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Reviewers Notes;

1. As I write this, the top-rated IMDb review starts with the header "a hard movie to explain..." and that pretty much nails it. The film starts very slow, builds gradually, has the viewer hooked like a fish by the mid-point, and then falls a tiny bit short in the climax. But overall the experience is unforgettable, magical, and great fun.

2. In Japan anime, they revere not only their movies but their studios. It was always considered that the NA studios, even Pixar, don't measure up. But Studio Laiko in this amazing film has done things with stop-motion and color which make it a world standard and as good as or better than the best that Japan has to offer. I am even going to use some frames a screen saver, they are THAT good.

3. Lots of great voice acting but Charlize Theron steals, literally steals, the film and takes it to a new level. Makes you forget all about the goldfish that initially started the trend in "star" voices. Truly an incredible performance.

Those talented folks at LAIKA have done it again. KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS is not just one of the best animated films of the year, it's one of the best films of the year, period. Not since Pixar's "Up," have death and loss been handled do firmly and delicately. "Kubo" is fun, moving, hopeful, and profound. A terrific story of bravery and acceptance.

Written by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler and directed by LAIKA's own president, Travis Knight, KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS is set in a fantastical Japan where a one-eyed kid who masters the art of origami and storytelling, Kubo, (voiced by Art Parkinson of "Game Of Thrones") would go out to work to earn money during the day by entertaining audiences in the middle of a market but he comes home right before sundown to tend to his sick mother, it has to be before sundown because at night, his mother's sisters, two evil twins (voice day Oscar nominee Rooney Mara) would try to get Kubo's other eye. The past catches up to them, an old vendetta resurfaces, Kubo must run and join forces with Monkey (voiced by Oscar winner Charlize Theron) and a beetle (voiced by Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey) on a quest to retrieve the helmet, the sword unbreakable and the armor that would prepare Kubo to fight the vengeful Moon King (voiced by Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes). This quest would unlock Kubo's family mystery and lead him to fulfill his destiny.

I've always appreciated animation, but with stop-motion, it's extra level of appreciation, knowing the extra hard work they put into even just to get a few seconds of shots. It's a level of dedication and discipline that never ceases to blow my mind, that's why I'm a huge fan of LAIKA. Especially with this latest film of theirs, the scale is much bigger, there's a sequence involving a large skeleton giant, your brain starts to wonder as you see that scene just how many hours, how many weeks, how many months did it take for them to make that happen.

This film has action, it has love drama, it has family drama, it has a great sense of humor and it's also about community coming together to help one another. It has its own way of featuring and respecting Japanese art and tradition, but even if you're not too familiar with that particular culture, KUBO resonates much deeper than just the aesthetics. It's a film that's perfect for the whole family. And on top of that, it delicately teaches our young ones about how to grieve in a healthy manner. There's also a twist to the story which I won't spoil for you here. This film is just so beautiful and pristine. Charlize Theron has that commanding voice you would follow to the ends of the earth. And Matthew McConaughey voices Beetle as playful and as proud as Tim Allen did Buzz Lightyear. So it's a combination of outstanding stop motion animation, excellent voice talents, a well-told story and strong characters that make KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS one of my favorite this year.

-- Rama's Screen --

If this film was told from another perspective, Kubo and the Two Strings might be considered a bit preachy. It still might be, regardless. But no matter how you look at it, it is something to be looked at more than once. It is simply an amazing work of animated achievement in cinema.

Set in what could be medieval Japan, a little boy named Kubo scratches out a meager existence on the village streets earning just enough for him and his mother to survive. For her part, mom (voiced by Charlize Theron) sits at the mouth of their mountaintop cave in a comatose state every day until dusk. This is also the time when Kubo must be home, not only to be there when she snaps out of it to regale him with stories of his long lost warrior father, but so he can be safe from the evil that bewitched his mother and left him with only one eye. Failing to do this one fateful night forces Kubo on a journey to recover mythical armor and weapons that will beat back the forces of darkness and restore love and harmony to his life and the lives of others. Aiding him on his quest are a miniature monkey carving come to life, an origami samurai, and a beetle/man warrior (Matthew McConaughey).

