Glorious director Rebekah McKendry’s new supernatural horror film Elevator Game is going to join Glorious on Shudder

Last year, director Rebekah McKendry impressed our reviewer Tyler Nichols with the horror film Glorious, which took place in a rest stop bathroom. (You can read Tyler’s 8/10 review at THIS LINK.) Now McKendry has made another “supernatural happenings in a confined location” horror film called Elevator Game, and Deadline reports that Elevator Game is going to be released through the Shudder streaming service, just like Glorious was!

Elevator Game will be available for Shudder subscribers in the US, the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand to stream as of August 11th. It will also stream on AMC+ in some areas.

Michael Goi (Megan Is Missing) was originally attached to direct the film, but by the time production began McKendry was at the helm. Scripted by Travis Seppala, Elevator Game centers on socially awkward teenager Ryan, who discovers that the night his sister disappeared she had played ‘The Elevator Game’ — a ritual conducted in an elevator, in which players attempt to travel to another dimension using a set of rules that can be found online. Ignoring warnings, he resolves to follow and find her. 

The film stars Gino Anania (Skymed), Alec Carlos (Orphan: First Kill), Megan Best (Séance), Nazariy Demkowicz (Dark Harvest), Verity Marks (Toys of Terror), Liam Stewart-Kanigan (Orphan: First Kill), and newcomers Madison MacIsaac and Samantha Halas. 

A collaboration between Fearworks Production, AMP, Buffalo Gal Pictures, Head Gear Films, and Metrol Technology, with the participation of Manitoba Film & Music, Elevator Game is being produced by Ed Elbert and Stefan Brunner for Fearworks, and by James Norrie for AMP. Phil Hunt and Compton Ross of Head Gear Films, Inderpal Singh of AMP, Phyllis Laing of Buffalo Gal Pictures, and Kevin Hicks serve as executive producers.

McKendry had this to say about Elevator Game: “It was several years ago when I first read about ‘The Elevator Game‘ online, and I was immediately intrigued by the rules, curse, and ‘The 5th Floor Woman.’ For me, this well-known internet legend was an exciting and chilling entrance into a modern-day ghost story. But if you want to open the door to the other side, you must follow all the rules. Go to the floors in order, don’t open your eyes, and whatever you do, don’t speak to her. Now let’s start by going to 4.“

Does Elevator Game sound like a movie you would want to watch on Shudder? Share your thoughts on this one by leaving a comment below.

The Free Movie of the Day on the JoBlo Movies YouTube channel today is the prison thriller The Brig, directed by Sergi Arnau

On the JoBlo Movies YouTube channel, we will be posting one full movie every other day throughout the week, giving viewers the chance to watch them entirely free of charge. The Free Movie of the Day we have for you today is the prison thriller The Brig, and you can watch it over on the YouTube channel linked above, or you can just watch it in the embed at the top of this article.

Written and directed by Sergi Arnau, The Brig has the following synopsis: Imprisoned Arnold Drexler decides to expose the organization behind his crimes in order to reduce his 15-year sentence. His lock-up triggers a domino effect of retribution and violence from his cell-mates. Soon Drexler finds himself caught in a web of corruption that leads all the way to the prison’s core.

The film, which was originally going by the title Lone Wolves, stars Fred Adenis, Carlos Reyes, José María Blanco, Octavi Pujades, Carlus Fàbrega, Hermann Bonnín, Joan Massotkleiner, José Antonio Marín, Paco Moreno, Joel Minguet, Mont Plans, Martí Peraferrer, and Pau Barredo.

A Spanish production, The Brig marks the feature writing and directing debut for Arnau, who previously made a couple short films. Arnau hasn’t made another film since working on The Brig four years ago, so we’ll have to wait and see if or when we’re going to be getting a second Arnau feature.

In the meantime, take a look at The Brig – it’s free! – then let us know what you thought of it by leaving a comment below or on the YouTube page. Would you like to see Sergi Arnau write and direct another film?

The movies that have previously been featured as the Free Movies of the Day can be found at THIS LINK, and also on the JoBlo Movies YouTube channel.

After Amazon made a big acquisition of the classic film studio, MGM, the streamer is looking to capitalize on the studio’s franchises.

