Overview
A visually stunning exploration of dreams and reality, where nature and humanity collide in surreal ways.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- dreamy
- mysterious
- contemplative
- reflective evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the anthology’s hypnotic staging, opulent imagery, moral seriousness, and hopeful humanism while finding some episodes fragmentary or less compelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The eight segments move through fox folklore, damaged orchards, nuclear catastrophe, mutation, and a nature-integrated village.
The fox wedding, snow mountain, Van Gogh paintings, Mount Fuji disaster, and watermill village are staged as opulent visions.
The Mount Fuji meltdown and post-nuclear mutation episodes depict catastrophe as a consequence of reckless human power.
Fox spirits, tree spirits, a snow fairy, dead soldiers, and a weeping demon coexist with recognizable human environments.
Films like Dreams, and why
The Tree of Life
episodic magical realism, ecological themes, and a reverent blend of wonder with moral reflection
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
dreamlike fantasy imagery, environmental anxiety, and spiritually inflected humanism
The Fountain
anthology structure, surreal visions, and allegorical concern with catastrophe and human nature
Princess Mononoke
fantastical encounters with nature, painterly imagery, and serious ecological themes
Movie Details
- Director
- Akira Kurosawa
- Release Date
- 1990-05-11
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (600)
Cast
- Akira Terao
- Mitsuko Baisho
- Toshie Negishi
- Mieko Harada
- Mitsunori Isaki
- Toshihiko Nakano
- Yoshitaka Zushi
- Hisashi Igawa
- Chosuke Ikariya
- Chishū Ryū
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dreams about?
- Akira Kurosawa’s eight-part dream cycle turns folklore, art, ghosts, and nuclear catastrophe into a visually magnificent meditation on humanity’s bond with nature.
- What is Dreams like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dreams as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Dreams violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Dreams as mild.
- What did critics think of Dreams?
- Critics broadly admire the anthology’s hypnotic staging, opulent imagery, moral seriousness, and hopeful humanism while finding some episodes fragmentary or less compelling.
- Which films are like Dreams?
- Films with a similar feel include The Tree of Life, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, The Fountain, and Princess Mononoke.
- How long is Dreams?
- Dreams runs 119 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dreams?
- In United States, Dreams is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