What is truly exceptional about Kubo and the Two Strings is not the story. The characters have American English accents and are not Asian. A couple characters aren't really fleshed out (those of Brenda Vaccaro and Ralph Fiennes for example). Although the film is geared toward a younger audience, there are deep themes of rebirth and reincarnation that are a major part of the movie and seem heavy handed, as was hinted at earlier. The story is not the star, the presentation of the story is what shines.

Anyone who is familiar with Laika studios work (Coraline, The Boxtrolls) will not be disappointed in how Kubo and the Two Strings looks. For the uninitiated, be prepared to see a film that hearkens back to the old style of painstaking, stop-motion animation with a splash of 21st century wizardry. These filmmakers have done what other strive to do with budgets two, four, even six times larger. They have made an animated world that pulls you in with its realism. It doesn't come off as cartoon like. Eyes glisten, teeth are almost translucent, hair blows in the wind, characters have shadows. Any shortcomings in the script are quickly forgiven when the evil sisters float into the scene or when Kubo (Art Parkinson) captivates the town folk with his storytelling. It's the attention to detail, the craftsmanship, and artistic appreciation that sets films like Kubo and the Two Strings apart from other animated feature films. The filmmakers have learned a lot from the old masters and have served notice that they are at the top of their game. Just sit back and let them and their latest undertaking work their magic on you.

www.mediumraretv.org

"Kubo and the Two Strings" is a hard movie to explain. There is a story in it and the adventure is grand and fun, but I can't place it into a category of traditional storytelling. The themes of the film are the values of memories and how we truly can never forget people that we lose throughout our lifetime. Very mature themes that are handled with such finesse and creativity that I can't say I have seen anything like it before. Even when you as the audience know where the story is headed, the film surprises you with the delivery and you actually grow and learn with the characters.

The strength of the film is the pure visceral experience it provides. The visuals and sound had a layer of depth and drama that you feel in your inner core. It is more of an experience than it is a movie that you watch. Throughout the film, I felt moments of sadness, loss, happiness, horror, fear, and accomplishment. It is a movie that truly raises the bar for animation and it saddens me that many people will not check it out as it is very different from traditional animated films that we are used to seeing from other major animation studios.

So much care and attention went into this film. The world Laika has created is rich with so much history, story, mythos, and culture that even some movies and series that are much longer can't fully create. I felt that the world is living and that magic is truly alive. I love how the character make it feel special that magic exists, but aren't put of by it, when they see it for themselves and have to question the logic.

The characters are fun and lovable, but also brave and dimensional. Not one character felt out of place and they're inclusion felt important. The voice casting is top-notch and I felt like the celebrities actually made an effort. Unlike many big-budget animated productions, The voice actors weren't distracting and added their own layer of charisma that enhanced and drew attention to the characters. Monkey is probably the best character and I feel like she'll be the fan favorite as she's funny, powerful, and a total bada**.

Overall, Laika has produced probably their best animated film to date and that is saying a lot from a studio that produces quality efforts time and time again. "Kubo and the Two Strings" is unlike anything out there and deserves to be seen on the big screen. The animation alone is breathtakingly gorgeous. The beautiful score and music only adds to the complexity of the film. It is probably the best film of 2016 so far and I find it hard to beat. I highly recommend that people check out this highly creative experience.

