"Magical realism is the key for today’s witnessing." by Lindsay Costello 3. BLURRING THE LINES: Magical realism is the key for today’s witnessing. Paprika Surreal director, animator, and manga auteur Satoshi Kon's 2006 film Paprika doesn’t just have Inception beat by four years—it's also a far better exploration of dreamscapes. With a freaky new piece of technology, morally questionable therapists can observe their patients' dreams. The gadget's creator, Dr. Atsuko Chiba, moonlights as a "dream detective" named Paprika—cool girl alert—but when the device is stolen, nightmares and reality merge. Paprika really shines in its postmodern polish; it distorts time, employs a nonlinear structure, and is peppered with cinematic meta-commentary. (Blink and you'll miss the detective dressed as Akira Kurosawa.) It also feels effortlessly cool, sort of Lynchian in its moody, you-figure-it-out approach, but set to Susumu Hirasawa's cacophonous bleep-bloop soundtrack. ("This soundtrack is so exhilarating. It's like an apple full of Trolli worms," my partner said.) Plus, the film's crazed parade of roaming toys is perhaps the most accurate visual depiction of a nightmare I've witnessed. The Stranger is participating in Scarecrow Video’s Psychotronic Challenge all month long! Every October, Scarecrow puts together a list of cinematic themes and invites folks to follow along and watch a horror, sci-fi, or fantasy flick that meets the criteria. This year, Stranger staffers are joining the fun and we’re going to share our daily recommendations here on Slog! Read more about Scarecrow’s 2024 challenge—and get the watch list—here. And you can track our daily recommendations here! 💀