“ Shelby Oaks ” is a satisfactory and scary spin on sequence films found

One of the best things about the genre of images found can also be one of its most frustrating. By its very nature, sequence films found classic can never answer all your questions because the camera must stop. The images almost always end with a great frightening revelation, but things cannot go beyond because … Well, the images had to be found. On the one hand, it can make terrifying moments, and the imagination will often be more frightening than reality. On the other hand, it would be good to learn exactly why this guy was held from time to time in the area.

Shelby OaksThe first feature film by film critic Youtube Chris Stuckmann, made both. Starting things in found images and false documentary styles, the film builds an intriguing and scary mystery before completely changing the point of view and becoming a traditional narrative film. The choice gives the public the best of both worlds because we obtain all kinds of moments of sequences found frightening, but also real concrete answers on the way and why all this is happening. It is a somewhat embarrassing transition, but which finally works because the story he tells keeps us committed.

This story focuses on Mia (Camille Sullivan), a young woman filmed for a documentary on her missing sister, Riley (Sarah Durn). Riley was part of a paranormal hunting youtube team of four people who have all disappeared. Three were finally found, but Riley was not – and for more than a decade, Mia wanted to find her.

For the first act of the film, the point of view is that of the director of the documentary while we learn Riley and her YouTube channel, Mia has trouble losing her sister and the background of the city in which they disappeared, Shelby Oaks. But when something completely changes the documentary management, Struckmann completely changes his point of view. All the false documentary we watched that included many images found from Riley and the final mission of his team disappears. Suddenly, Shelby Oaks is a normal film where the characters do not know that there is a camera because in their world, there is none.

From there, the point of view turns a few times depending on the one that best serves history. Given the way we got used to false documentaries so much, have found films and narrative films each, moving between the three styles can sometimes feel shocking. But the mystery of this missing Youtube group is too delicious to ignore, especially since the new revelations are revealed.

What helps even more is that each stage, Stuckmann finds ways to keep us on the edge of our seats. Sometimes it is a fear of jump or a character noting something in the reflection of the images. Other times, it is as simple as keeping the camera persistent on something for a few beats longer than usual, just to let our eye wander and see what we discover. Often there is nothing, but from time to time, there is something, and do not know how to keep fresh and interesting fears.

While the film reaches its conclusion, some too coincident incidents are likely to hurt the film, but the way the scenario reimburses them at the end covers all of this. Eventually, Shelby Oaks Take care of two things: create a mystery that scares us and give us answers that are potentially even more frightening. It takes some jumps of faith and disorderly transitions to get there, but in the end, that does not change the result. This is a horror film for and by the Youtube generation: the one that is inspired by many horror films of the past, with little respect for when or how to borrow. As long as it’s cool and scary. Which Shelby Oaks East.

Shelby Oaks I just passed his first in the United States to the Fantastic Fest 2025 and opens in theaters on October 24.

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