Written By: Ryan Dailey
Sometimes the title of a film slaps the viewer in the face and demands their attention. Yule Log 2: Branchin’ Out is one such title that does just that and provides a great film to accompany it. Most people more than likely associate Adult Swim with sophomoric humor and the black and white bumps that think they are clever, but they really are not.
Adult Swim can be so much more at times. Unedited Footage of a Bear, Infomercials, This House has People in It and Primal are a few prime examples. Adding to that list are the works of Casper Kelley, which include both Yule Log films and Too Many Cooks.
The first film was a wild ride that subverted expectations, played with structure and made ten pounds of holiday horror fit into a five pound bag. Yule Log 2: Branchin’ Out continues the Casper Kelley holiday tradition set forth by the first film as we follow the survivor of the Yule Log, Zoe (Andrea Laing) as her and her friend decide to take a holiday getaway to a small town, as Zoe is suffering from severe PTSD from her first go with the Yule Log and lost her job as a bonus. The horror movie that is her life becomes a Hallmark film as she finds love and the reason for the season as she falls into not only horror tropes, but Hallmark ones as well.
Kelley is a master at his craft. He is able to not only subtly poke fun at both genres with repetitive jokes, but keep the audience engaged. The dialog is sharp and funny, delivered by actors that are skilled and that understand the material. There are many entries into the holiday horror subgenre, with the much over hyped Art the Clown even joining in the reindeer games as of this year. The holiday horror of Casper Kelley stands heads and shoulders above them in terms of pure entertainment value. Sure, Black Christmas 1974 is a certified classic, but so can the Yule Log films when given time and an audience. All of the earmarks are there, quotable lines, a memorable antagonist, and unforgettable scenes. Honestly, the only type of person that would not have fun watching this film are the same Grinches that start Internet beef about how “Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. ”Yule Log 2: Branchin’ Out easily nets a 4 out of 5 and is streaming on MAX.