Now out in US theatres in limited release is the brilliant anime, “Paprika.” I’ve never really gotten into anime. Going across the film festival circuit I see quite a bit but most leave me a bit cold. Rare is the anime that really gets me involved and entertained. I love “Paprika” and would consider it the best anime I’ve ever seen. When I watched it for the first time at the 39th Sitges Film Festival at the Prado last year I was absolutely floored. It was a trippy, kinetic and highly enjoyable fever dream of a film. Best yet you don’t really even have to like anime to like “Paprika.” If you like fever dream type films like say Richard Rush’s classic “The Stunt Man“, then this film will be right up your alley.
One of my favorite parts of the film is everytime the parade would come crashing in with the brilliant parade theme by Susumu Hirasawa. Throughout the film I couldn’t wait for the parade to come crashing back in as it was such a cinematic rush every single time it happened.
