Chris Stuckmann’s Shelby Oaks is one of the buzziest releases of 2025. It broke records before production even started, raising over $1 million on Kickstarter, making it the most-funded horror film project ever on the platform. Plus, with Stuckmann’s own YouTube following of over two million and a distribution deal with Neon, it’s no surprise that horror fans have been foaming at the mouth for this film to finally get a theatrical release. Ahead of that release in October, the final cut of Shelby Oaks premiered at Fantastic Fest 2025 to a crowd excited to see what horrors Stuckmann had in store.
While the crowd was electric and the scares were a-plenty, the film falls just short of being amazing. Stuckmann’s vision of horror certainly delivers the terror and the tension, but stumbles when it comes to delivering a fully realized story that fits the harrowing marketing.
The first 30 minutes of Shelby Oaks play out like an episode of a true crime show on Investigation Discovery. It’s a pseudo-documentary that sets up the disappearance of a group of YouTubers called the Paranormal Paranoids and why their host, Riley Brennan (Sarah Durn), was the only body never found. Guiding the documentary is Riley’s sister, Mia (Camille Sullivan), who is still looking for Riley, even 12 years after the initial disappearance.
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Then, Stuckmann makes the daring decision to switch from found footage to traditional narrative techniques in an impressive transitional moment. Shelby Oaks then becomes a rather by-the-numbers supernatural horror film where Mia follows increasingly upsetting clues to discover the truth about Riley’s disappearance. There are still in-world camera moments, particularly when a new tape is discovered that reveals the moments before Riley was seemingly taken or kidnapped. This sets off a new spark in Mia as she has a newfound hope for finding Riley. But the truth is darker than anything Mia expected…
Now, the format shift is going to be jarring for some viewers, and I will admittedly include myself there. As a found footage freak, it was disappointing to see Stuckmann abandon the exquisite documentary format for more conventional storytelling. Shelby Oaks is at its best during the in-world camera moments, as Stuckmann is able to deliver some truly terrifying scares in the first act. The world-building on display in those moments is impressive, which is why it’s disappointing that it doesn’t continue throughout the rest of the film. With the format switch comes a more generic tone that feels like other films we’ve seen before.
However, it is exciting to see a film like this get so much attention. It’s so experimental in its format and the shocking way it transitions between found footage and traditional narrative. It’s admirable risk-taking with the cinematic format that you can’t help but appreciate, no matter your stance about that shift.
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The most consistent element in Shelby Oaks is the scares themselves, which is exactly what you want from a film coming out during the Halloween season. The scares aren’t just limited to the found footage segments as Stuckmann ensures to weave plenty of heart-pounding moments throughout the entire narrative. While some scares are repetitive in structure, Stuckmann never lets the audience relax as Mia’s quest to find Riley leads her deeper into hell.
Shelby Oaks may not necessarily do anything new, but it’s still the perfect Halloween movie that’ll have you jumping and cowering in your seat. Stuckmann knows how to craft a really good scare, and what better way to celebrate the best time of the year? In playing with form and crafting a rather upsetting narrative through line, Stuckmann delivers a damn good time at the movies with Shelby Oaks.
Neon brings Shelby Oaks exclusively to theaters on October 24, 2025.
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