Film per non dormire: Racconto di Natale

It's not that this movie is bad... But it certainly doesn't belong in a series called "movies to keep you awake", since I doubt it would even keep a twelve year old awake at night.

Although the direction by Paco Plaza (of REC fame), and the general production value is obviously on a very good level, the movie is a combination of Stand By Me, Home Alone and of "The Three Investigators" juvenile mystery books (i.e. having a trailer parked in a backyard as headquarters is a direct link between the latter and this film I think), with none of the aforementioned is what I would consider "spine chilling". The heroes of the movie are conveniently "nerdy" kids that obsess over classic cult movies like Karate Kid, portraying the filmmakers' nostalgic intentions and paying homage to them.

Overall though, the movie is what has been described above: a movie about a bunch of kids, that resembles a "Goosebumps" episode, more than a real thriller. I can definitely see why someone can like this one a lot, but it just didn't work for me.

In 1985, in a coastal town in Spain, the friends Koldo (Christian Casas), Peti (Roger Babia), Tito (Pau Poch), Eugenio (Daniel Casadellà) and Moni (Ivana Baquero) stumble with a woman dressed like Santa Claus trapped in a hole in the woods. While to boys go to the police station to ask for help, the others find a rope to take the woman out of the hole. However, the boys find in the police station that the woman is the dangerous thief Rebeca Expósito (Maru Valdivielso), who has just stolen two million pesetas from a bank and is wanted. The group decides to leave the woman in the hole without any food to force her to give the robbed money to them. Meanwhile, Peti and Eugenio that are fans of the movie "Zombie Invasion", decide to make a voodoo ceremony with Rebecca to transform her into a zombie. When Rebecca escapes from her imprisonment, she uses an axe to chase the evil boys.

"Cuento de Navidad" is a one of the best episodes that I have seen of the great Spanish series "Películas Para No Dormir". The director Paco Plaza has an extraordinary effort to make such good movie working with five kids and one outstanding actress, Maru Valdivielso. The result is an original and very dark film, blending black humor and horror with cruelties and no innocence of the abusive teenagers that show no merci while torturing a "mean woman". My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Delinqüentes Diabólicos" ("Evil Delinquents")

Strictly speaking this is nothing too special, and filmmaker Paco Plaza isn't reinventing anything. The plot is familiar as a group of friends stumble onto someone in need who they take advantage of for their own gain, leading to discord, violence, and a bloody climax. The differences, of course, are that in this instance those friends are perfectly amoral, rather monstrous children (which really makes me think Plaza thinks children are the spawn of the devil), and that this flick is flavored with Christmas seasoning. There are further flashes throughout of more discrete horror flavors, too, seen mostly (but not exclusively) in the kids' obsession with a zombie B-movie. And what may be most noteworthy of all is that while such a dark tale follows a recognizable horror/thriller formula, it is made to be extra twisted by adopting an extremely light, playful tone, discerned in Plaza's direction, in references and tropes borrowed from other "80s kids have an adventure" titles, and not least in Mikel Salas' peppy original score - at once cheekily connoting the end of innocence for the youths, and the wry, cynical subversion of a classic genre where kids are the unquestionable heroes. The end result might not be particularly striking, yet when all is said and done 'Cuento de Navidad' (or 'A Christmas Tale') is sharply made and a pretty good time all around.

This is well made in all regards. The cast demonstrate strong acting; the special makeup is outstanding, as are the stunts and effects. The sets and filming locations are imaginative, or at least imaginatively used. Plaza's direction is solid in orchestrating every shot and scene. The writing may not specifically offer anything new, but the concatenation is marked with just enough nice little touches to help the feature to feel fresh. Case in point, perhaps aided in part by the insertion of children into a tried and true narrative, this feels extra nasty as the length progresses and the kids get grim. One can maybe think of other things the screenplay could have done that would have been more satisfying, but there's no rule that says every flick has to be a revelation, and this is just swell as is. There was no goal here except to entertain with a sinister holiday genre piece, and even if it won't especially stand out in a crowd that goal is achieved. There's no need to go out of your way for 'Cuento de Navidad,' but if you appreciate the blend and do have the chance to watch, at only seventy-some minutes this is worth checking out.

(2005) A Christmas Tale/ Películas para no dormir: Cuento de navidad (Films To Keep You Awake: A Christmas Tale) (In Spanish with English subtitles) THRILLER

It has five children Kolda (Christian Casa), Peti (Roger Babià), Eugneio (Daniel Casadellà), Moni (Ivana Baquero) and Tito (Pau Poch) who know one another, stumble onto a lady wearing a Santa Clause suit who appear to have fallen into a sink hole. And just when some of the kids were going to help her climb back out, one of the two children while waiting in a police station peer over the desk observing a "wanted" poster regarding a lady in a Santa suit. He grabs that poster and hurries back to the sink hole. And just as she is about to climb back up, a rock is thrown at her, knocking her back down into the sink hole again. It is then revealed that Rebecca Expósito (Maru Valdivielso) is a wanted felon and is wanted for stealing two million in Spanish money. Once the children learns about this, they then attempt to drive that information regarding the whereabouts of the money out of her.

