Paprika, by Satoshi Kon

Paprika is a scifi film set in relatively contemporary Japan and directed by the inestimable Satoshi Kon, self-same director of the fantabulous Tokyo Grandfathers. An R&D member of an unnamed psychotherapy organization has invented a way for people to interact with and record others' dreams; but when the technology is stolen, the team is in a race to find the mastermind behind the nightmares as dreams and reality begin to collide.

The movie is full of the same gorgeous animation that's typical of Madhouse (the producer)'s work, but it has an extra 'umph' due to the surrealism of the dream scenes--and of all the scenes, once the aforementioned collision of the sleeping and waking worlds begins. The sound track is also lovely, though I don't think I'm going to be able to hear the parade music for a while without having a reaction like this:

Illustration by Sparrowbirdd on Tumblr

Paprika was released in 2006, and brought to the U.S. by Sony Pictures as a subtitles-only film. Unfortunately we don't have it here at Mooresville, but it is available just up the road at the Plainfield Public Library--and since they're an Evergreen Indiana library like us, you can check it out there with your card and return it here!