IT General

Netflix has a fancy algorithm that supposedly surfaces the best shows for you, but I'm not convinced it's a replacement for a good old-fashioned personal recommendation. Netflix's home screen can feel overwhelming, to the point where you don't end up watching anything.

Your Linux computer probably has repositories full of free and open source software waiting to be installed. It's hard to know what's worth trying, so that's why I've been digging around the Linux development world for the most useful.

The AI boom may be changing the meme landscape, but it also has people increasingly worried about their jobs — and seemingly with good reason. According to a recent report from The New York Times, Amazon has plans to make robots a big part of its workforce in the future.

"We just learned that Amazon plans to replace more than half a million jobs with robots," says Stephen Colbert in The Late Show clip above. "The news of Amazon's plan comes from a cache of internal strategy documents viewed by The New York Times. Wow, that's the kind of scoop you used to get at The Washington Post, if only Bezos hadn't changed their slogan from 'Democracy Dies in Darkness' to '20% Off Next-Day Delivery of Six-Pack Men's Ankle Socks.' [Amazon owner Jeff Bezos has owned The Washington Post since 2013.]

"According to the documents, in order to calm the worried workers, Amazon is avoiding terms like 'automation' and instead will be using terms like 'advanced technology,'" Colbert continued. "And to imply the AI workforce will collaborate with humans, they will replace the word 'robot' with 'cobot'. And instead of calling all that 'bulls**t', I will call that 'advanced livestock butt derivative.'"

KPop Demon Hunters is the pop culture phenomenon that has already defined 2025. The most-watched movie on Netflix proved such a smash hit that the streamer rolled out a sing-along theatrical release, not once but twice! The soundtrack hit #1 on Billboard, with "Golden" becoming the longest-running #1 hit by a girl group on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 21st century. All of this is fueled by the fans. Love for KPop Demon Hunters is everywhere online, but perhaps it's most enthralling on TikTok, where fans share their excitement through singing, dancing, and cosplaying. Just like in the movie, the KPop Demon Hunters themselves love seeing their fans express themselves.

So, when Arden Cho and May Hong, who provide the voices for Rumi and Mira, came by Mashable's Say More studio, Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko presented them with some of our team's favorite KPop Demon Hunter TikToks for their reactions. Whether it's a baby bopping to Saja Boys' "Soda Pop," a fleet of little Rumis, or cosplayers recreating even the quirkiest characters, Hong and Cho were elated, sharing their thoughts on each vid.

With Halloween around the corner, KPop Demon Hunters fans will likely be out in force at costume parties and the return of the theatrical sing-along release. For more from Arden Cho and May Wong, check out Mashable's full Say More interview on YouTube. There, they reveal what it was like recording the dialogue for Rumi and Mira, what their favorite moments were, and what it means to be such a pivotal part to the movie that's appealing to kids, parents, and child-free entertainment reporters.

KPop Demon Hunters: A Sing-Along Event returns to theaters on Oct. 31. KPop Demon Hunters is now streaming on Netflix.

You’ve got a fully equipped workshop in your basement or garage. Maybe it’s outside in your shed. But let’s be honest: when a hinge is feeling a little loose or a picture frame needs hanging, the last thing you want to do is put on shoes and trek outside. You should have a stash of tools in your immediate living space.

Amazon has launched a new incident report generation tool in CloudWatch, allowing customers to quickly build post-incident analysis reports.

The company announced the new feature in a blog post Wednesday, failing to mention that just days ago half the internet didn't work due to a massive AWS outage.

Amazon CloudWatch is a service that allows customers to monitor apps and resources on Amazon's AWS cloud, as well as other clouds. It is typically used by businesses who run their operations on AWS.

The new feature generates detailed reports by automatically capturing critical operational telemetry, service configurations, and investigation findings, according to Amazon. It's available in a number of regions, including US East, where the recent outage has happened.

The full list of the regions where the tool is available is as follows: US East (N. Virginia), US East (Ohio), US West (Oregon), Asia Pacific (Hong Kong), Asia Pacific (Mumbai), Asia Pacific (Singapore), Asia Pacific (Sydney), Asia Pacific (Tokyo), Europe (Frankfurt), Europe (Ireland), Europe (Spain), and Europe (Stockholm).

SEE ALSO: AWS outage update: Amazon, Alexa, Snapchat, Reddit, more hit by massive outage

To create your first incident report (hopefully not very soon), create a CloudWatch investigation and click on "Incident report."