Kubo and the Two Strings might be one of the best movies I've seen all year. In a crowded year of comic book movies, sequels, and remakes, that's probably not saying much. I wanted to be fair though and look at those movies with an open mind and a little background on their franchises for what each movie wanted to accomplish. However I've been waiting for so long to see something fresh, original, and holy cow this was it. Kubo is a stop motion animated film by Laika studios who've produced Coraline, Paranorman, and the Box Trolls. I really enjoyed Coraline and didn't really like Paranorman or the Box Trolls so I had no idea what to expect from this movie. My friend and I went opening night because the trailers looked interesting, and we were into the entire run time. It's so beautifully shot, the story is simple yet engaging, and the action is just amazing to behold. I don't want to give away anything about the story because I went into this movie blind not knowing that much and I think people should try to do the same. It's surprisingly also very funny! My friend and I just looked at each other shocked at how much this movie made us laugh. The characters are great and the voice work is very impressive. Everything about this movie is just so impressive. For little kids maybe it's not something to hold their interest, but older kids and adults I think should seriously consider checking this out. It's a fun, well written, and very emotional story. Not only should this movie win best animated feature so far, it should be nominated for best picture I'm serious! Lovers of film, animation, storytelling. PLEASEEEE go out and support this movie I heard it will have a low opening weekend and it's such a shame. We need to make this film a hit I want more animated movies of this quality, check it out!

I'll come right out and say it, Kubo and the Two Strings is the best looking movie of the year. In fact, it might be the most visually impressive animated film ever made. The action scenes are exciting, the character designs are unique, and overall the scale and scope of the stop-motion is insane. Considering this movie was a box office flop we will probably never see stop-motion animation of this caliber ever again. The story though is just garbage. It tries way too hard to be funny. Way way way too hard. I can't lie, I didn't laugh a single time throughout this whole movie, and I'm not exactly the hardest person to make laugh. I can't imagine I am the only person who felt this way either. Beetle might be the worst comedic relief character I have seen in a film in a long time, and him being voiced by alright alright alright Matthew Mcconaughey, whose voice doesn't match the character he is voicing at all. Monkey is also a really weak character, and her relationship with beetle is one of the most unbelievable and forced friendships in an animated film this year. It's sad really, because this movie starts out with such a harsh and depressing tone rarely seen in kids movies, yet it slowly devolves into pure clichéd and unfunny (for lack of a better word) crap. Still, the action scenes as well as the quality of the animation and excellent sound design make this movie worth the watch. 7/10

Really disappointed. While the movie excels in visuals and animation department, it is let down by the weak writing/story. The dialogues have no impact, the conversations between monkey and the Beetle could have been so good, and it TRIES so hard to be funny and yet falls flat. They are just, naive. That's the best word to describe them. Naive. Immature. They seem to have been written by a 12 year old.

The story is ambiguous. It's a fight between good and evil yet it doesn't take one definite theme. What is the Evil after? What does the good stand for in this particular instance? It seems all the resources for the movie were spent on the animation with little to spare for the story and dialogues. The worst thing is its a little too mature for kids, yet not enough to engage an adult. So much potential, wasted.

Attended a pre-opening screening of Laika's stop motion animated movie "Kubo and the Two Strings" yesterday and I have to say I totally loved it! The story is set in ancient Japan, where a young boy named Kubo cares for his ailing mother in a seaside Japanese village. He is a beloved storyteller who plays a magical shamisen (Japanese 3-string instrument). A spirit from the past turns Kubo's life upside down by re-igniting an age-old vendetta. In order to survive, he sets out on a quest to locate a magical suit of armor once worn by his late father, a legendary Samurai warrior. He makes friends and allies, encounters monsters and evil demons, and learns important lessons along the way. Visually, this is epically incredible and a game changer for stop motion. The action and excitement kept me on the edge of my seat. I wouldn't recommend it for really small children, though. There are times it's scary and the monsters are very well done! There's an excellent moral to the story and delightful humor, so children and adults will both enjoy it. Well done Laika. Best one yet!

