"Skinamarink" review: Truly experimental, palpably scary
“Skinamarink,” 2023, directed by Kyle Edward Ball ★★★★ ½ It’s no surprise that “Skinamarink” director Kyle Edward Ball got his start on the internet. On his YouTube channel, Bitesized Nightmares, Ball visualizes viewer-submitted bad dreams in under ten minutes with minimal dialogue, practical effects, and a hazy, retro aesthetic that seamlessly conceals his low budget. Not unlike Jane Shoenbrun’s 2021 film “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” , Ball understands how to get under the audience’s skin in a way only comparable to the fear experienced exploring the depths of the internet late at night. “Skinamarink” expounds on these methods and ideas greatly in Ball’s feature film debut, elongating the structure he honed making online shorts to 100 minutes. At first this length can feel excessive, with uneventful and purely static moments overstaying their welcome. But as the terror starts to mount, the intentionally patient atmosphere feels worthwhile. Ball sometimes undermines the ...