 5 to 10 minutes a piece.

Overall, the acting isn't incredible, but is definitely acceptable and even pretty convincing from time to time. It ebbs and flows, as if the actors couldn't get into a steady flow with their performances. The scripting is actually pretty good when it takes itself seriously enough, and can often times be appropriately humorous.

While there are some very creative ideas for the effects and special effects, they aren't necessarily something to write home about. Still, you can tell that considerable effort was put into them.

The audio mixing could use some work: a running theme is how the music often competes with the dialogue. Not to a degree that you can't hear the dialogue, but the music acts like a constant, whispering nagging sound in your ear as you try to listen to the dialogue. On top of that, sounds can be a bit booming or sharp from time to time.

In terms of lighting and cinematography, there is considerable skill with both here. High-end amateur I would say.

Below are brief Plot Summaries:

Wraparound: We've got ~7 people holed up in a bar on Christmas Eve. Reviving the old tradition of sharing horror stories on Christmas Eve, they decide to share the following tales with one another:

First Story: Two sisters decide to decorate their deceased mother's house one last time, but something seems off. 5/10

Second Story: On the eve of his daughter's 18th birthday, a father receives a disturbing phone call from a familiar phone number. 6/10

Third Story: In the aftermath of a falling out with their group, two brothers celebrate Christmas together, recounting old memories while making new ones. 3/10

Fourth Story: Down in the dumps after receiving an email from his ex, a depressed man comes in contact with his guardian angel. 5/10

Fifth Story: Two men break into a house seeking absolution from their guilt-ridden past. 8/10

Sixth Story: A father shares a horrific Christmas story with his son in order to get him to obey him and go to bed, but it doesn't quite have the desired effect. 5/10

Seventh Story: As she's writing her Christmas wish list, a little girl's rotten brother comes in to spoil her fun. 4/10

Eight Story: When a woman sets a puppet missing its wooden cross upon the chimney mantle, it stirs up old feelings and memories for her partner. 5/10

Ninth Story: Stumbling upon a gruesome scene while on patrol one night, a local sheriff pieces together what occurred while seeking justice. 7/10

Tenth Story: A flustered radio host rumored to be losing his edge is harassed by a sinister presence. 7/10

Eleventh Story: Some uninvited guests find their way into a little Christmas get together. 4/10

Twelfth Story: While a man spends Christmas alone in his cabin, two men come knocking on the door seeking shelter from "it." 6/10

Thirteenth Story: A stranger pops into the bar a couple stories back. She seems to know a deep truth that ties all the other people in the bar together. 5/10.

A group of Debbie-Downers visit a local bar on Christmas where they decide to tell scary stories to see who picks up the tab.

[indiereviewer · 4/10 · 24 November 2023]

Your boy Bobby Joe here. The illegitimate son of Job Bob, bringing you another true indie review.

13 Slays Till X-Mas, starring Katie Stewart, and Brittany Blanton has solid acting, solid camerawork, and lighting, but it suffers in storytelling. The segments are so short that it's impossible to get invested, except for Dead Air, which is probably the best writing, directing, and acting that I've seen in any indie movie. Other than that, the stories are all forgettable. I've watched the movie 3 times and still can't remember any character's names.

We do get to see the always-lovely Katie Stewart and Brittany Blanton, as well as Roni Jonah, Rebecca Rinehart, and Shawn C. Phillips, so if you're a fan of either of these indie stars, you may enjoy the movie.

The lowdown is as follows.

No breasts. 1 near girl-on-girl kiss. No gore. Near 20 kills. Solid acting. Solid camerawork. Bad storytelling.

In the end, I gave 13 Slays Till X-Max 4 stars. It's not great, it's not bad, but it's a Christmas scary movie which we need more of.

Some terrific holiday horror ideas are offset by far too much variability in quality in every way

[I_Ailurophile · 5/10 · 24 December 2023]

Anthology films are always a bit of a dicey affair. Any attempt is surely no stronger than its weakest segment, and there are always questions about tone, theme, unifying factors, and more in addition to the typical broad concerns of film-making and storytelling quality. As this one begins it quickly shows itself to boast glaringly bare-faced production values in the common manner of many second-rate (or worse) titles in the 2010s and 2020s, immediately raising concerns about the overall worth. At the same time, it's also just as apparent that the folks involved are putting earnest care and effort into the whole affair, which gives it a small boost among many contemporaries. As the length advances '13 slays till X-mas' shows that it's not exactly any major must-see, but it's suitably enjoyable in its own right for those who are receptive to the blend of horror and the holidays. Would that it also weren't so long as it is, though, because without substantial value to earn our favor, the good times inherently dwindle over time regardless of each contribution in turn.

