What Lives in Room 214? (2026) | Everyone in this motel keeps insisting they can leave whenever they want. Sure you can, buddy. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 4.8/10. Fame is a funny thing. One minute you're the star of The Corner Room, the next you're living in a motel with a television that appears to have exactly one job, and it's not very entertaining. Welcome to What Lives in Room 214?, a psychological horror featurette from Brandon Rice that explores the cost of fame, the dangers of getting comfortable, and the suspicious number of people who insist they can leave anytime they want. Seriously, is there a support group for that particular problem?

We begin with a narrator reflecting on a decade since his first stay in room 214 at the Sunset Hills Motel. This appears to be Corey King (Adam Joseph Turner), whose moment in the spotlight came courtesy of The Corner Room. After being encouraged by the locals to stay, Corey calls Ellie Wilkes (Jennifer Rizzi Horvath), launching us into a series of clips, including a podcast enthusiastically discussing his former glory. The old-school VHS fuzz during the channel changes is a nice touch. And that blue pause-and-play screen? It might be the second most famous blue screen we've all encountered. I'll leave you to decide what takes first place.

Corey soon crosses paths with Paul (Timothy J. Cox), and it's clear the locals know more about him than they're letting on. There's also the small matter of why he hasn't actually left town. He keeps assuring everyone, including himself, that he can leave whenever he likes. Naturally, he then invites himself to Paul's party. Nothing screams independence quite like settling into someone else's gathering while insisting you're free to go.

Their conversation around the firepit is one of the stronger scenes. They discuss showbiz, identity, and the timeless career advice of "fuck 'em." LOL. The banter feels natural, and both actors deliver solid performances. Then Corey returns to his room to find Mandy (Rachel Moore), who helpfully informs him that she, too, can leave anytime she wants. I'm detecting a theme here. Either that, or this motel has the world's least convincing checkout policy.

From there, reality starts getting slippery. Channel 2 offers a rather peculiar card game, while the limited practical blood effects remind us that this isn't exactly a Hollywood-sized production. Fortunately, the horror relies more on atmosphere and unsettling shifts in reality than buckets of blood.

Rice shows an appreciation for the masters of unconventional filmmaking, with moments that brought David Lynch to mind. The shifting perspectives between Corey and Paul's lives leave plenty of room for interpretation. And the not-so-subtle pounding on the Room 237 door for help LOL.

Ultimately, What Lives in Room 214? is an imperfect but intriguing cautionary tale about chasing fame and losing yourself along the way. It won't work for everyone, and its deliberately obscure approach can test your patience. Still, Rice shows promise behind the camera. He's a filmmaker worth watching, even if I'd think twice before accepting a complimentary night's stay at the Sunset Hills Motel.

What Lives in Room 214?

Thanks to Timothy J. Cox for sending this one over. If you happen to be in Ohio and in this area, support indie film and go check out the premiere. And if you would like to know when this becomes available for streaming, get an email when streaming links become available.

https://jackmeat.com/what-lives-in-room-214-2026/

Don't Move (2026) | Murr pens a spider nightmare, Q turns up as a ranger, and Sal wisely stays home. And Sal might be the smartest Joker here! #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 5.1/10. Being a huge fan of the Impractical Jokers, seeing that James "Murr" Murray wrote the best-selling book Don't Move immediately grabbed my attention. Naturally, I was on board for the movie adaptation. Because if there's one thing I want from a horror movie, it's a giant prehistoric spider and the knowledge that one of the guys responsible for making Joe (yes, I remember you), Q, Sal, and Murr suffer is now branching out into making fictional characters suffer. Progress!

A church group's annual camping retreat turns deadly when they wander into the wrong part of the Ozark wilderness. Suspicion initially falls on Ricky (Russ), the group's resident troublemaker, but there's something much worse lurking in the forest. A monstrous prehistoric arachnid hunts by vibration, meaning every step could be someone's last. Suddenly, keeping still becomes a lot more important than remembering your morning devotionals.

