PAPRIKA (2006)

File Under: Psychedelic Anime, Surrealism, Dream Logic, Sci-Fi Masterpiece.

Satoshi Kon’s 2006 anime feature has been described as an acid trip for good reason; when a machine that allows therapists to enter patients’ dreams is stolen, chaos ensues, and the only one capable of finding the culprit is Dr. Atsuko Chiba. When entering dreams Chida is transformed into an alter ego, Paprika. As she pursues the thief with her partners, she is forced into mind bending and terrifying situations, where the line between dream and reality is irrevocably blurred. This flick has been credited for inspiring Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” and it’s a worthy take if you’re interested in psychological thrillers exploring complex questions about identity and existence. Available for rent on Prime and Apple TV.

"Paprika", Satoshi Kon. 2006, Japan.
Running Time: 90 Minutes. Japanese.
Available for rent on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and YouTube.

DIVA (1981)

File Under: French New Wave Revival, Neon Noir, High Style, Operatic Thriller.

Jean Jacques Beinex delivers a feast for the eyes (and ears) in his first feature length “DIVA”, a genre bending cyberpunk thriller, love story, and testament to the power of music. In “Diva” Beinex explodes conventional narrative structure to pursue a new style of filmmaking that would be coined by French critic Raphael Bassan as “cinema du look”. 

When an opera recording is pirated by an obsessive fan, the forces of the criminal underbelly of Paris are awakened, events are triggered, characters weave through the futuristic industrial wastelands + subways of the city, storylines combine, an epic chase scene ensues, the clash between high and low brow society  forms before our eyes; all moving the visual, thematic and stylistic elements to the fore, further enhanced by a modern remaster of the original 35mm.

"Diva", Jean-Jacques Beineix. 1981, France.
Running Time: 117 Minutes. French.
Available for rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.