Skinamarink (2022)

This movie has been living rent free in my head for a while, and there it will probably stay for years. Shuttered, elusive, suffocating, and a royal mind f*ck - this film is not for everyone. 

Let's check out:

Skinamarink

Let me start off by saying this is not a movie you *watch*, it's a movie you experience. This is very important. 

Best as I can tell, a young sister and brother are left alone (seemingly) in a house that slowly begins to trap them in an endless, windowless, light-less, and parent-less home. They take care of each other and their loneliness by watching cartoons and playing with toys in the living room - all while a *creature* lurks in the darkness, trying to separate and further isolate the naive and abandoned siblings. 

This was a rough film. It conjures scary memories of childhood - which, even in the best settings - can be a frightening place.

There are debates online about what this film is really about. Is it about child abuse? Abandonment? Parental neglect through drug and alcohol abuse? There's also talk about perhaps this entire story is regarding head trauma, lost time, comas, or a dream/nightmare. The writer and director is mum on the topic, and rightfully so. Again this film is about experience and that experience is specific to the viewer.  

Personally, I wanted to cry while being terrified and desperately searching for things in the darkness. 

There's not enough money in the world to be a child again. Hell no. This incredibly unique film honestly taps into the fear and vulnerability of children. A very delicate topic that was expertly executed with care and heart.  

This is 100%, absolutely, not a film for everyone. Are you an art house cinephile? Come on in - the water is fine! There is a lot to talk about with this one. 

And that's about it. I felt like I was in a late night edgy art show in a really sketchy part of town, and I could only experience what the paintings and sculptures were trying to convey by seeing the art work through the entire experience of the venue and other people. 

Pairs with food you would make as an 8 year old. Best watched alone or with just a few people who you can periodically converse with when a epiphany hits. 

Good luck.

I watched this film on Shudder or use the Find It! Watch It! links on Horror Habit's side bar to see where else you can find this truly unsettling feature.