Movie Review: Paprika

Paprika is the newest release by Satoshi Kon, the master behind the acclaimed Japanese animated films Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, and Tokyo Godfathers. I had the privilege of seeing on the big screen at Raleigh's wonderful Galaxy Cinema, and it's breathlessly beautiful trip. The film is about technology that allows researchers to enter patients' dreams, but when the technology is stolen, the dream world begins to invade the "real world." Paprika is the vivacious and sexy alter-ego/avatar of the project's serious and formal Dr. Chiba, but she seems to be quite independent of her counterpart.

So, let's play the irritating "it's like" game: It's kinda like Ghost in the Shell, mixed with a more interesting Waking Life and a much better The Cell. Paprika can hop into any canvas and out through another or travel through live television feeds and out onto the street, and giant dolls attack office buildings. The ground ripples violently before the dreamer is pulled back into the waking world, and a doll ceremony parades through forrests and busy streets. It really captures the bizarre, delerious moments that makes sense only in your dreamscapes. And, oh, the colors...

It's one of those cases where I am so envious of the filmmakers because they were able to conceive and create such original images. You cannot learn how to have such a productive imagination, as well as how to shape your imagination into something presentable on screen. The Japanese are truly ahead in the animation medium, using it to its full potential. It's no longer just "Pokemon and porn," but movies where the stories are actually enhanced by producing them as animation.

The film was a bit confusing, particularly since it's not real clear what the detective's role is, even though he's so prominent (it turns out he's an incidental character who becomes a hapless hero). But it was not just some visuals-are-the-saving-grace picture, it's interesting once you catch up with what's going on, and there's a really sweet, suprising love story that surfaces at the end. I didn't think it was as good as Tokyo Godfathers or Millennium Actress, but I think I may appreciate it more when I rewatch it on video.