Paprika

Satoshi Kon's problem with Paprika is mainly that he's envious of his audience's work, so like a sulking little child he decides he's just going to get something out of it too and starts fiddling with the script. A script that, while appearing genuinely complex and Inception-like, helps itself move the plot along with basic screenwriting crutches (deus ex machina, lack of causality, terrible coincidences), which it masks with anarchic visuals and a theme of "where anything is possible". He simply decided to enjoy limitless dreaminess in his own way. The problem, then, may be for the viewer who approaches Paprika primarily as a film. On the other hand, he admits it himself; for example, the lines with the detective at the dawn of the big city, kissing a comely victim while clutching a six-shooter in the other hand are not just bullshit for the audience, but a real deliberate cathartic element. "We’ve got to go. The happy ending is getting closer." PS: Anyone who didn't sing at the end credits is a moron. (11/27/2012)

Another beautiful example of how the Japanese simply know how to create a serious and interesting film with a thought-provoking message, all with the fact that it is an animated film. No one else can do it as well as they can, as if the belief still persists in the world that animation is mainly for children. The Japanese proudly and firmly carry that flag, and fortunately, others are joining them. (07/07/2015)

Huh? It’s over already? That went by fast! Confusion? But even dreams have meaning sometimes, don't they? You just have to find it :-) A good film, with good accompaniment, characters and "story". But I feel a bit like something was kept from us. It's a strange film, but Kon doesn't make any other kind -_^ It's a bit hard to judge, but you'll definitely get some impression, some experience, some feeling from it. (03/13/2010)

A good film to watch before Nolan’s Inception, I think. It’s an Anime that operates with concepts such as different stages of dreaming and sleeping, implantation of dreams into other people's minds in the form of a terrorist act, the REM phenomenon, the thin line between dream and reality, etc. The result is very convoluted in plot, not so visually intoxicating in the first half, but the second half brings a literal explosion of visual imagination that makes this interesting fable worth an hour and a half of your time. (07/19/2010)

Exactly according to the classic routine of Japanese anime; beautiful animation that gets repetitive at times and a story that is so interesting that it gets too complicated. But it’s definitely a movie worth watching and thinking about. But not to be too critical, I must say that the finale was excellent and the music was also very nice. Above-standard for a Japanese anime… (11/06/2016)