Paprika (Watch the trailer)

Release in New York: May 25, 2007 from Sony Pictures Classics
Language: Japanese

Satoshi Kon’s adaptation of Yasutaka Tsutsui’s sci-fi novel is an elaborate weave of endless imaginations. Animators at Madhouse, Inc. have marvelously brought this bizarre tale to a colorful life. Every bit of the flim is magical, both in idea and execution. The plot involves intrustion of dreams, so it’s free to defy physics, or any rational notion of space and time. But logic is in place, and is, at times, even profound. You’ll just have to grasp its thread and hang on tight. The song posted above, by Hirasawa Susumu, is the theme song. Showtimes at Angelika.

More after the jump.

Daywatch (Watch the trailer)

Release in New York: June 1, 2007 from Fox Searchlight
Language: Russian

Sense was never the point with Timur Bekmambetov’s Nightwatch, based on Sergey Lukyanenko’s fantasy novel of the same name. But Daywatch is even more nonsensical than its predecessor. With a story that revolves around a magical chalk that controls destiny, the plot is aware of its own cheesiness. Whether it’s the hilarious body swap that leads to a girl-on-girl shower scene or a drunken birthday party where hero Anton is mostly being silly and obnoxious, it has the characteristic of being more delirious. As a sequel, it fails to excite as much with the filmmakers’ wonderful offering of visual explorations, which were outrightly stunning in Nightwatch. The ideas are still fun, however, and execution is pretty solid. In addition, thanks to the Russian brand of badass in actors like Galina Tyunina, both Nightwatch and Daywatch are still a blast. Just prepare to cringe every now and then, that’s all. Showtimes at Angelika.