The Strangers: Chapter 3 (2026) | All that buildup just to deliver a whole lot of nothing. Honestly impressive how boring a slasher can feel. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 4.2/10. If you walked into The Strangers: Chapter 3 expecting the franchise to suddenly evolve into something deeper, smarter, or even coherent. That would be a NOPE. This is one of those “commit to the bit or suffer the consequences” situations. And the bit here? Apparently, take everything that made The Strangers work, toss it out the window, and replace it with lore nobody asked for.

Picking up right where Chapter 2 left off (after a quick detour into yet another dramatic reference to the Tamara killing, because clearly we haven’t heard about that enough), Renny Harlin wastes no time diving into “mythology.” And by mythology, I mean awkward flashbacks desperately trying to convince you this family of masked weirdos is terrifying on a deeper level. It doesn’t land. At all. If anything, it feels like the film is trying to gaslight you into thinking this was the plan all along. Spoiler: it absolutely doesn’t feel like it.

We’re back with Maya (Madelaine Petsch), our designated Final Girl, stuck in what’s now apparently a cycle of violence instead of the classic “wrong place, wrong time” terror the franchise built its identity on. She gets forced to overact scenes since there is no tension written in. Meanwhile, her sister Debbie (Rachel Shenton) and brother-in-law Howard (George Young) roll into town with a private detective, poking around like they’re looking for those missing kids from Weapons. Seriously, half their scenes feel like a low-budget crime drama where everyone in town is suspicious purely because the script says so.

I feel bad for Gregory, the Scarecrow played by Gabriel Basso. To be fair, he is actually one of the few things working here. If you’ve seen him in The Night Agent, this is a sharp left turn. He’s got a genuinely intimidating presence, right up until the movie decides he should make decisions so baffling you’ll want to yell at your screen. Leaving Maya alone with a shotgun? Bold strategy. Let’s see how that plays out.

Now, about that “most brutal chapter yet” marketing. Yeah, that’s some bulls*!t. The kills are actually less bloody than before, which is an interesting choice while promoting that tagline. It’s like ordering the spiciest thing on the menu and getting bread. There are practical effects sprinkled in, which look solid, but then the film caps it off with a CGI blood splatter that feels like someone in post production got bored. Consistency? Never heard of it.

What really hurts The Strangers: Chapter 3 is the tone shift. The original appeal was simple and effective. Random, senseless terror. No motives, no explanations, just pure nightmare fuel. Here, the film tries to rewrite that into something more structured, and in doing so, strips away the very thing that made it unsettling. It’s not scarier, it’s just confusing.

Technically, Harlin nails the production side. It looks good, sounds good, and the atmosphere is there…in theory. But atmosphere without tension is just empty space, and this movie has plenty of that. Scenes drag, scares fizzle, and by the time it’s all over, it feels less like a climax and more like the franchise quietly ducking out the door, hoping you won't notice. I did.

The Strangers: Chapter 3 (2026)

In the end, this trilogy doesn’t go out with a bang. It limps off like it forgot why it existed. And that is the scariest part.

https://jackmeat.com/the-strangers-chapter-3-2026/

Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris (March 10, 1940 - March 19, 2026) | A sad day for martial arts fans as we mourn the loss of a legend. RIP Mr. Norris. #jackmeatsflix

It is a sad day in the martial arts world, losing the meme-friendly, incredibly talented & loving man. I first saw Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris in his epic fight with Bruce Lee in The Way of the Dragon (below), or as it was known in the USA, Return of the Dragon, even though it was not a sequel and was actually filmed BEFORE Enter the Dragon. Confused? Not the point. He more or less owned the 80s for martial arts films that didn't suck (in the USA.) He went on to become a staple on TV in Walker, Texas Ranger. After the Internet became a thing, you all knew Chuck Norris as the man who counted to infinity twice, the man who got bit by a cobra, and the cobra died, and many other amusing memes about him being indestructible. ABC News and NBC have more information.

