Paprika

Satoshi Kon created a machine worked out to the smallest detail in terms of animation, content and dramaturgy, and which towers high above other feature-length anime films, and not only those from the same year. In many respects, this sophisticatedly superficial thriller, which inundates and fully occupies the mind and the eyes for an hour and a half, is also the pinnacle of Kon’s filmography. His previous works are partially echoed in many of the plot and style motifs of Paprika, which can thus be fittingly described as the culmination of Kon’s creative career so far. We can only regret the fact that it remains his last completed work. (02/23/2013)

A bit of an animated version of Inception, slightly mixed with Cronenberg's eXistenZ. While both of the mentioned titles thrilled me equally despite their different style and content, I remained indifferent to Paprika. Only a few East Asian films appeal to me and tune into me correctly emotionally. I simply come from a different cultural circle and I feel things differently. Paprika has a fairly simple theme - the plot revolves around a stolen device for researching human dreams, but it has heavy and confused processing, which emphasizes the visually overloaded abundance of glaring colors. This one star is only for the film's potential, which in my opinion could be used much more effectively and with incomparably greater impact. Overall impression: 25%. (12/14/2013)

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)

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)

Another beautiful example that the Japanese can create serious and interesting films with deep thoughts, all while being animated. No one else can do it as well as they do, as if the world still believes that animation is primarily for children. The Japanese are carrying that flag bravely and firmly, and thankfully others are joining them. (07/07/2015)