Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Absolutely terrifying, nightmarish experimental horror pic.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Skinamarink
What's the Story?
In SKINAMARINK, young siblings Kevin (Lucas Paul) and Kaylee (Dali Rose Tetreault) wake up in a dark house to find their parents gone and the doors and windows vanished. They decide to go downstairs, where they can watch cartoons. Menacing sounds come from around the house, and toys and other objects start to disappear. Other objects appear on the ceiling. Then something terrible happens to Kaylee, leaving Kevin all on his own with some unnamed, sinister force that apparently has the power to do anything.
Is It Any Good?
A truly unique and absolutely terrifying horror movie, this experimental nightmare doesn't follow standard story structures and isn't for everyone, but those who brave it won't soon forget it. The feature writing/directing debut of YouTuber Kyle Edward Ball ("Bitesized Nightmares"), Skinamarink is an truly experimental movie, without much discernible plot, characters who almost never appear on camera, and dialogue that's often unintelligible. (Subtitles sometimes, but not always, pop up to help.) The film seems most interested in creating an unsettling feeling of terror like being trapped in a nightmare, and at that it fully succeeds. Skinamarink resembles an old movie, shot on film, with scratches and grain, while the audio sounds worn-out, bass-heavy, full of hiss, and distorted. Old cartoons play on a TV set, and their cheery chirps warp into horrible noise. Sometimes things are too dark to see clearly, but blurry or indistinct things within the frame may creep you out. Other times the mere act of cutting from one shot to another creates a jolt. At 100 minutes, the movie may be too long to fully sustain its spell, but it's still an incredible work.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Skinamarink's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes like to be scared?
What is an "experimental film"? What purpose do films without typical elements like plot and characters serve?
What do nightmares and movies have in common? What sets them apart?
How does the movie use sound? How is sound sometimes more effective than image?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 13, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : June 20, 2023
- Cast : Lucas Paul , Dali Rose Tetreault , Ross Paul
- Director : Kyle Edward Ball
- Studios : IFC Midnight , Shudder
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : February 10, 2023
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