The movie opens with cheerful music and a family enjoying a day at a local carnival, where Murr himself makes an appearance as a game operator. Dad and son head into a haunted house while Mom Megan (Lyndsy Fonseca) stays behind. Let's just say the ride ends up being considerably more brutal than your average carnival attraction. It's a mean-spirited opening that sets the stage for the events a year later, when Megan joins a church camping trip led by Pastor Rizzo (Tom Cavanagh), whom us fans remember from The Flash.

The group also gets a memorable driver in Rob Riggle, because apparently getting lost in the wilderness wasn't enough of a warning sign. After parking, the campers face a two-hour hike to Davies Canyon. You know, that sign you just passed. I'm no wilderness expert, but when a horror movie tells a group of people to walk deep into the woods, I generally recommend doing the exact opposite.

The cast does a perfectly respectable job, with no ridiculous overacting to distract from the story. The filmmakers also wisely hold back the creature for roughly an hour, building anticipation before unleashing their enormous, terrifying spider. Unfortunately, that patience comes at a cost. The first hour moves slowly, and there's only so much suspense you can squeeze out of people walking through trees.

Once the spider arrives, however, things pick up. It's ferocious, surprisingly quick, and cleverly filmed. Quick glimpses, creepy webs (clearly not practical, unfortunately), and those enormous legs do a lot of the work, helping disguise the budget while delivering a couple of decent scares.

Fans of the Jokers also get Brian Quinn popping up as a ranger. Sadly, Sal Vulcano sat this one out. Perhaps he read the script and decided the safest option was to stay home.

Don't Move (2026)

Ultimately, Don't Move is a fun, slightly undercooked creature feature. It could use more scares, better pacing, and maybe a bit less hiking, but it sure does provide ample entertainment with its giant spider. Keep in mind - if your next church retreat involves a suspiciously quiet forest, maybe pray from home.

https://jackmeat.com/dont-move-2026/

Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon (2026) | Imagine "Bad Taste" meets a heavy metal concert, then somebody throws a bucket of intestines into the audience. Welcome back, Deathgasm! #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 6.1/10. I enjoyed the first Deathgasm quite a bit, so naturally, I was ready for another helping of heavy metal, practical gore effects, and people making all kinds of bad decisions. Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon wastes no time reminding us what kind of party we have signed up for. The credits kick things off with heavy metal music and a barrage of images preparing us for another wonderfully disgusting journey. After hearing all about Brodie during the intro song, we finally meet the man himself, waking up on the floor covered in his own vomit. Classy! Even better, Giles (Daniel Cresswell) wakes up naked at his place. Ladies, try to contain yourselves. LOL.

Brodie (Milo Cawthorne) is now washed-up, broke, and seemingly destined for small-town purgatory. However, the arrival of NoizeQuest, a battle-of-the-bands competition, gives him a chance at redemption and possibly another shot with Medina (Kimberley Crossman). There's just one tiny problem: his drummer is missing an arm, and the rest of his band is dead. Fortunately, Brodie still has the pages of The Black Hymn, because apparently, finding replacement musicians is much easier when you have access to the afterlife.

The dialogue is quick-witted, and the humor fits right in with the New Zealand horror comedies I enjoy. I suspect writer/director Jason Lei Howden has studied one or all of Peter Jackson's films, particularly Bad Taste and Braindead. When somebody delivers the line "You ate my fucking dog," it's hard not to appreciate the influence and the cheeky nod to us fans. The cemetery resurrection scene arrives quickly, mixing physical comedy with undead antics and a generous supply of inventive, practical gore. Nothing says friendship quite like dragging your dead bandmates back to life for a gig.

Naturally, we get a metal montage featuring the newly resurrected crew frolicking in a park while ripping out intestines. It's practically a music video for people who think flower picking is overrated. There's also an amusing cameo from Matt K. Heafy of Trivium, who handles the original music.

