Once Upon a Time at Christmas (R)
Christmas Specials Wiki; Facebook; IMDb; PopHorror; Rotten Tomatoes
streaming sites: Amazon; Google Play; Vudu; YouTube

I guess this came out in 2017. I don't remember when I first heard of it. It may have been that year, or it may have been later. I can tell you I intended to watch it on Krampusnacht in 2022, but my executive dysfunction prevented it. So I waited and watched it on Krampusnacht 2023. I remember seeing a trailer for it and thinking Mrs. Claus vaguely reminded me of Harley Quinn, I mean the Suicide Squad version, but that comparison does a terrible injustice to "Suicide Squad" and Margot Robbie.

So, what can I tell you about this movie? There is a pair of serial killers dressed like Santa and Mrs. Claus (though not the sort of Mrs. Claus you've ever seen before, most likely). The killings take place in a town called Woodridge, where the local sheriff and his deputy quickly find themselves in over their heads. There's a teenage girl named Jennifer who is important to the plot, but I won't spoil how exactly. And... meh, I don't know what else to tell you. It's just some of the worst writing and acting (from pretty much every actor in the movie) that I've ever seen. And there's a pattern to the killings that I figured out way before the sheriff did. It's actually not a terrible concept for a slasher flick, it's just terribly executed. And incidentally, despite the fact that it's set in New York, I thought all the characters sounded Canadian (which is extra strange, because IMDb says the country of origin is the U.K., which I'm not sure I believe). I am glad I watched the movie, just so I can stop wanting to see it. But oh my god, was it bad.