Whoever said that all good movies are necessarily kicka*s action flicks or other phantasmagoric stuff that you really have to wrap your brains around in order to enjoy in the very least, certainly had no idea about the power of a modest-budgeted documentary that relies more on the facts presented than on any other extra way in which it could shock its viewers into submission. When they say that strong essences are usually contained in small vials, they speak the truth and, as proof of that, I will present you today with the trailer for a documentary that will show you a side of gaming you never thought existed, if not change your perspective on life for good.

"Second Skin", produced by Pure West Films, is a documentary on the lives of seven gamers of various and distinct backgrounds, whose only common point is their near-addiction to Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs). Also included are the opinions on gaming of several experts from various fields of activity, from media to psychology and the academic realm. Although the trailer (clip below) hints very little about whether this is going to incline to present more the negative aspects of gaming, rather than the positive ones, what it does allow us to infer is that it will attempt to do both. So, if you expect some pro or con-games piece, you might as well look elsewhere, as this is not about taking sides but presenting realities, such as they are.

A synopsis of the project, in the very words of Victor Piñeiro, producer and writer of "Second Skin", would sound like this: "'Second Skin' takes an intimate, disturbing look at computer gamers whose lives have been transformed by the emerging genre of computer games called Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs). World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Everquest allow millions of users to simultaneously interact in virtual spaces. 'Second Skin' introduces us to the real people who populate these online virtual worlds. Couples who have fallen in love without meeting, disabled players whose lives have been given new purpose, those struggling with addiction, Chinese gold-farming sweatshop workers, wealthy online entrepreneurs and legendary guild leaders- all living in a world that doesn't quite exist."

I will try for a second to refrain from saying that "Second Skin" will change your outlook on life as it is for eternity because, number one, I already said this was not about taking sides and, number two, chances are you're not that impressionable as I am. But anyways, I say it definitely deserves your attention - even if for a couple of minutes, which is the duration of the trailer. Oh, and word of advice, when it will be released (which is sometime in the future, on a yet unspecified date) if you want to see this as a simple documentary, you can do so and just watch it as an informative piece. But you should know that there's another option available to you and, as a hint, start looking for symbols right in the trailer below. And stay tuned here for more on "Second Skin".