‘Shelby Oaks’ Review – Chris Stuckmann Jumps From Criticism to Directing in Horror Debut

Whenever subjects want to take shots at critics, variations of the same quote are lobbed like a grenade: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, criticize.” Chris Stuckmann‘s atmospheric horror debut Shelby Oaks is the latest example to deflect that counterattack as the popular YouTube film critic turns legitimate filmmaker. Genre auteur Mike Flanagan lends his mentorship with an executive producer credit, but this is and always remains Stuckmann’s project through vision and tone. An ambitious blend of subgenres tinkers with everything from investigative procedurals to found-footage faux-docs, binding together instead of falling apart. While the story can get a little lost in the film’s hybridized sauce, it’s still a thrilling found footage remix of everything from The Blair Witch Project to Horror in the High Desert and Lake Mungo.

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