I had a few options for a movie this weekend, and I opted for, of all things, Shelby Oaks, a movie written and directed by YouTube creator Chris Stuckmann. I won’t claim to be a fan of Stuckmann’s videos, but I do know who he is. I might have skipped this one were it not for two things. One was another YouTube video by someone else urging people to see Shelby Oaks not because Stuckmann made it but because it’s a good idea to try and support more independent cinema. That’s a good point. The second was an executive producer credit to Mike Flanangan, and his work I really like.
Anyway, I skipped a few big studio releases for this one. Was it worth it?
The movie opens with a fake documentary asking what happened to YouTube personality Riley Brennan (Sarah Dunn) who hosted a paranormal ghost-hunting show with her three friends. 12 years earlier, Riley disappeared and her friends were brutally murdered. Her older sister Mia (Camille Sullivan) never gave up hope. When a rather important clue to Riley’s disappearance literally appears on Mia’s doorstep, she finds herself thrust back into the search, sure that this time for sure, she will find her missing sister.
But there’s something going on beyond Riley’s disappearance, something that connects to the title location, an abandoned Ohio town where Riley and her friends were last seen alive. Riley had some weird encounters as a child, and an odd, reoccurring symbol keeps popping up again and again. Mia’s husband Robert (Brendan Sexton III) isn’t exactly supporting, and there’s a feeling that something is guiding Mia to Riley that Mia doesn’t quite understand. What’s going on?
Let’s point out the movie’s strengths first: Stuckmann manages to create some really great shots, the atmosphere works very well, and Sullivan is fantastic in the lead role. The movie is moody, and Stuckmann really knows how to build tension. What I saw showed a filmmaker who has some real potential to create some great movies in the future, whether he sticks to horror or not.
However, please note I said “potential.” For all that Stuckmann did a lot of things right, there were a number of story- and plot-based moments that made me wonder what was going on, and not in the good way. There were times when I really wondered why Mia made the decisions that she made. Now, I didn’t hate the movie or anything, and I do believe Stuckmann has some real chops and talent. As a first offering, it is just that: a first offering with someone who I hope can get better with future features.
Grade: C
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