When your fingers are your primary method of interacting with a browser, you can use some neat tricks to get around faster. Safari for iPhone is full of these time-savers, and they’re all fairly easy to remember.

It’s a big, important weekend as we make our final preparations for Halloween—my favorite holiday. As such, we’re focusing on some fun but creepy-themed shows to watch—two of which are must-see award winners worthy of as much of your time and attention as you’re willing to give. There’s even a one-of-a-kind competition you can binge in a flash, just in case your weekend plans pull you away from your television.

Seth Meyers took "A Closer Look" at the contrast between voter concerns over rising costs in the 2024 election and Donald Trump's $250 million new ballroom a year later.

Meyers began his deep dive segment on Thursday with a look at how inflation was top of mind for voters last year. The Late Night host then contrasted this with a look at the impact of Trump's tariffs on the price of groceries, as well as the president's expensive and controversial 90,000 square foot ballroom. Demolition of parts of the White House's East Wing, built in 1902, began on Monday. By Thursday, workers had completely pulled it down — all despite Trump's promise in July that his new ballroom "won't interfere with the current building...It'll be near it but not touching it."

"So he basically promised to treat it like his marriage," said Meyers, with a trumpeted womp-womp on cue.

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert rips into Trump 'going Hulk Smash on the White House'

Meyers also spoke on Trump's statement to reporters that knocking down the East Wing was decided "after really a tremendous amount of study with some of the best architects in the world."

"Oh yeah, who was the architect you talked to, Godzilla?" said Meyers.

"This couldn't be any more of a bait and switch," the host concluded. "Trump got elected by claiming he was going to make life more affordable for hard-working Americans, and now he's demolishing the White House to build himself a gilded vanity project. If you voted for Trump thinking he'd bring down your grocery bills, tough luck."

In the wave of 25W chargers currently hitting the market, power banks are the most impactful for their charging-on-the-go prowess. The Ugreen MagFlow 10000mAh 25W Power Bank delivers on this promise, but it’s going to be too big for many people to use comfortably.

It turns out Adam Brody's unruffled demeanour can't even be disturbed by an onslaught of spicy wings.

In the First We Feast video above, the Nobody Wants This star takes on the Hot Ones challenge, knocking back 10 spicy wings while answering questions on everything from surfing and pre-fame jobs to his big break in TV.

Is he as calm and collected as Jenna Ortega? Hard to say, but it's certainly close.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you love bright shades.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 24, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: The peak

• Green: Actions in Word

• Blue: Vibrant

• Purple: A fashion add-on

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Best years

• Green: Things you can do to text

• Blue: Things known for being colorful things

• Purple: Ending in accessories

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #866 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Best years: HEYDAY, PINNACLE, PRIME, ZENITH

• Things you can do to text: BOLD, HIGHLIGHT, STRIKETHROUGH, UNDERLINE

• Things known for being colorful things: KALEIDOSCOPE, PEACOCK, RAINBOW, SUNSET

• Ending in accessories: BAYWATCH, COOTIE, HERRING, KINGPIN

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 24, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're interested in past events.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 17, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Through the ages

The words are related to past times.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe the before times.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is History.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 24

• Stone

• Bronze

• Iron

• History

• Industrial

• Space

• Information

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're familiar with botany.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 24, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 17, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Part of a plant.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

TUBER

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 24, 2025

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, Oct. 24, 2025:

AcrossDove's soft call

• The answer is Coo.

Write-up on a book jacket

• The answer is Blurb.

Two to one, for one

• The answer is Ratio.

Cupid's weaponry, along with 5-Down

• The answer is Arrow.

Jennings of "Jeopardy!"

• The answer is Ken.

DownW.N.B.A. star Caitlin

• The answer is Clark.

Beyond bizarre, from the French

• The answer is Outre.

What has a "belt" seen only at night

• The answer is Orion.

Supportive undergarment

• The answer is Bra.

See 7-Across

• The answer is Bow.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Mini Crossword.

The best iPads are better than ever. Within the past year, every model has received an upgrade, meaning Apple's tablets are now equipped with the latest silicon. iPads remain versatile tablets and can even be budget-friendly, if you catch them on sale. The full line-up now includes: the iPad with A16 chip, iPad Mini with A17 chip, iPad Air with M3 chip, and iPad Pro with M5 chip.

