Whether you’re a horror fan or not, attempting to summon demons or playing bizarre games to scare each other is something that most of us do as children (and some of us still do)! I think of the Ouija Board, trying to summon Bloody Mary, or in the 90s The Candyman. Many of these games may have come from long ago, while others are derived from the modern age.

A new Shudder original is now available to watch on AMC+ and the Shudder app, Elevator Game (2023). This supernatural horror film is based around an online phenomenon, a ritual conducted in an elevator. The game’s players will attempt to travel to another dimension using a set of rules found online. A young group of YouTubers with a channel called “Nightmare on Dare Street” has sponsors and requires the channel to hit its mark with new content. A new guy to the group, Ryan (Gino Anaia), suggests they take on the online phenomenon of the “elevator game,” which is connected to the recent disappearance of a young lady. Ryan is obsessed with this Urban Legend, and the timing is pretty suspicious that this game should be played for new content that the channel desperately needs for its sponsors.

Elevator Game was a fun film that used a lot of lighting to reveal its evil elements. I enjoyed the characters, and there was a sprinkle of Comedy mixed into this film that played out well. There was a softness about where this film was going, and that softness dissipated, and the terror began to set in. 

The characters, atmosphere, and folklore behind the Elevator Game are enough to keep me invested. The film left a lasting impression; there will not be a time when I enter an elevator that this film will not float through my mind, even if it’s just for a second, and that is good damn filmmaking and storytelling. Director Rebekah McKendry has an eye for this; I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for horror fans!

I had the opportunity to chat with Producer Stefan Brunner and Actor Gino Anaia about the film. We discuss the folklore behind the game, the Elevator filming location, the challenges outlined in the film’s production, and much more! 

Film Info

Director: Rebekah McKendry

Screenwriter: Travis Seppala

Starring: Gino Anania, Verity Marks, Alec Carlos, Nazariy Demkowicz, Madison MacIsaac, Liam Stewart-Kanigan, Megan Best

Producers: Ed Elbert, Stefan Brunner, James Norrie

Language: English

Running Time: 94 mins

About Shudder

AMC Networks’ Shudder is a premium streaming video service super-serving members with the best selection in genre entertainment, covering horror, thrillers, and the supernatural. Shudder’s expanding library of film, TV series, and originals is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. For a 7-day, risk-free trial, visit www.shudder.com.

Young talent often brings a fresh and innovative perspective to their field. They have yet to be exposed to the same constraints and limitations that more experienced individuals might have encountered, allowing them to think outside the box and propose new ideas and approaches. Young talent tends to be more adaptable and open to change.

I had the chance to chat it up with young actor and musician Elliott Fullam. Fullam has had a deep passion for alternative music his whole life. I found it astonishing that from the age of nine, Elliott has been the host of Little Punk People, a music interview show on YouTube. Fullam has chatted with James Hetfield of Metallica, J Mascis, Ice-T, and Jay Weinberg of Slipknot, to name a few. Fullam’s new album, End of Ways, just released and focuses on the experiences of a loved one who recently escaped an abusive household.

“End of Ways is a uniquely challenging and intimate record. Written for and about a dear loved one’s recent escape from an abusive living situation, the album is about finding peace in the face of trauma and violence; in the end, it is about the love and compassion that makes survival possible in the face of a terrible situation. A mix of home recordings and studio productions, the album maintains Fullam’s stark and sparse arrangements, with light guitars and layered vocals expanded upon by occasional piano flourishes courtesy of Jeremy Bennett. The album sees Fullam continuing to grow as an artist, with a cohesive and precise set of songs that see him delving into the depths of tragedy. A remarkably mature statement from this burgeoning voice in contemporary indie folk.”

End of Ways Tracklist:
1. Is This It?
2. Mistake
3. Let’s Go Somewhere
4. Throw It Away
5. Sometimes You Can Hear It
6. End of Ways
7. Better Way
8. Impatient
9. Timeless Tears
10. Forget
11. Remember When
12. I’m Sorry I Took Long, But I’m Here
13. Over the Moon

In addition to his musical talents, many horror enthusiasts will recognize Elliott as an actor from his starring role as Johnathan in the bloody hit horror film Terrifier 2, which was released last year.  Elliot can also be recognized from the Apple TV children’s show Get Rolling With Otis. 

Between his music and acting career, Fullam has a bright future ahead of himself, and I cannot wait to see what he creates next! During our chat, we discussed his taste in music, his family’s [taste], the first instrument Elliott learned to play, his new album, and the experience that inspired its conception, Terrifier 2, and, of course, a lot more! 

Follow Elliott Fullam:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
Twitter | YouTube | Spotify | Soundcloud

Night of The Caregiver is now available on Fox Entertainment’s streamer Tubi Streaming Service, and I have to tell you, it was exceptionally well-crafted and genuinely scary.

The film focuses on a hospice nurse, Juliet (Natalie Denise Sperl), who accepts an overnight caregiver job for Lillian (Eileen Dietz), who lives in a remote, isolated area. Lillian is very polite, sweet, and cordial for being a terminally ill patient. As the night goes on, Juliet suspects something foul is happening, and someone else may reside in the house, causing both herself and Lilian to be in a substantial amount of danger, enough that she feels the need to flee with Lilian in the middle of the night.

I need to acknowledge writer Craig Hamann: using a caregiver as a plot device in storytelling and combining these psychological elements can create a suspenseful and unnerving atmosphere. Allowing a caregiver into one’s home requires a high level of trust. The idea of someone you don’t know well having access to your personal space and potentially taking advantage of your vulnerability due to illness or old age can evoke unease. Having a caregiver present can blur the boundaries between personal and private space. This can lead to concerns about losing control, especially if the caregiver is perceived as overstepping boundaries or misbehaving.

This new supernatural horror film from producer Alexander Nevsky and director/co-star Joe Cornet, better known for their Western and Action movies, is delving into the horror realm. I’m hoping for more from this duo in the future. The acting, cinematography, production design, and direction were on point throughout the film. It isn’t the easiest to come up with an inventive haunted house movie nowadays, and Night of The Caregiver comes with that vibe and, of course, brings the demonic portions along with it. Eileen Dietz is an actress best known in the horror community for the role of the demon Pazuzu in the 1972 Possession Film The Exorcist. Dietz does an excellent job of elevating the film.

I am ever so grateful and ecstatic that horror fans had the opportunity to see Dietz in another horror film. Night of the Caregiver is something to curl up in front of with a blanket and snacks, providing an overall spooky good ole time.

I had the opportunity to interview Director Joe Cornet (who also played a Detective) and Producer. Alexander Nevsky. During our chat, we discussed the challenges of acting and directing a film, the film’s production, and the filming location, and we had to speak about Mr. Arnold Schwarzenneger!