Stop-Motion animation can be a thing of pure beauty. I've been a fan of Laika's previous films (particularly Coraline and ParaNorman to a great extent), and so I really was excited for this. Based on the trailers, it looked like a dazzling experience and I was sure that it would not fail to meet expectations. I was right. There's a real sense of artistry to the film that is missing in a lot of other kids' animated films. It's about family, the power of memory, and longing, and it manages to create some truly memorable, fantastic villains that happen to be both well-written and really terrifying. More than anything, the themes at its core really resonate. This may likely be the best animated film of the year.

Kubo was the first fully Claymation film I have scene, and it was fantastic to see. I am a huge fan of the art style and want so much more of it. The story was charming, and even exceptionally enthralling for the first half of the film, but slows to a halt during Act III, crippling its momentum. The art style alone makes this movie worth watching, and I will see anything that took this much work and artistic talent on the big screen in coming years.

A young boy named Kubo must locate a magical suit of armor worn by his late father in order to defeat a vengeful spirit from the past.

For Best Animated Film of 2016, there seems to be two schools of thought: either "Zootopia" or "Kubo". The former has so far been winning the most awards, and will probably win the Oscar. But "Kubo" has a strong following, with some saying it is not only the best animated film, but one of the best films of the year in any genre.

I love a good underdog, but in this case my sympathies lie with "Zootopia". The creators there have crafted an entire world, and it is not only very enjoyable, but lends itself to any number of sequels with other characters. It is a rich, dense landscape. "Kubo", on the other hand, is a very shallow, one-dimensional story. A boy goes looking for armor, and without even knowing what direction to go, he stumbles over it almost immediately. There is no deep conception of character or plot, everything just falls into place. For me, that really makes the film lacking and does not make me want to take repeat trips.

However, "Kubo" is also nominated for Best Visual Effects. And on that note, I would love to see it win. I don't personally know the challenges of traditional animation versus computer animation versus stop motion. But, I do see the finished product here and how flawless it looks. Unlike the "classic" stop motion (such as "King Kong"), the movements are seamless. I can't even fathom the amount of minuscule adjustments that have to be made.

Although "Zootopia" is a clear favorite for Best Animated Feature (in my opinion), by all means give "Kubo" the Best Visual Effects and honor these folks for the hard work and countless hours it must have taken.

I love this movie. It is original, beautiful to watch and has heart and soul. The quirkiness of this movie only adds to its lovability. It is hard to find an original movie and using origami as the base of this movie is simply genius.

Kubo's grandfather has stolen his eye and now is after the other and he will do whatever he has to, to get the other eye. His two aunts are frighten witches. His mother has lost all her memories and many dangers await Kubo and his only helpers are a monkey and a silly half man, half beetle and an endless supply of paper. I know this all sounds totally crazy, but it all works together quite nicely to make this incredible movie.

I struggled once trying to make an origami swan so I appreciate the origami in this film which has a mind of its own. Kubo plays a two- stringed instrument which transforms simple paper into magnificent, magical shapes and forms.

The voice-overs in this film are stupendous and really bring it to life. My favorite character is Kubo (Art Parkinson) who is just so adorable yet strong, independent and goodhearted. My other favorite is Monkey (Charlize Theron) who is brave, funny, clever and very stubborn. I love her character because of all these traits. Even though she is tough, she has a kind, sweet side that she shows how much she loves her son. There is also the beetle (Matthew McConaughey) who is hysterical, dangerous and a straight shooter or, at least according to him he is. I love his character because its funny and had me belly laughing. His affection for Monkey is adorable. Of course, there are villains of this film. The sisters, both played by Rooney Mara portrays them as crazy, wacko witches and her voice is perfectly scary. The other villain, The Moon King (Ralph Fiennes) is the weird Grandfather who wants Kubo's other eye and he is super creepy.

One of my favorite scenes is when Kubo, Monkey and Beetle are trying to defeat a giant skeleton and find the sword of unbreakablity. It is adventurous and funny. The graphics are incredible, especially the way they created the skeleton. This is the biggest clay animation character ever made. I thought this action scene was intricate and believable.

