10 December 2018
Better Watch Out: “A holiday film that decks the halls with blood”
Update: Better Watch Out is no longer on Showmax. Find your next binge in the full movies catalogue here.
Entertainment Weekly wrote, “If you want to gift yourself a holiday film that decks the halls with blood, this is one to put under the tree.”
In the gleefully unhinged holiday horror-comedy Better Watch Out, babysitter Ashley (Olivia DeJonge from The Visit) looks after precocious 12-year-old Luke (Levi Miller from Pan). What begins as a normal evening soon takes a dark turn when intruders break into the house, but this is far from a normal home invasion. ..
Better Watch Out has won eight international awards, including the jury prize at Frightfest and the audience award at Fantasia last year. The film has an 88% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where it was recently named the second best Christmas horror film ever, with the critics’ consensus saying, “Carried by its charismatic young cast, Better Watch Out is an adorably sinister holiday horror film.”
As Bloody Disgusting wrote, “Better Watch Out provides a bonkers twist on the home invasion sub-genre that had me squealing with glee from start to finish.”
Or to get more high-brow about it, Los Angeles Times-style, “In the long, sordid history of the ‘Christmas horror’ sub-genre, there’s never been a movie quite like Better Watch Out, a consistently surprising and unusually well-acted thriller, which says pertinent things about suburbia, holiday entertainment and toxic masculinity.”
Just be warned: you’ll never be able to watch Home Alone the same way ever again…
Stream Better Watch Out first and only on Showmax.
Festive highlights on Showmax
If you want to keep the Christmas carol soundtrack and snow-covered scenery, but rather watch something more suitable for the whole family, Showmax has a host of more traditional festive season content to watch, including:
Stick Man
“Stick Man lives in the family tree with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three,” until he’s taken further and further away from home on an epic adventure across the seasons. He runs from a playful dog, gets thrown in a river, escapes from a swan’s nest, and even ends up on top of a fire, as he tries to get back to his family in time for Christmas.
Animated in Cape Town by Triggerfish and co-directed by South African Daniel Snaddon, this BBC One Christmas special by Magic Light Pictures (The Gruffalo, Revolting Rhymes) won the top prizes at leading animation festivals like Annecy and Kidscreen, among others.
Based on the much-loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Stick Man is voiced by the likes of Martin Freeman and Hugh Bonneville, with Jennifer Saunders narrating. Watch now »
Liewe Kersfeesvader
A teenage beauty queen (Mila Guy) is flung into swift adulthood when her father (Morne Visser) assumes a new identity: Father Christmas. Juggling a crazy father, an impressionable kid brother and a growing romance, Nonnie has to redefine her own meaning of family. Written and directed by Etienne Fourie (Die Windpomp), Liewe Kersfeesvader was nominated for Best Editor (Johan Prinsloo) at the SAFTAs this year. Watch now »
Klein Kroontjies
Ever felt strange singing about white Christmases in sunny South Africa? Klein Kroontjies has released five animated Christmas carols that are a lot more appropriate, featuring Nianell, Lloyd Cele, Pierre Greeff, Anna Davel and Gerry Liberty respectively. These are first and only on Showmax. Watch now »
Christmas specials for Timmy Time, Peppa Pig, Garfield and My Little Pony
When Timmy and his friends get snowed in at the nursery on Christmas Eve, they decide to create their own Christmas right there. Watch now »
Also look out for Peppa Pig and Garfield Christmas specials, coming 17 December 2018, and My Little Pony – Best Gift Ever coming 20 December 2018.
Original African stories by local talent
Empini S1
Stream the Showmax Original drama series Empini from 23 May 2024.
Original Sin: My Son The Killer
Original Sin: My Son The Killer follows the murder of Andrea Venter by Gerhard Jansen van Vuuren, who then went on the run from South Africa to Brazil.
Tracking Thabo Bester
From the makers of Devilsdorp and the director of Convict Conman comes the true-crime documentary South Africa has been waiting for. Two episodes now streaming, and the remaining two episodes land on 22 March 2024 on Showmax.
The Illuminated
The Showmax Original docuseries The Illuminated explores different religious movements in South Africa. Stream now, with new episodes every Wednesday.
Koek S1
The crime comedy Koek, starring Cindy Swanepoel, now streaming on Showmax, with new episodes every Thursday.
Ekhaya Backpackers S1
Stream the Showmax Original comedy series Ekhaya Backpackers, with new episodes every Thursday.
Cheta M
Cheta M explores the love story between Adanna and Nnanna, young lovers who battle the spiritual and political forces in their way. Stream now, with new episodes Wednesday to Friday.
Youngins S1
Stream Tshedza Pictures’s first teen drama, Showmax Original Youngins, with three new episodes every week.
The Roast of Minnie Dlamini: The roast everyone's been waiting on
Empini, coming soon
More Mzansi gold
Your initiation into the cool, chaotic world of Wyfie
Feel like we’re almost at midterms but you stopped going to class after you skipped a couple of lectures? Let’s swot up on Episodes 1-24 of Showmax Original Wyfie.
Must-watch trailer for The Showmax Roast of Minnie Dlamini
See the trailer for The Showmax Roast of Minnie Dlamini, premiering on Showmax this Friday, 26 April 2024.
Nambitha Ben-Mazwi stars in Showmax Original Empini
Multi-award winner Nambitha Ben-Mazwi leads new Showmax Original Empini. The action-packed drama series premieres on Showmax 23 May 2024.
Youngins Season 1 episodes 31-33 recap: Revelations
Amo and Mahlatse become a couple, Tumelo ditches Sefako, and Khaya sees both Sefako and Principal Mthembu in a new light in episodes 31-33 of Showmax Original Youngins.