Review of Ugly Sweater Party

UGLY SWEATER PARTY, written and directed by Aaron Mento is a welcome intro to the holiday season. The movie begins with a unorthodox police interrogation of suspected serial killer Declan Rains. Devilishly played by horror icon Sean Whalen. This is a role self tailored for such a talent and really brings to light a new villain in the genre! He is possessed by the devil who controls his ugly sweater and makes him kill. The detective on the case takes the law in his own hands and brutally kills him with a bat. But that would be the end of the movie. Declan lives on in the sweater and will kill again once it possesses another person. Flash forward 10 years. Two fun loving goofballs Jody and Cliff played with pure fun by Hunter Johnson and Charles Chudabala are invited to a party in the woods at a tucked away campsite. They hit the road and after Jody looks over the text and this time reading in its entirety finds out its a Christian Camp. The two girls that they had an awesome spring break with are fraternal twins, Samantha (Emily Dahm) and Susan (Tiffani Fest) there reborn and baptized and are no longer sexual party animals. In fact the party that they though was going to be fueled by booze and sex is actually and ugly sweater party as Jody reads further the text. Frustrated by the whole incident Cliff pulls over and feels ridiculous casue he has a sight and claims were they will get sweaters in the middle of nowhere. Well out comes hobbling down the road the officer responsible for killing serial Killer Declan Rains and has his sweater under lock and key. Immediately Cliff gets possessed after they forcefully take the sweater. They Arrive at the camp and its awkwardly named Camp Mandix and is run by the girls parents. Their mother, Mrs. Mandix hilariously played by Felissa Rose is a horny hugger and her awkwardly feminine husband is Counselor Mandix played by Marv Blauvelt. They run this camp and everyone attending has issues that need to be resolved! There is one camper named Hanna (Laura Jean), and she posses the power to see future events. She sees a massacre at the coming but is not believed. Everyone thinks she is a witch and there trying to cure her also. There is also a subplot about a ex groundskeeper plotting revenge who is possessed by the devil through heavy metal music. The reason he was fired! Ernie, played by Jody Barton is possessed by the band Omicida who have three awesome head banging songs in the movie. Ernie gleefully listens to there music while constructing a death ray for his revenge at the camp. The movie does not let up for air and something is always going on. Everyone is either possessed or trying to Cope with there sexual hang ups. This leads up to a bloody battle with Ernie going nuts with his ray gun and Cliff going around killing with his sweater. So sets up the carnage. And yes there is enough killings and dismemberments for a dozen movies. The movie is a fun flick that doesn't take itself seriously and in turn presents a fun watch. It's obvious Aaron Mento is a big fan of the horror movies of the 70's and 80's but is so original with his style. A great script along with really great actors who gave it there all to make this work. The two buddies Cliff and Jody are a real stand out and very enjoyable and fun to watch. The movies makers really know how to stretch a dollar and did not skimp with effects. The Director really took advantage of his settings and explored with the camera and visually made it appealing to watch, with a lot of Ariel establishing shots! I highly recommend this as your new annual Horror Christmas movie and hope the makers make this a tradition with a sequel. How fun to see Sean Whalen sinks his teeth into this and possibly make this a new genre killer! Good job to all and to all a good night! Directed by Aaron Mento. Starring Felissa Rose, Sean Whalen, Kevin Caliber, Lara Jean, Hunter Johnson, and Charles Chudabala.