Many of his peers chimed in, such as Stallone and Van Damme, commenting on him as a friend. Today, we found out that a sudden illness was able to catch up with him. RIP Mr. Norris.

Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris, March 10, 1940 - March 19, 2026

https://jackmeat.com/carlos-ray-chuck-norris/

Forgotten Fortune (2026) | You’ve got Lou Ferrigno and JJ Walker, and Forgotten Fortune still somehow forgets to do anything fun with them. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 4.3/10. Walking into Forgotten Fortune felt a bit like stepping into unfamiliar territory for me. Faith-based films aren’t usually my go-to, but if the motto is “I watch everything so you don’t have to,” then here we are. Consider this one taken for the team…with a side of curiosity and a sprinkle of nostalgia.

Written and directed by Esteban “Stevie” Fernandez Jr., Forgotten Fortune follows Brian Franks, played by Brian Shoop, an 82-year-old retired mailman navigating dementia, old memories, and what he believes is a witnessed murder. It’s a premise that actually has some intrigue baked in. An unreliable narrator, a potential crime, and a hidden fortune tied to a forgotten stock purchase. That’s a solid setup…in theory.

Then the movie starts, and for a minute, you might wonder if you accidentally switched over to a network sitcom from 1993. The tone, the lighting, even the delivery - it all has that slightly too-clean, cue-card-adjacent feel. The dialogue, unfortunately, doesn’t help much. A lot of it lands like actors are carefully reading lines rather than actually living in them, which makes the more emotional dementia-driven moments feel a bit rehearsed.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the content itself is relevant. Seeing a family deal with a relative’s deteriorating mental state should be impactful, but Forgotten Fortune goes to great lengths to round off that impact. It’s not always successful in conveying emotions. Mark Sherwood, playing Brian’s son Mark, stands out as one of the few who feels fully committed to selling the situation.

The mystery side? Let’s just say this isn’t exactly Knives Out. We meet the criminals early, and they’re not exactly criminal masterminds. The “murder” element feels less like a central hook and more like an excuse to keep the Alzheimer’s message moving forward. Even with a couple of bodies in play, the film maintains a surprisingly upbeat tone. Helped along by a soundtrack that politely tells you how to feel every step of the way.

Now, let’s talk about the nostalgia factor. Seeing Jimmie “JJ” Walker on screen again is a fun throwback, especially if you grew up with Good Times reruns like me. And then there’s Lou Ferrigno, forever tied to The Incredible Hulk. I’ll admit, I kept waiting for him to smash through a wall. Sadly, no such luck. Even more shocking? JJ Walker makes it through the entire movie without dropping a “Dyn-o-mite!” Honestly, that might be the biggest missed opportunity here.

The finale is where things wobble the most. There’s a bizarre sequence involving cops and criminals swapping guns like it’s some kind of low-budget Secret Santa. Strange choice. Not a great one, but definitely a memorable one for all the wrong reasons.

To its credit, Forgotten Fortune never feels overly preachy. The faith-based elements are clear but not aggressively pushed. And the core message about caring for aging family members and recognizing the signs of Alzheimer’s is sincere. To top it all off, the film ends on a meaningful note with some statistics.

At the end of the day, this is a very average watch with a clear target audience. If you’re in that lane, it may appeal to you. If not, like me, you might find yourself appreciating the intent more than the execution. And still wondering how you make a movie with JJ Walker and not let him say his line.

Forgotten Fortune (2026)

There are no streaming links as of yet since this one hasn't been released. I probably wouldn't have run across this one if I hadn't been sent an early look from my buddy, Staci. So thank you! I know this will probably become the norm, but I am not a fan of seeing a notice on this screener informing me that "This video contains visuals and audio that were edited or generated by AI."

https://jackmeat.com/forgotten-fortune-2026/

All Jacked Up And Full Of Worms (2022) | I doubt anything I say could sway you any more than this movie title does on its own #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 3.2/10. Sometimes you watch a movie because it looks great. Sometimes, because the trailer is intriguing. And sometimes you click play simply because it’s short, it’s a horror movie, and it takes place in Chicago. That was my entire decision-making process for All Jacked Up and Full of Worms. Seventy-one minutes? Horror? Chicago setting? Sure, why not?