The zombie mayhem eventually reaches a place called Glory Holes, which sounds like a terrible destination even before the undead arrive. The resulting antics are every bit as disgusting as you'd imagine. And while a necklace of ears might be unsettling, Dion (Sam Berkley) takes things considerably further with his necklace of penises. Yes, really. There's also a good Dungeons & Dragons joke and a fun WWE cameo from Adam Scherr, better known as Braun Strowman, playing a NoizeQuest security guard.

Ultimately, Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon lands in much the same territory as its predecessor. Ridiculous, gory, funny, and thoroughly committed to its heavy metal madness. It doesn't reinvent the genre, but it knows exactly what its audience wants and delivers the goods. If you enjoyed the first movie, this is another enjoyable blast of splatter-metal insanity. Just don't wear your best clothes.

Deathgasm 2: Goremageddon (2026)

https://jackmeat.com/deathgasm-2-goremageddon-2026/

Hallowarrior (2026) | Pumpkin is the last person on Earth, but at least she's got #Shocktober spirit. Shame her guests have absolutely no party etiquette. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 5.8/10. There are plenty of ways to spend Halloween in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Apparently, handing out candy and hoping the neighbors aren’t murderous psychopaths is one of them. Hallowarrior takes the familiar home-invasion formula, throws in a humanity-ending plague, and gives us a heroine who knows her way around a knife. Honestly, what more could you want from a Halloween party?

Following our favorite Shudder logo, the film opens with a home video of a young girl named Pumpkin (Milly Shapiro) carving up, well, you know. When she confidently explains that she needs to keep Mommy safe after being warned to be careful with the knife, you can practically hear the foreshadowing screaming from the screen. Subtle? Not remotely. Effective? Absolutely. Turns out, Pumpkin has a future to live up to as the Hallowarrior.

Fast-forward to a much older, gas-mask-wearing Pumpkin discovering a hanging body in the barn at Tregor Farms. Apparently, the apocalypse has done wonders for the local hospitality industry. She's seemingly the last person alive, scavenging for supplies while preparing for her favorite holiday. Her Halloween broadcast invites anyone who happens to be listening to come over for the festivities. Because when you're the last human on Earth, there's no reason to let a little thing like the extinction of humanity ruin your annual tradition.

Director Ben Sottak does a nice job capturing the grim reality of Pumpkin's existence. The loneliness feels genuine, and the creepy camera work creates some wonderfully unsettling moments. When company inevitably arrives, however, it's less trick-or-treat and more trick-or-die. Thalia (Shannyn Sossamon) and Royce (AJ Bowen) bring plenty of bad intentions, while Wendy (Ajani Russell) stands out as an intriguing addition. Her motivation could have used more breathing room, but it makes sense.

The practical effects are suitably brutal, and it's hard not to root for Pumpkin. Shapiro makes her a likable, unconventional heroine, balancing vulnerability with the sort of resourcefulness that makes you wonder why the rest of humanity couldn't get its act together. I haven't seen Shapiro since her turn in the excellent Hereditary, so it was nice to see her leading the charge.

Think The Strangers meets Home Alone, except Kevin's grown up in the apocalypse and the burglars have considerably worse intentions. At just 78 minutes, Hallowarrior doesn't overstay its welcome, although a little extra time developing the relationships would have helped. Then again, not knowing exactly who to trust adds to the unease.

Hallowarrior (2026)

It's a lean, nasty little Halloween treat with a heroine worth cheering for. Just remember. If a stranger shows up at your door on Halloween, maybe check what they are carrying before inviting them inside.

https://jackmeat.com/hallowarrior-2026/

Exorcism In Utero (2023) | A lot of potential was wasted in this #Shocktober flick that in name and poster had the right ingredients to pull you in. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 3.9/10. I can only imagine what Sam Bangs had to go through in the makeup chair for Exorcism In Utero. That is some serious body horror makeup work. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the CGI and puppet effects, which look like they were possessed by the demon of silly production decisions.

