Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Truly Dreadful Film

To me, this movie is perfection.

Memorable, crazy movie

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Movie Review: "Kubo And The Two Strings" (2016)Director Travis Knight coming from a long line from hand-made stop-motion animation work, utilizes great patience and a golden eye for detail in this outstanding animation movie, which deserved a greater audience.Actress Charlize Theron, given voice the main-character-guiding "Monkey", sharing great beats in Japanese anime-entertaining décor as supporting vocal guests range from supreme actors Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara as vicious, action beat playing characters of the "Sisters" and Ralph Fiennes as leading title-given "Kubo", vocally played by talented Art Parkinson has solid beats, carrying this beautiful animated motion picture together with Charlize Theron.Another screenplay originally-received by screenwriter Marc Haimes alongside gifted co-writers, making director Travis Knight shine as the filmmaker is about to present his first live-action feature with an "Transformers" spin-off "Bumblebee" in December 2018 for Paramount Pictures.FAZIT: Picture approved (pretty)Cinemajesty Entertainments 2018

The story is a cosmic myth. Kubo and his mother escape and hide from her sisters and father who took his eye. They live in a cave and do not go out at night. Kubo is a street performer who utilizes magic and origami to tell long tales. With an ailing mother, Kubo wonders out and the epic story begins as a quest for a sword, shield, and helmet. His companions are a monkey and a beetle. I found the story to be delightful and funny. Charlize Theron as Monkey and Matthew McConaughey as Beetle did great character voices with well written lines.

Kubo and the Two Strings is an animated stop-motion film by animation studio LAIKA (Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls). Featuring the voices of Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, and Ralph Fiennes, it is a well-made Western adventure film with a distinct Eastern vibe.In ancient Japan, a young eye-patched boy named Kubo lives in a cave caring for his sick mother. To make a living, Kubo travels down to his local village to perform with his shamisen (a three-stringed instrument), which he uses to magically manipulate origami paper into a story about the legendary samurai warrior Hanzo, his deceased father. One day, Kubo is eventually found by his wicked aunts who are working to bring him to the Moon King, who is responsible for killing Hanzo. After escaping, Kubo then journeys to find the missing pieces of Hanzo's armour and defeat the Moon King once and for all.Featuring beautiful visual effects and a clever story told in the style reminiscent of a Japanese fable, Kubo and the Two Strings is an affectionate, yet melancholy tribute to the Eastern influences on Western animation. The stop-motion look makes the effort and care put into the making of the film seem all the more powerful and impactful. In terms of action, the film has some great sword-fight scenes, almost in the vein of Akira Kurosawa's samurai films, but some moments may be too intense for very young audiences. The voice acting is solid, especially from Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey. However, I feel that it is Art Parkinson who stands out the most as Kubo, he holds the film with perfect composure without ever making his character seem annoying or bratty.I rate it 8/10

In recent years Laika has been developing a flawless reputation, similar to what Pixar use to have and their latest film is easily their best (or at least able to rival Coraline).In a small village in a world similar to Medieval Japan Kubo (Art Parkinson) is a young boy who tells stories for money during the day and cares for his mother at night. However, it turns out the stories that Kubo that were true and he is being hunted by The Moon King and his mother's sisters (Rooney Mara).Compared to other Western animation studios Laika are darker with its storytelling and imaginary and Kubo and the Two Strings continues that trend. The sisters are a wonderfully creepy creation because of the masks they wear and Mara's manipulated voice.As well having the best features of other Laika films Kubo and the Two Strings also works within the Disney and Pixar templates. Kubo is a fantasy story in the vein of recent Disney efforts like Tangled and Moana and gives audiences some great action set-pieces. Whilst like Pixar Kubo has the heart and some of the themes would have fitted in a Pixar film - Kubo's first scene was him caring for his mother who was in a vegetative state. It's the type of scene that could have fitted in the opening of a Pixar film - Wall-E and Up even did that.Throughout the film there is a thematic throughline of what makes a family with Kubo having to find out what makes a family as well as care for his mother. There is also a theme the importance of memory and stories and how they are connected. It gives Kubo a lot of substance.Although Kubo does stray into dark material for a kids film it's not without moments of fun. Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey make for a great double act as Monkey and Beatle, having some great banter and there are some of big action scenes include a fight with a giant skeleton and Monkey fighting one of the sisters who uses a Kusarigama.Kubo and the Two Strings is a great film, working both as a fantasy adventure and as something deeper. It's a great offering from 2016 which itself offered some great animated films.