Seventy-one minutes later, I had the opposite reaction. Why not something else?

All Jacked Up and Full of Worms follows Roscoe, a maintenance worker at a sleazy Chicago motel who stumbles across a stash of hallucinogenic worms. Naturally, the logical next step is to start eating them. Because that's what you do. Once Roscoe and his buddy get hooked on their new form of recreational activity involving worms and their mouths, the story takes a bizarre turn into drug trips and questionable decisions.

And when I say uncomfortable, I mean it.

At one point, the two leads decide the next phase of their worm-induced enlightenment is attempting to manifest a child using a sex doll purchased online. And yes, before you ask, the doll is an infant. If you’re wondering what level of depravity the movie is aiming for, well…it aims high and gets there quickly.

To be clear, shocking material alone doesn’t automatically ruin a horror film. Plenty of movies have gone into dark territory and made it work. The problem with All Jacked Up and Full of Worms is that it feels like that shock value is the entire plan. Once the initial “what did I just watch?” factor wears off, there isn’t much else holding the movie together.

The story wanders all over the place like someone just gobbled a handful of hallucinogenic worms themselves. Plotlines pop up, drift around, and then vanish, leaving us wondering what the point was. It plays like a manic fever dream that has no idea what it wants to be.

Writer-director Alex Phillips clearly has some strange ideas rattling around in his head, and occasionally that weirdness almost works. The camera work is occasionally quite solid, and I did catch some genuine filmmaking ability behind the lens. I also found myself appreciating the practical effects more than anything else in the movie. Those moments at least had a little bit of creative spark.

Unfortunately, I got slighted on the Chicago setting. Since All Jacked Up and Full of Worms is set in the windy city, I was hoping for some gritty alleyways or recognizable city scenery for a little nostalgia. Instead, most of the film is trapped in and around a rundown motel that looks like it rents rooms by the hour and probably sells worms by the pound.

I’ll probably keep an eye on whatever Phillips does next. I saw enough bizarre creativity here to suggest something better could be coming.

All Jacked Up and Full of Worms feels like the kind of movie that would fit perfectly on a late-night Svengoolie broadcast. You know the one, where halfway through the rubber chicken flies across the screen and everyone starts making jokes about the motel being located in Berwyn.

Come to think of it, that version might have been the more entertaining cut.

All Jacked Up and Full of Worms (2022)

https://jackmeat.com/all-jacked-up-and-full-of-worms-2022/

This Is Not a Test (2026) | This Is Not a Test proves you don’t need zombies to lose brain cells - just watch & listen to these classmates for 103 minutes. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 4.8/10. If there’s one thing This Is Not a Test doesn't even bother doing, it’s easing us into the apocalypse. Nope. This movie hits you with a quick morning argument and then immediately goes, “Cool, anyway, here are some full-speed, cardio-loving zombies trying to eat your face.” No slow burn, no ominous news reports in the background…just BAM, civilization is over before breakfast.

We follow Sloane, played by Olivia Holt, who, judging by the amount of blood she’s wearing like it’s a fashion statement, has already had a very rough first day. By the time she and four classmates make it to Cortege High, it’s clear she didn’t just Uber her way through the apocalypse. Naturally, once they barricade themselves in the gym, the movie decides, “Wait, let’s rewind,” and we jump back to see how Sloane got from point A (normal teenage stress) to point B (covered in blood and questioning everyone’s intelligence).

