3. BLURRING THE LINES: Magical realism is the important thing for at present’s witnessing.
Paprika
Surreal director, animator, and manga auteur Satoshi Kon’s 2006 movie Paprika doesn’t simply have Inception beat by 4 years—it is also a much better exploration of dreamscapes. With a freaky new piece of know-how, morally questionable therapists can observe their sufferers’ goals. The gadget’s creator, Dr. Atsuko Chiba, moonlights as a “dream detective” named Paprika—cool lady alert—however when the system is stolen, nightmares and actuality merge.
Paprika actually shines in its postmodern polish; it distorts time, employs a nonlinear construction, and is peppered with cinematic meta-commentary. (Blink and you will miss the detective dressed as Akira Kurosawa.) It additionally feels effortlessly cool, type of Lynchian in its moody, you-figure-it-out strategy, however set to Susumu Hirasawa’s cacophonous bleep-bloop soundtrack. (“This soundtrack is so exhilarating. It is like an apple filled with Trolli worms,” my associate stated.) Plus, the movie’s crazed parade of roaming toys is maybe essentially the most correct visible depiction of a nightmare I’ve witnessed.
The Stranger is collaborating in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Problem all month lengthy! Each October, Scarecrow places collectively an inventory of cinematic themes and invitations of us to observe alongside and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the factors. This 12 months, Stranger staffers are becoming a member of the enjoyable and we’re going to share our day by day suggestions right here on Slog! Learn extra about Scarecrow’s 2024 problem—and get the watch listing—right here. And you’ll monitor our day by day suggestions right here! 💀
