NFT: Cursed Images (2026) | NFT gives the crypto craze a horror twist, and I'll admit watching digital monsters hunt greedy collectors is oddly entertaining. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 4.7/10. NFT: Cursed Images tries to tap into modern internet paranoia by asking a simple question: what if your overpriced digital collectible didn’t just tank your bank account…it also tried to murder you? The concept alone has enough eerie potential to build a solid horror flick around, even if the execution ends up a little rough around the blockchain.

The film opens with a quick street kill in London that feels intentionally mysterious. A woman briefly mentions a cursed NFT before chaos unfolds, though the sequence is more suggestive than graphic. It’s one of those “something bad just happened, trust us” openings designed to hook your curiosity before the story rewinds to London, 2021.

That’s where we meet our main group of seven friends, and buckle up, because they talk. And talk. And talk some more. Nearly twenty minutes of the film is devoted to drawn-out conversations about digital investments, crypto trends, and eventually the fateful Crypto Horrors NFT collection. It’s the kind of irritating dialogue that will either make you nod knowingly or check your watch, wondering if the monsters are stuck buffering.

Once those cursed NFTs are dropped, the film finally shifts gears. The digital creatures attached to the pixelated images begin to come to life. Popping up in the real world to hunt the owners. The special effects are fairly basic, but the monsters do have a genuinely creepy vibe. Considering this is a low-budget movie, the editing does a decent job of ensuring these ghouls are integrated into the scene without looking too cheesy.

Plot-wise, NFT: Cursed Images runs pretty thin. The movie never really explains how these NFTs gained their supernatural killing powers. They’re cursed… and that’s about the extent of the explanation. Sometimes a mannequin head shows up on the ground for extra weirdness, but even that isn't gonna qualify as gore. It’s one of those horror films where the concept does most of the lifting. The script just hopes you don’t ask too many questions.

The pacing also slows down in the middle, with some scenes dragging on. Since none of the characters had much of a background, I didn’t really care who lived or not. Surprisingly, though, the cast still manages to pass off this ridiculous scenario. Despite how weak the plot is, the actors portray this curse like it’s actually happening, so it’s still watchable.

The one familiar face here is Najarra Townsend as Sue. I recognized her from Contracted, where she delivered a much more intense performance. While NFT: Cursed Images doesn’t give her nearly as much material to work with, she still stands out among the group.

Director Jonas Odenheimer deserves some credit for stretching a limited budget as far as it will go. The scares are minimal, and the gore is almost nonexistent, but the atmosphere occasionally lands. And the cursed NFT idea is undeniably a fun modern horror hook. Thank you to Justin Cook for sending this one over to check out!

NFT: Cursed Images (2026)

In the end, NFT: Cursed Images feels like a proof-of-concept horror film built around a clever premise with an undeveloped mythology. It’s not particularly scary, the plot is thin, and the middle drags, but the cast commits, and the concept itself is oddly entertaining. If nothing else, I'll give this flick points for finally asking the horror question nobody wants an answer to. What if your digital art collection decides to kill you?

https://jackmeat.com/nft-cursed-images-2026/

Sentimental Value (2025) | Sentimental Value proves sometimes the drama isn’t explosions, it’s uncomfortable family conversations that peel back years of baggage. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 7.5/10. Coming into the home stretch of my 2026 Best Picture Oscar nominees to check out. I only had two left to go, one is Sentimental Value. Unfortunately, the final two nominees decided my aging eyeballs needed a workout because both required reading subtitles. That also means my normal note-taking routine goes out the window. When you’re busy reading every line of dialogue, stopping to write notes usually means you miss the next five lines. Or I make the movie take 5 hours to watch. So this review may be a little lighter on details than usual, but the overall impression stuck with me.

The film revolves around two estranged sisters, Nora and Agnes, who reconnect with their once-famous filmmaker father Gustav after their mother's death. Gustav, portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård, is trying to revive his flagging career through a very personal film project. Naturally, he wants Nora, played by Renate Reinsve, to be a part of the film. However, she refuses to be a part of it. He goes out and signs a Hollywood star for the film, portrayed by Elle Fanning. This sets off a whole can of issues that have been brewing in the family for years.

