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Amelia (Meagan Karimi-Naser) stumbles upon a curio shop while looking for a Christmas present for her sister - and even if it's already past closing time, the shopkeeper (Jeffrey Combs) is more than happy to show her around and tell her the story of every item she happens to pick:

• A bunch of teens break into what they think is an abandoned house to have a party - but a girl in a dollmask still has a score to settle with those who wronged her back in the day, and our heroes are just pretty much "it" ...
• Kevin (Forrest Campbell) has gotten a Jewish rabbi doll for birthday that's supposed to grant wishes - and his first wish it to get rid of his babysitter (Amber Stonebraker) ...
• Chris (Joel Murray) is pretty much at the end of the line, his wife Susan (Ailsa Marshall) denies him any bedroom fun, he's denied a promotion at his job, and yet he's to stay sober and play Santa at the office Christmas party while Susan shags the guy (Jeff Bryan Davis) who got promoted in Chris's place. But then he takes some experimental drugs to turn things in his favour - and bloodily so ...

None of the objects shown especially appeal to Amelia though - and little wonder, as a ring she's wearing holds a story at least as gruesome as those above: Anna (McKenna Ralston) moves into the country - to only gradually find out the locals are part of a fertility cult, and one with some very bloody rituals. The ring is the emblem of the cult - and it also plays a role in the fate of the shopkeeper ...

Above everything else, this film is great fun, an enjoyable anthology in the spirit of Tales from the Crypt, meaning a collection of macabre cautionary tales with a predilection for the gruesome and many a surprise twist, all with darkly humouristic undercurrents. And despite no less than four directors this film comes off as surprisingly homogenic, as everybody involved seems to be in on the joke. And of course, a strong cast doesn't hurt one bit either to make this very solid genre entertainment, holiday or not ...

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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