I recommend this film for ages 7 to 18. Adults will like it too. I do want to suggest that if your child is younger than 7, they might get scared with the darkness and the villains, but if they can accept that it is all fake then they will be okay. I rate this film 5 out of 5 magical origami stars.

Reviewed by Morgan B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

"Kubo and the Two Strings" is a lovely film...and even more amazing because it was made mostly utilizing stop-motion. It's obvious that the folks from Laika Studio really cared and worked hard to make the film this artistic and pleasing to the eyes.

The story is about a magical boy who has been kept in hiding for many years. It turns out that the child's grandfather is a cruel supernatural being...and the boy's aunts are intent on capturing the boy. To protect him are a snow monkey, a strange samurai/beetle hybrid and an origami miniature soldier.

The story is very strange...with many unusual elements. Relax....and quickly your brain will stop questioning and you can enjoy the strange, otherworldly tale. Incredibly well animated, a delight to the eyes and a nice story all work together to make this a special film...one that adults can enjoy just as much as their kids.

This movie is absolutely stunning, one of possibly even the most beautiful movie to watch. The animation is satisfyingly smooth and the action is very cool. The set design is some of the most impressive in the industry and is beautiful to look at. The first half or so of this movie is perfect, it's sad but also has lots of very subtle yet well done comedy. The second half isn't the best comedy wise, beetle can be very funny and he is very charming but he is a bit over the top with the comedy and can be annoying at times. The music also kind of disappoints me. It's far from bad but when kubo tells a story they have very unique and cool sounding music however, during important scenes and action they don't use this genre of music to their advantage. Finally easily my biggest problem with this movie is the story is slightly on the generic side, while I love what the message of this movie I feel a lot of the plot to get to that message is a very generic "hero's journey" plot with the added plot of a semi pointless fetch quest.

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.

I was really surprised by Kubo - and not necessarily in a good way - Laika's breathtakingly beautiful bit of clay confection essentially amounts to a flimsily allegorical bit of culturally awkward fluff. Aside from the bafflingly intricate construction of a few set pieces within I have a terrible feeling it's not going to lodge in my mind with as much tenacity as previous Laika projects. As the credits rolled I was stunned that this much-hyped film that really had all the makings of my exact cup of tea ended up being the little more than "What if Joseph Campbell, but a weaboo?". A serious shame.

(RATING: ☆☆☆☆½ out of 5 ) THIS FILM IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. IN BRIEF: An animated film brimming with stunning visuals. GRADE: B+ SYNOPSIS: A young boy goes on a quest to find a magic helmet and armor to protect himself and others from evil forces. JIM'S REVIEW: Laika Studios (Coraline. ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls) has long been pioneers in stop-motion animation, a time-consuming and difficult art form. This studio has always set a high bar in terms of animation, although its storytelling never quite equal that pinnacle of success. With Kubo and the Two Strings, it has finally combined the two and has created a joyous and totally satisfying film experience. Kubo (Art Parkinson) is a master storyteller who charms the villagers with his imaginative tales and origami skills. As his stories unfold, literally, so does this film. Colorful sheets of handmade papers glide through the air and form various objects in such graceful and enthralling ways, animation-wise. We learn of his story, of his past life, and the dangers that await in his future. We meet Kubo and begin his journey with new comrades like Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Matthew McConaughey) as they travel from one peril to the next. The screenplay by Mark Haimes and Chris Butler has an epic feel and keeps the action sequences moving at a fast pace after a leisure beginning as its sets up its character and the interrelationships of this trio of adventurers. The direction by Travis Knight is impeccable. He envisions surreal worlds that are masterful created by him and his creative team. In general, the voice-over work is strong and appealing too, especially by Ms. Theron, Ralph Fiennes as the Moon King, and Master Parkinson in the title role. There is also fine work from George Takei, Brenda Vacarro, and Rooney Mara in smaller roles. However, Mr. McConaughey's vocals never quite blend with his character, but, in his defense, the character needed better development on the written page and in its animated form. At times, the words sound like second-rate bromides from a fortune cookie factory, but the imagery is consistently outstanding and awesome to behold. There is so much artistry that it overwhelms...in the best of ways. A magical sword cuts waves in two...a large red skeleton looms over its prey...black smoke bellows around a village, enveloping it...a sea of glowing eyes fills its watery surroundings...blue paper-folded birds fly with their real counterparts before rapidly converting into mosquitoes...golden leaves float effortlessly and create a ship of wonders. (One long and memorable sequence involving a fluorescent metallic serpent is spectacular state-of-the-art animation.) Beside the remarkable stop motion work, special mention must go to Dario Marinelli and his musical score which melds perfectly with the imagery on screen. His use of atonal chords and dissonance reflect the Japanese sounds beautifully and enhance the overall impact of the film. There are some minor, very minor. missteps along the way (Mr. McConaughey disappoints whenever his Southern drawl slips in and out of character, most jarringly, the spiritual symbolism of the narrative gets heavy-handed, and the dialogue has a modern edginess that conflicts with this ancient narrative story-line). That said, Kubo and the Two Strings, is easily one of the best animated films this year...and one of the best films as well. Bravo, Kubo!

