Shelby Oaks
Written by Cameron Geiser
YouTuber Chris Stuckmann, a film critic on the video sharing platform, has made a movie after Kickstarting the dream and getting substantial numbers for the crowdfunding website. First, and foremost, I want to say that this is the most optimistic stance on my rating of a 2.5 Star film as Stuckmann showcases real talent with his first film Shelby Oaks. However, more than anything else it left me with the feeling of wanting to know what he would do next, for as much as I enjoy Stuckmann’s critical analysis on YouTube (I was also one of the many backers for Shelby Oaks, so I do have a bias in wanting the film to be great)- Shelby Oaks wasn’t exactly for me.
This isn’t to say that the movie is bad, it’s not. It’s just not very good either. However, let's go over the good stuff first. The cinematography is doing a lot of heavy lifting to give Shelby Oaks as much atmosphere as can be mustered. Stuckmann is also fairly adept at creating tension across several sequences. There are some scenes where I can say confidently that the blocking, use of silence, and playfully creepy imagery all connect in creating solid story beats in the setup to the mystery of what happened to Riley Brennan (Sarah Durn) one of the Hosts of a YouTube show called, The Paranormal Paranoids, who went missing twelve years prior.
Mia Brennan (Camille Sullivan), Riley’s older sister, takes up the search once more for her sister when a new clue presents itself. Camille Sullivan as Mia is the other major factor contributing to Shelby Oaks’ success. Sullivan is a competent actor and does a commendable job as Mia in the film, but ultimately it is in the writing where I found significant weak spots. While Sullivan does what she can with her dialogue and motivations, I do not know anything about Mia as a person, only that she strove to find and rescue her younger sister. The ending of the film was also a bit of a letdown as the first half had been more promising.
Shelby Oaks is yet another contemporary horror film with much promise and few returns.
Much like the films of his cinematic inspiration, M. Night Shyamalan, Shelby Oaks, particularly the script, falls apart in the second half. There are scenes, at times, that feel unfinished. Like instead of pulling at a narrative string getting taut- things occasionally just end unresolved. Moving forward, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain etc. Things ultimately didn’t feel cohesive nor original enough in the end to merit the lead up in the first half- which makes the ending feel sort of blasé.
So, while Shelby Oaks is a bit of a disappointment overall, it’s still exciting to see what Stuckmann will do next. I sincerely hope his passion is still lit and that he gets back behind the camera again in the future. However, next time I would suggest working with a screenwriter, or at least co-writing with a trusted creative partner.
Cameron Geiser is an avid consumer of films and books about filmmakers. He'll watch any film at least once, and can usually be spotted at the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Northern Michigan. He also writes about film over at www.spacecortezwrites.com.