The Lake

Genuinely scary at times with some great special effects. Extra gold star to the poor cast members who must have been freezing in the pond! Beautifully shot and lit.

Horror was probably the most limiting genre this year, it doesn't have as much leeway as others, and you practically have to make a scary mood. Not many films managed to be genuinely scary, but this one did the job. I liked the non-linear storyline and that the accident is only brought in midway into the film. The biggest problem I had with this film was how dark it was in the night scenes. It was incredibly difficult to see anything, and I found myself squinting a few times to make out more detail. A horror movie at night doesn't have to be pitch black, and selective use of lighting can show and hide things to remain mysterious. Though this film was not particularly original, it followed the horror formula well and came up with a decent and easy to follow plot. It was coherent and the mood was set pretty well, there was silence in the cinema.

I loved this film and would have voted for it if it hadn't been blanked out. I especially liked the flashbacks of the summer where everything went wrong :)

Shame this was disqualified, easily one of the best films from the heat. Cinematography was really good, Especially the shot where the hand emerges from the bath. Even in the low lighting it looked great which added to the eeriness of the situation. Hopefully this team makes it in on time next year!