Matialth Good concept, poorly executed.

Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

mistoppi What did I learn while watching this film? From now on I will always, always read some kind of summary of a film. For like most part of this movie I had no clue what was going on. And I still have no idea what Paprika really was. And I watched this film with my sister, and she too was super confused during this film. Usually not reading the summary doesn't affect me one way or the other, but this time I realised that there still are very confusing and complex movies that require some form of research before actually watching it.There's one thing I'm certain of Paprika: it's a very creepy movie. It's creepy in a weird way, and I can tell you that music playing when the weird dream parade marches on the streets will probably haunt me forever. And because the biggest theme of the film are dreams, many of those creepy, terrifying moments make absolutely no sense, like dreams usually don't. That what makes it resemble a nightmare and why you feel like you're going to have nightmares, even if you're not actually scared during the film. I mean nightmares are terrifying when you're sleeping, but once you are awake, they seem ridiculous. So that goes with Paprika. Naturally you are awake while watching the film, and it makes no sense like nightmares don't once you are awake, but it still creates that weird nightmare like feel to it.Even though this movie is mostly about dreams, I love how they were able to bring movies into it.But yeah, let's be honest, this movie is visually so beautiful! The characters are drawn very well, so are the backgrounds and all the weird dream things. Even when this movie gets so very freaky, it still looks amazing.Paprika is an interesting film and I wish I could write more about it, but unfortunately I think it would need a second watch - at least. Because during the first time I just felt like I was trying to get what was going on. But it's visually beautiful, the music is amazing and the plot and the dream theme are very complex and astonishing. Still, Paprika is definitely the weirdest film I've seen so far.

TozzyOzzy Satoshi Kon's final work Paprika is a colourful, energetic and surreal trip. It's a film that asks us 'what is reality?' and for the most part does a great job of exploring the relationship between dreams and the real world. Filled to the brim with remarkable visuals from Madhouse, a good level of story complexity and even some commentary on the topic of cinema itself, it's a big love letter to industry. While Paprika is a visual feast and directed with great attention to detail, it's a shame that the story sacrifices clarity for surrealism at moments when questions need to be answered. The story contains a mix of ideas touching on ethics, discovering one's purpose and what defines reality. Some of these ideas get ditched and others explored in greater detail, but the end result is still a very memorable film.Our story follows Atsuko Chiba who uses newly created technology without permission, which allows people to share dreams, to help patients with stress in the form of an alter ego Paprika. Trouble starts when versions of the device with no security fall into the wrong hands. This would allow the culprit to enter the dreams of others and cause untold amounts of deeply rooted psychological damage, even enough to destroy one's psyche. I found myself actually drawn more towards the story of detective Toshimi Konakawa and his attempt to understand why his dreams are affecting him deeply at a psychological level. He is without a doubt the most deeply explored character, as one of Chiba's patients. His attempt to overcome the unsolved case at his job is starting to toy with his mind and his past becomes caught up in these thoughts. Every time his dream came to the fore I was captivated. I thought the payoff for his journey was slightly underwhelming. Yet at the same time I knew the ending was only appropriate things take the direction they do considering the themes of the film - hiding our true feelings and creating a new reality so we don't have to face the other one.It's only appropriate that our main character Chiba be the one to best represent the idea of discovering one's true self. While the film initially posits Paprika as a façade for her to treat others you start to question whether her fake persona is actually a better representation of her true self – someone more free spirited and approachable. While the internal struggle isn't as plainly laid out for the viewer to see compared to Konakawa, it's definitely there. Kon's clever direction goes a long way to achieving this. From the repetitious use of glass to mirror Chiba's other side of herself or the almost unnoticeable cut between reality and dreamscapes, it all works. Chiba herself isn't actually that interesting of a character at face level, though that's quite intentional. She has a cold demeanor, exuding this barrier of defence around herself. Paprika acts as a means to express her repressed emotions. As a collective, the two more are complete and fulfill what the other lacks.On my main criticism: Paprika as a film does little to explain the boundaries and the rules of its world and instead lets the film play out as an 'experience'. Even the exposition of the movie isn't clear at first. Though this lends to being entertaining it hinders the exploration of its themes. Something being intentionally difficult to understand without giving us an explanation doesn't instantly make something amazing, it can be infuriating. While I actually like the idea of figuring things out for yourself and applying your own interpretation to things, there's some cases where we need boundaries explained. This is one of those cases, in a film blending technology and the subconscious. The film's ending actually starts to go against our understanding of reality and I just took it as one of those things I'll have to accept. It actually reaches a point of absurdity that took me out of the experience. On top of this, the antagonist isn't that interesting and gives the grand finale an underwhelming amount of impact. On the topic of visuals, a much more positive point, I rarely see animation so good that I actually find myself saying 'wow' as I'm watching it. There are so many moments full of warped transitions, literal world-bending scenes that are breathtaking. Kon loves flow between scenes. His scene transition here was at master-level. It keeps the film dynamic and does a great job of keeping you engaged. The opening credits scene in particular is one of the most memorable moments which showcase this fluidity to Kon's direction. If you're also looking for a movie that utilises repetition well then this is the one for you. It allows to see several things, such as how far our characters have overcome their psychological problems or seeing things in our dreams that makes us reflect upon reality. Paprika is a must watch. Story-wise it may get a bit too big for its own boots but it's the perfect example of the journey sometimes being worth more than the destination.

Donald F I feel like Paprika is almost criticism-proof. Any bad thing I have to say about it can be attributed to intention. The dialog is poor, plot points pop out of nowhere, and logic is thrown out the window. But this all seems to be adding to the mood, a dream-like movie that doesn't follow reality.But I just don't see the point of this accomplishment. Its weird for the sake of being weird...so? That leaves no impression on me. It could have been any random assortment of images and be just as effective. I can't love a movie through mood alone.At least it was an interesting sit, with fine animation and plenty of bizarre action. If you're into this kind of style-over-subsistence, then you may love it. For me, its more forgettable than amazing.

Cal. l Paprika, along with Millennium Actress, represent the greatest achievements of Satoshi Kon and certainly one of the landmarks of animated films.Paprika bests many movies from the great Hayao Myiazaki and is perhaps on the same level of classics such as "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbor Totoro".The plot is extremely creative and compelling, showing the viewers a somewhat hard to catch mix of dream and reality, which was never done so well. The characters( in special Paprika) are very charismatic and unforgettable. Concerning the soundtrack, one word describes it: perfect.The character Paprika is certainly one of the most lovable characters on the history of animation. The movie Paprika is certainly one of the greatest movies on the history of animation.This animated masterpiece is perfect in every aspect. Extremely beautiful and unforgettable. The viewer might be confused, but happiness, joy and fun will surely come out of it. Undoubtedly one of the greatest animated movies out there. Satoshi Kon, thank you very much for providing one of the best 90 minutes i've ever had in my life.