Pure Nightmare Material
SCORE: 97/100
****I WILL DO MY BEST, BUT BEWARE POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD****
REVIEW:
Quick Note: This film is not for everyone. The film is experimental, artistic, and genuinely trying to do something new. Whenever this happens not everyone will be on board, and that's fine. We can't just sit content with what we have, and I give all the power to filmmakers who try to push the envelope.
I've never been so terrified by a movie in recent memory like I was with Skinamarink. Its unconventional nature and pacing really throw you off after a first time viewing, and lend to its unnerving nature.
Before I continue, I must divulge that I am already a fan of "analog horror" content online. I highly recommend Gemini Home Entertainment if you want more in that genre. So I was already going into this movie with high expectations.
My only real critique of the film is its length. It does feel a tad too long, and it can feel exhausting by the time the film is done. However, I will touch on why I hesitate to bring that criticism later in this review.
Everyone is going to have a different reaction to this film, and it can depend on any number of different factors. For me, this film was an on-screen version of nightmares that I'm sure I've had. There are ways you can read into this as being a film about trauma, either physical or mental, as well as emotional trauma or abuse. Like I said, everyone will have a different reaction and interpretation, and that makes the film better.
As I said, this film was a nightmare to me in how it was filmed, edited, acted, and presented. It's easily the best representation of a dream-like state I've ever seen in film. Nothing makes sense in dreams, items disappear, faces grow blank, and the darkness terrifies us. Nightmares have the power to make us feel like children again, and so having child actors as our main performers is an inspired choice.
By setting the film in the 90's, specifically 1995, the director is letting us know to not expect the best in terms of technology, both visual and audio. What feels both like security camera footage mixed home video brings the terror home, and creates a sense of dread and confusion that are lingering with me still to this very moment, hours after watching the film.
Speaking of camera, this film has some of the most unintentionally (or intentionally) beautiful and original cinematography I've seen for a long time. I LOVE lingering shots where we can't tell whether something is there or not. That, to me, is true terror. The unknown within what we know. The other shot, that those of you who've seen the film will know, makes a toy scary. Easily one of the best scares I've had during a film in a long time.
I'd like to circle back to my criticism of the film being a tad too long. While I still levy that criticism at the film, I DO think it's in line with the theme of a nightmare. We can't control how long a nightmare is, or how much of said nightmare we're exposed to. It's in that sentiment that I can understand why the film may be longer, to make us feel trapped like the characters. Again, it's an artistic decision (potentially), but it's the only one I think doesn't work.
I really want to talk more about Skinamarink, but there are a lot of other YouTube channels and content creators who've done an amazing job, and I highly recommend checking them out after you've seen the film.
This film will be joining my movie collection as soon as I can find a physical copy of it!
Final Thoughts: Skinamarink is the scariest, most unsettling film I've ever seen and a masterpiece of analog horror. While its experimental nature won't land with everyone, I highly recommend checking it out to see if it lands with you like it did with me.
Score: 97/100
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