Dir. Kieran Reed (2022)
A waitress discovers a sinister conspiracy at the fast food restaurant in which she works, but it turns out that she’s the one on the menu.
CAUTION: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Oh man, I haven’t seen a monster movie like this since Troma in the 90’s! All You Can Eat is schlocky fun that’s well-made, well-acted, and delightfully gory. Packed into a compact and fast-moving 13 minutes, including credits, this is the kinda short film that is fun to watch, one that leaves you wanting more and hoping that the film can eventually become a feature-length production. Kieran Reed is a director who you can tell loves the genre, and his decision to include rubbery, 80’s style monsters and effects is a loving homage to the films that came before. Verity Hayes stars as Nola Gombo, a waitress who unwittingly discovers a tape that indicates that her restaurant may be a front for something much more sinister. She unfortunately doesn’t realize the true importance of her discovery until it’s too late. While the short film doesn’t delve too much into the extent of the goings-on behind the scenes, we do discover that it involves killer burritos with teeth! The film is a fun little throw back to the B-grade monster films that Troma and Full Moon saturated the market with in the 80’s and 90’s. With a voiceover cameo by Jello Biafra, lead singer of the punk band Dead Kennedys, the film manages to move along at breakneck speed, jumping from the quick intro of the plot to the murderous beastly intention of the, uh, burritos. It's a cool little production, one that really does lend itself to a longer film. It’s got shades of Killer Tomatoes, a tinge of Thankskilling or Poultrygeist, and a dash here and there of Tremors. What’s not to love? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a short film that was as entertaining as this one with only a $1000 budget. If you get a chance to catch this one at a festival or through other means, it’s definitely worth a look and is one of the better-shot short films that I’ve seen in a while. I think director Kieran Reed has a lot of bright things in his future, and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next! Special thanks to Mr. Reed for sending this one across the pond so that I could check it out! He was also kind enough to send a press packet with tons of extras. I've included some of the materials below.
Who this movie is for: Short film lovers, Indie horror fans, Taco Bell enthusiasts
Bottom line: Filled with heart (and monster burritos), this is a great little short that is touring the film festivals now. It's a throwback to the Troma monster films of the 80's, and it's cheap and nasty, exactly like it should be. Kieran Reed has made a hell of a short here, and this one will make you laugh as much as cringe. Give it a watch if you get the chance.
