Man Finds Tape; The Most Insane Found Footage Film of the Year
2025 has already been a fantastic year for horror, both from independent creators and big studios. Man Finds Tape is the latest off beat independent horror film to break out from acclaimed film festivals such as Beyond Fest and Tribeca Film Festival. Those who know me know I love a good found footage film, and especially ones that take place in mysterious small Texas towns. So, how does Man Finds Tape fair in the immense sea of indie found footage flicks? Read on to find out.
Man Finds Tape follows a man who after discovering a strange tape, begins unraveling a horrific occult conspiracy in the small town of Larkin, Texas. Things take a turn for the worst when his sister is convinced to join him in uncovering the mystery. The film is the feature debut of filmmakers Paul Gandersman and Peter S. Hall who wrote and directed the film together. The film stars William Magnuson as Lucas Page, Kelsey Pribilski as Lynn Page and John Gholson as Reverend Endicott Carr.
Man Finds Tape hits the ground running with an intriguing opening and an amazing performance from William Magnuson kicking off the mystery before taking its time immersing you in the story with a slow but steady pace. Yet despite being a slow burn, the films tight screenplay spends every moment slowly dragging you to hell. The film also has a climax that takes a sharp left turn down a rabbit hole of insanity, throwing itself into a third act that made me exclaim "WTF?' in the best way possible. One of the films strongest attributes is in its editing, with its unwavering commitment to the found footage immersion. The whole film is meant to be presented as a pseudo-documentary recounting the events as they happened with the victims of the incident, all of which are seen in interviews telling their stories. This use of the format and its way of showing various POVs is a clever way of keeping the subgenre of found footage fresh.
As I was watching, I couldn't help but draw comparisons to certain aspects of another recently released found footage, Shelby Oaks. Where Shelby Oaks blended styles in a fluid mix between traditional filmmaking and found footage, Man Finds Tape fully commits itself to the found footage aspect. I felt the need to point this out because I find both films to be really unique and well done entries into the found footage subgenre, which has gained a reputation for being an avenue for low budget and unique ideas in horror.
Courtesy of Magnolia
Another strong attribute to Man Finds Tape is its performances, namely William Magnuson and Kelsey Pribilski as Lucas and Lynn page. The pair are well matched and give solid performances as estranged and traumatized siblings reuniting under strange circumstances. I also really enjoyed the performance from John Gohlson as the appropriately off putting Reverend Endicott Carr. I also found Man Finds Tape to be reminiscent of early internet horror works like Marble Hornets, something that I find particularly nostalgic. I feel this comparison is especially fair in the way it blends supernatural elements into an intense and claustrophobically realistic lens.
Overall, Man Finds Tape is an impressive feature debut from writing and directing duo Paul Ganderman and Peter S. Hall. The film has cult movie written all over it, with its shared DNA to early internet horror and even modern analog horror I sincerely hope it finds its audience. It's got a unique premise, tells the story is a unique way and culminates into the most unique found footage film I've seen all year.
If you enjoyed this review, browse the rest of my reviews to find more. You can also find more of me talking about horror and genre films on my Twitter page as well as on my podcast Talking Terror.
Man Finds Tape is now playing in select theaters and available on demand.
