Episode 677: Shelby Oaks (2024)

·1 hr 16 min·5 clips

A paranormal YouTuber's disappearance draws her sister into a cold case investigation that blends mockumentary with traditional filmmaking.

The episode begins with Peter and Tim introducing Shelby Oaks, a horror film directed by YouTuber Chris Stuckman. They note its premise: years after a paranormal YouTuber goes missing, her sister investigates the cold case. The film starts with mockumentary elements before shifting to traditional filmmaking about 15-20 minutes in. Tim expresses mild interest initially but quickly pans the movie as boring and unoriginal, citing generic character names like Riley Brennan. Peter counters that the names aren't the issue but agrees the film is flawed. They discuss the meta-context of a movie reviewer making a film, suggesting it feels like a derivative "mixtape" of horror tropes without fresh insight. The hosts delve into spoilers, describing the plot: Mia finds a tape left by a man who shoots himself, revealing he kidnapped her sister Riley. Mia investigates alone, finding a demonic cult led by an old woman who used Riley to birth a demon baby. The ending twist reveals the demon always wanted Mia, leading to Riley's accidental death. Tim criticizes the predictable twist and lack of character agency, while Peter notes structural problems like a lengthy scene of Mia watching a tape on a TV. They compare it to other YouTuber-made films like Markiplier's Iron Lung, suggesting Stuckman's background as a critic may have hindered creativity. The episode concludes with ratings: Tim gives it 3/10, Peter 4/10, and they preview next week's episode on Influencer.

As heard by us

A brisk horror discussion that keeps testing Shelby Oaks against its hybrid setup.

Screams After Midnight uses Shelby Oaks to frame a horror story about a paranormal YouTuber who goes missing, pulling her sister into an investigation the police have already set aside.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You get a horror chat that keeps turning Shelby Oaks into Shelby Oats.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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