If You Have To Blink...

Kubo and the Two Strings

So one of the great things about working at a movie theater is that I get to see a lot of films at a very low cost. Most of my reviews are products of this perk, however I can tell you that some do slip through the cracks. Slipping through the cracks can sometimes lead to forgetting about films I missed, so when my memory is jogged I try to come back around. One film from 2016 that I was excited to see, but became a victim of slipping cracks, was an animated film from Focus Features and Lakia. From the animation company that brought us Coraline and The Boxtrolls comes a new fantasy adventure Kubo and the Two Strings.

The Story: In ancient Japan lived a small boy named Kubo (Art Parkinson San Andreas) with his mother by the sea. During the day Kubo would venture to the small village and tell grand magical tales of a warrior named Hanzo, using origami and his shamisen. Kubo’s mother stresses that he must be back to their cave home before night falls, however one day Kubo witnesses an Obon festival where the locals can communicate with their deceased relatives. Intrigued by this Kubo tries to summon his father but because it is now night his evil aunts of the night have found him and attack the little village. With his mother’s last bit of magic, she sends Kubo far away from her sisters with the protection of Monkey (Charlize Theron Mad Max: Fury Road), once a small wooden charm. Now Kubo and Monkey must take a perilous journey to find some magical armor and sword to rid the world of his evil aunts and his villainous grandfather, The Moon King (Ralph Fiennes Skyfall).

The Good: This movie was incredible…PERIOD. Kubo and the Two Strings has definitely become one of my favorite animated films, if not one of my favorite films period. Let us start with the story, this story is so rich and majestic. A story of a young boy trying to find the courage to overcome many obstacles, all the while giving audiences a good humorous family friendly film. The stop-motion animation was fantastic and so vibrant. Each place that these adventurers go has its own color scheme which gives off a different feel to the audience. The voice cast was awesome. I thought that Parkinson did an excellent job and Theron was amazing as the stern, ever protective Monkey. I think the one that stood out for me, however, was Beetle (Matthew McConaughey Sing) due to the fact that for some reason his character had more humor and heart than most of the other characters and McConaughey does a magnificent job balancing both.

The Bad: Honestly, the only bad thing I can come up with is that I am upset that I didn’t see this when I had the chance in the theater. I truly believe that this is a film that needs to be seen on a 52ft screen with surround sound. I have kicked myself three times while writing this review, asking why I didn’t see this in theaters.

The Verdict: Okay so enough kicking of myself and I am here to tell you that Kubo and the Two Strings is a wonderful family adventure that anyone can see. Little ones MIGHT be frightened by a couple scenes but there is enough in this film for everyone to enjoy. If you like Coraline or even ParaNorman this film is a must then.

Worth Your Time.