Even such as it is, no matter how generous one wishes to be there are distinct issues with the flick. Possibly as a consequence of unifying a solid fifteen filmmakers to write and direct a total of thirteen segments, filling a hair over 100 minutes, in the effort to group them all together it doesn't necessarily feel that any one tale is given its full due. There are terrific ideas here, certainly, and one wishes that they could have been teased out into their ideal forms. To that point, the plainspoken image quality that swiftly catches our attention is also reflected in other capacities: curt editing, and soft direction; overly emphatic and sometimes stilted acting, specifically, or execution generally of a given scene; a curiously muted tone; computer-generated imagery that's decent, but still a tad too apparent. The result of all these factors is that the desired impact of the horror and violence is significantly diminished; the thoughts are there, but the weight behind them mostly is not.

What it comes down to is that there is a dire lack of tact or nuance in the movie in any capacity; multiple filmmakers may have been involved, but each segment in turn is marked by the same traits. It's not that no one here was applying themselves, yet across the board '13 slays till X-mas' needed a more delicate touch in its construction, and more judicious, mindful consideration. I don't think it's unfair to argue that a few stories could even have been dropped from the anthology, giving each of those remaining a little more time and opportunity to spread their wings; accentuating the point, all told the picture feels much longer than it should have been, and our engagement wanes long before it's anywhere near finished. Even for all that, however, there's much to appreciate all throughout the runtime as the minutes tick by. Even if they don't really achieve the desired effect, the proceedings are marked with a nice swirl of wry, dark humor and more gnarly horror ideations. Some facets are so simple, betraying the low budget, that the inauthenticity is subsequently made more evident; then again, the stunts and practical effects are very well done, and however variable, there really is a lot of cleverness spread throughout.

When all is said and done the feature is rather mild and middling, with some especial highlights, and definite low points, too. The lack of experience and developed skills for some of those involved absolutely comes across every now and again, with some direction or acting that is particularly weak and unconvincing, and some writing that's somewhat inchoate or just outright awful. There are also some overblown embellishments every now and again that very simply were poorly considered from the outset. Even at its best, meanwhile, the film can't ever make itself be felt, and it's like we're getting no more than half of a whole. Still, woefully troubled as too much of the title is, I do recognize the hard work that went into it, and the sincerity of the endeavor. Benefiting from some welcome wit at irregular intervals (and conversely, some references that are too on the nose), it is entertaining in some measure. Would that it had more time and financing to be developed further, and fleshed out in the ways the matter most, but even as the sum total is less than completely satisfying, there are much worse ways to spend one's time. By no means does '13 slays till X-mas' demand viewership, but if you do happen to come across it and can get on board with the style, this is passably worthwhile as something light and uncomplicated for a quiet night. Just don't get your hopes up, and maybe be ready to keep it on strictly in the background.

13 Slays till Christmas is a below-average horror anthology, saved somewhat by the Christmas theme

[kevin_robbins · 4/10 · 24 December 2023]

I recently watched 13 Slays till Christmas (2020) on Tubi. The storyline revolves around a group in a bar sharing Christmas horror stories on Christmas Eve, with a revelation about their collective presence.

Directed by fifteen directors, the film stars Jeffrey Reddick (Final Destination), Sadie Katz (Wrong Turn 6), Drew Marvick (Pool Party Massacre), Sonya Delormier (They See You), and Ryan King (Pain Hustlers).

This Christmas horror anthology is uneven, with some segments surpassing others. Acting and dialogue exhibit inconsistency, and while certain story elements are engaging, setups often outshine conclusions, except for one standout story. A radio host segment stands out with excellent dialogue, entertaining kills, and a well-cast and executed killer.

In conclusion, 13 Slays till Christmas is a below-average horror anthology, saved somewhat by the Christmas theme. I'd give it a 4/10 and recommend it primarily during the holiday season.