Dream-Diving, High-Flying, Frogs, &c.
Paprika, now playing at the Angelika, follows a team of psychiatrists who can, with the help of what looks like a high-tech hairbrush, dive into their patients' dreams.
Of course, not fifteen minutes after the movie's started, somebody steals one of the dream-hair-clippies and becomes the world's first dream-terrorist. Madness, a good deal of jumping, some Suntory drinking in a dreamed online cafe, musical frogs, toy robots, and a generally vivid, must-see film ensue.
Drawing his characters with concise, Updikean exchanges that better resemble a good NYC indie than the average anime, Kon Satoshi (Tokyo Godfathers, Perfect Blue) tells the story of the titular Paprika's dream-apotheosis (she's, uh, maybe the alter-psyche of one of the doctors, who can maybe merge with the collective world-dream in order to save it from the terrorists?) with no holds barred and no BS.
The plot sounds confusing but isn't, except in its deliciously theophanic final moments, when most of Tokyo is destroyed (poor film-Tokyo!), and Paprika becomes a giant baby, then a giant tween, then a giant Paprika.
Again, a must-see, regardless of my inability to parse a movie as epic as Akira (or, better, Taxi Driver) into English, much less brief English. Perhaps the best I can say is: "The Science of Sleep meets Alice in Wonderland meets High and Low."
it was ok. way better than the melodrama millenium actress not as good as the brain rape of perfect blue. the animation was v. good though. im thinking tokyo godfathers may be my favortie, but that would make me an old man
You are an old man. Perfect Blue is great, but Paprika blows it out of the water.
Tokyo Godfathers was... Well, again, I like you, but way out in LA it seems you've grown rapidly into an old man, yar!
On an unrelated note, have you seen any of a bizarrely, BIZARRELY dark series called Ergo Proxy? Sort of Isaac Asimov meets Nine Inch Nails.
Dreamingly,
~W.
you have to understand that Whispers of the heart is my favorite miyazaki. also i hate most anime.
speaking of asimov and adult animation, ever see Light Years?