This supernatural horror film follows Herma, played by Sam Bangs, who is pregnant but unfortunately finds herself in a situation much more evil than the typical annoyances associated with babysitting someone else’s house. Once a dark spirit comes into the picture, she struggles not only to protect her baby but also to safeguard her own soul. Because looking after somebody else's house wasn't stressful enough.

Bangs deserves credit for throwing herself into the role. Herma's increasingly disturbing transformation requires plenty of physical commitment, and the makeup department certainly kept her busy. For a film working with a limited budget, her performance is one of the things I took positive notice of. She manages to make Herma's predicament feel somewhat believable, even when the surrounding material isn't doing her any favors.

Sadly, the script is where things start to unravel. The weird behavior of the neighbors and the increasingly weird turn of events indicate that there may indeed be some sort of creepiness hiding beneath the surface. There is potential for a good supernatural horror movie here somewhere, but the film never seems to catch up to its own ideas. It’s annoying to have a movie give you interesting ingredients to make you curious, only to leave you wondering who misplaced the recipe.

Then we get to the special effects. Oh, boy.

The pairing of the CGI and the puppets starts getting more distracting as the movie goes on. Some praise is due for the practical effects, but the computer-generated and fake-looking puppets present another issue altogether. Instead of adding to the scary feel of the film, there's always the threat that something frightening may end up looking similar to some cheap Halloween exhibit. It's fine and dandy to work within your budget, but not when the effect takes you out of the movie.

Director Erik Skybak does manage to deliver a few unsettling moments. The atmosphere occasionally gets under your skin, and there's even a little dark humor lurking among the supernatural nastiness. These scenes demonstrate that Exorcism In Utero has some potential, particularly when it focuses on tension and atmosphere rather than trying to impress us with its visual effects. I just wish there had been more of that uneasiness to accompany Herma's increasingly bizarre physical transformation.

At 94 minutes, Exorcism In Utero has enough to interest horror fans who enjoy obscure, low-budget supernatural flicks. If you can overlook the rough edges and appreciate Bangs' performance, you might find a few worthwhile scares along the way. If you're expecting a tightly written possession story with convincing effects, however, you may find yourself praying for the end credits.

Exorcism in Utero (2023)

https://jackmeat.com/exorcism-in-utero-2023/

Evel (2026) | The car might be autonomous, but the decision to watch this one is entirely my own fault. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 3.8/10. I went into Evel knowing absolutely nothing about it, which is generally how I find half the movies I watch. The other selling point was an 85-minute runtime, because sometimes you want a movie that doesn't require a long-term commitment. What could possibly go wrong with an autonomous electric vehicle, artificial intelligence, and a horror premise? Oh, right. Pretty much everything.

We begin with Kari (Athena Park) waking to the delightful sound of an alarm clock, checking stocks, and heading off for a run and workout. Making money and staying fit aren't enough to fill a morning anymore. She then heads to work, steps on a few toes, and takes over an important account. This leaves her with some paperwork to deliver, and her client offers her the opportunity to test-drive the world's most advanced autonomous vehicle. Naturally, she accepts. Because when a company tells you its car is packed with AI, you should absolutely trust it with your life. LOL.

It doesn't take long for that decision to go sideways. Kari soon finds herself trapped on an isolated highway while a malevolent force starts erasing her digital footprint and steering her towards Everett (Morgan Bedard), a billionaire predator with some decidedly unpleasant plans. Is this a high-tech heist, a revenge thriller, or a horror movie? Evel seems determined to have a little of everything, although the horror component occasionally feels like it missed the memo.

