A con artist poses as a babysitter to steal from a wealthy occult enthusiast. One of the kids she’s sitting unwittingly summons a trio of witches known as The Three Mothers.

While this is not likely to become a Christmas classic, The Night Sitter is a competent and campy Yuletime supernatural slasher sendup that holds its own against any B-movie horror from past decades. The creators were clearly influenced by the garish lighting and dissonant soundscape of Dario Argento’s movies, particularly Suspiria and the rest of his Three Mothers trilogy. Interspersed with some of Raimi-esque Evil Dead nastiness (Tell me that’s not a Deadite!), this fast-paced and fun film delivers just what you’d hope for.

Amber (Elyse Dufour) is a burglar pretending to be a babysitter for a well-off paranormal investigator (Joe Walz). When the kids (Jack Champion and Bailey Campbell) are supposed to be in bed, she invites her accomplices along to star taking the place apart, starting with the creepy locked office. But little do they know the kids have already snuck in and found a spooky book, which, when opened, summons a trio of witch ghosts called the Three Mothers.

Come to think of it, there are elements of Hocus Pocus, too!

The Mothers go on their murderous spree as the crooks, kids and weirdo neighbor Martin (J. Benedict Larmore) try to thwart them before the witching hour.

The Night Sitter is about as fun as it can be without overdoing the sillier elements. And while there are few surprises, that’s to be expected from a film dedicated to having fun with the tropes of the genre. And I, for one, am pleased to see colorful horror again, it feels like it’s been a while.