Writer, reviewer and YouTuber Chris Stuckman made a career critiquing films and even making a few shorts himself. Now he is taking on a feature with his film Shelby Oaks that he has directed and co-wrote with his wife Sam Liz and stars Keith David, Derek Mears, Brendan Sexton III, Camille Sullivan and Michael Beach.

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Shelby Oaks follows a woman's desperate search for her long-lost sister who falls into obsession upon realizing that the imaginary demon from their childhood may have been real.

 

I knew nothing about this film, but I am all in with horror films. As soon as the film begins it goes right into Blair Witch vibes and pulls you in. It is a compelling documentary style horror film that while not perfect works more than it doesn’t up until the final act. I love this film’s structure when handled right and this one had all the right tools, but it won’t work for everyone.

 

The mystery of what happened to Riley is the cornerstone to this film and the ongoing interviews and search is engaging. The less is more approach sometimes is the best way to go, but often times they feel the need to explain too much and have an explanation for it all and I think that is where this faulters even though it still works.

 

I love that the film walks the line of supernatural and legend for most of its run keeping you wondering where this is all heading. That set up does lend itself to needing an answer, but I also didn’t want to know because if it didn’t deliver it ruins the set up. The final act doesn’t ruin anything necessarily but didn’t feel like it added all that much either.

 

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