The House

I did not dislike this movie. It was more or less exactly what I expected. As a fan of the creepy aesthetic of David Lynch and movies that challenge the audience I wasn't too disappointed. I love the concept and appreciate the approach but ultimately if you are going to ask an audience for 90-120 minutes of their time I think a film should give them more than Skinamarink delivers. Still, from a first time filmmaker it's an admirable effort.

I far prefer slow burning horror films that play to the fear of the unknown and an have an underlying sense of dread (The Witch, Hereditary, and The Blair Witch Project are personal faves). Skinamarink tries to play in this arena but doesn't effectively use any cinematic tools to build tension or make the viewer anxious. No soundtrack, very little camera movement, and not enough dynamic use of light and shadow. All things that I think probably could have been achieved, even with a miniscule budget. Thematically it starts in a very minable vein but then doesn't actually develop what amounts to a fairly universal experience of fear (i.e. Being a defenseless child abandoned by caregivers). We feel isolated and alone with the children but are distanced from the sense that anything frightening is happening I think because so little of the film takes place from the children's perspective. It did get me thinking about how to make a horror movie driven by fear of the unknown. If you want to make something universally scary how much do you need to show the audience to prime them to be afraid and how much can you leave to their imaginations? In the end Skinamarink asks the individual viewer to fill in too many blanks for it to be an effective horror movie in my opinion. Truly neurotic people will probably find it unnerving and anxiety inducing but aside from a couple of cheap jump scares nothing particularly interesting happens. My impression was that the vast majority of people will most likely find the movie a waste of time and for that reason I cannot recommend it. But if you like a challenge, are home alone on a stormy night, and/or are capable of letting your imagination run wild then, sure, give it a shot.

"Skinamarink" (2022) is a unique and unsettling horror film directed by Kyle Edward Ball. The film revolves around two young siblings, Kevin and Kaylee, who wake up one night to discover that their parents are missing and all the windows and doors in their house have mysteriously vanished. As they navigate this eerie situation, they are haunted by a strange voice that becomes increasingly sinister, leading them into a nightmare that challenges their perception of reality.

The film is heavily influenced by childhood fears and nightmares, with Ball drawing inspiration from recurring nightmares shared on his YouTube channel. The narrative is minimalist, focusing on atmosphere and psychological terror rather than traditional horror elements like gore or fast-paced action. The grainy, indistinct visuals and the slow-burn tension create an experience that is more about evoking a primal sense of dread than delivering straightforward scares.

"Skinamarink" has been described as a "microbudget cult movie" that has gained significant attention on social media platforms like TikTok, where its haunting imagery and cryptic plot have sparked widespread discussion and speculation. The film's ambiguous nature allows for various interpretations, especially concerning the strange voice that haunts the children and the mysterious ending that leaves viewers with more questions than answers.

Despite its unconventional approach, "Skinamarink" has been praised for its originality and its ability to tap into deep-seated fears, making it a standout in the horror genre. It's particularly recommended for fans of psychological horror who appreciate films that linger in the mind long after the credits roll.

The movie premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival in 2022 and later became available for streaming on Shudder in 2023.

Although the title of this review may appear unkind, it is nevertheless, apt.

I really wanted to like this film but ended up bored and angry. Angry that the filmmaker had been so self-indulgent as to presume the audience would be able to withstand 100 minutes of this punishment.

I admire what he did, the execution is excellent and I was immediately drawn into the atmosphere that the film exudes. However, as other reviewers have noted, this would have made a decent short film, maybe 20 minutes. As it stands, it overplays it's hand dramatically and had me begging to be relinquished from the monotony of the long takes which comprise the film's bloated runtime.

My hope is that Shudder cuts it down significantly before it has an official on-line release. It's too bad. It really does tap into something visceral and primal.

I went into this movie completely blind (as I try to do with most movies) and can say without question this is NOT a movie you want to go in blind. This movie is extremely experimental and abstract and will not be to most people's taste. The entire film is shot with a grainy vhs type look and is comprised of deliberately off center shots of the interior of a house. There is virtually no plot to speak of and most of the 1 hour 40 minute runtime is composed of random shots.

I love films that challenge and are demanding to the viewer. I love independent cinema and slow burn films. But this film expects WAY too much from the viewer and becomes very irritating as a result. Even to the hardened art house viewer this movie expects too much. This would have made a brilliant 40 minute short as there are moments of true horror but they are surrounded by random repetitive imagery. At no point does this movie pick up pace or have any sort of narrative.

This movie feels like a nightmare ASMR or a full length creepy pasta. If you suffered from night terrors or sleep paralysis or experienced childhood trauma I think you could become extremely invested in this film and that is the only way this works. I didn't feel connected or engaged in the story (I've never been through any of the above) and the only film I can compare with regards to the pacing and somnolent effect this movie had is "Beyond the Black Rainbow".

Five points for originality.

Like I said in the review title, if you're like me, you're 15-20 minutes into the movie, and you're wondering if 1) you should turn it off, and 2) if anything ever happens. So you're checking IMBD reviews. My answers to those questions are 1) maybe, and 2) kind of. About 45 minutes in, there is a scene that is legitimately scary. Past that, there are a few scenes that are scary as well, but more than scary, the movie is just creepy and disturbing. You can feel reassured that yes, it does ratchet up in intensity.

If you like movies that are "abstract" or "artistic", where there are many interpretations, and simultaneously they're all correct, yet also none of them are correct, then you should finish the movie. If that doesn't sound interesting, and you prefer movies that provide clear answers, then turn it off.

This movie is not overly concerned about plot, though there are hints of plot in it. It is more concerned with style, and creating a specific dream/nightmare-like feeling.

I would say it is quite effective at accomplishing that, though I ultimately found the movie somewhat unsatisfying. The plot summaries about children in a house with disappearing doors and a monster sounds like the book "House of Leaves", which I loved. But there isn't nearly as much plot as in "House of Leaves". You barely see any characters, you barely understand any plot.

I can't say that I liked it, though ultimately I think it was a "good movie".

The reason I ultimately gave this movie a somewhat positive review is because it gave me something to think about. I read some articles and posts about it afterwards. I read two different articles like "Skinamarink Ending Explained", and they both provided very different summaries of the events that happened in the movie, let alone the ending. The movie is very open to interpretation, and I liked that aspect. There were a few scenes and images that are hard to forget. But the movie is also too long and repetitive and boring a lot of the time. I appreciate the movie, and what the creators were trying to accomplish, and I'll be curious to see what the director can do with more than $15,000.