We watched this in Princeton after seeing "Missing Link" and getting into the Laika style of animation. We think it's the studio's best film: the most impressive stop-motion animation I've ever seen, great characters, and an epic plot. The atmosphere can be a bit foreboding for children, and the intra-family strife upsetting, but the main character, Kubo, gets constant support from his parents on his journey, even it's not in the way he expects.

The animation/stop-motion on this movie was amazing. The visuals are great, the voice acting is top notch and the sequences of action are top notch as well.

My one complaint about the movie and the reason it dragged my score down a little was because the overall plot was a bit...muddled. I won't go into why I think that because I don't want to give anything away, but I will say I wasn't the only one at the screening who felt the same way.

The only other thing I would point out is that this MAY not be a great film to take younger (5 - 8 years old) children to, I could see some of the sequences being a bit frightening for them, but, as an adult I really liked how dark some of it was.

Overall the film was really good and I would definitely recommend seeing it.

I expected big things from Kubo. Those expectations were met on a purely superficial level. The film looks beautiful and the meticulousness of the stop motion craft is clear for all to see, but the story had major problems.

After the striking opening of mother and son caught in a tumultuous storm that dashes them against rocks and washes both ashore, we have a watchable, if slightly dull 20 minutes of exposition and establishing character goals before it quickly devolves into a predictable rehash of the 3 act hero structure. The young, one-eyed, but infinitely resourceful Kubo sets off on a quest to find 3 fabled pieces of armour so he can do battle with his evil grandfather up in the heavens, who just can't stand humans and their silly "feels" (but you know of course that 'feels' are exactly what will triumph in the end (cue eye-roll)).

The ease in which Kubo finds these items in such quick succession doesn't really feel suitably epic and there's no real sense of how far he actually has to travel, he just always conveniently ends up right where he needs to be. There's no real sense of danger either, despite the odious threat of his sinister aunts coming to steal his good eye so they might blind him to humanity, you never once feel like this might actually happen.

Overall, it felt to me like the writers thought up a bunch of cool set pieces they could throw at the viewer, and then tried to weave a script around those. The 'banter' between Kubo's companions Monkey and Beatle, serves as empty filler between action sequences; Their constant squabbling is over-played and annoying. It also bugged me that despite the lovingly realized visual depiction of ancient Japan, the characters acted and sounded so American.

The menacing twin aunts (voiced by Rooney Mara) and the fantastic origami action were high points and very entertaining. However, mostly I was bored and consciously predicting lazy story arcs. It just wasn't a satisfying experience and it's a shame for Laika to spend so much time and effort crafting animation for a contrived, generic story which failed to deliver any emotional weight.