Amazon’s big acquisition of the legacy film studio, MGM, is looking to pay off in a big way. One of the biggest stories that first came out of this studio purchase was whether the streamer would be releasing future James Bond movies exclusively through the platform since MGM owns the rights to the 007 agent. Amazon would assure people that Bond would continue to be a theatrical experience. However, there is still a whole library of intellectual properties that the channel plans on re-adapting in some way.

Deadline reports that among those properties are popular past franchises that include Robocop, Stargate, Legally Blonde, Fame, Barbershop, The Magnificent Seven, Pink Panther, and The Thomas Crown Affair. Amazon Studios has been exploring the list of titles they now have the rights to in an effort to reboot in a film or TV medium. Amazon shelled out over $8 billion for the MGM legacy, and, just as Disney continues to pump out Star Wars content after purchasing Lucasfilm for half as much, Amazon is not looking for their acquisition to go to waste.

There have not been any official plans announced as of yet, but word is that each franchise is being planned for a different approach. Some that have the potential for a number of ongoing stories are being considered for a new TV series adaptation, while others are being planned for feature-length outputs. One of the more prominent examples involves an active early conversation on Legally Blonde, both for a movie and a potential TV series, sources say. The past five years have already seen attempts to get a third film off the ground with another Elle Woods story, and despite a straight-to-video effort starring Hilary and Hayley Duff, no progress has been made with a successful Reese Witherspoon follow-up.

According to Deadline, one of the first properties on the dock with a revitalization is the Stargate franchise. Again, options are being explored as to whether it will be rebooted as a new film series or streaming show, however it’s being said a movie may be released first, with a subsequent show continuing the story. Robocop is being considered for the same plan, except with the order flipped, as Amazon is thinking of premiering a show at first, then capitalizing with a feature.

After the success of Creed III last month, there have already been plans set in motion to expand the universe in a number of ways, including spin-offs in both film and TV. It was even recently announced that Amazon signed a first-look deal with Sylvester Stallone and his Balboa Productions, and Rocky-related projects may be one of the possibilities to come out of that.

Toni Collette, Monica Bellucci, Catherine Hardwicke and Sophia Nomvete talk about their latest comedy, Mafia Mamma

For filmmaker Catherine Hardwicke‘s latest feature, she went for the funny. Mafia Momma offers a solid collection of talented performers including Toni Collette, Monica Bellucci, and Sophia Nomvete, for a little R-rated comedy. The story involves Kristin, a woman who finds that her grandfather was a major player in the mafia. After he is killed, she is unexpectedly invited to his funeral, and suddenly finds herself on a wild adventure. Based on a story by Amanda Sthers, the screenplay was written by J. Michael Feldman and Debbie Jhoon.

Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci are absolute class. And yes, it’s a thrill speaking to the two. As well, Toni Collette and Sophia Nomvete were utterly hilarious to chat with. The two opened up about the dark comedy, and their chemistry was wonderful even off-screen in an interview. We also spoke with Catherine Hardwicke and Monica Bellucci about taking on this particular tale. For Ms. Hardwicke, she talked about getting the script from Toni, and how she immediately wanted to do it. The legendary Ms. Bellucci opened up about enjoying a chance to take on comedy.

The film has the following official synopsis: While seeing to her long estranged (and now deceased) grandfather’s affairs in Italy, Collette, a mild mannered suburban mom, unexpectedly inherits his mafia empire and finds herself stuck in the middle of a deadly mob war. Guided by the firm’s trusted consigliere (Monica Bellucci), she hilariously defies everyone’s expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business.

Mafia Mamma is currently playing at a theatre near you. Read our review!

The free movie we have for this week’s edition of Friday Fright Nights is the supernatural horror film I Know You’re in There

A full Free Movie of the Day is posted on the JoBlo Horror Movies YouTube channel every other day during the week – but on Fridays things get even freakier and a little more fun. Get your weekend started the right way by indulging in Friday Fright Nights! Every Friday, we’ll be taking a look at another genre movie you can watch in its entirety, free of charge, either on the YouTube channel linked above or in the video embed here.