At this point, iPads can do (almost) anything your laptop can do thanks to iPadOS 26. Whether you want to stream, browse the internet, illustrate, or edit videos, you can do it on the iPad. Recent developments in the Pro and Air models also set them up as gaming devices.

The rapid pace of Apple's update schedule makes shopping for a tablet all the more difficult. So, we tested every model to help you find the best iPad for you.

Which iPad model should I buy?

The right iPad for you depends purely on your needs. Do you want something that has enough storage and speed for streaming? Do you want to use it to read? Do you want to use a tablet as your primary workstation? Your answers should factor into your decision.

To get you started, we believe the best iPad for most people is the new M3 iPad Air (2025). It has exceptional performance but is also in the middle range for both price and capability.

ANC and spatial audio Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

Apple’s noise cancellation surpasses Sony’s, at least when it comes to wireless earbuds. The technology does away with nearly all low- and mid-frequency sounds. These buds handle high-frequency sounds better than the AirPods Pro 2; sirens and whistles are barely audible. Transparency mode remains clutch for increasing ambient awareness. Also, modes like Conversation Boost allow you to communicate clearly without removing the buds. Much of the same can be said about the WF-1000xM5’s adaptive noise cancellation, though its high-frequency reduction isn’t as effective. Wind resistance is stronger on the WF-1000xM5.

Personalized Spatial Audio performs well on the AirPods Pro 3. Dolby Atmos content sounds immersive and natural. Effects and vocals are placed accurately on the soundscape and transition smoothly with every head gesture. Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format does a convincing job of making music sound livelier. Sadly, the feature works with very few streaming platforms.

Winner: Apple AirPods Pro 3

Read our full review of the AirPods Pro 3.

Audio quality and platform compatibility Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

Sony’s sound technologies are awesome. Its 8.4mm Dynamic Driver X units produce wide sound with enhanced bass and treble that blend beautifully with crisp mids and striking highs. The 10-band EQ with multiple well-engineered presets is perfect for personalizing sound. There’s the Find Your EQ setting that tailors sound to your hearing. My favorite feature, DSEE, is essential for increasing fidelity on low-quality recordings. LDAC codec support boosts bitrate transmission to reveal more detail on tracks when streaming from DSPs (e.g, Apple Music, Spotify) via Android.

Speaking of which, the WF-1000xM5 easily pairs to Android and iOS/macOS devices. The Sony Sound Connect app is multi-platform and places all functionality at the tip of your finger. 

The AirPods Pro 3 sound terrific out of the box (bass and highs are prominent). They just lack the WF-1000xM5’s practical sound customization. Pairing to Android devices can be difficult at times, and about 70 percent of the buds’ features are restricted to iOS. 

Winner: Sony WF-1000xM5

Read our full review of the Sony WF-1000xM5. 

Where they meet in the middle Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

Features are abundant on these two models. Many of the AirPods Pro 3’s top perks were previously discussed, but there are extras worth mentioning, such as heart rate monitoring and Live Translation. Both features work surprisingly well. Other notables include audio sharing, auto switching, “Hey Siri” voice activation (iOS/macOS only), Personalized Volume, and Voice Isolation. The WF-1000xM5 receive many of the same features as the WH-1000xM6 headphones, from multi-level audio settings to smart controls (Quick Attention, Speak-to-Chat).

Comfort and fit are both hit and miss. While the AirPods Pro 3’s new curvy sound port provides optimal fit, it feels unpleasant on the ear after three hours of wear. The WF-1000xM5’s circular design is comfy, but it doesn’t form a secure fit (many experts blame the bundled memory foam tips).

Battery life is almost identical. Both wireless charging cases hold up to 24 hours of listening time. A single charge offers 8 hours of ANC. The WF-1000xM5 can extend playtime to 12 hours when disabling ANC and special features, whereas the AirPods Pro 3 tap out at 10 hours. Charging times are faster on the WF-1000xM5: a 3-minute charge equals 3 hours of use. There is one caveat — you need a PD-compatible charger. The AirPods Pro 3 generate 1 hour on a 5-minute charge.

Winner: Tie And the winner is… Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

It’s too early to call this bout. Therefore, we’re chalking it up to a tie, and for all the right reasons.

