Starring James A. Janisse, Chelsea Rebecca
Hades Films/Variance Films
Since 2017, Youtube channel Dead Meat has been carving out its own space in the horror community. From the viral “Kill Counts” to the insightful Dead Meat Podcast, partners and hosts James A. Janisse and Chelsea Rebecca, have interviewed horror icons, cameoed in movies and appeared at conventions across the country. Now, the team is looking to leave a lasting impact on the genre and the horror community.
In 2026, the Dead Meat team launched FRESH MEAT, a short film contest advertising a chance to be featured in an upcoming anthology film of the same name. The project would feature thirteen winners, chosen by a panel of judges and voted on by the community. This past week, FRESH MEAT premiered in theaters across the U.S and Canada, and it did not disappoint.
FRESH MEAT proved to be fun, fearsome and blood-soaked in the best way, and each of the thirteen films were wildly different and entertaining in their own right. RUE MORGUE has decided to highlight each segment to give viewers a true taste of these talented, up-and-coming filmmakers.
The Wraparound: SATE THE SCREEN
Following Janisse as a butcher with a hungry freezer that craves “fresh meat,” the freezer doubles as a morbid screen, which plays each entry to entertain his daughter, played by the adorable Elle Riot Fox. The wraparound is a bloody treat that ties all the entries together seamlessly, with excellent effects, camerawork, and performances that set the tone for FRESH MEAT.
Best Editing: EARWORM
In EARWORM our main character is plagued by a tune that he just can’t get out of his head. He goes to great lengths to protect himself from its effects, but it’s just not enough.
The editing helped sell the loss of time that our main character is experiencing without being jarring or taking the viewer out of the film itself. It is a smart way to move the story forward with the film’s limited runtime.
Best Effects: THE WITCHENING
THE WITCHENING follows a young girl and her babysitter as a witch pays them a visit.
The short brought the gore to the theater and did not shy away from showing the audience every bit of blood the witch and her curse had to offer.
From hands in blenders to the grotesque creature design showcased at the end of the short, THE WITCHENING was a visual feast.
Best Production Design: PSYCHOPOMP
PSYCHOPOMP’s quirky nature quickly turns horrifying as a young girl boards a “Demon Bus,” thinking she’s in for a typical amusement park attraction. Her simple ride turns into an excellent chase scene as she faces the demon in question.
Most of the film takes place in an abandoned junkyard. The setting adds to the tension of the cat-and-mouse game, and the various piles of cars and other refuse create great opportunities for scares, as the demon lurks around corners. The film includes some sweeping aerial shots of the junkyard as well, giving a great sense of the isolation our main character is experiencing. Overall, an excellent location for the film’s premise.
Standout Shot: YOU’LL BE FINE
YOU’LL BE FINE works with a husband and wife’s reconnection after being on the brink of divorce, but as a third presence makes itself known, it’s clear nothing is really as it seems.
Gasps and nervous laughter rang out as the main character looked at herself in the mirror, while the camera focused on a creature’s hand wrapping around the shower behind her.
YOU’LL BE FINE did an excellent job stretching the tension like a rubber band and had one of the best shots in FRESH MEAT.
Best Cinematography: THE WAY I FEEL
THE WAY I FEEL follows a couple after the loss of their child, the two use unconventional methods to understand each other’s feelings and uncover dark secrets.
Although the plot of this short could’ve used a bit more context, the atmosphere and camera work is stunning. The color grading on the film is consistent and fantastic, and the composition of the film as a whole is well-suited to the energy the story brings. All shots paint a really strong picture of the grief, secrets, and conflict that drive the narrative forward.
Most Fun: DAGNABBIT
DAGNABBIT is a hell of a ride and provides viewers with colorful horror nostalgia. The story follows a man, his lawn chair and his beer as he defends his home against the unseen creature leaving beneath it.
The film really shines during its montage, painting the mundane repetitive activities of our main character in an entertaining and comedic light that harkens back to horror classics.
Most Creative: KOKO THE INVISIBLE DOG
Koko is a dog, just like any other, except she’s invisible. One day, Koko stops being a loyal pet and turns into something much more sinister.
Many horror classics play to the viewer’s imagination, letting our minds spin a scarier tale than what’s on screen, but Koko takes this to a new level.
With the plot hinging on a dog no one can see, the sound design, shaky camera, sells the horrific nature and terror of Koko’s sudden attack.
Bookended by colorful childlike illustrations and a choppy narration, the unique blend of mediums helios to give just enough context to Koko to make you afraid of this creature, without ever seeing it.
Most Atmospheric: VAPE GLOW and WHY DID YOU STOP ME?
Steven Schloss’s VAPE GLOW is crafted with intention and intelligence. The camera is attached to the main character’s vape, giving the audience a unique perspective. When the lights go out and the vape becomes the character’s only light source, we are thrust into not only the main character’s addictive reliance on the vape, but his reliance on it for survival in the dark.
In WHY DID YOU STOP ME? An officer deals with a rural traffic stop that proves to be more supernatural than expected. Similar to VAPE GLOW, the film is lit practically, using car headlights and sirens instead, and all camerawork is through police body-cams and car dash-cams. The first person point-of-view is the perfect medium for this short, which is very reminiscent of the many “vanishing hitchhiker” myths that have been a part of horror for generations.
New Horror Icon: TCHOTCHKE
TCHOTCHKE follows a young man who finds an antique coin bank in the shape of a jester’s head. Inside the trinket seems to be a new horror icon, somewhere between Art the Clown and Annabelle the Doll. Tchotchke’s murderous glee but terrifying implications for the protagonist create a top-tier horror experience.
Best Performances: JINX and WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?
In JINX, a co-dependent couple wakes up unable to stop copying each other. With a premise like that, it all hinges on the actors. Throughout the movie, the couple perfectly mirrors each other, and both leads do an excellent job matching each other’s mannerisms, selling both the humor and the horror of the situation.
WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG? relies strongly on Dolly Lewis’s performance, who is playing herself being interviewed in the popular “What’s In My Bag” format. Her line delivery is delicious, especially as it begins to stray away from the familiar and devolves into absolute chaos.
Best Short: CLOSING HOUR
CLOSING HOUR is an animated short that follows a gas station employee closing for the night before things take a turn for the worse.
The detail of CLOSING HOUR catches the viewers attention from the start. Everything about it feels intentional, and each moment is a building block towards the epic climax.
The short knows it doesn’t have time for over-explanation, but still delivers on a tight and tense plot that leaves the real horror to the viewer’s speculation, while letting our main character take control over her situation in an epic twist.
The film’s animation style may be simple, but it doesn’t lack detail. The unique art style even adds to the elements as it plays into the uncanniness of the characters and the situation, a closing gas station in the middle of the night.
All in all, FRESH MEAT was an experience that exemplified what the future of horror should look like. As more and more young filmmakers are finding exposure online and through social media and video sharing platforms, it’s re-fresh-ing to see other creators from those platforms give back by lifting up others who share the same passion for the genre. The anthology delivered on its promise to give us new and exciting horror projects and proved that there are still those out there hungry for FRESH MEAT.
FRESH MEAT is now in theatres.
