Title: All Through the House Writer/ Director: Todd Nunes Cast: Ashley Mary Nunes, Jessica Cameron, Melynda Kiring, Natalie Montera, Lito Velasco Year: 2015 Min: 88
Rachel (the lovely Ashley Mary Nunes) has come home for the holidays during her college break. But, there are two mysteries that she and the rest of the neighborhood doesn't know the answers to, still to this very day. Those are: what happened to her mother and what happened to the little girl, Jamie, that was Rachel's neighbor. In the meantime, Jamie's mother, Gia (Melynda Kiring) is trying to put up the last of her Christmas decorations in and around her house. Rachel tells her that she will give her a helping hand to do just that. She gets her two pretty friends to accompany and help her out. Gia it ends up being, is going on a "date" leaving the girls alone in the admit ably creepy house. The thing is a scary and psychotic guy dressed in a Santa outfit that is heading to that exact house and has been racking up the body count on his way there, with the three of the girls being next.
I am a sucker for a good Christmas horror flick, and All Through the House is just that. In fact, it ranks with the best of the lot. A bloody slasher, it is a great throwback to the sub-genre's heyday. It's fun and gory and is sure to become part of your annual Christmas horror viewing habits.
The movie moves at a quick pace, leaving little quite moments during it's 88 minute duration. From beginning to end, it just flat-out rocks. In fact, it really takes very little time to set-up, as drop dead gorgeous scream queen and horror filmmaker Jessica Cameron (below) gets offed early on. Jessica has quickly become one of my favorite scream queens in the genre. And as such, it was great to see her in this movie. Although her role is short, her death scene is one of the movies most shocking scenes. The pull no punches aspect of this kill sets up the tone of the rest movie, as not only is super gory and explicit but also accompanied some admit ably funny tinges of humor.
writer/ director Todd Nunes has a great use of Christmas imagery in way that is super-creepy. Gia's house is filled with some of the scariest shit, I have ever seen used for Christmas decor! His use of Christmas colors and lighting adds a nice and stylish look to the movie. He also delivers a kick ass and suspenseful climax, as the film really hits on all cylinders during the last 15 or 20 min or so.
The gore FX that are a big draw of the film. These bloody kills would NEVER get an R-rating. Our killer Santa has an affinity for using garden sheers to end the life of his victims. This causes some gruesomely realistic splatter that includes: breast stabbings, graphic (and funny!) castrations (yes plural!), stabbings, sheers to the head, eye gouging, and more. Another wonderful special effect is the movie's beautiful female cast. So, that it hits all that is needed for a destined to be loved slasher.
The acting of the cast ranges from adequate to quite good. Ashley Mary Nunes (below) and Kiring really shine in their roles. Nunes, who is an absolute stunner, makes for a great and tough final girl. She is put through the ringer and really delivers in her role. Kiring is simply great as the unhinged Gia. She is given a lot to do and a chance to give different emotional levels, which she handles with much zest.
As with most slashers, it does fall under most of the trademarks and beats of that type of movie. However, it's done in such a fun manner and flair that it works. You can tell and feel that it is being done by someone who has a real love for slashers and does it out of his love of them, and not cause he is some unoriginal hack.
Try not think to much about our killer though, who seems to pop in front of victims at each and every turn, even when it makes no real logical sense. Maybe he is actually Nightcrawler from the X-Men? In a lesser movie it would totally sink it further (Friday the 13th Part VII: Jason Takes Manhattan anyone?), here it is done in the context of such an enjoyable film that I just shrugged it off and enjoyed the movie, itself. Also, the killer, himself, looks creepy as fuck. You gotta love that mask he is wearing being accompanied by the Santa suit. It's just a fucking great look for him!
All Through the House is a great time to be had. It's fun, super bloody, filled with pretty girls, and has a real love for the subgenre(s), as in both slashers and Christmas horror movies. Moving at a breakneck pace and leading to kick ass climax, it is destined to be a cult favorite. Make sure this Christmas season it joins your viewings of Black Christmas, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Gremlins, and the rest of the holiday horror flicks you watch. And, I predict that it will continue to do so in years to come.
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