2017 was a fantastic year for weird movies. While the blockbusters kept coming and often were unsurprisingly mediocre and uninteresting, many genius projects slipped between cinematic cracks and have leaked themselves into the consciences of extreme cinephiles like myself. As a person who normally considers themselves to be a semi-reasonable individual, it is essential for me to point out that most people will probably hate this movie...and for good enough reason. It can be repulsive and largely focuses on topics that are extremely disturbing (ex: pedophilia, rape, suicide, depression, incest, & plenty more) to intentionally shock the viewer...but, despite all of this and whatever other slight problems I may have with the film, I believe it to be a masterpiece...a masterpiece that I cannot actually recommend to anyone unless I am SURE this is the sort of movie they can a) handle, b) finish watching, and c) be at least somewhat entertained by for around half its runtime at the very most. Not many people will fall under all three categories, but I certainly do! To me, the dark comedy at work here is on par with the likes of Todd Solondz and John Waters, which is to say that it is transgressive, "black as night on a moonless night" (as Agent Cooper would put it), and absurd to the max while still containing some sort of truth and sense to it. Most of the film's elements do have a genuine purpose, whether it be injected with a bit of shock value or not, and the film also is heavily emotional. I cried at multiple little points throughout it, and my heart was surprisingly touched by the end. This film does not necessarily glorify any of its characters and the abhorrent things they may do or say, but it certainly gives everyone at least one moment of sympathy and/or understanding, which I believe to be an often essential trait that is prevalent in many of the films I hold near and dear to my heart, and while it does feel strange to call a film of this shocking, disgusting, and disturbing variety as such, I must admit that, as of now, "Skins" is certainly a film that is near and dear to my heart, It probably won't really be to yours, though. Just a warning.