The Friday Fright Nights feature we have for your viewing pleasure this week is the supernatural horror film I Know You’re in There, which marks the feature debut of writer/director Robert Lawson Gordon – and a textbook first feature it is, as it focuses on a small number of characters and takes place almost entirely in one location. For a substantial portion of its running time, I Know You’re in There only has two characters on screen… but it’s a unique situation for these two characters, because one of them is non-verbal and immobile. Actor Will Hurst was tasked with carrying most of the story on his shoulders, while co-star Grainne McDermott creeps out the viewer with facial expressions.

Gordon also worked in some found footage elements by having the lead character working on a documentary, complete with confessional scenes. Thankfully, this guy isn’t always carrying the camera around and filming random things, so I Know You’re in There has traditionally shot scenes in between moments of the lead talking to the camera.

Hurst and McDermott do a fine job of making the film work when they’re the only people we have to hang out with, but it’s still quite refreshing when Karin Lee (a.k.a. Wyoh Lee) joins their characters in their isolated location. It also helps that things really go horrifically wrong once she shows up.

Here’s the official synopsis for I Know You’re in There: When his mother commits suicide, Tom Redding discovers he has a long lost sister who cannot move or talk. Together they travel to their dead mother’s isolated home where Tom hopes to document his sister’s illness, only to be driven to the brink of madness by a supernatural evil.

Will Hurst plays Tom, with Grainne McDermott as his sister Chloe and Karin/Wyoh Lee as his girlfriend Jamie. Also in the cast are Mindee de Lacey, Minae Noji, Blake Newcomb, and Jaimes Timas.

Gordon and Hurst produced the film together, with Newcomb acting as associate producer. Before making his feature debut, Gordon wrote and directed the short films Love Echoes and Ugly, Strong, and Dignified. He had acting roles in the films Siblings and Play On, as well as the short Beginnings, so it’s somewhat surprising he didn’t give himself a role in I Know You’re in There. He has also worked as a second unit director and in the second assistant camera position on some projects – but as of right now, I Know You’re in There is the last credit he has in any category of his filmography. Seven years have passed, and we’ll just have to wait and see if we’re going to get a second feature from Robert Lawson Gordon.

So take a look at I Know You’re in There – it’s free! – and let us know what you thought of it by leaving a comment below or on the YouTube page. Would you like to see another Robert Lawson Gordon movie?

We have a bloody good time with Renfield, starring Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage as an iconic Count Dracula.

PLOT: Dracula’s long-suffering familiar Renfield, played by Nicholas Hoult, has finally started to acknowledge the toxic relationship that he has been in for over a hundred years. One day he meets Traffic Officer Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina), who inspires him to finally stand up to the lord of the vampires, Dracula (Nicolas Cage). 

REVIEW: Renfield is director Chris McKay’s (The Tomorrow War) blatant love letter to Dracula, with it even going so far as to recreate parts of the Universal Monsters black and white classic. It’s pretty amusing seeing Cage dressed up like Bela Lugosi in the iconic 1931 black and white horror film, with Hoult channeling Dwight Frye.

The film is a black comedy but with a surprisingly strong message about abusive relationships. Hoult plays Renfield as the victim of the ultimate narcissist, Dracula. Sure, you have your classic Dracula lines like “Renfield, come to your dark lord” but then you have Renfield saying power statements toward the lord of the vampires like “I deserve happiness”, “I am taking back my power”,  and “I do not deserve to be treated this way”. It’s a funny scene as he says this to Dracula by reading from a self-help book as if it he was warding him off with a bible. 

This is not Nicholas Hoult’s first time playing a supernatural creature. He starred in one of my favorite movies, the zombie romantic comedy Warm Bodies. I can see why Hoult was attracted to the role, since it is yet another unique take on the horror film genre. He plays Renfield as a beaten-down man who has given into despair, believing that he will never have happiness in his life again. He is so good at eliciting empathy from the audience. Which is why it’s so weird when you think about it because Renfield has been providing innocent people for Dracula to murder for over a hundred years. Sure, he tries to bring him people he thinks deserve to die, like the abusive partners from his support group, criminals, and worst of all ska fans. But, it’s not enough for the prince of darkness. He gains no real sustenance from the blood of the corrupt, only those of the innocent. There’s a great joke between Cage and Hoult that revolves around Dracula asking for a busload of cheerleaders. Only for him to say defensively that it’s not sexual.

