Kubo and the Two Strings

Year: 2016

Director: Travis Knight

Starring: Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, and Ralph Fiennes
Tagline: His quest begins.
Synopsis: With dark forces in pursuit, young Kubo -- with the aid of a talking monkey and a human-turned-beetle -- must find his father's armor to protect himself from the Moon King.

Review

I've seen 16 new movies so far this year.  Kubo and the Two Strings is by far the best.  It helps that the movie is about three things that matter dearly to me: stories, music, and family.

First off, let me point out that this movie is stop-motion animation.  There is some CGI blended in.  But for the most part, everything you are seeing was crafted by hand.  Each frame of the film was painstakingly shot with the models moved ever so slightly each time.  When you think about the hours on end that went into creating Kubo, it becomes all the more beautiful.  It is truly a visual feast.

The story of Kubo's quest is in many ways familiar.  This is yet another incarnation of the Hero's Journey.  But it feels fresh and imaginative.  Kubo feels like the most original and creative movie of the year.

The trailers for the film showcase some of the humor in the film.  There is plenty.  Beetle is an especially fun character.  What the trailers don't show is how much heart there is to the film.  Kubo's story is one of loss and sacrifice.  And the film is brave enough to embrace those things.  As fun as the movie is, there is a beautiful melancholy woven throughout.  It's like your favorite sad song that you love to listen to on a rainy day.  Yes it is sad, but there is a hopefulness to it as well.  And, as another of my recent favorite movies (Inside Out) so aptly pointed out, there is benefit to embracing sadness.  Moreover, sadness and joy can work in beautiful harmony.  That is what Kubo and the Two Strings does.

If I had to sum up the film in one word, it would be "transcendent."  In watching it, I found more than an entertaining story told through incredible animation.  I found elements of truth.  Human truth.  Emotional truth.  And even a portion of divine truth.  It's more than a story.  Kubo is a hopeful reminder of the importance of story and the importance of family.

And did I mention that Kubo tells stories using music and magical origami?  Magical origami.

As terrific as Kubo is, it probably isn't for the littlest kiddos.  It is PG because it has some intense stuff going on, both in terms of action and emotion.  While there are many humorous moments throughout the film, it isn't the non-stop gag reel you'd get from Secret Life of Pets or The Minions.

Oh, and stay through at least the first part of the credits to hear a fitting reimagining of the song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."  (Technically, Kubo's instrument is a Japanese shamisen, not a guitar.)

See Kubo and the Two Strings.  If you want a film with beautiful, handcrafted animation, you will be gratified.  If you want a great story with humor, heart, and action, you will be entertained.  If you are open to something more, you will be uplifted.  I'll be seeing the film again as soon as possible.

*** Kinda Spoiler Section ***

Kubo is so good I don't want to risk spoiling any of the actual details.  But I will note a few thematic things down here.

The climax/ending of the film may be one of the bravest and most honest I've seen in a long while.  It's hard to say it is a "happy" ending.  But it is a good and hopeful ending.  It's the ending the story needs, even if it isn't the ending you necessarily want.  There's something powerful and real to that.  For a film featuring a talking monkey, a humanoid beetle, and an underwater forest of eyeballs, Kubo and the Two Strings has a very real, very human heart to it.

As I've pondered Kubo's final altercation with his grandfather, the Moon King, as well as the aftermath thereof, two things came to mind.  The first relates to Alma 31:15 and the idea that "the word" had "a more powerful effect ... than the sword."  The second thought relates to my favorite verse in the hymnbook: "where justice, love, and mercy meet in harmony" (#195, "How Great the Wisdom and the Love").

As I watched the movie, one thing did perplex me.  Kubo's shamisen has three strings, so why does the title reference two strings?  Why was that the film's title?  The answer is revealed by the end.  Suffice it to say, the title of the film is perfect.

Quotable Quotes

• "If you must blink, do it now." -- Kubo
• "I can't feel my wings!"  "Until a few moments ago you didn't know you even had wings." -- Beetle and Monkey
• "More like the 'Sword Uncomfortable.'" -- Beetle (after having slept on the Sword Unbreakable)
• "You know I can still hear you?"  "Then play louder." -- Kubo and Monkey (while Monkey and Beetle are having a "grownup" conversation about how to proceed)

ISFS

Pete's Dragon

Year: 2016

Director: David Lowery

Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Robert Redford, Karl Urban, and Elliott
Tagline: Some secrets are too big to keep.
Synopsis: Deep in the woods, an orphaned boy lives with a big, furry dragon.

Review

I've never seen the original movie.  Nor do I have any intention or desire to.  Sorry.  But I'm quite glad I saw this Pete's Dragon.

The easiest way to describe the film are with three "S"s: simple, sweet, and sentimental.  I mean each of those in the nicest way.  Basically, it is a perfect family film.