And oh boy…the decisions. The group apparently had a chance to head toward a potentially safe military zone, but thanks to impatience, because waiting in line during a zombie outbreak is apparently where they draw the line, they go rogue instead. Bold strategy. Not a smart one, but definitely bold.

The flashbacks also sprinkle in some character backstory, including Sloane’s father, who seems to have graduated top of his class in “How to Be the Worst Parent Imaginable.” It’s heavy-handed and feels more like it wandered in from a completely different movie, but hey, nothing says zombie apocalypse like unresolved trauma.

Back in the present, the group dynamic falls apart faster than society did. They start arguing almost immediately, which is impressive considering they’re surrounded by sprinting zombies who treat doors like piñatas. And speaking of those zombies…what exactly are they? One minute, they’re Olympic-level sprinters, the next, they’re lying face down in the street like they’ve clocked out for a lunch break. It’s less “terrifying undead threat” and more “confused extras waiting for direction.”

Then there are the little logic gems that make you tilt your head. Like the nurse’s office situation. Were there two sets of keys? Was Sloane just planning to deliver food via telepathy? It’s these moments where This Is Not a Test quietly became a test…of my patience.

Also, shoutout to Cary (played by Corteon Moore), who seems to vanish from the movie like he unlocked a secret invisibility perk. Either the writers forgot about him, or he’s off starring in a completely different sequel. If so, that is a brutal tease.

At the end of the day, This Is Not a Test looks solid. There’s clear production value, decent pacing early on, and some intensity in Sloane’s journey. But it never quite figures out what it wants to say or do. Instead, it settles into a cycle of weak drama, questionable decisions, and zombies that can’t decide if they’re marathon runners or professional nappers.

This Is Not a Test (2026)

It’s not offensively bad…just painfully forgettable. And in a genre where you’re competing with decades of brain-chomping gems, being forgettable might be the real apocalypse.

https://jackmeat.com/this-is-not-a-test-2026/

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (2026) | A rogue AI threatens humanity, so naturally, the future sends Sam Rockwell to recruit people in a diner to save the world. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 7.4/10. Well, that was a fun flick. The opening of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die wastes absolutely no time telling you what kind of flick you’re in for. A mysterious “Man From the Future,” played armed with mayhem by Sam Rockwell, bursts into a Los Angeles diner and bluntly informs a group of random, very annoyed patrons that they’ve been specifically selected to help him save the world from a rogue artificial intelligence. That’s it. That’s the pitch. No slow burn, no gentle world-building. Just Rockwell acting like a caffeinated time traveler who skipped several doses of sanity. And it’s perfect.

After that absurdly direct introduction, the film rewinds a few days to begin introducing the people who will eventually fill those diner seats. First up are Mark and Janet, played by Michael Peña and Zazie Beetz, whose storyline unfolds during a school shooting that the movie treats with an intentionally bizarre sense of “business as usual.” The kids are so buried in their phones that they barely register the chaos, which lands as a pretty sharp jab at modern tech addiction. The teacher at least knows they’re awake, because they never look up from their screens. It’s uncomfortable, but also hilariously on point.

From there, the movie splinters into several character threads that slowly start weaving together. Susan, played by Juno Temple, introduces a storyline revolving around cloning. Always a topic guaranteed to start arguments at family dinners and science conferences alike. Then there’s Ingrid, played by Haley Lu Richardson, who suffers from an extremely unusual allergy that becomes both a character trait and a clever piece of world-building. Her segment dives into virtual reality culture with some pointed social commentary about living life inside headsets and digital escapism. Let’s just say if you’ve ever spent a few too many hours inside VR on your Quest 3, you might feel personally attacked.

What’s impressive is how confidently director Gore Verbinski puts all these ideas into the same blender. Technology obsession, cloning ethics, AI apocalypse fears, brain rot caused by social media use. It’s all in there, and it’s all being satirized in this meat grinder. Sometimes it feels like someone took a bunch of Black Mirror episodes and just went crazy with the budget.

