Paprika

Paprika

Director: Satoshi Kon

Written By: Satoshi Kon and Seishi Minakami 

Cinematography: Michiya Katou 

Starring: Megumi Hayashibara, Tôru Furuya and Kôichi Yamadera

Year: 2006

Country: Japan

 One of the most acclaimed animes of recent years and the film that inspired Inception, Paprika is the final film of Satoshi Kon before his untimely death in 2010. 

 Based on Yasutaka Tsutsui's novel, Paprika is set in the near future where a machine called the Mini DC allows dreams to be recorded and entered. But the story really starts when this machine is stolen. 

 If the plot synopsis triggers thoughts of Inception, that's because this film was the catalyst for it, which Chris Nolan openly admitted to. I knew this going in but I was still surprised by just how much Nolan took from it. It's not completely derivative, Inception had it's own themes and concepts and the stuff Nolan took he used constructively.  

 Not that I want to keep comparing it to Inception, but I know that one of the common criticisms of Inception was that the scenes set in dreamworlds felt too real world and lacking any imagination. This is definitely not the case with Paprika, the dreams in this are l lot more imaginative and surreal. I found it reminiscent of films by Federico Fellini. Obviously being anime Paprika can accomplish things that Inception, being live action, can't.   

 Paprika doesn't have the same exploitation feel that some anime does. It's not overly gory and all the female characters body parts are in realistic proportion. This partnered with with an intelligent and strong female protagonist means Paprika will appeal to larger female audience than a lot of other anime films will. 

 Where a lot of people had trouble understanding Inception, I didn't. I can't say the same for Paprika though which is for the most part insanely incoherent. For one It's hard to tell when and when they aren't in the dreamworld. 

 It features an outstanding original electropop soundtrack from Japanese composer, Susumu Hirasawa. Which works perfectly in the film and also works as stand alone music. 

 Paprika is an above average anime. It excels in imagination, even if does lack in coherence. I didn't completely understand it  but I did enjoy it, I think. 

Score: 4/5
  

Private Fears In Public Places

Private Fears in Public Places

Director: Alain Resnais
Written by: Jean-Michel Ribes 
Photography: Eric Gautier 
Starring: André Dussollier, Sabine Azéma and Isabelle Carré. 
Year: 2006
Country: France 



 Private Fears in Public Places is the 2006 film from French New Wave director, Alain Resnais. Adapted from the play by British playwright, Alan Ayckbourn.


 Private Fears is another one of those films that follows the at first seemingly separate but all interconnected stories of individuals living in the same city. Although Private Fears doesn't have the same self-importance and grandiose that Magnolia or other films of this narrative style often do.   


 The film takes place in a Parisian deep winter, where six individuals deal with plights of loneliness and relationships. 


 Although the film is set in Paris and you get the required backdrop of the Eiffel Tower in the poster, there are no exteriors of Paris in this at all. It's made up entirely from interior sets. The art design on these sets though is spectacular, the entire film is sleek, colourful and modern. 


 The ensemble cast does a good job. For me the highlight performance is André Dussollier, who plays an estate agent who becomes infatuated with his secretary. 


 The photography from Eric Gautier is great. He's done stunning work before on movies like Into The Wild and The Motorcycle Diaries, which are mostly exterior based film, so this is somewhat different to what he's done before.   


 The biggest problem with Private Fears is that the whole film feels inconsequent, it doesn't say or mean anything which leaves you feeling frustrated at the end. 


 Private Fears passes the six laugh test, which is good for a drama that doesn't claim to be a comedy, too. In fact, it works better as a comedy than it does as a drama.  


 Private Fears in Public Places looks beautiful but it lacks in substance, although it will raise some smiles and some laughs.  

 Score: 2.5/5