The story is simple and straightforward.  There are no crazy plot twists or major detours.  The film is about Pete, his dragon (Elliott), and the people they come in contact with.  We learn more about the other people only insofar as it forwards the main story.  Simple is good.  The story never tries to be more than it is.

The world of the story is also simpler.  I've read the story takes place "yesterday."  It's never stated what decade it is.  But there are no smartphones.  Elliott's picture isn't being tweeted or put on Snapchat.  Nobody is Googling "What to do with a dragon."  In addition to taking place "yesterday," it takes place "somewhere."  The town is given a generic name.  It could be a town anywhere.  (Well, anywhere with lots of trees and mountains.  So, not Arizona or Kansas).  Both of those aspects lend nicely to the tone of the story.

It's sort of like a tale your grandpa would tell you before bed.

The story is also sweet and sentimental.  Everyone is ultimately good.  They want to help Pete and look after him.  Even the antagonist isn't a bad guy.  He's just a guy who has his priorities a little skiwampus.  A main theme of the film is the importance of family, whether it be blood family or adoptive family.

The best part of the film (and why I went to see it) is Elliott.  He's big, green, furry, and pretty much the most huggable dragon ever.  It's sweet to see him look after Pete.  He's loyal and fun.  Elliott is kinda like a big dog that also flies and breathes fire.  And the animation for him is terrific.

The movie was filmed in New Zealand, so the scenery is gorgeous.  This does make me wonder though.  Does New Zealand have a dragon problem.  The Hobbit was also filmed in New Zealand.  Are Elliott and Smaug distant cousins?

Sorry.  Nerd tangent.

If you are looking for a good old-fashioned family film, give Pete's Dragon a try.  And stay through at least the first part of the credits to hear the song Lindsey Stirling co-wrote: "Something Wild."

*** Spoiler Section ***

I'm not sure it's possible to spoil this one.  At no point in watching the film do you not know exactly where it is going to go.  It's the kind of film where you know everything will be all right in the end.  And it is.

Quotable Quotes

• "I know those woods like the back of my hand.  I wouldn't miss a dragon."  "You missed Pete." -- Grace and Meacham
• "That dragon is mine." -- Gavin
• "We are in pursuit of a --"  "Dragon!  It's a dragon!"  "You can't say 'dragon' over the radio!" -- Sheriff Dentler and a deputy

ISFS

The Little Prince

Year: 2015

Director: Mark Osborne

Starring: Mackenzie Foy, Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Marion Cotillard, and James Franco
Tagline: Growing up isn't the problem ... forgetting is.
Synopsis: A little girl in a very grown up world meets her eccentric neighbor, the Aviator, who tells her the tale of the Little Prince.

Review

If I could only describe Antoine de Saint-Exupery's novella The Little Prince in one word it would be "important."  It's an odd little tale and starts out a bit slow.  But with a bit of patience it becomes something beautiful and enlightening.  It is the story of the Little Prince, the Rose he loves, the Fox he tames, and the Aviator he changes.  It is a story about life, love, loss, and matters of consequence.

Right now you may be wondering: "I thought this was a movie review, not a book review.  And why haven't I heard of this movie?"  This is a movie review, but I cannot in this instance separate the two.  As for why you haven't heard of it ... that comes down to Hollywood.  The film is French made (though in English) and did quite well overseas.  But days before its U.S. premiere, the distributor pulled the plug.  Instead, the film has been taken up by Netflix where you can now watch it.  It is also in "limited" theatrical release ... which doesn't include anywhere near here.

If you are familiar with the book, this isn't simply the book on film.  It is more an homage to the book, which is presented in an abridged form, rendered in beautiful stop-motion animation.  Perhaps the simplest description I can give is that this film isn't about the story of The Little Prince.  Rather, it is about why the story of The Little Prince is important.  Once you accept that, I think you'll enjoy the film, which retains the same narrative heart.

The voice talent brought in for the film is terrific.  Marion Cotillard, James Franco, Jeff Bridges, and Ricky Gervais are particularly spot on in their respective rolls.

The animation is beautiful.  There is a terrific contrast between the monochromatic world of the micromanaged Little Girl, the colorful explosion that is the eccentric Aviator's home, and the paper-like stop motion animation for the actual story of the Little Prince.

The music is also quirky and fun.  It is where the French-made aspect most clearly shows.  (That and the fact the little girl's math book is in French).

I'll admit the film isn't perfect.  There were a few missteps here and there.  But a few days later I can't even remember them.  All I remember is how thoughtful and cheerful it made me.

I suppose some sticklers about the book won't like the third act, which you might say creates a sequel to the Little Prince's story.  At that point it has become the Little Girl's story.  That whole third act is her learning to apply the lessons she has learned from the Aviator via the story of the Little Prince.  What happens are her own final chapters to the story.  For me, it works.  It works because the novella itself ends without complete closure and in such a way as to invite the reader to write their own ending.  The film becomes how the Little Girl needs the story to end.

