SKINAMARINK (2023) Full marks to Writer-Director Kyle Edward Ball. He came up with a concept and doggedly keeps to it, with virtually no concessions to his viewers. SKINAMARINK (named after a similarly titled old nursery rhyme) is an experimental arthouse horror project. Two little kids, Kevin (Lucas Paul) and his sister Haylee (Dali R. Tetrault) wander around their family home in 1995. Their parents (Ross Paul and Jaime Hill) are in their bedroom. They see a few visions, and, possibly, some violence. And, that's it as far as any real 'plot' is concerned.
From the outset, Ball and his Cinematographer Jamie McRae plunge the viewer in what looks like a battered old 70s grindhouse 35mm film print transfered to VHS tape (the viewer sees a few discarded cassettes strewn around for good measure). Almost all of the movie's credits are at the opening as well. The camera is intentionally almost never aimed at anything in particular - walls, ceilings, stairs, doors, feet and hands. Occassionally, one of the kids or parents is seen full body -- as if by accident. Much of the source lighting is either from a very low wattage night lite, flashlight or the glow from a TV. For minutes on end, the viewer can't make out anything but videotape noise. The dialogue is all hushed and whispered, with some it subtitled (its often so unintelligibe that many will want to turn on the closed captions). The movie must have been high near impossible to watch in a dingy theater with bad projection (Hint: turn off all the lights when watching it at home).
So, what is SKINAMARINK? It's proabably best to take it as a conceptual piece to simply experience. Boredom is part of the viewer's journey. If you get on its bead, one can find themselves mesmerized in an almost hypnotic state as you stare into the abyss. It's like a 60s Andy Warhol art film - almost daring one to turn away or off completely. It makes other minimalism movies like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY look like the latest entry in the Fast & Furious franchise by comparison.
There are tiny hints at a possible “plotline”. A nod here or there to POLTERGEIST and THE SHINING. Maybe a murder. Potentially, a portal to another dimenstion. Most likely, it's a representation of some form of 'Dream Logic', but the more concrete one wants to make of it, the less enjoyable it becomes. Why would a widescreen film be captured on old VHS? Why are there a couple of jump scares? If it's someone's dream, why would they be staring at the floorboards or a piece of empty carpet? Why does the POV shift from objective to subjective (not to mention from one entity to another)? Why are some edits smooth and others seemingly random?
In many ways, SKINAMARINK might have been more effective as a short rather than at 100 minutes (of course, as noted, the tedium is part of the message). It will be interesting to see what Ball does with a more narrative feature. For now, SKINAMARINK stands as both a fascinating and an enervating exercise -- often concurrently.
SKINAMARINK is currently available to stream on Hulu, Shudder and AMC+ - also for rental.

From the outset, Ball and his Cinematographer Jamie McRae plunge the viewer in what looks like a battered old 70s grindhouse 35mm film print transfered to VHS tape (the viewer sees a few discarded cassettes strewn around for good measure). Almost all of the movie's credits are at the opening as well. The camera is intentionally almost never aimed at anything in particular - walls, ceilings, stairs, doors, feet and hands. Occassionally, one of the kids or parents is seen full body -- as if by accident. Much of the source lighting is either from a very low wattage night lite, flashlight or the glow from a TV. For minutes on end, the viewer can't make out anything but videotape noise. The dialogue is all hushed and whispered, with some it subtitled (its often so unintelligibe that many will want to turn on the closed captions). The movie must have been high near impossible to watch in a dingy theater with bad projection (Hint: turn off all the lights when watching it at home).
So, what is SKINAMARINK? It's proabably best to take it as a conceptual piece to simply experience. Boredom is part of the viewer's journey. If you get on its bead, one can find themselves mesmerized in an almost hypnotic state as you stare into the abyss. It's like a 60s Andy Warhol art film - almost daring one to turn away or off completely. It makes other minimalism movies like THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY look like the latest entry in the Fast & Furious franchise by comparison.
There are tiny hints at a possible “plotline”. A nod here or there to POLTERGEIST and THE SHINING. Maybe a murder. Potentially, a portal to another dimenstion. Most likely, it's a representation of some form of 'Dream Logic', but the more concrete one wants to make of it, the less enjoyable it becomes. Why would a widescreen film be captured on old VHS? Why are there a couple of jump scares? If it's someone's dream, why would they be staring at the floorboards or a piece of empty carpet? Why does the POV shift from objective to subjective (not to mention from one entity to another)? Why are some edits smooth and others seemingly random?
In many ways, SKINAMARINK might have been more effective as a short rather than at 100 minutes (of course, as noted, the tedium is part of the message). It will be interesting to see what Ball does with a more narrative feature. For now, SKINAMARINK stands as both a fascinating and an enervating exercise -- often concurrently.
SKINAMARINK is currently available to stream on Hulu, Shudder and AMC+ - also for rental.
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