One thing I will give the film is that Park holds her own during the action sequences. She throws herself into the fight scenes and displays some decent martial arts skills. Unfortunately, the henchmen opposing her appear to have been recruited from the local branch of the Brain Donor Foundation. I appreciate a woman who can fight back, but some of these encounters require a rather generous suspension of disbelief. At a certain point, I was less concerned about Kari surviving than I was about how these goons managed to get hired in the first place.

I did enjoy the matter-of-fact delivery of David (Chris Farquhar), the AI voice, and the film gets some mileage out of its jabs at the lunacy of big-tech billionaires. There's something amusing about a movie suggesting that handing increasingly powerful technology to people with more money than common sense might not be the brightest idea. Who knew?

Despite the dodgy acting and some thoroughly ridiculous plotting, Evel has a twist that gives this otherwise rather lame thriller a little extra life. There's also a cheeky sequel tease, because apparently even mediocre cinematic experiences aren't safe from franchise ambitions.

Ultimately, Evel is dumb, lightweight entertainment that occasionally stumbles into being surprisingly funny in a gleefully dark way. It's not particularly scary, the acting won't win any awards, and it certainly isn't Shocktober-worthy. Oops.

Evel (2026)

https://jackmeat.com/evel-2026/

Buddy (2026) | Buddy starts like your average kids’ show before heading deep into #Shocktober territory. I honestly had a lot of fun with this! #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 6.6/10. You know those relentlessly cheerful children’s television shows that make you wonder how anyone survives watching an entire episode without developing a headache? Well, imagine one of those shows developed a taste for psychological trauma, bloodshed, and making its little viewers question reality. Welcome to It’s Buddy! The show must go on, even if a few kids mysteriously disappear along the way!

We begin with some ominous sounds over a black screen before abruptly switching to obnoxiously upbeat children’s music and our title character, Buddy (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key), a bright orange humanoid unicorn with a purple heart on his chest. Full-size Buddy reminds me so much of Barney, which is probably not a coincidence. For the first six minutes, you might genuinely think you’ve accidentally clicked on a children’s YouTube video. Then the cracks start showing, and suddenly that oversized, toothy smile becomes much less reassuring.

When one of the children disappears, and the others start asking questions, Buddy’s patience wears thinner than a parent’s nerves after the fifteenth repeat of a nursery rhyme. The kids do a fantastic job recreating that exaggerated enthusiasm these shows demand, especially Delaney Quinn as Freddy, who handles the transition from giddy excitement to genuine apprehension beautifully. Watching the children investigate their missing friend while still trapped inside the show’s bizarre episodic format is amusing in the most unsettling way. Even sneaking off to see Nurse Nancy becomes an adventure when your captor insists everything is sunshine, rainbows, and mandatory participation!

What makes Buddy particularly enjoyable is how little the trailer prepares you for where things eventually go. Around the half-hour mark, the colorful clubhouse chaos gives way to a more conventional suburban setting, where traumatized mother Grace (Cristin Milioti) struggles with the unsettling feeling that someone is missing. The shift works surprisingly well, and the film becomes far more creative than I initially expected. That television scene is especially effective, blending creepy visuals with some disturbing effects.

The practical effects deserve a mention. There’s something hilarious about watching a brightly colored children’s program descend into absolute carnage while maintaining the visual language of an educational singalong. The gore is present, but the film’s commitment to its ridiculous premise makes much of it darkly amusing. Even the credits seem to have a few kids looking absolutely terrified, which feels like an appropriate punchline each time they roll.

Buddy won’t be for everyone, and its rough patches occasionally interrupt the fun. However, this horror-comedy commits wholeheartedly to its own craziness, delivering a surprisingly inventive experience with genuine filmmaking chops beneath the candy-colored nightmare.

I had fun with this one. It isn't here to scare you, but it sure might entertain ya. Give me a darker, nastier, more brutal sequel, and I’ll happily bump that rating higher. LOL. Just remember, kids. Always listen to your unicorn overlord. He loves each one of you. Apparently.

Buddy (2026)

https://jackmeat.com/buddy-2026/