The addition of highly anticipated features and improvements to key areas (e.g, ANC, battery life) earns the AirPods Pro 3 high praise. As for the WF-1000xM5, they’re still a force to be reckoned with, powered by singular proprietary technologies that deliver class-leading sound and equally great noise cancellation.

Your choice may come down to pricing. Apple’s buds are the more affordable pair at $249. The current tariff fiasco has caused Sony to raise the WF-1000xM5’s MSRP from $299 to $329. However, they are on sale frequently; Amazon had the buds priced at $190 during its July Prime Day event.

In the end, you’re getting exceptional value from each model that no other luxury rival can match. 

Winner: Tie

TL;DR: Try your hand at piano without someone lingering over your shoulders. Skoove gives you access to a lifetime of interactive lessons with real-time feedback, all for $109.97 (reg. $299.99). 

Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $109.97
$299.99 Save $190.02   Get Deal

Getting into a new hobby can be a huge investment — especially when that hobby is an instrument. You can try your hand at YouTube videos, but if you’re someone who enjoys a bit more instruction, piano lessons can be an even bigger cost. If you want to save yourself from the awkward “I can only afford one class a month” conversation, you’re in luck. Skoove, an online piano learning platform, is offering a lifetime subscription for new users for only $109.97 (reg $299.99).

It’s time to brush off that dusty old piano or keyboard — whatever floats your boat. Skoove is compatible with all pianos and keyboards, both USB, MIDI, and acoustic. From Mozart to The Beatles to Coldplay, Skoove’s lessons are built to teach you songs you actually want to learn. It focuses on building technique, rhythm, and improvisation piece by piece.

SEE ALSO: Go beyond vocabulary — build real language fluency with Babbel

If you’re a visual learner, Skoove offers multiple ways to master the art of piano playing. The platform hosts over 400 instructional lessons and thousands of instructional videos, all at your fingertips.

If you’re someone who enjoys tailored instruction, you won’t lose the positive qualities of in-person instruction, either. The platform utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize the notes you play and offer real-time feedback, so you improve with every session.

As a self-paced platform, Skoove allows you to practice and learn wherever you are. Waiting for the train? Whip out your smartphone and squeeze in a session or a few warmups. Skoove works on tablets, smartphones, and laptops, whether it’s iOS, Android, macOS, or another operating system.

If you’re looking for a flexible and affordable way to get into piano, look no further than Skoove.

Normally $299.99, a lifetime subscription to Skoove Interactive AI Piano Lessons is on sale for $109.97 for a limited time.  

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Tired of running out of digital space? Internxt Cloud Storage just dropped the price of their 50TB lifetime subscription to $699.99 (reg. $7,900).

Opens in a new window Credit: Internxt Internxt Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription $699.99
$7,900 Save $7,200.01   Get Deal

As more and more companies switch to subscription-based models for their products, those $10 recurring fees add up — especially over a lifetime. So, what do you do? The answer is simple: invest upfront. And if you’re someone who values your digital storage, right now’s the time to invest. You can secure 50TB of digital storage thanks to a one-time payment of $699.99 (reg. $7,900) for Internxt Cloud Storage.

50TB of storage capacity gives you a lifetime’s worth of space to back up all your favorite memories without having to pick and choose. Generally, 50 terabytes (TB) of cloud storage can hold nearly 1,000 full-length movies, or millions of photos and documents. While those numbers may vary on the file types and sizes, that’s more than enough space. The next time you’ll be hit with a “low storage” notification may be when you’re old and gray.

SEE ALSO: Apple's brand-new M5 MacBook Pro got a launch day discount: Save $15 on Amazon

Aside from having space, Internxt’s services are designed with complete security in mind. You, and only you, have full control over your files. The platform utilizes post-quantum encryption to keep your files safe from computing hacking power. Rest easy knowing each file is encrypted into smaller pieces so others can’t read them — not even Internxt can read your data, that’s how locked up it is!

With an easy-to-follow user interface, quickly access and share files through apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, or through a web browser. You can also set permissions and share links securely if you need to collaborate or deliver sensitive files to others.

So, if you’re in the market for a new cloud storage provider that’s big on privacy, security, and offering you plenty of space, you’re in luck.

Grab a lifetime subscription to Internxt’s 50TB Cloud Storage for $699.99 (reg. $7,900) while you can.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Can a great horror movie be Frankensteined together from a laundry list of iconic ones? That's what I'm left pondering after watching Shelby Oaks, the promising and oft unnerving but also somewhat scattered first feature from popular YouTube movie reviewer Chris Stuckmann.

