‘Skinamarink’: Nothing To Fear But Fear Itself

TV&Film

Feb 12

It's not every day an indie filmmaker on YouTube gets the opportunity to create a motion picture, let alone one that hits the big screen. However, on his YouTube channel, called "Bitesized Nightmares," Kyle Edward Ball has always had the knack for making terrifying short films that feel uneasy and nightmarish.

With the help of the streaming service Shudder, Ball created his first full-length motion picture, Skinamarink. On February 2nd, the movie was released on Shudder, though in January, select movie theaters allowed screenings of the conceptually surreal horror.

RELATED:

Featured

‘Infinity Pool’: A Bloody Cronenberg Masterpiece

The film features two kids, having woke up one night to realize that all the windows and most of the doors had disappeared from their house. They also realize that they're unable to find their parents. So the two children decide to camp out in front of the TV, watching royalty-free cartoons and playing with legos while keeping each other company. It isn't long before the two realize something is wrong and that there's something else in the house.

Skinamarink showcases Ball's strengths with storytelling, perfectly capturing a nauseatingly nightmarish atmosphere that keeps many watchers on edge. Because most of the movie is kept in the dark (both literally and figuratively), it can be challenging to know what exactly you're looking at, especially with the film grain filter.

Skinamarink: Boy walking though his house at night — Image Source: Vulture

Being a more conceptual, psychological horror movie, Skinamarink may not be everyone's cup of tea. The film does very little to hold the watcher's hand and requires a rapt attention span to keep track of what goes on. Unlike most horror films, which insist upon using dialogue as exposition or orchestra strings to tell the audience when to feel scared, this movie keeps its sound design simple and almost muted. As a result, any dialogue that is heard will, more often than not, be nearly unintelligible. Thankfully, subtitles are graciously provided (most of the time), so watchers will at least know what's being murmured or whispered.

Even a surreal movie such as Skinamarink is not immune to having jump scares, though there aren't many. The few that are provided feel disproportionate to the uneasy atmosphere. This movie certainly earns its jump scares, however. They are perfectly timed and incredibly impactful, not to mention utterly frightening. Unfortunately, even if the jump scares are well executed, the ending lacks much of the same bite. Most other horror movies would jump at the opportunity to reward their audience with one final scare to leave the viewer horrified. It should be evident by this point that Skinamarink is not a typical horror movie.

In short, Skinamarink is not an experience for everyone. The easiest way to describe the creative decisions of this movie is to make it seem more like an illogical nightmare whose narrative needs to be pieced together by the person watching it. So if you're one to get bored and talk over the film or don't like horror in general, it may be best to skip this film.

However, you will be satisfied if you are a horror fan and have the patience to drink in the dark, disquieting atmosphere. The confusion and mystery are part of the experience and are the glue that makes Skinamarink stand out. With such a movie, one can only expect what nightmares Ball will dream up in the future.

Just make sure all of your windows and doors are where they're supposed to be when you're finished.

Rating: 7/10

READ NEXT:

Featured