DirkH’s review published on Letterboxd:
Part of Dastardly Difficult December: film nr.56
The fact that animation isn't a genre is something definitely proven by Paprika. It is a medium through which stories are told and in that sense they transcend genre and they simply become films. Paprika is a work of brilliant Science Fiction, with a dazzling plot matched only by its visuals.
Films that deal with dreams often tend to muddy the waters in their plots (I'm looking at you, Inception) and Paprika is not that different, but as confusing as it is, once you pick up where the film's going it is a great ride in which reality and dream blend seamlessly, but never losing sight of granting its audience resolution.
Where this film differs greatly is in how it portrays dreams. For some reason, dreams in films are always extremely grounded in reality (again, Inception anyone?), but not so here and that is perhaps the greatest merit of it being told through animation. The only limit here is the drawer's imagination. The dream sequences are absolutely stunning, drawn with meticulous detail and at points disturbingly weird. There were these moments where I kept thinking they couldn't top what I had just seen. Yet they kept upstaging themselves, delivering one wondrous scene after the other.
This film is a feast for the eye and for the mind and it is absolutely one of the best I've seen that deal with this subject. It is a must see for fans of science fiction, beautiful animation and clever writing.
Heck, it is a must see for film lovers. Period.