Shelby Oaks: A horror movie mashup
Despite all it's flaws, it's definitely not a "horrible movie" but it's certainly a messy debut.
A movie with a killer opening sequence that will have have you hooked from the get-go as we begin this strange mystery within the format of a found-footage/mockumentary that instantly gets under your skin due to the illusion of thinking that you are indeed watching a real life unsolved case. However, the moment we transition from the found-footage into the normal, so does the entire movie's tone and feel - this is where the story completely falls flat and results in something that we've all seen done before a thousands of times.
Going from reviewing movies on YouTube to actually making one is a huge step - and it's something very few people manage to pull off - Director Chris Stuckmann, in his directorial debut, truly shows his love and passion for the horror genre by including many inspired elements from pre-existing horror movies (the two main ones being The Blair Witch Project and Hereditary) alongside showing off his talented eye for compelling horror imagery and atmosphere.
The main issue with Shelby Oaks is due to the unnecessary amount horror cliches it tries to cram into one story - a horror mystery, a stalker thriller, a supernatural horror. It fails to make up it's mind on what it wants to be - although the iconic horror Director Mike Flanagan's unique touch can be vividly seen all throughout, it just still wasn't enough to save it.
Despite all it's flaws, it's definitely not a "horrible movie" but it's certainly a messy debut. Either way, I can't help but respect the ambition and hope that Chris Stuckmann views this as a learning experience and eventually succeeds in living up to his full potential.
