Update: A revised version of Shelby Oaks will release theatrically on October 24th, with a reshot ending and a new edit, so the version you’ll see will vary from the version I saw in some capacity. Bear that in mind when reading our review. Original article follows.
Last night at the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal, I got to sit in on the world premiere of Shelby Oaks, the highly anticipated release of YouTuber Chris Stuckmann. At his request, he’s asked people speaking about the film to not go into too many details to avoid spoiling it for audiences, and I fully intend on doing that, despite that mandate making my own life harder. But I gotta say, we’re definitely seeing the rise of a new name in horror.
But first, some context. Shelby Oaks is Stuckmann’s cinematic debut, after gaining quite the following as a film critic on YouTube. To help fund the feature film, he turned to Kickstarter, where he amassed just shy of $1.4 million. Bear that number in mind. After the film was complete, legendary filmmaker Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass), signed on as an executive producer. And in the days leading up to the film’s debut at Fantasia, it was announced that Neon, which is generating all the buzz right now thanks to Longlegs, would distribute the film in the U.S. So there are a lot of talented people who saw something special in the movie. And having seen Shelby Oaks now, I can say that Stuckmann will have a promising career as a film director.
Keeping the synopsis super vague as promised, Shelby Oaks follows Mia (Camille Sullivan) and her frantic search for her missing sister, Riley, who, along with her team of supernatural investigators known online as the Paranormal Paranoids, went missing some twelve years ago while filming their latest episode for YouTube. Their disappearance became a local legend, which is how a documentary crew ended up in Mia’s house. All this, and more, causes Mia to investigate the disappearance herself, almost to the point of obsession, as she seeks answers and hope in the abandoned town of Shelby Oaks, Ohio.
What struck me was just how confident Stuckmann is as a director. Nowhere does Shelby Oaks come off as amateur or unsure of itself as it unfolds with the grace of a director who has been making studio films for a few years now. The performances are great, especially with Sullivan as Mia, a woman still holding onto the hope that her sister is out there after twelve years, while the rest of the world, including her husband and the police, has accepted that she’s likely dead. To say that trauma has upended her own life would be an understatement, but I do wish we got to see more of Mia’s time away from the investigation and how it’s affected her job and home life beyond passing comments. She also has a habit of running to the next clue in the middle of the night, which is great for scares, but she probably would’ve benefited from searching these abandoned locales in the daytime. The script, which Stuckmann wrote as well, pulls from his own life, chiefly the search for a long-lost sister, and the script is overall pretty solid, if lacking in some areas.
The editing and cinematography in Shelby Oaks were exceptional, with the film relishing in the tension before a scare. Stuckmann and his DOP, Andrew Scott Baird, frame shots in such a way that you often feel like you have to divert your eyes from the characters, scanning the corners for a clue or a sign of danger, which only contributes to the sense of unease that hangs over the film. The film excels in the horror before the scare; you know it’s coming, but you don’t know what’s about to happen or how, and you’re left holding your breath, waiting as the film ramps up the tension. The lighting, in particular, was really striking, especially the use of shadow. There’s also a wonderful use of different cameras and formats, causing the film to shift both its aspect ratio and cinematic style, which I quite liked. I wish I could say more, but to say more would ruin a surprise that the team have been keeping even from the trades. The ending, that said, did feel a bit rushed and all over the place and lacked the focus and attention that the rest of the film seemingly received. But this is the only criticism I can levy against the movie.
What is impressive is just how good Shelby Oaks looks and feels. Bearing in mind the budget, you’d swear the film cost at least $10 million, which is a testament to Stuckmann and his producer, Aaron B. Koontz, over at Paper Street Pictures, for getting the most out of the Kickstarter budget of just over a million. As Stuckmann stated after the screening, there’s no shortage of abandoned locales in Ohio, which allowed the production to use these fabulous locations to boost the scope of the film, including the abandoned prison from The Shawshank Redemption. Sets have a disgusting, dilapidated look to them that only contributes to that feeling of unease that permeates throughout the film.
We don’t know when Neon will release Shelby Oaks theatrically yet, only that Shelby Oaks will be released sometime in 2025. But once we know for sure, I’ll be sure to update this review and reshare it so you know about it, because if you’re a fan of horror, you should definitely keep your eyes peeled for this one. Not only because it’s a good horror film, but we get to see someone who is passionate about film make their debut as a director. I can’t wait to see what Stuckmann does next, as he’s shown he’s able to deliver the scares and the tension while balancing story and character.