Shelby Oaks is not a standalone project. The story began back in 2021 where a series of uploads claiming to be from a lost ghost hunting channel found themselves under dissection from the ever eager channels from the site’s horror segment. The story told was familiar, friends in a small no name town go looking for ghosts as a hobby and discover more than they bargained for, unraveling a mystery that has haunted them their whole lives. It’s a cliche story, but one I distinctly remember leaving an impression on me when I delved into it. Most of this material makes it into the film itself, with the first act being an in-universe documentary about the disappearance of the investigators. It is also, unfortunately, the most effective material in the film.
Shelby Oaks follows Mia as she participates in a documentary about her sister Riley who was the central figure of the prequel series. Mia, having never moved on from her sister’s disappearance, suddenly receives one last tape that depicts the lost moments of the team. Seizing the moment, Mia begins to investigate the tape herself to discover Riley’s fate. It’s the script’s smartest move. Rather than side step or ignore the YouTube content that generated so much intrigue, the film opts to mimic it. Mia spends chunks of the film going over Riley’s tapes, notebook in hand and eyes glued to the screen, much as the YouTubers who cameo in the film did when trying to uncover the hidden truth in the first uploads. In a scene straight from Signs, Shelby Oaks is at its most potent when our hero is terrified despite the distance the screen gives her from the events depicted.
Six-degrees of Linkara
Unfortunately Mia can’t stay home forever and as the film escalates into it’s second act, it begins to drag. For much of the film our hero goes from one spooky set piece to another without much motivation aside from a desperate hope of finding something to lead to her sister. These scenes reveal a sad sort of tragedy to the whole affair: Stuckmann’s film looks good! It looks and feels like a real movie, something neither Demo Reel nor Space Cop can ever say. It’s tense and moody, striking the exact atmosphere that makes for a comfortable horror flick. It’s not too gruesome but not toothless either. It’s also just not as scary as the videos that predate it.
Spirit Halloween hereditary
Part of this is that Shelby Oaks gives an immediate answer to the mystery behind Riley’s disappearance that is terrifying before immediately deciding there is more to the story and following it up with a kitschy cause that feels silly for anyone not in Sunday school. As a result Shelby Oaks echoes another Neon produced work, Longlegs, which also had an ominous YouTube campaign that may have set expectations to the wrong wavelength. But while Longlegs had fantastic atmosphere, great dialog, and solid characters with great performances, Shelby Oaks has the pieces of a story I saw four years ago. To be clear, Shelby Oaks isn’t a poorly made movie. It has all that Longlegs has, but while I’ve felt compelled to return to that ethereal little flick several times I can’t say I would do the same with Shelby Oaks when the best parts are already in my favorites list.
Even so, I suspect the film will find it’s place as a routine Halloween watch for many fans. It has the chilly autumn feeling of October down pat and in the context of trick or treat its goofier aspects likely feel more charming than silly. The film will likely take on a second life as a classic first horror flick for those less versed in the genre but still looking for a reasonably tense time. The biggest compliment I can give the film is this: It feels like a real movie. Were I not familiar with him already I’d never think this was made by a YouTuber, or even as a debut work. Stand proud Stuckmann. You’re a director.
The Review
Fair
