Chris Stuckmann has been a beloved member of the film community for years. Starting as a movie reviewer on YouTube and continuing to do it to this day, he has since transitioned into an up-and-coming filmmaker. Not only is Stuckmann one of the rare individuals who seamlessly transitioned from film critic to filmmaker, but he also ran the most successful horror-film Kickstarter campaign of all time. Earning nearly $1.4 million with over 14,000 supporters, Stuckmann raised more than enough money to adapt his film, Shelby Oaks.

Shelby Oaks follows Mia, played by Camille Sullivan, as she pursues her missing sister, Riley, who disappeared 12 years prior after filming a video for her YouTube channel. After discovering a videotape revealing one of Riley’s last known locations, Mia sets out on a terrifying quest to prove that her sister is still alive, despite the dismay of her husband.

Stuckmann clearly finds making Shelby Oaks his personal playground. The film juggles multiple styles of filmmaking, blending documentary, found footage, and a traditional fictional narrative to create an unpredictable cinematic experience. The documentary elements serve as an engaging way to convey exposition, especially in the first act when the mystery is introduced. The found-footage elements are used similarly, but also aim to place the viewer in the characters’ shoes. While these elements make the film stand out among other films in its genre, Stuckmann is not nearly talented enough to execute his ambitions. Instead of feeling cohesive, the jump between filmmaking styles is abrasive, with the editing jarring rather than avant-garde. The film almost entirely ditches its documentary/found-footage angle in the second half, making for a haphazard viewing experience that left more to be desired.

Chris Stuckmann’s love of film is impossible to miss throughout Shelby Oaks. Many sequences in the movie act almost entirely as odes to prior works. From pans to a hidden character like in Lake Mungo to a ghostly creature hiding in the shadows like in The Babadook, it is clear that Stuckmann’s film is deeply rooted in nostalgia. Although seeing these aspects recreated in Shelby Oaks can be effective for scares, especially in the prison scene, it can also make the film feel unoriginal. Instead of having its own distinct identity, much of the movie feels like borrowed material, making for a far less effective watch.

Shelby Oaks premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival in July 2024 but underwent extensive reshoots before its October 2025 release. These reshoots are clearly felt throughout the runtime. The first act speeds through its central mystery, quickly explaining the conflict and failing to provide any characters worth rooting for. Camille Sullivan is solid as the main protagonist, but her character is given nothing beyond her eagerness to find her sister. There was a subplot revealed about Mia’s relationship with her husband and their inability to have children that could’ve made for something interesting, but it is entirely brushed over in favor of delivering horror scenes.

The traditional 3-act structure is almost non-existent, jumping straight from the first act to the third with little build-up outside its exposition-filled opening. The third act, although rushed, includes the best and worst that Shelby Oaks has to offer. Scenes such as the basement and prison sequence showcase Stuckmann’s strength in building tension through lighting and pacing, but an unnecessary twist in the film’s final sequence made for an eye-rolling experience that ruined what could’ve been an impactful ending. There is an attempt to convey themes of familial trauma through its dark ending, but the execution, along with the lack of a setup for the theme, makes it a questionable inclusion.

Shelby Oaks had a lot going for it thanks to Stuckmann’s love of movies and its viral Kickstarter campaign, but the film is sadly a mess of ideas that can’t quite grasp what it wants to be. For a debut, Stuckmann bites off way more than he can chew, mixing a variety of different styles in a jumbled manner. Although it may not have turned out well in terms of quality, Stuckmann has a clear knack for filmmaking, and I hope to see him continue making movies in the future.

Shelby Oaks is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Rating: 4/10

Oscar Prospects:

None