Cuddle Up With This Bonkers Holiday Horror Now On HBO Max: “Surreal, Bizarre, Funny and Existentially Disturbing”
I love a good surprise drop. Even when the film is terrible—looking at you, The Cloverfield Paradox—the unexpected release offers loads of excitement. Like finding that Christmas gift hidden in the corner of the room. What’s inside almost doesn’t matter. The giddy feeling of joy in your heart is half the present. To this day, perhaps the most surprising—in more ways than one—remains Adult Swim Yule Log.
Originally titled The Fireplace, Adult Swim Yule Log aired on Adult Swim on the night of December 12th, 2022. What begins as your standard holiday yule log video quickly transforms into a deranged Christmas horror film from the mind of Casper Kelly (who soared in fame with his Too Many Cooks short). No one expected it. Nor could they possibly imagine where the film would ultimately go. And if you still haven’t seen it, you can fix that by streaming it now on HBO Max.
What’s Adult Swim Yule Log About?
Adult Swim Yule Log defies simple explanation, but I’ll do my best. While filming a yule log video for his side hustle, Alex (Justin Miles) decides to propose to his environmentalist girlfriend, Zoe (Andrea Laing). They’re soon interrupted by police who inform them that a murder has been committed near the log cabin they’re renting. What follows is a kitchen sink of nightmares that includes serial killers, possessed logs, the Devil, aliens, time travel, and more.
What Others Are Saying:
A Kitchen Sink Nightmare of Holiday Horror (And Laughs)
Upon seeing it for the first time, you may leave Adult Swim Yule Log dumbfounded and jaw hanging. Is it a masterpiece, or a hallucinogenic-fueled grab bag of horror tropes? I don’t know, and I don’t care, because one thing’s for certain…the film is endlessly entertaining. One moment, you’re listening to the unnerving murder of a house cleaner at the hands of a masked assailant. Next, you’re following a stoner through the fireplace and into a hell designed to look a whole lot like that “this is fine” meme. Anyone who says they know exactly where Yule Log will go is a naughty liar. None of it makes sense, yet all of it makes sense. Does that even make sense? I’m not sure anymore. That’s the mind-melting effect of Kelly’s holiday-themed nightmare.
In a sub-genre of holiday horror films that includes the likes of Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 and Jack Frost—NOT the Michael Keaton movie—I feel comfortable calling Adult Swim Yule Log one of, if not the, most unhinged of the bunch. Not shocking, considering who made it. If you’ve seen Too Many Cooks or Kelly’s bats–t V/H/S/Halloween segment, “Fun Size,” you should have a pretty good idea of the madness screaming from the frames of Yule Log. Because the film doesn’t even know the meaning of “too weird,” it won’t be for everyone. You’ll likely love it or hate it. But I promise, it’s an unforgettable sleigh ride through a head-scratching Hell.
Prank the relatives this holiday season by streaming Adult Swim Yule Log on HBO Max (they’ll never see it coming). Once you’re finished with that, stream the Hallmark Channel-esque sequel on the same service. And for more recs like these, follow me on Bluesky @werematt.
Categorized: Streaming News