Awkwafina lends her usual comedic timing as traffic Officer Rebeca Quincy. Rebecca is a police officer who has never risen past her low status on the force. Her father was known as the most honest cop in the city who was tragically murdered. Her backstory is a bit of a cliché but, she yet again turns the mundane into gold. 

My only issue I had with her role was that even though she is set up as the romance lead with Hoult, it never pays off. It’s almost as if the filmmakers lost faith in her having a romantic subplot. So, she was relegated to a buddy rather than a romantic partner. Which is a shame, because she and Hoult have excellent chemistry. They play off each other with some witty dialogue that makes me wonder how much was of it written and how much of it was improvised. 

Awkwafina has range but it’s just not taken advantage of. This is a real shame because I think she could surprise many people if just given the chance to spread her wings (for a good example – check out her earlier film, The Farewell). 

Jean Ralphio (Parks and Rec!) himself, Ben Schwartz plays the sniveling Teddy Lobo, who is the heir to the Lobo crime empire. However, even though I love the roles Schwartz plays, he has begun to become pigeonholed into playing egotistical idiot characters. 

The comedy in the film is great. The black humor is on full display, as you have funny lines and mixed in with a generous helping of gore. This is a tribute to the classic 1970’s Hammer horror films. There are exploding heads, maimings, and even seeing someone’s face be ripped off. If you don’t like over-the-top gore then I would not recommend this movie (chances are, if you’re reading this, you do).

The fight choreography deserves a standing ovation. It’s well-lit, coherent, and creative. I am glad that gone are the days of shaky cam action scenes. To say that the fight scenes are creative is an understatement. There are scenes where bad guys get their arms chopped off only to be used as nunchucks. People’s spines are crushed, heads explode, and John Wick style gun fights. Sure there is CGI for certain kill shots, but for the most part, they’re practical fight scenes with clever camera work.

So let’s talk about the elephant in the room, Nick “Mother Freaking” Cage! Cage has been a Dracula fan from the start of his career. He cites one of his early films, the bizarre cult classic Vampire’s Kiss as a favorite. He also produced the Oscar nominated film Shadow of the Vampire that starred William Dafoe and John Malkovich. To cast Cage as Dracula the lord of the vampires, was brilliant! If it wasn’t for him, the film would have still been good but, just not as much of a must-see. It’s as if he was born to play this role. He oozes this darkness that leaves you unnerved with the way he walks and looks at you. Also his teeth, ugh, I think I’ll have nightmares for days. Yes, he does make his extreme faces just like in Vampire’s Kiss but, sadly he does not recite the alphabet. 

But, I think the most impressive aspect of his performance was portraying Dracula’s narcissism. Remember the scene with Nicholas Hoult I was talking about before? Cage’s dialogue has that double meaning of a narcissist gaslighting his victim. He recites the line from the abusive partner playbook. He plays the victim, he blames Renfield for his mistakes, and tells him that he will never be happy being away from him.

Nicolas Cage also contributes some classic Cage mannerisms to the film. With a few small yelps and the intense stares that he is known for. But, he pours the fanboy love for the father of all vampires in this film. Honestly, you should see this film just for his performance alone. 

The film has a quick pace and I think it only dragged when it got closer to the climax of the movie. There’s also a line about Renfield’s family that is not followed up on. It would have been great if that would have been fleshed out. But that’s me nitpicking.

Even though I do recommend this film, I still think that it won’t exactly break the box office. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that it’s not good. Quite frankly, it’s a fun film to go see with your friends and I think it will be a cult classic. But, I just don’t see it playing well with a larger audience considering how fickle moviegoers have been lately. But, I can see this being shown at Halloween events for years to come. 