The movie starts out convincing you it's one thing, but reveals itself in quick succession to be a very different beast altogether. From The Blair Witch Project to Martyrs to Barbarian and several beyond that, Shelby Oaks doesn't just wear its many genre influences on its sleeves — it wears them on its chest and back and shoulders. It's a coat of many horror movies, made of cuts deep and broad. And, to ever so slightly belabor the metaphor, some of the coat fits just right, while as much of it could use some more refined tailoring. 

Still, as far as Kickstarter-funded first features go, Shelby Oaks is a big, bold swing — albeit one produced by horror honcho Mike Flanagan, the man behind a swath of Netflix horror miniseries like The Haunting of Hill House and The Fall of the House of Usher. It's twisty as hell, bears some ace performances, and truly gifts audiences with some very sticky and very spooky images. Most of all, it marks the emergence of a horror filmmaker worth keeping an eye on. 

Shelby Oaks blends The Blair Witch Project with Lake Mungo — and that's just the start.

"Who took Riley Brennan?" is the question at the heart of Shelby Oaks. The film opens with the last known bit of footage of Riley Brennan (Sarah Durn), YouTuber/ghost hunter, before she went missing in the titular town. In the scene, she sits on a bed in a cabin in the middle of the woods. She's seen sobbing, absolutely terrified, saying into the camera, "I'm so scared."

It's an inch-long leap from Riley's tearful lament to Heather Donahue's legendarily snotty apologia in The Blair Witch Project, the one that poetically stated, "I'm scared to close my eyes, and I'm scared to open them."

Writer-director Stuckmann anticipates his horror-loving audience will make this connection. But then he does something really interesting, pivoting from the found-footage conceit to a true-crime documentary framework. Leaping to a decade or so after Riley's disappearance, it turns out that Riley's older sister, Mia (Camille Sullivan), has spent the intervening years fruitlessly searching for the truth of what happened in the woods of Shelby Oaks that night. And she's now starring in a true-crime documentary in an effort to reignite interest in the case of her missing sister.  

For horror fanatics, this turn might well recall Lake Mungo. Told via talking-head interviews with the family of the missing blonde girl at its center, the 2008 Australian horror film unfurls its paranormal revelations piecemeal through conversations and scattered bits of phone video. Lake Mungo is admittedly a deeper cut than The Blair Witch Project, but no sooner does Shelby Oaks settle into this faux-documentary conceit than Stuckmann pivots again to a straightforward narrative film. Well, it's as straightforward as the twisty likes of Hereditary or Barbarian.

SEE ALSO: As a prelude to Halloween, I spent an afternoon with Hunt a Killer: Horror — Blair Witch

Essentially, Shelby Oaks maintains its cast, but ditches the documentary framework altogether, showing us what is "really" happening — but through artifice, forcing us to question what is real. The camerawork becomes stylized, with special effects and slow motion and close-ups; an aggressive and manipulative score takes over. The film will shift from these narrative scenes to the documentary setup to found footage and back again, maximizing this sense of narrative disquiet.  

These structural sleights of hands, like all good and proper rug-pullings, are where Shelby Oaks works its greatest magic. Playing on the expectations of horror diehards, Stuckmann manages to keep us on our toes, even discombobulated. We find ourselves switching between missing-person found footage to the cult horror of Hereditary with the twists and turns (and hidden underground caverns) of Martyrs and Barbarian, and then right back to a talking-head true-crime doc on a dime. This all builds up its own sort of disassociation within the experience of watching it. 

Shelby Oaks is a hodgepodge of horror, from found footage to Satanic panic. Credit: Courtesy of Neon

Despite these daring shifts, Shelby Oaks begins to feel more like the parts of its sum and not vice versa. Stuckmann is motioning toward all of these other movies to unmoor us, but those references often distract from the actual plot and, in turn, undermine our investment in it. For instance, the casting of Brendan Sexton III as Mia's husband proves distracting, even though he's terrific. An actor who's been killing it since Todd Solondz's 1995 hit, Welcome to the Dollhouse, Sexton turns in yet another lovely, sad piece of work here. But you set him against multiple scenes that take place inside of a haunted prison, and now all I'm thinking about is Session 9, Brad Anderson's fantastically creepy 2001 haunted prison movie, where Sexton made a mark as one of the asbestos cleaners who found himself on the wrong end of some rusty psychiatric equipment.

