Shelby Oaks

Had to make an IMDB acct because I'm shocked at how bad this film is.

I will try to avoid talking about Chris and his recent display of lacking a spine when reviewing movies. So I will only say that my only explanation on why this is so terrible, is due to the fact that he HAD to know that this script was very flawled and decided to lay low on heavy criticism.

So, in this movie we follow a group of Youtubers who get involved in a missing person case in which the victim's sister believes this to be of supernatural causes rather than criminal or accidental.

This youtuber glamour of the movie is the one that worked best for me, however that's not really an amazing achievement considering how easy it is to replicate a Youtuber format, which is why the rest of the movie dreadful atmosphere loses steam by the time the 30 min mark has passed and proceeds to become a bellow average found footage film with a quality that you... might see on youtube...

Maybe if this film was released in youtube as some kind of ARG it would've gained more attention, not to say it would be good, but at least it would hold the suspension of disbelief, and it wouldn't feel like such an amateurish production.

I know Chris Stuckman won't grow a spine to talk about actual movie criticism, so I at least hope he grows a spine to see how awfully generic this was.

I know it is actually meant to be found footage ... but then again, if this was a found footage movie, it would not use real cameras and switch back and forth between formats ... that said, having someone like Mike Flanigan standing behind (or in front of) your movie is quite the achievement and badge of honor I'd say.

This really drives home quite a few points to say the least. And it also has quite a few twists - before the movie started we were told not to give away anything ... even without that I would not have done it anyway. I don't like when people think it's ok to do that and spoil other peoples fun .... or enjoyment ... or just plain suspense they might have ... well had! So there is a bit of a Blair Witch feeling to this, but I would say it is a sort of update ... not just doing one style ... but making it more of a mystery ... I can say I saw the ending coming ... the very last twist was quite see through ... sometimes you have to throw some things out ... be it believes or whatever else comes in handy ... or convenient to further the story and plot ... you'll understand ... really well done! Shame the director couldn't be at the Festival (he had a cold - like the rest of his family ... and he did the sane thing ... not coming infecting others) ... would have liked to pick his brain on some stuff ... still really well done and check it when it comes out.

Coming out from Fantasia this was certainly an experience.

I honestly wish I had something insightful or even fun to say, but the truth is that I got nothing, because that's what this movie is, a nothing burger.

I honestly can't believe that this movie has Mike Flanagan involved, a master of slow burn horror and great series and movies like Midnight Mass, which in all it's 12 chapters of 1hr each, only had 3 jumpscares.

So why the hell does Shelby Oak's scare factor only relies on jumpscares? I thought this also came from a guy who thought the trope was overused and saturated.

Speaking of saturated, this is yet another found footage movie that looks like a budget version of Blair Witch (what a feat though, to make your movie look cheaper than Blair Witch). Watered down found footage horror that gets nowhere, ambiguity doesn't equal scary, Chris.

The main actress did a great job. I hope she does find a better movie than this slop. What a disappointment.

A YouTube content creator goes missing in the town of Shelby Oaks. Does her chilling last video clip contain the clues to the mystery of her disappearance?

It's not particularly unique but what it does, it does well.

I would have expected Shelby Oaks to be a blipvert, rapid fire absurdity for the TikTok generation but instead, it's a nicely paced, slow burn horror/thriller with some good touches and ideas.

The film looks very nice and performances are convincing. I saw the International Premier at FrightFest, London and it went down well.

It doesn't quite land the punches of genre movies, such as Sinister or Blair Witch Project but the viewing experience doesn't leave you feeling disappointed.

I don't think Stuckmann's name attached to this movie is going to affect its success one way or the other. The film stands on its own feet and will probably stick around for some years to come.

Great debut for Chris Stuckmann. It was an amazing movie experience from a first time writer director. His love for movie making is quite transparent in his piece. I'm reminded of the first time I watched Duel or Reservoir Dogs, being riveted and hooked from start to finish. The acting was flawless, the sound design was gripping and visually it was gorgeous with a special nod to the lighting department.

Very much looking forward from Chris Stuckmann's other projects that will now, surely, have much bigger budget to put to the big screen those stories he has been working on for years. Glad I got to shake the hand of a great movie lover like me that now many will get to love his movies as well.