8

The episode of Best Horror Movie You Never Saw covering Dr. Giggles was Written by Eric Walkuski, Narrated by Jason Hewlett, Edited by Paul Bookstaber, Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

It’s no secret that the early 90s are not viewed as a primo time for horror movies. Post-the slasher burnout of the ’80s, pre-the resurrection of the genre thanks to Scream, it was a time where only the truly faithful went to the theaters to indulge in their favorite genre. And yet, we were given some memorable flicks that you almost certainly wouldn’t see in theaters today. Movies like Leprechaun, Man’s Best Friend, Body Parts, all graced the big screen, while today they’d almost certainly be sent right to VOD – maybe unless they were produced by Jason Blum. Another title that one can’t even picture getting a theatrical release? That would be Dr. Giggles (watch it HERE), a movie I just can’t picture getting an “elevated horror” update from A24 any time soon.

If you haven’t seen this cheesefest, let me explain the rather simple story: Years ago, in the sleepy town of Moorehigh, a psychotic doctor was killed by local townspeople after it had been found out he’d disregarded his Hippocratic Oath in a rather severe way. His son was never found, hence a local legend was born about the missing – and presumably crazed – little fellow. Cut to some 30 years later, and it turns out the boy has taken up the family business… albeit in the form of performing gruesome surgeries in a mental institution. Doctor Giggles, as he’s called thanks to his overwhelmingly jolly nature, has finally come into his own and is looking to travel back to his home town to mete out some revenge for dear old pop. But what Dr. Giggles doesn’t realize is that in the midst of his rampage he’ll find his true calling in the form of a teenage girl in need of a heart transplant. The doctor will see to it that she gets what she needs by any means necessary. Safe to say, the doctor is out… of his mind!

While not exactly revered in the horror community, there’s no doubt a small contingent of us are true Dr. Giggles supporters, and there’s no shame involved in that. Behold the gleeful nastiness of this movie; the ridiculous carnage wrought by Larry Drake as Evan Rendell, a maniacal wannabe doctor with a predilection for creative methods of murder and bad puns. I mean, even Freddy Krueger would slap his forehead at some of the groaners delivered by Evan. (Examples: “He should have kept his hands to himself,” “Have a heart,” “Just wait until you get the bill.” etc.) Here’s a movie that knows just what it’s doing, playing its gruesome mayhem with a wink and a nod – and maybe even a giggle – inviting you to laugh along with it. And when it comes time to let the bodies hit the floor, director Manny Coto does so with aplomb, coming up with a variety of amusingly morbid ways to dispatch a rather sizable group of mostly unsympathetic characters.

Released in 1992, this movie was an eye-opener for young burgeoning movie fans like yours truly who were still figuring out the twists and turns of the horror genre. Here’s a movie that you would probably not claim is “good,” not by traditional standards. But is it bad? It’s completely self-aware, from the moment the title hits the screen. Coto knows his premise is unexceptional on its own, so he loads the film with moments of cheesy bad comedy and over-the-top kill sequences sure to leave you doing a bit of giggling of your own. The movie wears its own shameless ridiculousness as a badge of honor. I dare say, even people who don’t like horror movies may very well find themselves amused by Dr. Giggles, for it exists so happily in its own bizarre world, and it gives no shits about what you think of it. Is this outsider art? Is it transgressive cinema? Probably not, but holy hell does it achieve a certain level of admirable lunacy.

And it’s not just a tongue-in-cheek pun-fest. In its own strange way, Dr. Giggles is actually kind of a creepy movie. While Evan is more or less a goofy figure, Larry Drake plays him sincerely – and Larry Drake was a bit of a scary dude, rest his soul. His looming presence in the movie is unsettling – he seems to tower over every one of his victims – and does that face of his ever fill the screen. Those bulging eyes are pretty hard to shake off – no wonder they were featured so prominently on the movie’s poster. And his signature giggle indeed gets under your skin after a while, although to be fair, some might get tired of it sooner than others. Drake was a woefully underused actor in the 90s – he was best known for his Emmy-winning role as Benny in L.A. Law – but aside from Dr. Giggles and Darkman, we were largely deprived of seeming him often on the big screen. A shame because he had a great character actor’s face and probably could have brought us several more memorable performances if given the chance.

Drake’s bulky frame and intimidating mug stand in stark contrast to the object of his twisted desire. Holly Marie Combs‘ Jennifer is a successfully likable protagonist, fragile and appealing in that special girl-next-door way. The sincerity of Jennifer’s scenes, matched with the troubling nature of her heart condition, provide a welcome distraction from Drake’s demented murder sequences. Every slasher movie requires a Final Girl you truly care about, and there’s no doubt Combs brings an aura of fresh-faced virtuousness that makes her easy to root for. Rumor has it Jennifer Aniston auditioned for the role and didn’t get it – which might be just as well. Imagine having to sit through the puns of Doctor Giggles and the Leprechaun back-to-back.

