The year is closing out soon, with just one month separating us from 2023. Rather than looking to the new year with dread or excitement, bide your time with these films coming out in December. And if you want an anti-jolly watch, look no further than the flicks on this list.
“Violent Night”
This movie should be at the top of your to-watch list if you want some gore in your holiday flicks. Follow Santa Clause (David Harbour) as he must fight off Ben (John Leguizamo) and others robbing a wealthy family’s house. This new take on Santa will have even squeamish people laughing. You can check out the trailer here.
“Violent Night” releases in theaters on Dec. 2.
“The Eternal Daughter”
Haunted house films are great to watch during the colder months to add more dread to the viewing experience; this new movie from A24 came at the perfect time. The story follows Julie (Tilda Swinton) traveling with her mother, Rosalind (Swinton), to a hotel that was once their family home. The mystery revolves around this haunting story of trauma and family, strengthened by the dark tone and clever shots. You can watch the trailer here.
“The Eternal Daughter” releases in limited theaters on Dec. 2.
“Darby and the Dead”
For those looking for a goofier and lighter haunting, you should check out this Hulu Original. Protagonist Darby (Riele Downs) sees dead people and prefers helping them move on than interacting with the people from her high school. Darby’s two worlds collide when head cheerleader and bully, Capri (Auli’i Cravalho), dies and decides to tick off the teenage medium. Capri forces Darby to ensure that the late cheerleader’s “Sweet 17” continues to be held. Watch this flick if you enjoy supernatural teen dramas that go extreme. You can watch the trailer here.
“Darby and the Dead” will be released on Hulu on Dec. 2.
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”
If you are looking for a kid-friendly flick with dark visuals, look no further than this new spin on the tale of “Pinocchio.” Pinocchio (Gregory Mann), the wooden boy, wants to become a real boy and goes on an adventure to make this happen. Guillermo del Toro’s animated film looks to add freaky visuals and further the tale’s darker plotlines such as the villains preying on Pinocchio, all while sticking with the PG rating. You can watch the trailer here.
“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” releases in select theaters and on Netflix on Dec. 9.
“Mindcage”
To the fans of detective shows like “Criminal Minds,” this new thriller was made for you. The audience follows detectives Jake Doyle (Martin Lawrence) and Mary Kelly (Melissa Roxburgh) chase the copycat of an incarcerated serial killer called the Artist (John Malkovich). While working with the Artist, the detective duo must be weary of the games being played by both murderers. If you want a twisty thriller with a dark story, make sure to tune in. You can watch the trailer here.
“Mindcage” releases in limited theaters on Dec. 16.
Despite December being the month of baking sweets and family get-togethers, consuming creepy content is not a crime. Watching “Violent Night” and “Darby and the Dead” seems like a great double feature since they have goofy scares. “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” looks like a fantastic family watch, especially if you do not mind changes to the classic tale. Just know that spooks and scares are appropriate all-year-around.