Skinamarink is a micro-budget horror film made by Canadian filmmaker Kyle Edward Ball. The entire story takes place inside a regular house that suddenly has no doors or windows. There’s barely any dialogue and hardly any effects. The film has this cheap-looking digital grain over it, like it’s trying to look like it was filmed on an old 70s camera.

It follows two kids, Kevin and Kaylee, who wake up one night and realise their dad has vanished, along with every door and window in the house. As the night goes on – or maybe it never ends – they start to feel the presence of something shapeless and creepy that seems to want them to suffer.

I’ve spoken to quite a few people about this film and it’s definitely one of those love-it-or-hate-it ones. Some people think it’s incredible. Others think it’s boring, confusing, and way too long.

This was my first time watching Skinamarink, so I was hoping for something new and different. When it finished, I wasn’t really sure what to think. If I’m honest, I was leaning more towards the negative side. I’ve got ADHD, and I found it really hard to sit through, especially the first half.

I do love it when a film takes a risk and shows me something in a new way, but I still came away from this one feeling a bit let down. It was made for under $25,000, has a really simple plot, just five characters, and barely any story. You kind of have to go online and research it to properly to understand it. But for me, staring at ceilings and Lego for over an hour just didn’t hold my attention. There wasn’t enough going on for me to enjoy it.

That being said, I did start to get into it more in the second half. When things picked up a bit, I actually found myself wanting to know what would happen to little Kevin. But even then, it wasn’t enough to make me want to watch it again.

I respect what the film is trying to do. It’s unique and experimental, and I know a lot of people love it for that reason. But personally, I found Skinamarink more confusing than scary. Maybe I’m just too desensitised after watching so many horror films.

So yeah, I’d say Skinamarink is a bold and original horror film that leans more into psychological dread than traditional scares. But it just wasn’t for me.

Please don’t come for me, Skinamarink fans!

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