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.
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.
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.)
*** 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)
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