Though Combs’ proves to be a charming protagonist, the same can’t be said for most of the folks in her home town, and it’s safe to say you won’t really miss any of Dr. Giggles’ victims after they’re gone. Jennifer has the reliable stable of unremarkable friends, including a chode of a boyfriend who you keep waiting to see get knocked off. Spoiler alert: sadly, he somehow survives the movie, very barely redeeming himself toward the end. The rest of the cast gets iced in spectacularly messy ways, and if the movie isn’t always a splatter-fest, it does plant some pretty ghastly images in your head. One dude gets castrated via scalpel – which is totally fine because he was wearing a backwards baseball cap to bed. Said dude’s girlfriend gets her temperature taken in a most uncomfortable fashion; a woman has her stomach pumped in a manner that might make you swear off ice cream forever, and a local health practitioner makes the acquaintance of the most comically oversized blood pressure cuff you’ve ever seen. I’m not really sure where Dr. Giggles finds some of these instruments, but if he made them himself he absolutely missed out on what could’ve been his true calling: making hilariously impractical murder gadgets for society’s wackiest slashers. Apparently, the film ran into a lot of problems with the MPAA, as the organization was really cracking down on gore in horror movies back in those days, which might explain why the movie doesn’t have more in-your-face bloodletting.

Dr. Giggles isn’t just a affable freak who randomly picked serial killer as a profession. Naturally, he has an origin story, and the almost scary fairy tale nature of just how Evan Rendell became so nuts is one of the movie’s high points. It didn’t hurt that his daddy was a maniacal doctor himself, a man who snapped when his wife became terminally ill and took to ripping people’s hearts out in order to find the right one for his beloved. A dude that sick just has to have his own nursery rhyme – and guess what, he does! (“The town has a doctor and his name is Rendell…” etc) When it became obvious the town would simply not stand for his heart-snatching antics, Dr. Rendell had to protect his son at any costs. And if that meant sewing the kid inside the corpse of his dead mother, then so be it. The younger Rendell seemed destined to be a nut-job anyway, so a move of this kind probably helped put him right over the top. The reveal of the maniacal little kid bursting out of his mother’s body is legitimately disturbing, so much so that you don’t mind that it’s just a tad far-fetched. It’s pure yuck.

The movie is respectably made from a technical standpoint – it’s not remembered for being an A-list production, but it’s certainly not a low-budget affair by any means, with crisp cinematography, appropriately gloomy production design and a compelling music score all aiding the overall picture.

Writer-director Manny Coto wasn’t a significant name in the movie business back in the 90s, but you certainly may have seen his name on television the last couple of decades. Coto has written for legit shows like Star Trek, 24, Dexter and American Horror Story. The latter is surely closest in spirit to Dr. Giggles, with its warped humor ad grisly death sequences, so it’s nice to know that while Coto has moved on to bigger and better things, he still gets a chance to flex the same unhinged muscles he did back in 1992.

Revisiting this movie recently was an absolute blast. It made me feel young again. Movies like this helped shape my love for the genre. Of course I revere the classics: The Exorcist, Night of the Living Dead, Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Those are brilliant films, it goes without saying, and they legitimize a genre that still has trouble being taken seriously by people who don’t know better. But the Dr. Giggles of the world are wholly part of why I love this stuff. It’s weird, it’s crude, it’s brazen in its efforts to gross you out and make you laugh. Why shouldn’t we admire a movie like this, one that sets its modest goals, achieves them, and leaves you giggling in the process?

Refreshingly, Dr. Giggles was a one and done. No sequel ever materialized, which is sensible when you consider how the bad doctor goes out at the end, and it stands on its own as a weirdly satisfying slasher with a very dark sense of humor. Going to the doctor is usually an unpleasant experience, but this is one appointment you shouldn’t bail on.

A couple previous episodes of the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw series can be seen below. To see more, and to check out some of our other shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!