Sentimental Value opens with some really nice camera work around an old house that immediately sets the tone. There’s a quiet, reflective feeling. So you know this film is going to be more about emotions than explosions. No surprise. Shortly after that, we see Nora being led onto a stage, and she acts like she’s being escorted to the electric chair. Look, I understand stage fright…but this reaction was next-level.

Visually, the film looks fantastic. The cinematography from Kasper Tuxen is outstanding. Interior scenes have a warm, intimate look, while the outdoor shots feel almost lonely. It’s one of those films where the camera quietly tells part of the story without needing to shout about it.

The performances are strong across the board. Stellan Skarsgård gives Gustav just enough manipulative charm, which made me wonder if he’s a struggling artist or a bit of a conman. Or both. There were actually a few moments where I laughed because you could see him working people like a grifter.

But the standout here is Renate Reinsve. She absolutely carries the emotional weight of the film as Nora. Her performance feels tense and restless, like someone who wants connection but also knows exactly how dangerous it can be when family history gets involved. In most Oscar years, I’d probably be rooting for her to win Best Actress.

The film Gustav is trying to make becomes an emotional fault line, of sorts. It’s a reminder that art can bring personal truths to the surface. But it can also reopen old wounds.

Director Joachim Trier is patient with this movie. Sentimental Value focuses on conversations, awkward pauses...Oh, and those uncomfortable family interactions where people say just enough to hurt each other without actually saying what they mean. It’s definitely a slower-paced movie, so hopefully you weren't in this for CGI action or big dramatic fireworks. Not gonna happen.

Sentimental Value (2025)

But if you’re willing to stick it out, Sentimental Value ends up being a thoughtful and quietly powerful drama. Be ready to pack some emotional baggage. This flick has it while touching on family and memories, the good and the bad.

https://jackmeat.com/sentimental-value-2025/

Horny Teenagers Must Die! (2024) | This movie screams, “We had fun making it!” It would've been nice if those of us who watched it had fun as well. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 2.7/10. Horny Teenagers Must Die! had me asking the obvious question right away. Why did I watch this? The answer is pretty simple - sometimes a title alone is enough to trigger curiosity, especially for anyone who spends a lot of time digging through low-budget horror looking for the occasional hidden gem. But this one is no hidden gem and more like a cautionary lesson in film. Yes, technically, anyone could make a movie about as polished as Don't F**k in the Woods…but that doesn’t mean everyone should try.

Director David Zagorski clearly wanted to capture the spirit of old-school ’80s slashers. The formula is all here. A group of horny teenagers in a secluded cabin in the woods. Check. Lots of booze and questionable decision-making. Check. A mysterious killer ready to turn a party weekend into a body count. CHECK. The film even leans into the “sex equals death” trope with enthusiasm, setting up a debauchery-filled getaway where recent high school graduates head into the woods for what they think will be a weekend of partying. Naturally, it quickly becomes a weekend of getting murdered by someone who apparently grabbed whatever random object was nearby. Farm tools, sex toys, you name it.

Things start off with some very "enthusiastic" teenagers who sound like they’re having a conversation inside a wind tunnel. I’m not even sure what was used to record some of the outdoor scenes, but the audio quality suggests a phone mic made by Crapple that lost the battle with the breeze. Combine that with a lens that might have a greasy thumb print on it for about 10 minutes and you get a visual presentation that feels more like accidental found footage than intentional filmmaking.

Once the group arrives at the cabin, things get even more familiar yet still bizarre. The host conveniently forgets to mention the cabin is about a century old and comes with absolutely no indoor plumbing. That alone should have triggered a unanimous vote to get back in the car.

Then there’s Elliot, played by Chhoyang Cheshatsang. Elliot is invited along for reasons that are never really explained, especially since everyone starts making fun of him immediately. And we’re not talking about light teasing either. This group jumps straight to the kind of bullying that includes putting an apple on his head and firing arrows at it. At that point, the killer in the woods almost feels like the least dangerous thing happening at this party.

