FEEDING

Another genuinely creepy one where you wish it was a little longer so you could find out what happens next...? New motherhood is almost horrifying enough as it is let alone adding a bloodthirsty newborn into the mix. I'm sure every parent in the room would have collectively shuddered at the "expressing" scene. I thought this was disturbing and quite well done.

Hilariously dark story with some awesome acting and awesome make-up. I love the premise of this film- probably the most authentic Bad Seed film of the year. The ending is great, and the perfect send off to the film. With some higher quality cameras, and slightly better lighting, I could easily see Southern Belles winning the entire competition with a film like this.

This film was a trip. In the first minute they completely blew away what I was expecting with one reveal and then, with almost no exposition, held us captivated through to the end. The team won two awards at the Auckland final and I think they were greatly deserved. The makeup was gruesome without ever feeling gratuitous, and the lead was superb. Her performance was essentially the bedrock of the film and its success or failure rested on her capable shoulders. The production value wasn't as high as other films but it never felt like an issue. Everything that we needed to see was seen and communicated well enough and I would argue that the more 'gritty' aesthetic, be it intentional or otherwise, supported the tone of the film very well. I agree with the previous review in that I felt there was more to the story but wasn't woefully unsatisfied with where the team left it. Typically I am of the opinion that what was done in the weekend is where things should be left, however I think this film could really be the start of a larger exploration into these characters and either use this short as the starting piece of a larger work, or as inspiration. Great idea handled with due care and subtlety for great effect. Excellent.