Admirable film.

Absolutely the worst movie.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

This is a movie that's said as an inspirational from Christopher Nolan in making Inception which is the best sci-fi film of this decade. Satoshi Kon is one of the famous directors with his expertise in making an anime with brilliant artwork to the details of it. In addition, he always shows a story that is still fresh, complicated, but interesting to follow it entirely. He is also known for his expertise that combines reality and hallucinations between stories and characters. Paprika is also like that, no exception to deal with them.The story consists of three major characters: Atsuko Chiba, Torataro Shima, and Kosaku Tokita who worked on a psychiatric research foundation and failed to keep a device they created. This device can enter a person's dreams, explore their subconscious and the three of them must know who the mastermind behind it. Just read by the synopsis, it's not kinda interesting to tell the story in front of it but not the whole. The story's presented with the same premise with Perfect Blue that combines a reality and fiction. For me, the story doesn't seem as non-linear or complicated as presented by Christopher Nolan's Inception. But, the more you watch it the more interesting because we don't know also how to distinguish dreams within the reality.Sometimes we think of it as the real world but is the opposite. Not too complicated to me, nothing is too exaggerated but there is something that makes me want to see it more, especially on the story about Toshimi which is always whirling on the top. The beginning of his impression, he didn't belong into the story and not too obvious to get into the main story but the further it actually becomes closer to the main character and story that initially has no relationship at all into a story that is focused on him.The story is not too devoted to people who are still laid but more focused for you who like Hollywood movies with a complex story. Not to non-linear but it's interesting to understand it.The art is excellent to blend a reality into a more vivid image. In terms of character, background diversion, a dream scene, this is why Satoshi Kon is considered one of those who successfully changed the anime. The animation and art are very brilliant to make in terms of this anime that can be said as the best of all. A world which created by Satoshi Kon himself managed to pull the audience into his world.The atmosphere that he built is very strong because of it's over the realism of when it uses a location that looks similar to the real world. One of the best thing in this aspect is also when Satoshi Kon incorporates two things into one where we don't know if this is a dream or a reality. It's about using your imagination instead you follow the story.Excellent editing for Satoshi Kon with astonishing cinematography and graphics. Can't believe this is made by Madhouse who also worked on Perfect Blue and Mousou Dairinin, one of Satoshi Kon's other works.The soundtrack and music are so great if you wanna hear it again from all sides. Susumu Hirasawa composes it so well that every scene always invites some intense with scenes that are disturbing and confusing. The opening theme song reminds me of the song called "Baba O'Riley" by The Who, one of my favorite British classic rock bands ever. For the seiyuu is great too especially Megumi Hayashibara who plays two characters with two different personalities, a little spoiler in here.The characters are sometimes good at the right times but sometimes vice versa. The characters introductions are still very weak, though I hear the novel is worse than the anime. The antagonist also has a bad script in being a villain because they are only seen from one perspective only so it looks boring. There is no obvious reason why he did this and that. The explanation of the major character's background is still questionable and there are no feelings at all, some of the characters are putting each other's feelings but it's back because on top of all is not really developed.Konakawa is the best character of all although he initially impressed not too important for the main story. However, he is the one who recognizes the background, the feeling, and the character so that this character is more sympathetic than others. But overall, Satoshi Kon doesn't want to make this anime like cheesy considering he wants to make his own world which is mindblowing and memorable.Paprika is one anime with the director's imaginary world that he raises up. Sometimes, your mind is needed to understand what is really going on so you must also be able to make each interpretation. It's Madhouse Studios that creates some achievement that people can get out there. The animation can spoil your feelings, the music is good and the position is so good, but the character is one of the lacks that must be fixed.Somewhat it's slightly predictable in some scenes and sometimes an awkward little romance also make this anime break up little by little. Bottom line, it's worth watching since you watch Inception because these two movies will make you mindblowing.

This is a good anime movie but it can have weird moments if you are not fully use to Japanese or mature movies. For example we see Morio and Seijiro merge into one body while having too heads and in another Morio inappropriately touches Paparika when she is tied up and even puts his hand right through her jeans, up her shirt and rips off her face to reveal Atsuke on that side note she is seen naked and you might see her nipples and breasts. Although Paparika's origin was never revealed in this movie. I kept on wondering how did Atsuke gain the ability to change into Paprika. The music beautiful and memorable and the voice actors were good. This is definitely one of Cindy Robinsons good projects. If you want something mature in terms of anime movie I would recommend you check this out.

Paprika is a kaleidoscopic and phantasmagoric animated thriller, a bewildering ride through dreams mixed with more dreams mixed with waking life. Now for some films, if you do not get what its makers are trying to say, it is lost on you. This is not so with Paprika. This is the kind of film one can watch and find highly entertaining without having much of a clue what it is about. The "Parade of Everything" is quite a sight for lovers of whimsy and fantasy, symbols and the surreal. While there are various weak points to the film, but there is not much point to mentioning them. Why? Well, when something goes for it on a grand scale, as Paprika does, it is better to watch and appreciate what it does right. Beyond the vibrant images, the direction does something special with the choreography, the movement on-screen. You get this wonderful feeling of animation, everything brought to life by imagination and the mind. So if you enjoy crazy dreams or the carnivale, definitely give Paprika a view.

I do love anime thanks to the Studio Ghibli movies and Akira, Ninja Scroll and Ghost in the Shell. Paprika is up there with one of the anime greats. Of Satoshi Kon's movies, it was Paprika that impressed me the most though Perfect Blue and Tokyo Godfathers are very impressive films too. Paprika is not going to please everybody at first hand though, it is quite a complex movie and perhaps more adult-oriented despite the "kid movie" stereotype that animation is often associated with. That doesn't bother me though, because as I've said before a few times already I consider Paprika a fantastic film. Of the animes I've seen, Paprika is one of the most visually beautiful of them. Surreal yet very imaginative, the vibrant yet atmospheric colours and detailed backgrounds are a real feast for the eyes. The score is a wonder to behold as well and fits perfectly within the movie, epic and truly memorable, it serves well also listening to it on its own. The script is quite complex in tone, but is incredibly thought-provoking and is written in a very literate and intelligent way. The story is always involving and clever, and it is easy to understand once you know the film's intentions. The themes interwoven into Paprika are very strong and interesting ones and never dealt in a heavy-handed way. The characters are engaging and easy to relate to, complete with a nicely diverse range of personalities. The voice acting is very dynamic. All in all, a terrific film, unique and a feast from the visual and musical front. 10/10 Bethany Cox