Character-wise, this group barely tolerates each other. The whole trip seems like a sham since no one gets along at all. In the real world, half these people would’ve bailed before the first beer was opened. Elliot ends up being the only one worth a crap, mostly because he operates on an entirely different level of awkward that somehow makes him the most interesting presence on screen.

The kills rely on practical effects, but the film rarely shows the actual moment of impact. Instead, you’ll see someone swing a weapon, then the movie cuts to the aftermath, like a severed arm sitting there politely dripping blood. It’s the classic low-budget workaround - suggest the violence without ever really filming it.

Between the clunky editing, scenes that cut off while the audio keeps playing, and a twist that feels completely manufactured just so the movie has one, Horny Teenagers Must Die! ends up feeling like a very rough attempt at a slasher tribute. If a friend showed me this after a drunken weekend and said they shot it for fun, I’d probably nod and say, “Looks like you guys had a good time.”

But releasing it for the world to watch? That might be where someone should have taken a hint.

Horny Teenagers Must Die! (2024)

https://jackmeat.com/horny-teenagers-must-die-2024/

War Machine (2026) | This year's War Machine drops soldiers into a fight with a giant alien machine. No deep thinking, just solid popcorn action. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 6.3/10. I was glad to see War Machine (2026) knows exactly what it is and doesn’t spend any time pretending to be a late Oscar contender. It’s loud and simple. Built almost entirely around the idea of soldiers fighting a giant alien killing machine in the middle of a Ranger training exercise. If that sounds like the kind of dumb fun you’re in the mood for, War Machine mostly delivers.

The film opens with a quick emotional setup for Alan Ritchson’s character, known simply as “81.” Ritchson continues to ride the momentum from his success on Reacher, and he’s proving he deserves these bigger leading roles. We get a short scene between 81 and his brother where they promise to join the Army Rangers together. As you’d expect, the inevitable tragedy follows, setting up the grief motivation that drives 81 through the brutal Ranger training process.

Two years later, we jump into the excruciating qualification process for Ranger candidates. Writer/director Patrick Hughes quickly establishes the classic underdog angle as the remaining trainees head into their final field exercise. What starts as a mock combat mission, however, takes a hard left turn when an actual alien threat crashes into the training zone.

The movie had already been hinting at some mysterious asteroid earlier, so the reveal isn’t exactly shocking. What is a little surprising is how the Ranger candidates react when they first encounter the alien combatant. These are supposed to be elite soldiers, yet their first instinct seems to be standing around staring blankly while teammates get blasted apart. You’d think at least one of them might try ducking.

Once the chaos kicks in, though, War Machine (2026) settles into the type of action we tuned in for. The alien isn’t some stealthy hunter like the Predator. Think a massive mechanical threat, closer to something you’d see stomping around in Pacific Rim. The entire movie felt like a throwback to early 90s action, with soldiers scrambling across rugged terrain while a giant robot hunts them down.

The Australian scenery looks fantastic, giving the action plenty of wide-open space to muck around in. And if you’ve seen some of Hughes’ previous films like The Hitman’s Bodyguard or The Expendables 3, you know the kind of action style he likes to bring. Big explosions, fast pacing, and absolutely zero concern for robot safety.

I'll give the film credit. The action sequences are well constructed, and the CGI never becomes distracting. Even when the logic wobbles a bit, like the final bomb behaving very differently from earlier ones, it’s easy to let it slide. This isn’t exactly the kind of movie where you keep your brain switched fully on anyway.

The ending even feels a bit like a video game final boss battle, which actually works in the film’s favor. It also sends a pretty clear message. If audiences respond well, War Machine is absolutely ready to fire up a sequel.

War Machine (2026)

There isn't much depth here, yet War Machine (2026) still is an entertaining handful of popcorn action. Sometimes that’s all I need a movie to be. And you would think Netflix would be a little smarter with title choices. They just released a movie by the same name in 2017.

https://jackmeat.com/war-machine-2026/

T Blockers (2023) | The story drags early, but once people start eating tar-like, slimy worms, you at least get some goofy indie horror energy. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 3.8/10. T Blockers opens with a black-and-white introduction featuring an Elvira-style host who doesn’t have much to say beyond the vague reminder that “it’s only a movie.” Not exactly the most insightful introduction, but it sets a campy tone before the story dives into its slimy premise.