Case in point. Even the heroes look shocked when a giant minotaur-cat hybrid casually roams the streets eating teenagers. TBH, their reaction is fair. I say that because it perfectly summarizes the movie’s energy.

If there’s one thing holding Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die back slightly, it’s that the film sometimes feels like it’s not quite sure how hard it wants to commit to its darker tendencies. We get razor-sharp satire, deliciously dark humor, and the visuals can get downright haunting. But with the film’s violence? Sometimes it feels like the film wants to go hard but doesn’t quite commit enough. It’s not quite sure if it wants to be playfully chaotic or fully commit to the brutal madness of the dystopian world.

Thanks largely to Rockwell’s unhinged performance and a story that constantly throws new wild ideas at the screen, this flick ends up being a gleefully weird cinematic experiment. And while you are enjoying this strangely insightful trip, remember, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die!

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die (2026)

https://jackmeat.com/good-luck-have-fun-dont-die-2026/

Bodycam (2026) | Bodycam starts with a pretty intense setup…then slowly drives straight off a cliff once the goofy meme monster shows up. #jackmeatsflix

My quick rating - 5.2/10. Bodycam starts off like it’s ready to punch you straight in the face and then…unfortunately spends the rest of the movie searching the cutting room floor. Looking for its momentum. That’s a shame, because the opening sequence legitimately had me, and sets up what could have been a very tense supernatural thriller.

The story kicks off when two police officers respond to a suburban house call that quickly escalates into a nightmare. Officers Jackson (Jaime M. Callica) and Bryce (Sean Rogerson) first screw-up by shooting a man and his infant child. From there, the situation only gets stranger, darker, and far more supernatural than I had expected. It’s a strong premise, and the beginning of Bodycam really leans into that effectively.

Callica and Rogerson both give reasonably solid performances as Jackson and Bryce. They feel believable enough as officers thrown into an escalating crisis, though the script doesn’t exactly make it easy for the audience to root for them. In fact, one of them becomes pretty difficult to sympathize with, right away. I thought the moral gray area could have been interesting if the film had put more focus on it, but instead, it mostly uses it as fuel to push the story into chaos.

Now I’ll admit upfront. I generally loathe the found footage genre. Shaky cameras, characters making terrible decisions, and the inevitable “why are they still filming this?” problem annoy me. Bodycam tries to sidestep that by using police body camera footage as its framing device, which is technically still found footage but at least comes with a built-in reason for the cameras to exist. In this case, the documentary-style approach actually works in keeping the suspense up.

Sadly, that promising setup is the high point of the film.

For a while, things still hold together. Even when the supernatural elements start creeping in, the movie manages to maintain some intrigue. Then the film makes a very questionable decision. It introduces a bizarre meme-looking monster that I absolutely did not need to see. Sometimes less is more, and this was definitely one of those times. If the choice is between showing a goofy creature design or letting our imagination run wild while focusing on possessed followers and unseen horrors, I’ll take imagination every time.

Once that creature shows up, Bodycam starts losing steam quickly. Add in some sequences that feel suspiciously inspired by the whole “backrooms” internet trend, and the film begins to feel less like a focused horror story and more like a grab bag of familiar found-footage tropes.

The effects are also inconsistent. Some scenes look quite good, including one moment featured in the trailer that genuinely works. But others, like a driving sequence later on, look noticeably rough and pull you right out of the experience.

To its credit, the movie does deliver a few effective scares. I thought writer/director Brandon Christensen recently had a handi-cam move marathon and realized after The Puppetman, he would give the genre a shot. At times, Bodycam almost feels like an homage to the found-footage style, tossing in a variety of familiar tricks and ideas.

Bodycam (2026)

Still, despite its flaws, I’ll give it this. It’s better than that Blair Witch crap. And coming from someone who usually runs screaming from found footage, that might be the nicest compliment I can give it.

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