A nasty gem hiding on Tubi, “NEAR” is a bold, blood-soaked found footage horror film that subverts expectations and sticks the landing—hard.
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A dear friend recently reminded me of a truly inventive and unnervingly effective found footage film from 2015 called REEL. We both watched it when it first dropped and couldn’t stop raving about it. (You can check out my full review right here.) I vividly remember loving the 2020 sequel, REEL 2, just as much. However, when I searched for a rewatch, I discovered REEL is now only available through filmmaker Chris Goodwin’s site at reelstore.net or via a physical DVD—indie horror realness.
This brief descent into the REEL-shaped rabbit hole quickly turned into a broader conversation about the found footage subgenre.
I have a deep love for it, but let’s be honest—it’s a minefield. For every Lake Mungo or Noroi: The Curse, there are a dozen half-baked entries trying to cash in on low-budget aesthetics without understanding why the format works. The market is flooded with shaky cams and faux “this-really-happened” setups that feel more like a tired gimmick than a smart stylistic choice.
But when it is done right—when filmmakers truly understand how to use the form to amplify fear and create something immersive and inspired—few horror experiences are more rewarding.
That conversation inspired me to launch this very column: a celebration of found footage done right. And right on cue, I was delighted to discover that Chris Good Goodwin quietly dropped a brand-new entry into the subgenre, NEAR, available now on Tubi and the excellent free streaming platform FOUND TV.
I watched NEAR with a fellow found footage fiend, and we were both completely floored.
Once again, Goodwin proves he has a masterful grasp on what makes found footage so effective, crafting a slow-burn nightmare that feels shockingly real and builds to one of the most deranged, cathartic, and genuinely fun third acts I’ve seen in recent memory.
If you’re a fan of films like Creep, Be My Cat: A Film for Anne, or the viral YouTube horror experiment Milk & Serial, you’ll feel right at home with NEAR… though you’ll never feel safe.
This is a film that nails its concept from the first frame, feels startlingly authentic, and keeps you guessing in the best possible way. Just when you think you’ve figured out where it’s going, it veers off the rails, in the most satisfying, blood-splattered fashion.
One of NEAR’s greatest strengths is how meticulously it’s constructed. The pacing is sharp and deliberate, never dragging but always building tension in ways that feel natural and unforced. The acting is phenomenal. These aren’t recognizable faces, which works wonders for the illusion, but they also aren’t awkward or wooden, as can sometimes plague “realistic” horror.
The cast strikes the perfect balance between believability and watchability. You buy them as real people… but you can’t look away.
And for my fellow gorehounds: NEAR has you covered.
It takes its time getting there, but when the horror hits, it hits hard.
It’s visceral, nasty, and shockingly effective, especially given the film’s modest budget. It’s not gore for gore’s sake—it lands with weight, shock, and purpose. The ending, in particular, is a full-throttle plunge into madness that had me grinning with glee and grimacing in horror at the same time.
The characters? Mostly unlikable. Delightfully so. The kind of people you want to see go through hell, which makes the unhinged climax even more of a thrill ride. At just 90 minutes, it’s a brisk watch, and while it simmers in places, I highly encourage you to stick with it. That patience pays off in spades.
What makes NEAR extra special, though, is its thematic undercurrent of isolation, loneliness, and disconnection.
Released in 2023, it feels like a spiritual echo of the collective dread we all waded through during the pandemic years, without ever directly referencing it. And thank the horror gods for that, because post-COVID metaphor fatigue is real.
Instead, NEAR subtly channels that era’s emotional landscape—alienation, paranoia, detachment—into something that feels deeply human and surprisingly resonant.
Of course, it’s not perfect. The film leaves some questions unanswered and can feel somewhat chaotic, which might frustrate more literal-minded viewers. But for me, those ambiguities only added to its charm (and gave me a reason to rewatch, which I already plan to do).
NEAR is the kind of bold, nasty little indie horror film I live for.
It’s a film that pushes boundaries, embraces risk, and fully commits to its terrifying, blood-soaked vision. Smart, subversive, and uniquely unsettling, it may not be on your radar, but it absolutely should be.
Chris Goodwin is one of the most exciting filmmakers working in found footage today—someone who clearly understands the genre’s potential and continues to evolve within it. I’ve already reached out to him to beg for REEL to come back to streaming, and I can’t wait to see what twisted tale he unleashes next.
If you’re constantly hunting for that next hidden gem to remind you why you love horror, it’s closer than you think; watch NEAR for free on Tubi.
Overall Rating (Out of 5 Butterflies): 4
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