Ancient parasites are rising from beneath a small town and infecting the most fearful and susceptible hosts. Before the film settles into its main characters, we get a guy noticing a pair of eyes staring at him from a crack in the ground, possibly caused by an earthquake, though the movie isn’t overly concerned with explaining it. A strange green mist swirls up, curiosity wins, and he leans in for a closer look…only to get blood spit straight into his face. Lesson learned. If the ground is staring back at you, maybe just keep walking.

The budget has become obvious by the time the title card appears, proudly labeling the film as a transgender and queer horror movie. Depending on the viewer, that will either be a selling point or a deterrent. Personally, the real attraction here was the brisk 71-minute runtime.

The early stretch of the movie centers more on everyday life than horror. There’s an awkward date where both participants claim they were rejected by the other. The woman later goes home to party, while the guy meets a stranger who convinces him to bury his face in a barrel of mysterious slime. You know, a normal evening in this town. The sound mix doesn’t help matters, with music frequently drowning out the dialogue.

About twenty minutes in, the cryptic host reappears, although we now see that the characters are viewing this segment online. The focus of T Blockers appears to be on Sophie (Lauren Last), a young filmmaker who appears to be the only character who can detect if someone has been infected. Sophie is mid-transition, something mentioned during a conversation with her brother, and many of her scenes are bathed in intense neon lighting that occasionally borders on blinding.

The horror finally picks up when a group of guys attacks Chris (Toshiro Glenn), the nicest character in the movie. When his friends step in to defend him, they witness the attackers hunched over a fallen friend, eating thick black goo from his body. That’s when the group realizes the situation resembles something they saw in an online movie, prompting them to go full vigilante and start hunting infected worm creatures.

The parasite concept occasionally reminded me of Night of the Creeps, particularly the idea of worms entering people through the mouth. It’s nowhere near as effective, but even the suggestion of that classic gets a small bonus from me.

There are a few glimmers of potential from director Alice Maio Mackay, although the acting, special effects, and writing are all subpar and detract from the potential of T Blockers. The metaphor for acceptance and standing up against hatred is definitely buried in this story, although the message gets a bit too preachy towards the end (and focused on the totally wrong character).

T Blockers (2023)

https://jackmeat.com/t-blockers-2023/

Ballerina (2023) | A graceful symphony of revenge with heart and soul carried out by a pint-sized hero. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 6.4/10. I noticed Ballerina had been quietly making waves for a while before I finally moved it from the ever-growing watchlist pile onto the screen. You know how that list goes. Movies sit there patiently for months, sometimes years, waiting for their moment like a kid raising their hand in class. Well, Ballerina finally got called on, and thankfully, it had a pretty good answer ready. This 2023 Korean action thriller, directed by Lee Chung-hyun, follows ex-bodyguard Jang Ok‑joo (Jeon Jong-seo) as she sets out to fulfill her deceased best friend’s last wish. Wreak some very, very specific havoc. Revenge is the dish of the day here, and Ok‑joo serves it cold…with a side of roundhouse kicks.

From the opening scenes, Ballerina makes it obvious she isn't going to screw around. Ok‑joo quickly moves from quiet mourning to a full-blown cat-and-mouse game with gun dealers, gangsters, and other assorted baddies. The action hits hard. Every scene feels like it could explode into a fight at any second, and guess what, it often does. The choreography is smooth and brutal in equal measure. Ok‑joo might be pint-sized, but she makes the bad guys feel like poorly assembled Ikea furniture.

What sets Ballerina apart from your typical revenge flick is Jong-seo. She doesn't say much, and that silence works like a secret weapon. No comedic one-liners needed to cover that pain. Just her presence keeps the story grounded, even when bullets and fists are flying all over the place. You feel her pain, anger, and determination without the need for a melodramatic speech. That’s a rare skill in an action movie and makes her captivating to watch from start to finish.

Aside from a few spots in the beginning, the pacing is fine. Even still, the momentum never really lets up for long. When the fights begin, it’s all systems go. And the action itself? Oh, it's perfectly choreographed, with a nice level of creativity thrown in so things don't get repetitive. With Ballerina, it’s not just the punches and kicks that you see, it’s the punches and kicks that you feel.