The very best part of the book (for me) is the Fox.  The lessons he teaches are the heart of the story.  The very best part of the film is still the Fox.  In the portion about the Little Prince, he is playful, wise, and beautifully animated.  For the rest of the film, the Fox is a stuffed animal the Little Girl adopts.  For the third act, when we are in the realm of her imagination, the stuffed Fox comes to life.  He's still a stuffed animal though.  He doesn't talk.  He pantomimes.  And he's adorable (especially when dropping a bowling ball).

I am undecided if it is better to read the book first and then watch the movie, or to watch the movie and be inspired to read the book.  That is up to you I suppose.  I heartily recommend both the book and the film.  And I hope that at some point I can watch the film again, only on a giant theater screen.

*** Spoiler Section ***

Nope.  No spoilers.  Just watch it and read it.  Or read it and watch it.

Quotable Quotes

• "You're going to make a wonderful grownup."  "Thanks, Mom." -- The Mom and the Little Girl
• "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." -- The Fox
• "How can everything that is essential fit in one book?"  "It's incredibly succint ... and single spaced." -- The Little Girl and the Academy Teacher

ISFS

Star Trek Beyond

Year: 2016

Director: Justin Lin

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Sofia Boutella, and Idris Elba
Synopsis: Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the crew face off against a new enemy on an unfamiliar planet.

Review

When the first trailer premiered, my initial reaction was "oh no."  I was afraid the new director (Justin Lin) had ruined Star Trek.  Rest assured he did not.  Not at all.  In fact, he delivered a rip-roaring romp that fits neatly into the Star Trek universe.  Star Trek Beyond is a blast.

I will say, compared to the two reboot predecessors, this one isn't as narratively strong.  The comparison to an extended episode of the original series is not unfounded.  And I'm sure if I thought about it long enough and hard enough, I'd find various plot holes.  But as I watched the film, it held together.  And above all, it was a fun trip with beloved characters.

As we've come to expect, Beyond has loads of action, lots of combat, and many explosions.  It's definitely a film that benefits from the theatrical experience.  There are also some impressive set pieces, the most notable being the Yorktown: a space station which is the pride of the Federation (and looks like a gargantuan Perplexus toy).

Beyond retains the humor from the previous films.  Simon Pegg's Scotty is as enjoyable as ever.  For instance, in one scene, Jayla (a new, alien character) grabs her heavy-hitting staff as she approaches unknown trespassers.  Not to be left out, Scotty grabs the only thing he can: a rock.  As enjoyable as Scotty is throughout, it is Bones and Spock that really stand out this time as the two of them are stranded together for an extended period.  Bones' cantankerous cynicism pits well against Spock's (near) emotionless logic (apparently a prominent feature of the original series) and provide ample humor throughout the film.

As a side note, it is also nice to see two men who think completely differently and even disagree on many subjects, yet clearly have a deep and abiding respect for each other.

As villains go, Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan is a tough act to follow.  This time around we have Krall.  He's an ominous villain with brutal tactics.  But I couldn't help but notice his propensity for monologing.  He's constantly monologing to Uhura: explaining his plan, the weapon he's after, and his anti-Federation sentiments.  It works within the film.  But it still made me think of Syndrome from The Incredibles.  Krall is (intentionally or not) a timely villain.  His ideology is that peace and unity breed weakness.  Thus to him, the galaxy needs war to foster strength.  Of course in the end it is unity that wins the day.

Unlike its reboot predecessors, Beyond is happily scandalous free.  No romantic adventures on the part of Kirk.  And no gratuitous female-changing-clothes shots.  Thank you, Director Lin.

If you haven't already, go see Star Trek Beyond.  It really is a rip-roaring summer blockbuster that entertains from start to finish.

*** Spoiler Section ***

I thought it very appropriate that the final scene of the movie is a birthday party for Kirk.  Why?  Because I saw the movie on my own birthday.

As a musician, I love that it is music that ultimately saves the day by throwing off the alien swarm's ability to communicate.  I would have picked different music.  But I enjoyed it nonetheless.

As for the twist -- the reveal that Krall was once Balthazar Edison, captain of the USS Franklin -- it worked for me.  I didn't see it coming, yet it made sense based on what had been previously revealed. Plus it played into Kirk's personal struggles with feeling lost and without purpose.

Quotable Quotes

• "Fascinating."  "Ominous.  Dark.  Dangerous." -- Spock and Bones describing the same cavern
• "You gave your girlfriend a tracking device?"  "... That was not the intention." -- Bones and Spock
• "This is where the frontier pushes back!" -- Krall
• "More or less" -- Kirk and Spock

ISFS