This is a juicy terrifying material fashioning an iconic Santa Claus , providing screams , thrills , shocks and chilling scenes . Set in 1985, in a coastal town, a group of children (Pau Poch, Christian Casas ,Daniel Casadellà and Ivana Baquero , the latter to be followed an interesting and successful cinematic career) spending Christmas in a summer resort village discover a woman (Maru Valdivieso) disguised as Santa Claus in a well in the woods. She is a thief who in a tumultuous getaway led her to become a Santa serial killer . When they go to the police for help, they discover that she is in fact a dangerous robber who is on the lam with a substantial haul. They then make a decision. The friends Koldo, Peti, Tito, Eugenio and Monica will help her out of the well in exchange for the money that she still has on her. So the children decide not to free her. But once they have the money, things go wrong . They feed her and look after her but the days become increasingly long in the well. The cold, the damp, the darkness and above all the fact that she is being fed with packets of childrens food are turning her enforced captivity into a torture session with near fatal consequences. One day, when the children come to see her, the well is empty... At the climax happens shocking and horrific images of surprising appearances . You've made it through Halloween, now try and survive Christmas !. Santa's Here!. She knows when you've been naughty .Shocking... disturbing... The movie they tried to ban. This year, Santa Claus is coming with a sackful of deadly gifts. Should they keep the money? Why would they actually want to help her out of the well? And would they be in danger if they did let her out?

If you are expecting a great horror experience, then "Christmas tale" is the best of choice. Furthermore the ordinary terror issues , being developed a peculiar friendship among kids, in which emerging greed, fear , ambition and darker thoughts lead them to change their schemes , which in turn providing a series of dilemmas. Sure, I will say that the concept of the storyline was definitely known , but it was just brutally paced by a very competent direction that moved ahead in skill pace . In fact , this theme about a Santa Claus series killer has been already treated in other films , specially in the Eighties , such as : ¨Silent Night, Deadly Night" 1984 by Charles E. Seiller Jr and sequels : ¨Silent Night, Deadly Night II¨1987 by Lee Harris , ¨Blind Terror¨ 1989 by Monte Hellman , ¨Silent Night, Deadly Night 4¨ 1990 by Brian Yuzna . In addition , ¨Don't open till Christmas¨ 1984 by Edmund Purdom. Scary and terrifying images when the disfigured Santa Claus shows up and creepy events emerging from a well , in which the Santa Claus woman : Maru Valdivieso making sinister and mysterious appearances here and there . The picture is mainly played by children being well directed and giving acceptable interpretations , in fact all the adults in this film are unseen or partially-unseen roles, with their faces always hidden. Only adults showing up are the murderer Maru Valdivieso , and Elsa Pataky and Loquillo , while playing a fun terror movie that some boys are watching on Television. A scary horror picture shot in fits and starts with disconcerting plot , regarding ghastly and threatening appearances , while a group of nasty children suffering from bizarre happenings . Genuinely horrible moments overcome some obvious plot devices .I will say that the cast actually carried the movie decent enough, especially when taking into consideration the severe limitations imposed by the script and storyline.

¨Christmas Tales¨ 2005 belongs to "Historias Para No Dormir" series to the 2000s season , and has been recently made a new season formed by four independent horror stories that pay tribute to the classic format of Narciso Ibáñez Serrador, directed by and starring well known names in Spanish cinema, such as Rodrigo Cortés, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Paco Plaza and Paula Ortiz directing "La broma", "El doble", "Freddy" and "El asfalto" respectively . It contains an adequate and sinister cinematography by cameraman Javier Salmones. And frightening , suspenseful musical score by composer Mikel Salas , adding popular songs by Estopa band Esto No Es Hawaii (Que Wai) by Loquillo y Trogloditas and Yes Sir, I Can Boogie performed by Baccara. The motion picture was compellingly directed by Paco Plaza providing abound terror and screams . Plaza is a good director with much success particularly in terror genre . He has written or directed with Jaume Balaguero the successful¨ Rec¨ saga formed by : ¨Rec 1, Rec 2 , Rec Genesis and Rec Apocalypse¨ . As well as other terror movies as ¨The second name¨ , ¨Romasanta¨, ¨Christmas tale¨ , ¨Veronica¨and he wrote the American film : ¨Quarantine¨ . He has also made some shorts and documentary : ¨OT¨ . And his only and recent thriller, ¨Quien a hierro mata¨, with Luis Tosar . Rating 7.5/10 . Acceptable and interesting horror movie . Well worth watching for terror lovers.