At its core, Ballerina is about loyalty, loss, and making sure the people who hurt your friends learn that is gonna be a permanent mistake. The movie does a good job of balancing the action and a little bit of emotional depth, giving it a sense of being more than just a series of fights.. It’s still primarily a thrill ride, but one that occasionally lets you breathe long enough to care about why the next punch matters.

Also worth noting. Ballerina has zero connection to the 2025 Ballerina spin-off from the John Wick universe. No assassins’ guilds, no gold coins, and no Keanu Reeves showing up to ruin someone’s day. Just one determined woman making a very specific list of people catch a slight case of death.

Ballerina (2023)

In the end, Ballerina is a lean, stylish revenge thriller that knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s not going to reinvent the genre. It is here for anyone in the mood for tightly choreographed fights, a quietly fierce lead, and a story that punches as hard as it hits. This Korean gem is worth the watch.

https://jackmeat.com/ballerina-2023/

Skinwalker Island (2025) | We've seen this movie before, with a better story & better effects, but never has shapeshifting horror been such a family affair. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 3.5/10. I don't really have an excuse for this one. Skinwalker Island follows a group of siblings who return to their family’s Florida island after their grandmother passes away. Of course, because no low-budget horror gathering is complete without anarchy, their resident troublemaker cousin crashes the grief party just in time for supernatural forces to start clocking in. What unfolds is a mix of ancestral, shape-shifting curses and characters who probably should have just sold the island and moved on with their lives.

Let’s start with the script. Written by Jon Carlo, the plot is about as bland as unseasoned mashed potatoes. It checks off familiar horror beats without adding much flavor. You’ve seen this movie before. You know where it’s going. You can practically hear the “ominous forest noise” sound effect before it happens. The suspense is nearly nonexistent, and when the possession angle kicks in, it feels rushed and barely explained. Someone gets taken over, someone dies, and the “why” is treated like optional DLC content.

That said, Carlo the director, fares better than Carlo the writer. He somehow manages to make the film look more expensive than it probably was. The shots are clean, the Florida scenery is decent, and the overall presentation is polished enough to trick you into thinking something bigger is coming. Unfortunately, it rarely does. The effects leave plenty to be desired, especially when CGI blood shows up looking like it was applied with the “basic red splatter” preset. Most of the kills are either off-screen or poorly executed, which is always a risky move when your story is this thin.

Interestingly, the lead actors appear to actually be siblings, and I’d already seen them in Carlo’s previous film, Feral State. This is a slight step up from that one (which I rated a brutal 3.1), so progress is technically being made. Jasmine Tamposi, playing Lucy, has definitely improved since then. She was adequate here. The brother, Oliver, still needs a few more classes. Solid enough that I didn’t find myself actively wincing, which is growth. Meanwhile, Nicholas Tamposi plays Lucy’s dad, and age-wise, might very well be Oliver & Jasmine’s real-life father. It’s giving a “family production meeting over Thanksgiving dinner” vibe. But hey, at least there’s commitment.

The dialogue, though, is often irritating. The extra characters are largely interchangeable, and the attention-seeking social media cousin is more eye-roll than comic relief. His performance feels especially forced, which doesn’t help an already predictable movie (sorry, bruh, not naming you). The shapeshifting creature itself never feels fully defined, as if the filmmakers couldn’t quite decide what it was supposed to be. Even so, one particularly mean-spirited attack does land effectively. It’s nasty in a way that briefly jolts the movie awake. And it doesn't involve any half-baked creature.

Overall, Skinwalker Island looks better than it reads, and that’s about the kindest thing I can say. It’s a marginal improvement over Carlo’s previous effort, but not nearly enough to make it recommendable. I found myself checking out mentally more than once, which is never a great sign when supernatural horrors are supposed to be lurking in every shadow. Not one I’d suggest rushing out to see unless you’re a completionist for low-budget shape-shifter cinema.

Skinwalker Island (2025)

https://jackmeat.com/skinwalker-island-2025/