To what end is this? At what point do these Easter eggs overwhelm? All these allusions ultimately get in the way of Shelby Oaks standing on its own and becoming truly, deeply scary. Stuckmann seems very aware of the exact moment when his scares are supposed to land, often to the point of self-consciousness. You could set a timer to when the thing you're supposed to be dreading will appear, and the dreaded thing will stick that mark every time. There are moments when a zag would've kicked the ass of a zig, but Stuckmann keeps on zigging, playing right into horror connoisseur expectations. There is real, earned tension, but the film keeps deflating itself despite the fun of its reality-shifting and the many excellent go-for-broke performances therein. 

Camille Sullivan leads a cast that fights valiantly for Shelby Oaks.  Credit: Courtesy of Neon

An actor who's been nipping at the edges of recognition for two decades, appearing in TV shows from Dark Angel to The Man in the High Castle, Camille Sullivan has long proven a reliable performer. And here at last she is given the spotlight to make the most of it. 

Even when Mia starts doing incredibly stupid things that put her right in harm's way, Sullivan is genuinely devastating. She sells the hell out of bad choices, making it clear that Mia's a person who would go to any lengths to uncover what happened to her beloved sister. (And as long as we're talking references, besides this being the lead's arc in that French Extremity classic Martyrs, it's straight out of the terrifying 1988 Dutch thriller The Vanishing, too.) 

Sullivan nails big action moments, like emotional blowups and freak-outs in which her palpable fright is legitimately difficult to look at. But even the small moments give her opportunities to send shivers. Just watch the way the flashlight trembles in her hand as she investigates that haunted prison, a subtle shift in body language that communicates a bone-deep terror. It's those touches that carry the audience alongside Mia the entire way. 

Sarah Durn is also haunting as missing girl Riley, who has to sell her undoing while staring off into space during the "naturalistic" found-footage portions of this movie. These are scenes we keep coming back to to see more of as, natch, more footage gets found, and her haunted presence diffuses into every corner of the film. As we know from decades of subpar found-footage movies, it's not easy, this high-wire balancing act of giving a relaxed and unprofessional-seeming performance under those constraints. Loads have failed spectacularly. But Durn makes us understand why her sister won't let her go even as everyone else has long given up. She makes Riley our ghost, too.

The whole ensemble expertly submerges into the multiple realities of this story. Even if Stuckmann needs to get a little bit out of his own way in some other areas, he proves to be terrific with his performers. Sullivan and Sexton share some very moving moments together as they watch their marriage crumble in the face of tragedy. Michael Beach wears a bone-deep exhaustion in his performance as the main detective on the case, giving a lived-in sense of resignation at the system's endless failures. And Keith David (the deep-voiced legend from The Thing and They Live, among many) shows up to Keith David it out of the park, playing the former warden of that haunted prison who has seen some shit and who, in typical fashion, is going to colorfully monologue to you all about it. 

But best of all is the great and notoriously underused Robin Bartlett. One of those stalwart character actors with decades of stealing scenes under their belts (she's been doing it since Heaven's Gate in 1980, but I always first think of her hilarious scenes around the dinner table in Inside Llewyn Davis whenever I see her), Bartlett shows up and gives the movie a last-act goose that takes it over the edge into true unhinged horror-movie delight. More I cannot and will not spoil, except to say that yes, this is how you give Robin Bartlett her due. She ends up stealing — and in so doing, making — the entire movie.

Playing like a post-post-modern pastiche, an ouroboros of antecedents, and sometimes just a wicked walk through a nightmare wasteland, Shelby Oaks has enough gas in its tank for 10 movies. That it sometimes feels like 10 movies we've seen before is both part of its weird ballsy charm and its scrappy undoing. In the end, Shelby Oaks is a battle between Stuckmann's many, many inspirations. But the gripping performances and big swings in style make for a movie worth its runtime. Despite its faults, the directorial debut should prove a hell of a calling card for Chris Stuckmann as a new voice in horror. I can't wait to see what he delivers to us next.

Shelby Oaks is in theaters now.

UPDATE: Oct. 22, 2025, 5:29 p.m. EDT "Shelby Oaks" was reviewed out of the Fantasia International Film Festival. This article, originally published July 31, 2024, has been updated to include the latest viewing options.